If you’re still spewin’ that you missed out on our recent VUFORU 2.0 giveaway competition, here’s another chance to get your hands on this slice of Street Machine folklore. 

While the Street Machine giveaway car was set to head back across the Nullarbor to the competition’s winner back in June 2026, the owner has decided to sell and this rowdy VU ute is currently crossing the online auction block at RR Auctions. 

Long term readers will be well aware of this unique ute’s backstory, but for the newbies it’s worth a quick recap to bring everyone up to speed. 

Built in 2003 after Holden handed over the keys to a development mule, and instructed Street Machine to, “have a bit of fun with it – nothing too extravagant – then give it away”.

It ended up becoming quite the extravagant build. Painted in a design concocted by Stylemaster Designworks, wearing black over green with purple flames, teamed with an all-red interior and a set of Sparco buckets, it certainly had plenty in the way of visual mods.

And that’s before we get to the wheels. The gigantic set of 24-inch chromies in the back, requiring a mini-tubbed rear with 100mm longer arches, was a controversial choice at the time of the build, let alone by today’s subdued standards.

After being christened as VUFORU after the legendary HQFORU giveaway car of 1986, it was stuck on the cover of the January 2004 edition of the mag before being given away a first time. 

Over the years the ute changed hands a number of times, then it was bought back in the Street Machine fold earlier this year and sent to Jason Waye at Tuff Mounts for assessment. The old ute was initially thought to be in pretty reasonable shape, but on closer inspection the decision was made to go through the car again and give it a total makeover in preparation for a fresh giveaway, with Jason overseeing the project. 

“It was a blow to have to respray the car,” Jason admitted afterwards. With just nine weeks to get the car ready for MotorEx, all stops were removed to have the car ready in time. He engaged the services of Ryan and Scott at Revive Paint & Panel to respray the car in Axalta paints to refresh the base black and pearl green, and then Troy and Tara from Nightmare Designs were brought in to recreate the iconic flamejob using PPG Vibrance paints. 

The Bonspeed wheels were sent north to have the paint stripped off them at Oxytech before they were polished at Adept Metal Polishing and then fitted out with custom centre caps by Matty at Biggie Scrolls. Back at Tuff Mounts the front airbags were ripped out and replaced with new units from Air Ride Suspension Supplies while the interior was given a deep clean, and a new shifter and Haltech digital dash were fitted. Back on its reconditioned wheels with fresh rubber, along with some engine updates from VCM and a tune from MPW, the ute was ready for MotorEx.

The reborn VU ute wowed the Melbourne crowds, and even some of those who were involved in the original build reckon the ute was looking better than ever. Then we gave it away a second time and the winner, while loving the car, just couldn’t afford to keep it; so he’s offering it up at auction so the Street Machine legend can find its forever home.

So if you’re keen to get your hands on this slice of history, here is your chance.

You can check out the full listing on RR Auctions and place your bids by clicking here. Bidding closes on August 26, 2026 at 6:00pm AEST.