That's interesting regards being an EL from the firewall on. So essentially, instead of going to the development cost of a completely new ute body, they just exploited their existing old XF ute architecture to make a ute. They must have figured they could keep using that ageing design for a largely commercial market and get more mileage of of the initial tooling investment all that time ago in 1979. They wouldn't have produced the same volume of utes and panel vans as passenger cars so this was a way to catch up.
Times sure changed with the FG when utes were seen as vehicles for leasure as well as commercial use. Their tray back range would have accounted for many sales also.
All those upgrades are for your own set of benefits customised to you so it's in your best interests to keep it going as long as you economically can. Plus you alone understand appreciate what had been done to the vehicle where a subsequent owner likely won't to the same extent.
It's relative rarity these days could serve to at least help maintain it's value as well as it's uses as a ute.
