Dealership changeover

[Pinkbits]

Hi all.
Story goes, I was asked to do a feature with a new magazine that focuses on original & unrestored cars.
I am currently waiting on an old vehicle report from Ford, but in the meantime they have given me details over the phone.

What I am wanting to find out is:- The original dealership my car was sold from was called John Lucas Ford - Moorabbin, Vic.
My owners handbooks have Franz Bird Ford filled out in them, but the verification from Ford states John Lucas Ford.
The car is a 10/73 build and I can only assume there was a change in ownership of the dealer from when the car was built until it was sold some three months later.
I know that Franz Bird was the first dealership the Jefferson group bought in 1980.
Would any of our mature members be able to she'd some light please?

Thanks in advance.

[Kidsgts]

Hi PinkBits,
What I've been told and a Friend of mines car is in the same situation(but not the same dealers) is that JOHN LUCAS FORD was probably a wholesaler/large Caryard and certain dealers/smaller caryards would order the cars through them (John Lucas Ford) instead of dealing with Ford Aust.

So it's not uncommon for these deals, and also GMH Dealers were doing the same as to some country Caryards would buy cars from the larger Ford/GMH dealers.

Cheers.
Frank.

[nuthin' fancy]

Agree.

I had an XW panel van sold new by Heaths here in Geelong (I bought it off the original owner) but supplied to Ford by a Footscray dealer.

Plenty of stock swapping goes on.

[andrew stewart]

Originally Posted by Pinkbits

Hi all.
Story goes, I was asked to do a feature with a new magazine that focuses on original & unrestored cars.
I am currently waiting on an old vehicle report from Ford, but in the meantime they have given me details over the phone.

What I am wanting to find out is:- The original dealership my car was sold from was called John Lucas Ford - Moorabbin, Vic.
My owners handbooks have Franz Bird Ford filled out in them, but the verification from Ford states John Lucas Ford.
The car is a 10/73 build and I can only assume there was a change in ownership of the dealer from when the car was built until it was sold some three months later.
I know that Franz Bird was the first dealership the Jefferson group bought in 1980.
Would any of our mature members be able to she'd some light please?

Thanks in advance.

Hi From Andrew Stewart. My father was the sales manager for allen coffey motors 931 nepean hwy moorabbin and was sold to john lucas in the early sixties until he sold it to frans bird in the early seventy's and so on. My father was the man who wrote the john lucas ford logo. For Any more info call us on 0353598233.Ps. Before dad did that he was the vic tas southern nsw sales rep for the ford motor co (geelong) By for now!!

[Pinkbits]

Thanks for your response Andrew.
I have managed to purchase both a reproduction "John Lucas Ford" & a "Franz Bird Ford" rear window dealer stickers.
Just need to find out which one to put on.
The car was sold in February 1974.

[andrew stewart]

Originally Posted by Pinkbits

Thanks for your response Andrew.
I have managed to purchase both a reproduction "John Lucas Ford" & a "Franz Bird Ford" rear window dealer stickers.
Just need to find out which one to put on.
The car was sold in February 1974.

Hi I will try to contact john lucas to find out when he sold the dealership. If still alive? as i have his ph number. But i would say the car was ordered by j.l.f and the dealership was sold during the waiting time. so it should be john lucas on the window. i will ask my father if he can remember when he gets home tomorrow but he left jlf in dec 1970. cheers AS.

[Silver Ghia]

Looking through the classifieds in The Age 1st Dec 1973, shows Franz Bird was the dealer at the time.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...rontpage&hl=en

[andrew stewart]

Originally Posted by andrew stewart

Hi I will try to contact john lucas to find out when he sold the dealership. If still alive? as i have his ph number. But i would say the car was ordered by j.l.f and the dealership was sold during the waiting time. so it should be john lucas on the window. i will ask my father if he can remember when he gets home tomorrow but he left jlf in dec 1970. cheers AS.

Hi i just spoke to john lucas,s wife. john died 10 years ago but she said they sold to frans bird in 1974. so it is up to you. as i said It would have been ordered from j.l.f. But delevered by f.bird. hope this helps . CHEERS!!

[Franz Bird Ford]

Originally Posted by Pinkbits

Hi all.
Story goes, I was asked to do a feature with a new magazine that focuses on original & unrestored cars.
I am currently waiting on an old vehicle report from Ford, but in the meantime they have given me details over the phone.

What I am wanting to find out is:- The original dealership my car was sold from was called John Lucas Ford - Moorabbin, Vic.
My owners handbooks have Franz Bird Ford filled out in them, but the verification from Ford states John Lucas Ford.
The car is a 10/73 build and I can only assume there was a change in ownership of the dealer from when the car was built until it was sold some three months later.
I know that Franz Bird was the first dealership the Jefferson group bought in 1980.
Would any of our mature members be able to she'd some light please?

Thanks in advance.

Franz Bird bought the Moorabbin dealership Sept 1973 and held it until about May 1981. It was then sold to Jefferson.

[janddbone]

How good is that, love these sorts of posts