Early Falcon Car Club of Queensland


62-94 Hydro Ford - Peter Morrison


This is the "original" Hydro Motors in Nicholson Street Orbost

(Click on a thumbnail for an enlarged image)
Year: 62-94
Make: Hydro Ford
Model: Others
Style: Other
Rego: 3888 Vic
 
BORN ON THE DEALERSHIP FLOOR?
There's only one better thing than growing up with a great Ford car and that's growing up in your own Ford Dealership! (Well maybe not my own but my family anyway).
My father originally had the business located in the first pic and then in 1962 moved it to the newer dealership,where my Mum went into labor and was taken to hospital and out popped me and my twin sister.
Located in Orbost Victoria, we were right on the famous Snowy River where it flows towards the sea. My Dad named it Hydro Motors (later Hydro Ford) after the Snowy Hydro Electric scheme project at the time.
So I grew up under not only the Ford oval badge, but also the FoMoCo logo that was used as our rear window decal. I still have early memories of my Mums red XL falcon (rego HJO382, and I have no idea why i know that but can still see it clearly), and later a black XP sedan. I also have plenty of memories of working every school holiday, pumping fuel, mowing lawns and cleaning cars while my mates were over the road at the swimming pool!
I have some recollections of the late 60's and early 70's and the cars in the showroom...especially the posters that were out when the XW & XY GT's were winning Bathurst, and of course the 1977 one-two.
In 1978 i left(?) school and started work in our small spare parts dept. After one year I then went to Coffey Ford in Dandenong to learn the parts game properly under the expert tutelidge of Ray Girling, and 3 years later returned back home.
So I have gained a pretty intimate knowledge of the XY to XE years of Ford spare parts, and still have many numbers stuck in my head.
After 5 years in the family business I left to pursue other automotive adventures at Hamiltons Porsche Melbourne, and then to Toyota and Mazda in Papua New Guinea.
In the late 80's early 90's during the recession we had to have,(thanks PK) the family business was sold off.
My first car was an XY 250 2V and it was a great vehicle. I did it up as a GT in Jewel Green and black interior and it looked shit hot! But I stuffed it by putting in a V8 that was never right. (Still have memories of losing it up the main street one night and going backwards into a tree).



Return to Search Results