EFC website

[fordel]

Ahh notedpad, the ultimate HTML coding program.

[RJO89]

How's the website coming along guys?

Also, where would I enquire in regards to getting an EFC sticker. They gonna be available at SFS? Because I want to have one on before then...

Another also, who's the 'leader' of EFC? Is there someone who's actually in charge of running the group and ensuring that cruises, get togethers, etc as well as the website and merchandise are all kept running?

[Fast Eddie]

Quote: "who's the 'leader' of EFC?" That's a good question but really the only continuous cruises and events like Sydney All Ford Day are here in N.S.W. For instance, this weekend's Cruise/Lunch I've put out the call for but most of us have either organised or put out the call for Cruises/Events in the recent past.

Timmeh and Zetec, to my understanding, are the ORIGINAL guys of the E.F.O.C. They both and others have contributed enormously to the growth or otherwise of the Club.

Can't help you with stickers etc. though and I'm the custodian of the E.F.O.C. Banner so if you need it down there in Victoria and no-one from up here are going to participate in shows etc. let me know and I can get the banner down to you. But i'm coming down to the '09 S.F.S. anyway.

Hope this helps.

[zetec]

I'm officially still the club co-founder along with Tim, but as we all know Tim is now a Scooby driver, so it leaves me as the patron saint of Eurofords in Australia.

The fact I'm about to get back into a Focus confirms my love of the little buggers!!!

[Velociraptor82]

xurbanx: How is the website comming along?

Sorry about not getting a good copy of the logo yet. My life has been pretty hectic as of late so i may not get a chance to put it together until after Christmas.

"All hail zetec & Timmeh" HAHAHAHAHHAHA

[Velociraptor82]

Here are the logos...FULL RES to do with as you please....

http://www.velociraptor.biz/images/zipped_hd/logo.jpg
http://www.velociraptor.biz/images/z...ransparent.gif

[RJO89]

That's good as Simon mate. Well done. I have no doubt they will come in handy!!

[Velociraptor82]

Hows the website comming along???

[wulos]

If you would like the original club graphics(logo's / banners / headers etc) - I know the guy that designed em. Pretty sure he's still got em too.

[xurbanx]

That would be sweet Wulos.
I get home around 12 every night so I usually don't have that much free time to work on it. If someone's able to help me code it, I'll be up for it :]

[wulos]

fast eddie / xurbanx you should have emails.

[Fast Eddie]

"fast eddie you should have emails."

Confirmed Wulos.

[zetec]

Boys, I hope you're all sitting down...


History of the European Ford Owners Club


July 2003 - The original concept for the European Ford Owners Club of Australia came about when two of the former U.S. run Ford Forums members ‘Timmeh’ and ‘Zetec’ come to the conclusion there are no clubs around that cater for our newly acquired Ford Focus vehicles. With the Ford Mondeo already having been around for a few years, and the Ford Fiesta arriving on our shores during this time, we begin debating either a club focused specifically on the Focus, or a more broad club for all European Fords.

Oct 2003 - After some online discussion, ‘Timmeh’ and ‘Zetec’ meet up in Sydney for the first time, and form the European Ford Owners Club of Australia. ‘Timmeh’ makes a basic website hosted by geocities, and Ford Forums set up our own club forum in the club section of their website. The Focus continues to gain popularity as people begin joining our club, and soon a club meet is organised for the New Year.


Jan 2004 - Ingleburn in southern Sydney is the venue for the first real club meet, where SureFlo Exhaust held a dyno day. Power Ford sends along its Focus showcar to add to the group of Foci. The Focus dominates the cruise in numbers, initially with 4 and then 6 turning up for our maiden event.


Mar 2004 - A small gathering of the NSW clubs performance vehicles follows up the initital club meet, with two ST170s and a Zetec going to the Blacktown Drive-In.


Apr 2004 - The domain w ww.eurofordclub.com was purchased by ‘Timmeh’, who also released a completely redesigned site to coincide with the event.


May 2004 - This month saw our first combined event with another club, the French club Aussie Frogs, who specialise in Citroen, Peugeot, and Renault. An observation rally was run through parts of Sydney, ending with a BBQ and a chance to talk about the days events. Everyone that attended really enjoyed themselves, a great group of people.
Oct 2004 - Unknown to the club at the time, members set off on what would become the clubs most popular cruise, the Old Pacific Highway from Sydney to Terrigal. This cruise was significant as the first Eurofordclub cruise with cars other than the Focus, in this case, the Fiesta. This event also marked the boom in the popularity of the Fiesta with drivers, as from here it rapidly overtook the Focus as the fast growing car type in the club. The go-kart handling, willing Duratec engine that delivered excellent fuel economy and a broad torque band, and german build quality ensured the cars popularity.



Nov 2004 - Another NSW combined cruise, this time with the friendly people from FordLaser.com. The twisty roads down the Wisemans Ferry provided a great chance to enjoy the cars away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Fiesta was booming as the car of choice. After this event, it would take NSW 18 months before the Focus would once again outnumber the Fiesta at a club cruise.



Dec 2004 - The club celebrated the end of its first full year with two meets, one in NSW and the first ever in Victoria. Those NSW members that were available first had a photoshoot day at Parramatta Park with photographer Wulos, on the weir. They then went on for dinner at Hogs Breath Café. The Victorians took the opportunity to hit the Great Ocean Road, in what would become their favourite piece of tarmac. The turnout for the first Victorian cruise was exceptional, and a tribute to all the club members there, and Victorian organiser ‘Zetec’. The Victorian cruise was also notable with the introduction of the Mondeo into the club, with two different models attending. By this time, the club also had members in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.


Dec 2004 - Another notable event for this month was the formation of the Australian Ford Forums. The change of our forum to the new forums kept us in line with our Australian Ford community. Our club members make up a large part of the Focus, Fiesta, Mondeo, and Cougar sections of the forums.

Feb 2005 - It wasn’t long before the club was back into the swing of things in the new year, with both NSW and Victoria having an event. NSW kicked off 2005 with a cruise to Staples Lookout, with the traditional stop at the Pie in the Sky. Victoria attended the Small Ford Sunday 05, with club members Matt and Stephan winning Best Focus and Best Mondeo respectively, a tradition that would continue. The event was great as always, attended by small Fords of all ages.


Apr 2005 - Another chance to get out and about with another car club, the Eurofordclub hit the roads to Berowra Waters with FordLaser.com. In what had to be the largest gathering of cars the club had assembled, they all hit the roads to enjoy the winding bends down to lunch at the river. Eurofordclub.com enters its second year as a domain.


May 2005 - Victoria hosted a cruise to Reefton, with nearly every type of Euroford in attendance, including the ST170 Focus and ST24 Mondeo. This cruise also sees the first attendance by the new LS Focus, two months before NSW would have one attend.

Jul 2005 - The Blue Mountains was the host of NSW’s next cruise, out to a short extremely winding and steep stretch of road. It was a good opportunity for people to jump into the passenger seat of friends cars and go for a blast up and down the pass, and also for the photography-minded people to get some photos of the cars on the go.


Aug 2005 - The Eurofordclub attends its first Peter Warren All Ford Day, which was also the first car show the NSW cars had attended. A great time was had by all, with plans to make our presence even bigger for the next one. The day is also significant for the arrival of the Cougar to the club, the sleek low lines adding to the diversity of the clubs cars.


Sep 2005 - The next NSW event went out to Oran Park, for the AMRS round. The club went to support Darren Best who races his Focus ST170 in the production cars, but was unable to race on this particular weekend. It was a good opportunity for the photographers to get some practise in as well.

Sep 2005 - Also in this month, NSW went on another cruise, back up the Old Pacific Highway to the Central Coast once more. The target this time was fish and chips for lunch! The Fiesta’s domination of numbers continues, proving to be the car of choice for NSW members.


Oct 2005 - Bathurst was the location of the Australian Rally Championship round, and with Fords impending arrival on the scene, the club went to see the new rally car on display. Another classic Ford, an AussieDuct sponsored Mk I Escort, was also on hand to provide its unique engine note and spectacular display on the stages.


Nov 2005 - Newcastle hosted the club event this month, with cars meeting up in northern Sydney to have lunch on the foreshore of Newcastle’s harbour. Fort Scratchley provided a good photo opportunity for the cars. The members then went go-karting, before a quick trip to the old Maitland Jail.


Dec 2005 - The end of the clubs second full year was celebrated by another photoshoot / dinner combination, held at Parramatta Park once again. Guest photographer Donut King added to the clubs photographers to capture some fine images for the cars owners. Dinner was held at Lone Star, and the meal was capped off with a good Christmas present giveaway. Many laughs were had, clam shell bras worn, and reindeer antlers for all made the night a riot. Apologies to anyone else that happened to be dining there that night.


Feb 2006 - The Victorian members returned to the Small Ford Sunday to back up on last years fine results. A great effort by the club members saw the club put up a good display, which was awarded with the Best Club Display award. Members also managed to win some individual awards as well. Danny won Best Fiesta, Best Focus went to Melbzetec, and Best Mondeo was won once again by OZST24. The fact that our club was not the only one there with these types of vehicles was a tribute to the quality of the club members vehicles!



Mar 2006 - The photographers in the club organised an event to practice their skills, and guest photographer Wulos was invited back for this event also. Held in the centre of Sydney, the photographers hired a couple of models to pose with the vehicles as they practiced. Two locations were available, just down the road from each other. One was a wharf, the other a timber yard. Each club member that came was given a CD with the photos taken on the day, in return for bringing their vehicles and participating. This event became one of the most talked about events for a while, and future ones are being planned. The Escort made its debut at a club meet at this event also.


Mar 2006 - The ARC Rally of Canberra was held during this month also, with club members excited about the arrival of the Pirtek Ford Focus rally car. Both NSW and Victorian members travelled to meet in Canberra to support the Focus rally team, which was a good show of dedication by the members to travel so far for the weekend. Also seen in Canberra during this time was Her Majesty, the Queen, on her visit to Australia for the Commonwealth Games.


Apr 2006 - For the first time as a club, members turned south and went down to Wollongong to see the new Coalcliff Bridge, built on the cliff face over the water. This event saw the return of the Focus as the car of choice, with both models present. The Fiesta and Cougar were also in attendance, on the first day that rained spoiled the lunch! For two and a half years, the club had enjoyed fantastic weather on every club meet. This time, intense rain and gale force winds saw the planned BBQ called off, while the club retreated to the warm confines of fast food outlets. In an ironic twist, after the cruise had ended, the rain departed and blue skies returned within an hour.


Apr 2006 - Victoria also held a cruise, heading to Daylesford first. After stopping for a feed, the club members then continued on their way, heading up to the beautiful scenic Mount Franklin. The reds, oranges, and yellows of the autumn trees provided a great photo opportunity for the members. The photos strengthened the clubs reputation of an enjoyment in photography, producing fine results for themselves.


May 2006 - Oran Park was the scene of Best Racing’s first Sydney appearance. Best Racing, who run an LR Focus ST170 in the Australian Production Car Championship, started the year in fine form, developing a big lead in Class C. Darren Best and the whole team always have time for club members, to discuss the racing, the cars, the championship – anything and everything. Members had a great day out, being able to come into the pits and see the team working was a highlight. Being out trackside supporting the team was just as rewarding, with the Focus proving very competitive against its rivals.


Jun 2006 - The NSW members organised a cruise as a meet and greet for all the new members that had recently joined up. The Entrance was the destination, and a good variety of club cars attended. The roads on the Central Coast always provide good driving, and lunch is always a good reward. A large mix of cars were on hand, with members able to get to meet each other and learn more about what they had done to their cars.


Jul 2006 - Best Racing were back in Sydney, this time for the Eastern Creek round of the Australian production Car Championship. Darren Best continued his fine form in races one and two, albeit with some contact with other cars, but a blown ignition fuse disabled the car in race three. Despite this, and an imposed 7000rpm rev limiter on the ST170 by officials, Darren and the team won the Australian Production Car Class C Championship in dominating style. NSW members attended to lend their support and had a fantastic day out.


Aug 2006 - Eurofordclub were back at the Peter Warren All Ford Day in Sydney, raising money for the Westmead Childrens Hospital. The NSW members got together a diverse range of cars, more members, and a bigger display than they had ever had before. It was a good opportunity to show off all the hard work the members had put into the club and their cars, and also to see the cars and members from other clubs that attended as well!


Aug 06 - Fast Eddie organised a cruise out to the International Regatta Centre for a photo opportunity. The cruise took the club up through the Blue Mountains, which always provides good winding roads and beautiful scenery. The International Regatta Centre were kind enough to let the club get some photos right inside.

Aug 06 - NSW had a Go Kart Day at Eastern Creek. Having the whole track to themselves, the club members had a real blast racing each other and being competitive in a safe environment.

Sep 06 - Several club members got together with the Classic Ford guys for a blast up the Central Coast to Patonga. The winding roads suiting both the Classic Fords and the Eurofords, and was a great day out in the cars. The two groups of cars complimented each other, both having great handling qualities and good looks!

Sep 06 - Some Victorian and NSW club members went along to the Australian Rally Championship round in Melbourne to watch the Pirtek Rally Team put the RWD Focus rally car through its paces!

Oct 06 - The club got together with Darren Best and the team from Best Racing to celebrate a successful 2006 season! The club presented the team with a signed copy of the 2006 Eurofordclub Championship Prints, and were able to talk to Darren about his season and members own Eurofords! The next day, several members went out to Oran Park to watch the Production Car Racing and the presentation of the Class C Champion trophy!

Nov 06 - Victorian members hit the winding roads to Lake Mountain, via Black Spur. It was another chance to get out, meet up with friends and enjoy driving on roads not normally used by members. Everyone that attended this cruise had a great time, with some great photos to show from it too!

Nov 06 - A group of NSW members head out to the twisty roads south west of Sydney to Wollongong, via Picton. Sometimes on a cruise you get a large number of one type and colour, on this cruise it was black Fiestas! The roads were good; the company of fellow club members was fantastic as always.

Dec 06 - The NSW End of Year Dinner for 2006 was a great night out at Hogs Breath Café in Parramatta. The Chris Cringle style game with presents was good fun, a good night out to celebrate the end of another successful year in the club!

Dec 06 - The Victorian End of Year Dinner was combined with a Go Kart Day. Sunshine Karting was the venue for some great antics and stories on four small wheels, and then it was off to Lazy Moes for dinner. A great day out, co-attended by FordXR5Turbo.com members!

Dec 06 - Over 385 people took part in a fun day at Winton, with Best Racing providing some of the fun action there with their race ST170. The team took Focus around the track for guests, and enjoyed getting out at high speed.

Jan 07 - NSW got another year under way when they took the winding roads through the Royal National Park down to Wollongong. Both Eurofordclub and XR5 Turbo members had a great day out!

Feb 07 - Small Ford Sunday 2007! We’re back, bigger than ever!

[zetec]

Clearly still needs some work, we have 2 years to fill in!!

[Fled74]

Here's a dummy version I threw together in about 30 minutes using Photoshop, ImageReady and Frontpage.

It's pretty lame; I haven't done web design in over 7 years.

CLICK TO VIEW

I'll generate a few more concepts when I have time.

Any suggestions?

[Velociraptor82]

Zetec: how on earth did you remember all that?? I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast.

Fled: Looks good, can you adj the images and table widths to percentages so that it will look good on all resolutions? I can provide some java code which you can add to obtain the resoultion of the user and as such use an if statement to provide the best fonts/images for that resolution.

[Fast Eddie]

Zetec, Just a Post Script to 2005 at the Rally of N.S.W. (Bathurst) there was an opportunity for Guesty to jump into my Focus and take a look at my Hand Controls etc. And I think Richo did a similar thing at the 2008 S.F.S. They were some highlights, for sure. Apart from that, and from what I remember, what you've covered is comprehensive and accurate! Well done.

Fled, It's interesting to see in the Main photo my LR on the r.h.s. are my O.E. wheels. Will have to see if I've got a similar photo from S.F.S. with my ST170 wheels. If you need a hand with anything else let me know.

[zetec]

Guys that's the soft copy of Tim's club History Display. We need to update it, but I found the document burried deep in my computer!!

[zetec]

And Fled, I LOVE that intro page. Well done.

[Timmeh]

Hi guys. Been away for a while but I might be coming back.

I still own the domain, been paying for it for years now.

Another Eurofordclub member was hosting the website but it seems it's no longer there.

I should have all the original graphics including mega large photoshop files for high quality images, I'll start going thru my archives for them. The old style graphics with the European stars from Wulos were updated to a modern fresh look since then, though I see a new one again is used on the trial site.

I'm always willing to help out, been designing websites for a few years since the original sites and have some nice tools to use.

There were heap of old info pages - Focus / Fiesta / Cougar / Mondeo buying guides, our EFC hall of fame, mod guides - all sorts of crap.

The Subi is for sale, and who knows, an LS Focus Zetec might be on the cards.

[Fast Eddie]

Quote: "who knows, an LS Focus Zetec might be on the cards."

Timmeh, good to see you're still lurking about. What, an LS. I'm not saying that a LS is anything less than it is as it's a Euroford but YOU know you want an LR mate.

[fordel]

Good ole LR's

I still want my old ST back :(

Anything I can do again to help out let me know too.

I'm still here, just in a round about way

[Chris D]

I still have a complete copy of the old website from when it was hosted by fordel, PM me if it's wanted and I'll email a copy.

[Velociraptor82]

Previosly I'm assuming that fordel was paying for the domain name registraion. So who is gonna pay for it now? And is the site gonna be hosted from one of our members or is it gonna be hosted by geocities or soemthing?

I'm guess that the person who takes responsibility for the above 2 will be the one responsible for the site and as such the person Chris D will need to speak to.

[fordel]

Timmeh was paying for the domain each year.

I have my own domain / webspace that I was hosting it on.

I currently still host the fiestaxr4.com forums..

I do not mind hosting the EFC site on my own domain again, much better then a geocities site.

[Velociraptor82]

Still under development but please take a look here:

http://www.velociraptor.biz/EuroFordClub/default.php

This is only a temp location on geocities until i find a better place that will host asp (cos i'm largely unfamilar with php). Please pm me any suggestions or critisims and CONTENT?