1950 started the decade celebrating the 25th anniversary of Ford in Australia. It had come a long way from its humble beginings in a wool store near Geelong’s waterfront to become a huge manufacturing force stretching accross Australia.
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Ford’s Geelong plant during 25th anniversary celebrations in 1950
1951 Consul 4 cylinder sedan was launched, this English designed medium sized car and continued throughout the decade with several upgrades and model changes.
1952 saw the release of the Zephyr a 6 cylinder sedan, the Zephyr was British designed and was manufactured up until 1955. There was an upmarket version of the car called the Zodiac which included such luxury features of the time like two tone paint, white wall wheels and twin auxillary lamps. Inside there was a heater, a clock, armrests and even a raido. Fordson Major tractor introduced. Customline sedans and utilities announced.
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Ford Geelong plant looking north along Melbourne Road 1950’s
1955 Australian-built Customline sedans and Mainline utilities fitted with OHV V8 engines built on new overhead valve V8 engine line. The Customline was a large luxury sedan which was a forerunner for what would become the Fairlane.
1956 the year of the Melbourne Olympic Games saw ford produce the MkII Zephyr and Consul sedans. Utility version of Consul and Zephyr designed and produced. Ford purchased 400 acres (162 hectares) of land at Broadmeadows for future expansion which would end up housing their assembly plants, head office distribution and design centre in the decades to come.
1958 Ford Australia announced a $37 million expansion. Work starts on the new Broadmeadows Car Assembly Plant, while a major modernisation program begins at Geelong. Fordson Dexta light tractor released.
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The 1956 Ford Fairlane as shown in its sales brochure
1959 saw Broadmeadows Car Assembly Plant opened in August producing the first Australian-built Fairlane 500 based on the American vehicle, Custom 300 and Ranch Wagons. The 1959 Consul was launched with the sales pitch ” Providing Australian families with the biggest comfort-space and easy performance ever allied with 4-cylinder economy” . It claimed 30 miles per gallon, had a 35 ft turning circle and produced 59 brake horse power.
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The Ford Anglia is probably better known today as the car in the Harry Potter books and movies
