The "Golden Age" of Ford Australia?

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Damn Dana and their Brazilian labour. Guess that explains the crappy diffs , bushes and creaking suspensions in the Falcons and Territories.

More centered around design and requirements (it comes down to cost after all).

[78xcgxl]

Originally Posted by kypez

What is the definition of a Golden Age? Most cars sold? Best product?

If we look past sales numbers, I reckon the FG is the best. Awesome product mix with almost every segment covered. And once the Miami was introduced, that only made the series even better.

When else in Fords history did you have a:

5.0 litre Supercharged V8 (GS/GT/GTF, all different tunes/R&D)*
5.4 litre motor which is awesome as a GT engine (XR8/GS/GT, again different flavours)*
4.0 litre Turbo 6 (which was 2 engines XR6T and F6)
4.0 litre LPI 6 (Available across the range, brilliant use of technology)
4.0 litre NA Petrol 6 (Available across the range)
2.0 Litre Turbo 4 (all except XR models; which was a silly decision but so be it).
2.7 Litre Turbo Diesel Terri

Thats a series with 12 Engine options available through the range!

Suspension Tunes as well as with the R Spec and GTF.

Standard equipment was up as well especially with the Series 2 model.

The cars were well made and the quality was good. I love the interior of my FG's and its a great place to be. I've had E series and the BA XR8. The FG is just so much nicer than any of these models IMO.

Bang for your buck, the FG range was hard to go past and gets my vote as the Golden Age of Ford Australia.

Its just a shame that the market has moved on...

*I recognise both were not sold side by side but were part of the series.

I agree 100%. FG MK2 is the greatest modern falcon ever made. In my eyes it is perfect. Build quality is 100 times than any b series along with every other aspect of the vehicle. Best Falcons i have ever driven have been 2 FG mk2 falcons. Can't wait till i save up enough to buy one soon!

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by 78xcgxl

I agree 100%. FG MK2 is the greatest modern falcon ever made. In my eyes it is perfect. Build quality is 100 times than any b series along with every other aspect of the vehicle. Best Falcons i have ever driven have been 2 FG mk2 falcons. Can't wait till i save up enough to buy one soon!

Funny thing, so is the equivalent Holden. The fit & finish of the current VF is light years ahead of what we saw only a decade or two ago. Performance & economy have also seen huge advances.

The equipment level is outstanding, even in the basic Evoke, & the electric steering is up there with the best in the world with its precise feel & handling.

It looks like it's too little too late, for both Ford & Holden, they have the best vehicles in a market which has all but disappeared.

Dr Terry

[castellan]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Yeah so true, these attitudes will hurt these same people, indirectly, enormously. And they don't see it. I was talking to a young mechanical engineering grad recently, and opportunity is all offshore.

If you don't actually value-add, you remove yourself from the First World. People just don't get it.

I take particular issue with the motoring scribes: if you go back and read the reviews, in the early 60's they were very 'pro-Australia' and 'pro local content' - as these people had experienced the Second World War. By the mid 70's a new generation was filling in, writing the virtues of imported cars like the BMW 3 series, and rubbishing local product (read reviews of the LH Torana for example). If you do this for long enough, and are sustained enough, you perceptively change attitudes. And you reap what you sow.

Both sides of politics, since the early 70's, have opened the gates of Babylon, and betrayed the policies that developed a manufacturing base here.

But, we are all interconnected and we have access to foreign markets. Unless it's importing cars to Thailand, ag products to Europe, Ag products to USA, cars into Japan, cars into South Korea - or any market that the domestic nation wishes to continue to protect. And we don't (yet) debase our currency to make our exports cheaper. There is no advantageous USD peg, like that which is being adjusted by China at present. So, we played the game fairly. Pity no one else was. Roll on the TPP for more of it - but perhaps we can individually find niches amongst this as the large manufacturing enterprises are killed off? I reckon there's a worldwide niche for an XA coupe and ute bodystyle and modern muscle driveline/safety/tech - Aussies could do it on a shoestring!

I think it's that our Government fears the others around us mainly and now that USA and the UK are dead ducks, we have no hope at all.
We give millions and millions to others, for what !

[Sprintey]

Interesting you mention the US and UK Castellan, they are onshoring manufacturing as quickly as they can, and are powering here. Evidence is JLR, and the US advances through tech - from TSLA and electrics to the fully automated warehousing, modular robots, home batteries, SpaceX, etc etc.* This will hopefully spawn a great deal of productivity when merged with peer to peer banking, crowdsourcing, networking wth Web 2.0. It's just a new production/distribution model. Think "If I can ship it and the country lets it in, I can design all sorts of truly niche products with a worldwide audience and succeed." Many of the traded advances are virtual and as such have no shipping cost whatsoever, like Apps and updates for these.

It would be nice for FOA and Holden to continue indigenous Aussie cars (and the last models are the best for both) but perhaps groups like Ethan Automotive can overcome the problems of scale and distance, and deliver a truly Aussie owned, lean and green automotive future.




*I must add, many of these technologies are not going to be heavy on labour; in fact they exist to replace it. This is why unemployment is persistently high post GFC and some argue other Western nations continue to be in 'The Great Recession' or 'The Greater Depression'. For those retrenched, governments have stepped in with increased welfare/EBT - but also the barriers to self owned business conducting global trade are far lower for these individuals than ever before.

Edit: if you meant US and UK were dead ducks militarily, they are still a formidable force. But that's another topic.

[superyob]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Interesting you mention the US and UK Castellan, they are onshoring manufacturing as quickly as they can, and are powering here. Evidence is JLR, and the US advances through tech - from TSLA and electrics to the fully automated warehousing, modular robots, home batteries, SpaceX, etc etc.* This will hopefully spawn a great deal of productivity when merged with peer to peer banking, crowdsourcing, networking wth Web 2.0. It's just a new production/distribution model. Think "If I can ship it and the country lets it in, I can design all sorts of truly niche products with a worldwide audience and succeed." Many of the traded advances are virtual and as such have no shipping cost whatsoever, like Apps and updates for these.

It would be nice for FOA and Holden to continue indigenous Aussie cars (and the last models are the best for both) but perhaps groups like Ethan Automotive can overcome the problems of scale and distance, and deliver a truly Aussie owned, lean and green automotive future.




*I must add, many of these technologies are not going to be heavy on labour; in fact they exist to replace it. This is why unemployment is persistently high post GFC and some argue other Western nations continue to be in 'The Great Recession' or 'The Greater Depression'. For those retrenched, governments have stepped in with increased welfare/EBT - but also the barriers to self owned business conducting global trade are far lower for these individuals than ever before.

Edit: if you meant US and UK were dead ducks militarily, they are still a formidable force. But that's another topic.

Wow. This is a glimpse into a world I know nothing about, These concepts are almost scary to a simple bogan like myself...

[Kingsley]

To me it was the 60's. Intro of the modern looking Falcon to the poor mans '57 Chev looking FB Holden started the ball rolling.
Small stabs at the early performance market with the Pursuit and the Super Pursuit Falcons.
The success of the locally built GT Cortina's, the Mustangs and eventually the GT Falcons in motorsport which built towards Fords performance image and the muscle car era by decades end.
The image that Ford Australia was the performance car company back then.
It all led to the growing success of the company by the end of the 70's.

Their was also an enthusiasm for motoring in those days.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by kypez

What is the definition of a Golden Age? Most cars sold? Best product?

If we look past sales numbers, I reckon the FG is the best. Awesome product mix with almost every segment covered. And once the Miami was introduced, that only made the series even better.

When else in Fords history did you have a:

5.0 litre Supercharged V8 (GS/GT/GTF, all different tunes/R&D)*
5.4 litre motor which is awesome as a GT engine (XR8/GS/GT, again different flavours)*
4.0 litre Turbo 6 (which was 2 engines XR6T and F6)
4.0 litre LPI 6 (Available across the range, brilliant use of technology)
4.0 litre NA Petrol 6 (Available across the range)
2.0 Litre Turbo 4 (all except XR models; which was a silly decision but so be it).
2.7 Litre Turbo Diesel Terri

Thats a series with 12 Engine options available through the range!

Suspension Tunes as well as with the R Spec and GTF.

Standard equipment was up as well especially with the Series 2 model.

The cars were well made and the quality was good. I love the interior of my FG's and its a great place to be. I've had E series and the BA XR8. The FG is just so much nicer than any of these models IMO.

Bang for your buck, the FG range was hard to go past and gets my vote as the Golden Age of Ford Australia.

Its just a shame that the market has moved on...

*I recognise both were not sold side by side but were part of the series.

Some good points, and certainly couldn't argue that quality wise the latest is always best.
But for me, the FG era is let down by the following:

• No V8 for the common man
• No wagon
• No Fairlane
• 4 cylinder engine
• Destroyed the Focus with the "Power ****t" gearbox

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Interesting you mention the US and UK

If we could get back to the original topic 'Ford Australia's Golden Age' it would be really good.




It would also save me a lot of editing.

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Some good points, and certainly couldn't argue that quality wise the latest is always best.
But for me, the FG era is let down by the following:

• No V8 for the common man
• No wagon
• No Fairlane
• 4 cylinder engine
• Destroyed the Focus with the "Power ****t" gearbox

There was a V8 for the common man with the XR8 but true, you couldnt get it in base model unlike the B series (though no one wanted that V8).

The Terri is the Falcon Wagon to be fair. Does everything the wagon does and better.

The Fairlane, I concede, is missed though the volumes didnt really justify investment so I understand why they didnt sell them

The 4 Cylinder engine is probably one of the best engines I've ever had the privilege of owning. My G6E EcoBoost was amazing! The front end was light, power was brilliant, responsive and smooth and the fuel economy was amazing (try 950 kms on the highway to a tank!). Brilliant engine that I wish they introduced earlier and marketed better. Heck if it could tow 2300kg, I'd never have got the EcoLPi. Don't know why people continue to knock that engine.

Guess I was limiting the scope to Ford Australia being the Australian made cars that they have influence over. The PowerShift debacle can't be blamed on Ford Australia to be fair.

[castellan]

From people I know who did buy new LTD and Fairlane they got their noes out of joint due to the bad resale value of them and so they went to the imports from then on.

Falcon XR to XA and the LTD P5 and the ZA to ZD and ZH Fairlane were the cars that were a bright light for Ford Australia mainly for sure, as back in the day they were the ants pants of the day.

The Golden Age must of kicked off from 1965 to 1983
The Aussie built 1965 LTD Galaxie got the 289 V8 not to mention the big block 390 V8 that you could get.
Before that Ford were not a big deal to say, hey ! Look at this or drive this.

[superyob]

Originally Posted by castellan

From people I know who did buy new LTD and Fairlane they got their noes out of joint due to the bad resale value of them and so they went to the imports from then on.

Falcon XR to XA and the LTD P5 and the ZA to ZD and ZH Fairlane were the cars that were a bright light for Ford Australia mainly for sure, as back in the day they were the ants pants of the day.

The Golden Age must of kicked off from 1965 to 1983
The Aussie built 1965 LTD Galaxie got the 289 V8 not to mention the big block 390 V8 that you could get.
Before that Ford were not a big deal to say, hey ! Look at this or drive this.

Disagree!!!!
1957 Fairlane
1959-61 tank Fairlane
1955/6 Crown Victoria
1959? Skyliner
1964 Galaxy
Compact Fairlanes.

I believe these were locally built...

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by superyob

Disagree!!!!
1957 Fairlane
1959-61 tank Fairlane
1955/6 Crown Victoria
1959? Skyliner
1964 Galaxy
Compact Fairlanes.

I believe these were locally built...

I don't believe than Ford Aust, made any 1957 Fairlanes, 55/56 Crown Victorias or Skyliners.

Dr Terry