Isuzu revives 1976 Elf 350 Tipper in tribute to brand heritage

As part of a series of activities to celebrate its MY25 range launch, Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) has completed a meticulous restoration of a 1976 KS11 Elf 350 Tipper, bringing one of the brand’s earliest Australian icons back to life.

The restored icon was recently displayed at the 2025 Brisbane Truck Show alongside its modern-day, 2025 NKR version, garnering plenty of attention.

Led by IAL’s Senior Product Development Technician, Darren Pottage, the project was a passion-driven team effort involving volunteer staff at the company’s Melbourne base.

“It’s been a long road to get this project completed and to see the old Elf Tipper up in lights again alongside its modern contemporary in Brisbane was just fantastic to see,” Pottage said.

“These were one of the first Isuzu models to hit our shores back in the late sixties, early seventies, so this resto has been a fitting tribute to the longevity of the brand here in Australia.”

The Elf 350, renowned for its reliability and ‘bullet proof’ durability, was sourced from its original owner—a Sydney-based concrete and formwork business still in operation today.

Popular across trade and construction sectors throughout the 1970s and ’80s, the KS11 helped cement Isuzu’s reputation for dependable factory builds and versatility, Pottage said.

Restoration work began in 2023, starting with a full strip-down to the rolling chassis.

Next, the team sourced and installed like-for-like parts and components as the original and went to work restoring the engine and rebuilding the transmission.  

While sourcing parts such as engine componentry and replacement parts proved to be a challenge due to the age of the truck, the team prevailed thanks to IAL’s Melbourne parts department, Pottage said.

Extensive panel repairs, interior refurbishment, and reinstallation of glass from the original manufacturer followed, with local suppliers in Melbourne’s west contributing their skills.

“From the interior trimmers to the panel beaters and painters, we couldn’t have asked for a better group to collaborate with on this and the results really do speak for themselves,” Pottage said.

The project concluded with a fresh coat of its original baby blue paint before the truck was reassembled for the 2025 Brisbane Truck Show.

“It’s been a challenging, but also extremely rewarding process to be a part of,” Pottage said.

“This is a part of our heritage and as a company wide achievement, it’s a piece of motoring history we can all look back on for years to come and say, ‘that’s us, that’s Isuzu right there,’” Pottage said.