Fords old Brisbane plant; any information?

[melon466]

My old FC LTD was a Brisbane assembled car, VIN started JH71WM

[Gspec ZL]

My ZL fairlane is assembled up north as well

[aarcai0705]

Hi all,

As a fan of classic architecture this story has fascinated me. I've been searching on Google and managed to find all 5 factories all standing upright and easily recognisable. Amazing designs!

http://www.2shared.com/document/GjBA...Factories.html

It's a PDF file you'll need to download. The first is the Adelaide factory on Victoria Road Largs Bay. Was being used by James Hardie
2nd is Eagle Farm in Brisbane. 3rd is Homebush on Paramatta Rd. 4th is Geelong and last one is Perth on Stirling Hwy in Mosman Park (Matilday Bay Brewery).

I'm based in Adelaide so might go have a wonder over to the Largs Bay building when I get a chance and do some exploring!

[duaned]

Would like some more pics and info on this old plant.

[Greggy]

It was a great old building. My dad had two Fairlanes from this plant. I went there on a high school excursion in 1989 and saw the Louisville, Cargo and Trader assembly lines. Can't remember any Lasers though.

[Peuty]

Went there today and took a few shots.

Click the link to see them http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...202115&page=20

[MagnaVRX]

If you look at the water tank on top of the building today you can still see the ford symbol, just

[Peuty]

Just spoke with G James, it is scheduled for demolition in the near future. I have expressed interest in a site tour, which they are happy to do.

Will keep you all informed!

[Mr Hardware]

Peuty, if you can organise a site tour for some AFF members, i would be very keen.

[f1tzy]

I would definately like to see it too

[Sam_Boss260]

Yep, ditto

[AU3XSR]

Same here...

[AU3XSR]

Photo of the side of the factory from over the train line. Taken yesterday around the same time as Peuty was taking photos of the front.

As some have said you can just make out the faded Blue Oval logo on the water tower

[Peuty]

I'm so disappointed that they are going to knock it down.

Here's a pic from the same side as AU3XSR's photo above

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by Peuty

I'm so disappointed that they are going to knock it down.

I actually find it rather ironic. We take an interest in its heritage just before it gets demolished.

Im glad you had this idea Dan. We wouldnt have gotten another chance.

If we got inside that would be even better, I personally would get as much photograph documentation as possible. I doubt itll happen though.

[XD 351 Ute]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Peuty, if you can organise a site tour for some AFF members, i would be very keen.

I'd be interested in this, but need a little bit of notice so I can travel down.

Ed

[Peuty]

Well never say never mate - because on Friday I actually did get inside. Spoke to the Chief Engineer at GJames who was more than happy to take me on a tour of the site. I asked him about a group going through, but that wasn't possible, due to OH&S etc, but the good news is I got some photos.

Even better news is that alot of the Ford equipment is still inside - and in some of the buildings, it's as if Ford never left. GJames bought the building for the main factory building and left the rest of it relatively untouched.

Here's a teaser pic -this part of the building hasn't had anyone set foot inside it in 20 years - my predictions above were basically spot on!

Originally Posted by Peuty

I'll try to get a photo of it's current condition. I'd love to go for a proper look inside. I reckon people haven't set foot in some of the rooms for 20 odd years.

This was the main reception area back in the day.

[gossy]

Good on you mate, would love to see more photos, any spare parts laying around?

[Bossxr8]

Bit of a story my dad told me.

He worked for Ford as a tool maker, and they were having some problems with the fitment of the side panels on the Fairlanes made in Brisbane, so they sent him and a few others up there to Eagle Farm to sort it out. They took a bunch of the side panels up with them and checked them against the ones made in Brisbane, and it turns out the panels made in Brisbane were more dimensionally accurate than the ones stamped in Geelong, so they had to spend the next 4 weeks making the Brisbane dies closer to the Geelong ones ie. making them worse so they'd fit properly cause the Brisbane ones were too accurate.

So if you've got a Fairlane made at Eagle Farm its probably a better car than the equivalant made at Broadmeadows.

[dave351cid]

did you check to see if the phone still worked.

my brother worked at a ford dealership in the late `70s doing his apprenticship. he always said that the cars that came from brisbane were better put together then the victorian cars.

[Peuty]

Yep, still had a dial tone!

[dave351cid]

Originally Posted by Peuty

Yep, still had a dial tone!

??? your kidding me arent you. ??

[Peuty]

Nope!!! Ford basically didn't take anything when they moved out, so I'd say GJames never had it disconnected.

[dave351cid]

Originally Posted by Peuty

Nope!!! Ford basically didn't take anything when they moved out, so I'd say GJames never had it disconnected.

thats gold.

[79FordEsky]

Any more photos of the site, Also any tooling, You better ask if you can take some of the stuff before they knock it down.

[Peuty]

Sure thing - here is a shot of the old quality assurance system. When the car passed all six checks, the lights lit up signifying it's right to go.

The story goes that when Ford left, they told the new occupants that anything above 4.5 meters from the floor they were going to leave there.

So, all the cranes, paint lines, spray booth ducting, electrical fittings such as this are still there, as if Ford were still making cars!

[Peuty]

And no, there was no tooling left. Even if there was it would be for Louisville trucks, as all the Falcon/Fairlane etc stuff was sent back to Melbourne once it was done with.

Though interestingly, next to the site was swampland which was reclaimed when GJames built more factory space - so when it was dredged, they pulled up a stack of stuff, including Model A gearboxes, Fordson tractor rims, chassis rails - you name it, they found it!

This makes sense, because it was all the rage back then to just dump all their unwanted stuff in dams/swamps. No such thing as recycling in the old days!

[RASER]

Originally Posted by CoupeXB

image

Ford Motor Company's building in Eagle Farm in 1936.
image

FORD MOTORS WORKS
EAGLE FARM, BRISBANE, QLD
DURING WW2
http://www.ozatwar.com/civilian/fordmotoreaglefarm.htm

LOL

That looks almost they same as the Geelong plant, must be a Ford look?

If you go to Zetland in NSW u can see little plaques on the footpath of the old B/L products [P76, Moke, Morris] they use to make, now all residential area.

[RASER]

Originally Posted by AU3XSR

Photo of the side of the factory from over the train line. Taken yesterday around the same time as Peuty was taking photos of the front.

As some have said you can just make out the faded Blue Oval logo on the water tower
image

One day soon we could be taking photos out front on Hume Hwy of the current HQ?

[XR6WGN]

Well, I'd just like to thanks to you all because strangely enough you've answered a question that I've just sent to Ford Customer Services about the Adelaide plant.

I can't ask my father-in-law as he has dementia and is in a nursing home, but we came across a certificate of his dated in 1953 of a training course he did at the Ford Training School, Largs Bay here in SA. Now I've always known that there was a Ford Plant built here and I've also had my suspicions that it was the old James Hardie Factory on Victoria Road.

Well now I know that the building is in fact the old Ford Factory - apparantly it was built in the 30's but hopefully, if Ford reply to my request then I'll have some further information. The building has very recently been refurbished and is now home to a trucking company - I'll get some photos and place them up on here if you like.