FPV Open Days

[FTE217]

As mentioned lovely to see......
DFB 1 of T3 TL50 still with same owner.
The other T3 you mention was Jason's, he's moved it on since.
Quite a few other owners Fords I recognise from those forum days.
That STFORD plated one was Jasons, editor of Street Fords, has featured many forum cars in that mag back then and attended many Club days.
All gone never forgotten.
I've struggled what to buy ever since.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bangm001

Wow mate thankyou for spending the time getting all of this together for us to enjoy!

Amazing stuff right there.

To be honest its the little things these companies did back then like sending out kids brochures of their fpv models etc (i was a driving teenager when the BA came out). Holden and HSV did it too.
I'm sure something as simple as this, plus things like an open day planted alot of seeds in all of us. I remember having the brochures in our rooms, or pics from the brochures etc cut out and displayed somewhere. All the time looking at those photos for me is probably what made me a fan. Probably why i also like some of the HSV GTS/GTO coupes etc also.

There wouldn't be any more pics from that rapid yellow BA typhoon from the 2005 FPV day by any chance? Also what month was the 2005 fpv day?

No, sorry.

Looking at the date codes on the 2005 pictures, its listed as 27/02/2005.

[DFB FGXR6]

The next collection of images don't relate to an official FPV Open day, in fact the signs on the building were long gone by now, the blue buildings were the only clue remaining.





The event held at Prodrive Racing Australia (nee FPR) on October 2nd, 2016 was all-inclusive goodbye celebration to signify the end of the local production. From memory, this event was organised so as to not be in the workers face when the factory officially closed down, giving them a dignified exit while also showing our appreciation. I think I have described that correctly, it was a few years ago now.

This would be the last time I visited the Tickford/FPV/FPR/PRA/Tickford Racing site, many familiar cars were there on the day.

































This car had a lot of attention on the day, the very last GT-F assembled in Victory Gold.





















I got a little confused the regarding the Narooma TS50 in a previous post, it was actually the owner of this TE50 I spent a while speaking with. Again, I think he was a member of this forum.

















I remember this day being quite pleasant despite the sadness in the air. Five days later, Ford made their very last car and so ended over 90 years of Ford manufacturing in Australia.

[au2000]

Remember that day very well, was a day we all knew was special but sad… got to meet a lot of the main team and my son still talks of it.. wow still had the r-spec rims and L plates on my car too !

[DFB FGXR6]

One week later on the 15th of October, 2016, I was invited to an event Wheels Magazine organized to celebrate Ford manufacturing in Australia. Called Ford Falcon - The Legacy Lives On, the day was held at the Geelong Airfield, with both morning and afternoon groups.

This was a day for the fans! Wheels then editor Glen Butler was the MC, with presentations made by then Ford President Graeme Whickman, as well as another Ford executive who, from memory, was in charge of the local product development team. This part of the day was all about conveying that while Ford would no longer make cars in Australia, the legacy of the Falcon would live on in the future vehicles they were still very much actively developing in Australia.







The second part of the presentations included Justin Capicchiano speaking of his involvement on high-performance Fords, mostly the recently released Sprint and GT-F models.



Also present was respected journalist Peter Robinson and drivers Mark Winterbottom and Cam Waters.













We actually gave the owner of this Falcon Squire a ride back into Melbourne, where I was shown some very tasty old Falcon's.















This EA was stunning, probably better than the day it rolled out of Broadmeadows.

















Part of the day included getting a picture taken with the very last Ford's to come off the line. I of course have those pics, but I can't reveal my secret identity!































A lot of the cars present on the day were also used for Wheels photography and video content -



And that concludes this look back to a time when we had access to such wonderful machines. If anyone feels like contributing their own images, the more the merrier.

[FairmontGS]

I was there that day, as were a fair few other other forum members I think.

[XR Martin]

My Sprint was there (not in those pics)

[GT1533]

Thanks for the photos. Really enjoyed them.

Wheels magazine was no friend of the Falcon. Ironic that they came to the funeral.

[arm79]

I went there every year or 2 for many years. All my photos had been lost to history by now so it's very nice to reminisce.

I was there in 2009 looking for inspiration in my upgrade from the EL Ghia to a BF of some sorts. Had to be an FPV and I had my eye on a late 2007 blue F6 R-Spec with 2000km on it on the Gold Coast. Had a very sad story behind it and I was ready to drop the hammer on it but something was holding me off... Couldn't explain why.

When we were walking out of the FPV day we were talking about it in the group when the quiet one goes "what about a Force 6, that be more your style". **** me, I never never never thought of it at all.
i
Look on the Carsales and there is one in Coburg with 10,500km on it at the right price. 2 weeks later it was mine. 30th birthday present.

A year or so later a friend invited me as his plus 1 to an FPV open night. I think it was the release of the FG V8 Supercar. He had a friend that was doing placement there as part of her marketing uni course or something like that, so she got to invite a few people.

FPV were selling of excess BF FPV parts dirt cheap, all money going to charity.

Picked up 2 Force lip spoilers for $10 each I think it was, chrome mirror scalps for $10 a set, box full of alloy pedal covers for like $50 and I think we scored 4 or 5 complete sets of R-Spec shocks for $10 a shock.

So I ended up with an R-Spec Force 6.

Also ended up being one of the biggest lemons I've owned. $36,000 in warranty repairs.

Still loved it though!

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Next, these are from the 2007 open day, only a few photo's from that year.

Someone had good taste, Force 8 in Ego with the Regency Red interior.

Nooooo... Good, or probably should say excellent, taste is a Force 6 in Ego with the red interior.

[XR Martin]

I must admit, the Ford Falcon - the Legacy lives on event didn't feel like a celebration, it felt more like a wake.
All very sombre.

[rods falcon]

image

I think my Devil R is in this image, 2nd from the end.

There were many good examples of local production on display that day.

[barra240t]

Bitter sweet, thanks for sharing. Proud to say I was somehow involved in the birth of many FPVs, either as customer orders or stock orders. Got to choose some pretty far out combos throughout the years of the entire life of FPV. All good memories. These days the closest I get to ordering exciting cars is Mustang, that's it. Pretty sad.

[DJM83]

Awesome pics again mate, keep em coming if you have more!

[Poetic Justice]

What a good read, thanks for posting

[98TLS]

Amazing pics,cheers for posting em up fella,awesome.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by barra240t

Bitter sweet, thanks for sharing. Proud to say I was somehow involved in the birth of many FPVs, either as customer orders or stock orders. Got to choose some pretty far out combos throughout the years of the entire life of FPV. All good memories. These days the closest I get to ordering exciting cars is Mustang, that's it. Pretty sad.

Cars like this, Menace with Orange...........

[GT1533]

The other aspect of those days was that it was quite common to see FPV vehicles in the general traffic. Nowadays they must be all garage queens (mine included).

[au2000]

Originally Posted by GT1533

The other aspect of those days was that it was quite common to see FPV vehicles in the general traffic. Nowadays they must be all garage queens (mine included).

Just did 350 today in the GTP……….
And into a dust filled swap meet car park..enjoy em I say

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by au2000

Just did 350 today in the GTP……….
And into a dust filled swap meet car park..enjoy em I say

I agree, but i dont own one. If i did id probably hide it away .

Im bad enough with my current car not getting driven, let alone an FPV.

Rarely see FPV/Tickfords on the road where iam, i can see why. But i do get excited when i see a nice one driving around!

[Mr Brooksy]

Like everyone else, I really appreciate your write up and photos.

I'm sad to say I never got to visit the Tickford/FPV factory or even Ford HQ itself actually being from north of Sydney at the time. Shame really. I did go to almost every Sydney motor show though to see the new FPV offerings from 2004 until 2013. I remember walking past Lambos, Ferraris etc just to get to see the new FPVs and Falcons... Then I'd go look at everyone else's offerings.

I'm sad that there's no car that interests me enough to take my son and daughter to any new cars show (I'm not even sure there is such a thing anymore). If I were to take them, it would only to go and see the exotics. Nothing in a working man's wage is even worth viewing a motoring website now days, let alone a motor show. It's a sad time in Aussie motoring, especially compared to the FPV years for me.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Mr Brooksy

Like everyone else, I really appreciate your write up and photos.

I'm sad to say I never got to visit the Tickford/FPV factory or even Ford HQ itself actually being from north of Sydney at the time. Shame really. I did go to almost every Sydney motor show though to see the new FPV offerings from 2004 until 2013. I remember walking past Lambos, Ferraris etc just to get to see the new FPVs and Falcons... Then I'd go look at everyone else's offerings.

I'm sad that there's no car that interests me enough to take my son and daughter to any new cars show (I'm not even sure there is such a thing anymore). If I were to take them, it would only to go and see the exotics. Nothing in a working man's wage is even worth viewing a motoring website now days, let alone a motor show. It's a sad time in Aussie motoring, especially compared to the FPV years for me.

I think that sentiment is pretty common now.

High end Falcon's could satisfy the itch for something powerful, while also being somewhat practical for a family man.

The only "desirable" enthusiast cars in that working man's price range seem to center around hot hatches. There is certainly fun to be had in those cars, but they would struggle to be a multipurpose purchase.

I would say that for me personally, there are still a few interesting options available on the new car market, Mustang, Supra, BMW M2, but then I don't need to purchase for a growing family.

Also, the way car prices have inflated over the last 3 years, cars like the Mustang for instance are creeping out of the "affordable" price range. I paid $58,000 for a manual Mustang GT in 2017. Same car is beyond $70K now. I have a S650 on order, but it won't be the bargain my S550 was.

[borts154]

A massive thanks for posting all the pictures DFB FGXR6.

I never went to an official FPV open day, only the 'unofficial' event the week before the end of manufacture.
It was the weekend before Bathurst if memory serves me correct, which is why FPR wasn't opened up on the day, all the merchandise was on the trucks ready to go upto the mountain.

Whilst I can understand Ford managements descision not to formally commemorate the end of manufacture (thinking of the workers) it really gave Holden an example of how not to do it. Considering how they handled their end of manufacture, as a Ford fan, in my opinion, sadly, there's no comparison in terms of who did it better.

Sadly all in the past now.
Including Holden, who'd have thought that back when Ford stopped Australian manufacturing?

[XR Martin]

I went to the first Tickford open day, and the last.
They had an auction at the latter, the Tickford building signage went for $800 (I think the emblem and wording sold separately)
Wish I bought them, although at the time I had no idea how to get them home (you had to take it on the day and was on a pallet)

Anyone know who bought them?
Someone must have it on display somewhere.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by XR Martin

I went to the first Tickford open day, and the last.
They had an auction at the latter, the Tickford building signage went for $800 (I think the emblem and wording sold separately)
Wish I bought them, although at the time I had no idea how to get them home (you had to take it on the day and was on a pallet)

Anyone know who bought them?
Someone must have it on display somewhere.

I believe i have a mate of a mate on Facechook that purchased the Lettering. I believe he was/is a member on here.