100 Years of Ford Australia history being destroyed - Page 2

Eaturbo · 27-04-2023, 08:43 PM

Ok well this really needs urgent attention for future generations. Surely the government can put pressure on Ford Australia and try and do a joint venture to save these extremely significant documents. This should be a priority and the fact that Ford US and Ford Australia aren't seeing this as important sort of tell you what they thought of us all. Maybe we all need to bombard Ford Australia with messages about it and someone at the Government.

Bossxr8 · 28-04-2023, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

Ok well this really needs urgent attention for future generations. Surely the government can put pressure on Ford Australia and try and do a joint venture to save these extremely significant documents. This should be a priority and the fact that Ford US and Ford Australia aren't seeing this as important sort of tell you what they thought of us all. Maybe we all need to bombard Ford Australia with messages about it and someone at the Government.

I just don't understand why the government can't give them an exemption to send the stuff to Dearborn, have them all scanned and collated, and then sent back to Broadmeadows. Surely it's not hard for the 2 parties to sign an undertaking to make this happen.

simon varley · 28-04-2023, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I just don't understand why the government can't give them an exemption

because. you know, government.

Bossxr8 · 28-04-2023, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon varley

because. you know, government.

Yeah, those dip****s

**DFB FGXR6** · 28-04-2023, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon varley

because. you know, government.

and because, you know, Ford internal politics.

b0son · 28-04-2023, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

and because, you know, Ford internal politics.

plausible. how did the government find out the documents were to be moved to the US? it's not something you'd normally ask permission for. someone probably ratted them out.

bungarra · 01-05-2023, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0son

plausible. how did the government find out the documents were to be moved to the US? it's not something you'd normally ask permission for. someone probably ratted them out.

As a major corporate, they would know that since 1985, there has been an embargo on removal of cultural or perceived cultural documents, artifacts etc. All records of corporations in Australia are covered under the act.

Some companies that have moved offshore have either:

A; Handed over to state records offices or state libraries
B; Handed over to the National Archives or National Museum
C: Handed to history groups who were interested
D: Allowed to rot away or dump them after 5 years.

b0son · 01-05-2023, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bungarra

As a major corporate, they would know that since 1985, there has been an embargo on removal of cultural or perceived cultural documents, artifacts etc. All records of corporations in Australia are covered under the act.

But that's pretty subjective. I somehow doubt most corporations would think their documents are of cultural significance.

When James Hardie took off overseas, they probably never left much behind.

bungarra · 01-05-2023, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0son

But that's pretty subjective. I somehow doubt most corporations would think their documents are of cultural significance.

When James Hardie took off overseas, they probably never left much behind.

Maybe not, but the Ford documents, Holden Documents (such as brochures, build documents) and Holden Vehicle collection are classified by government as culturally significant.

i know Sidchrome when they moved offshore, handed over a lot of documents to Victorian State Library, not sure if they retained them.

xkxlxm · 02-05-2023, 06:59 AM

getting slightly off track, but it's pretty obvious what James Hardie intended to leave behind when they went overseas ...

RPO83 · 03-05-2023, 11:30 PM

I would imagine there would be a few documents that FoNA and FoA would not wish for the public to lay their eyes on so I wouldn't envisage the documents being sorted and digitised by a third party or government body. Ford have archivists and proper storage facilities so I understand why they would prefer to have it in Dearborn and I also understand the limitations of exporting items of significance in Australia. This won't be simple to resolve and I am concerned that a lot of these documents aren't labelled or categorised correctly.

Finding and digitising a NA Fairlane Sportsman brochure? Cataloguing a 74 page feasibility study on whether to use the 1.1L engine in the KA Laser? Naff.

Yobbo75 · 06-05-2023, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon varley

that's ****in' hilarious! do you have any idea at all what this would cost to do properly? penny pinching - not. Millions! at a time when they are laying people off. blame whoever you like, but not Ford Australia.

Nope nothing like millions. There is alot but not that much and there are plenty of volunteers offering its just stuck in politics. The same politics and slow reactions that killed Ford Australia.

Yobbo75 · 06-05-2023, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I just don't understand why the government can't give them an exemption to send the stuff to Dearborn, have them all scanned and collated, and then sent back to Broadmeadows. Surely it's not hard for the 2 parties to sign an undertaking to make this happen.

The main problem with this is that the items would not survive going one way, definitely not both ways. Weeks in a hot humid shipping container does alot of damage to old documents and some are plastics,microfiche, wax paper ect that would melt if they havent already.

b0son · 06-05-2023, 06:00 PM

It's not like they're being kept in conditions conducive to preserving them.

Sprintey · 06-05-2023, 07:05 PM

I'd like to see the drawings for an FG wagon. Can anyone let those see the light of day?

Dr Smith · 07-05-2023, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sprintey

I'd like to see the drawings for an FG wagon. Can anyone let those see the light of day?

I second that..although if none exist then it would let the cat out of the bag about the real timeline Falcon was going to be killed. In fact FG-X wasn't originally planned until some arm twisting with Fed/State government grants to avoid more bad press before elections.

jakkes · 14-05-2023, 11:33 PM

i hope the papers for old xr-xb GT's and other falcons in not included in this??

pretty sure you can't get a build report atm ??

fat351 · 23-01-2025, 11:12 PM

100 Years BUMP ...

Where are we at - what happened to the documents - are we still at a stand off ?

Has our history been abandoned ?

fat351 · 23-01-2025, 11:12 PM

What's the Gossip ?

bungarra · 26-01-2025, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fat351

What's the Gossip ?

I have heard, the research team behind the GTHO Registry, XC Cobra Registry books have had a lot of access to a lot of the documents and have copies of a lot of the information from Ford Archives, including some internal communications. Hopefully they get to do more of the research and preservation of copies of records.

**DFB FGXR6** · 26-01-2025, 04:32 PM

I'm not sure if it relates to this archive, but I know Ford have commissioned journalist Neil McDonald to author Ford's centenary for them. I asked what this would entail, and this was his response -

"There will be an employee event in April in Melbourne (including supporting the All Ford Day at Geelong), plus an event at the Geelong football stadium. The Geelong event will be open to the public. Other activities are planned through the year to support fans/car clubs and there will also be some story-telling of Ford's history in Australia."

No doubt those archives will be useful, so one hopes they are still in Australia.

EBSXR6 · 26-01-2025, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Multiples of 6 figures from the tax payer would grease the wheels quite nicely.

+20% for Franco cause it was my idea

What's going on Franco are you discounting your rates?
I would have thought 30% at a minimum.

mondeomatureguy · 10-02-2025, 08:29 PM

Hi Guys,
whats in these documents thats so sensitive? its not like Ford Australia was building Nuclear Weapons.

what ever the case History should be saved. Last year my wife and i went to Adelaide for a week, shes not into cars like myself but very supportive of my passion.

I went up to the National Motor Museum in Birdwood and they have a fantasic display of the last Holdens made and many models before that.
I think Ford Australia should do the same thing and show there 100 years of History.

Most of us on this site knew what a great Car industry we did have in Australia and remember the sad day it all just died.
Our younger Generation who wouldnt even know we once did have a car Industry in Australia once needs too see this History not keep it a secret.