Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) has restored a heritage-brand truck to commemorate a new release of the same model.
First unveiled at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show, a refurbished 1976 KS11 Elf 350 Tipper was displayed alongside the 2025 NKR version of the same model, and reportedly garnered much attention.
The truck’s restoration was overseen by Isuzu staff in Melbourne, and led to a proud moment for lead restorer and IAL Senior Product Development Technician, Darren Pottage.
“It’s been a long road to get this project completed and seeing the old Elf Tipper up in lights again alongside its modern contemporary in Brisbane was just fantastic,” he 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.”
Rarely sighted on Australian roads these days, the restored KS11 Elf 350 Tipper was sourced from its original owner, a Sydney-based concrete and formwork business, still operating but under a different name.
Known for their reliability and durability, the KS11 250 model has a specific history in the Australian market, where they gained significant popularity amongst a variety of trade and construction applications throughout the 1970s and into the 80s.
“This model in particular really helped cement the Isuzu brand’s penchant for steadfast reliability, quality factory body build credentials and overall versatility,” Pottage said.
Having begun in 2023, the restoration project saw a number of IAL staff participate during a range of stages, from stripping and disassembling the vehicle, through to sourcing and installing like-for-like parts and components as original.
Following this sourcing, the restoration also involved extensive panel work to both the cabin and factory tipper body, as well as the refurbishment of the cabin interior.
“We engaged some brilliant local suppliers here in Melbourne’s west that shared our passion for this project and really threw themselves into the work,” Pottage said.
“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.”
Despite the hard work involved in the KS11 Elf 350 Tipper’s restoration, Pottage has remarked on the process as a fitting tribute to Isuzu’s history.
“It’s been a challenging, but also extremely rewarding process to be a part of,” he reflected.
“This is a part of our heritage and as a companywide 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’.”
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