The third time I crossed the Nullabor was in 76, I had a buggered uni joint and was not looking forward to the long dirt stretch so pulled into for a beer (at
Nundroo I think). It was a Friday night, I got talking to a trucker and he said the road was going to officially be opened by Lord Muck on Monday but it was finished and ready to go.
When I got to the new part there were barricades, I move one aside and headed down the brand new bitumen, I had the entire highway to myself and was probably in the first 5 people to use it.
There was still about 60k (IIRC) of the old road at the western end but the new road saved my bacon because it allowed me to sit at the only speed (about 80mph) that the uni didn't vibrate and try to self-destruct.
By the time I got to Eucla the uni joint was totally knackered and I changed it, but an extra 150k of dirt would have seen me broken down
miles from a garage.