Discovery Centre to close

[Bossxr8]

Those are the only 2 I got of the twin cam 6. Been having problems getting pics in full size, only works when they are made smaller, but I think i've figured it out.





Crappy pic my daughter took of the EA GT351.

[Franco Cozzo]

They should move it to the Fox Museum or the new Kangan TAFE in Docklands.

[Stock XR]

Was going to visit there in Oct after Bathurst, will have to find something else to do.

[RASER]

One day this will read "FORD manufacture to close"

Its sad really, maybe re my above sentance, one day in the not to distant future, they can use one of the sheds at Broady to display our Ford Australia history?

[RASER]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

They should move it to the Fox Museum or the new Kangan TAFE in Docklands.

Lindsay Fox would have NO interest in Ford products

Kangan would be too small

They can use a shed where they currently are in Broady once the manufacture is stopped in 2016?

[galaxy xr8]

Does anyone know what is going to happen to all the display's like the cut away's etc ?.
It would be a shame for them to just be hidden away or worse still.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Has this been confirmed 100% to happen???

I may have to make a road trip down to Melb and Adelaide seeing as I have 3 weeks off... really wanted to see the place prior to closing.

Cheers,

Jason

[stalker]

its on their website confirmed enough?

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by stalker

its on their website confirmed enough?

Fair enough then... was stupidly hoping that perhaps things had changed since the thread started....

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Fair enough then... was stupidly hoping that perhaps things had changed since the thread started....

Unfortunetley no, it will cease to operate.

[Simple6]

Well I made my trip down this past weekend from Sydney. Took 2 days off (1 each side the weekend!) and enjoyed spending some time in Melbourne CBD.

The trip certainly cemented my hate for the way "Speed" is managed in Victoria. No warnings for your cameras is blatant revenue raising to me but whatever floats your boat hey? Also was thrown off by your "Right turn from left" in the CBD when there is a tram intersection - certainly received some tourist toots from the locals when I buggered that one up!

Anyway on topic - Absolutely loved the museum! So amazingly well thought out with interesting information and some really great stuff on display. Anyone who is ummming and ahhhhing should just get in there - for $9 per adult, why wouldn't you? Mind you after factoring the cost of travel and accomodation, along with the obligatory shopping as agreed with the girlfriend (had to make some sacrifices for this trip to happen!) - it was a little more than the $9 I paid to get in the door, but worth every penny.

Took as many photo's as I could (my 8GB was swapped to a 512MB card in my DSLR by mistake ) but one photo I found quite interesting was what looks to be an early prototype of an OHC head with a carby air intake. Possibly CFI but without the newly designed plastic air intake or maybe they tested the head with a carby? Either way it's pretty confusing picture until you realise it's been flipped, interesting none the less.



Great experience and I'm bitterly disappointed it's closing.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

You won't get in. You can't just rock up and be given a tour, especially the Proving Ground.


When I went yesterday to the Discovery Centre there was an immaculate red XE ESP 5.8 parked out the front. Was a real gem.

Had plates like XEESP8 or something. Anyone here know of it?

Bought a copy of Motor magazine today, and in the past blast section there was this very car I mentioned I saw on the day outside the discovery centre featured in an article about XE ESP's. Spinout.

[Bossxr8]

I found where they are storing a lot of the cars today. Had to go to a meeting in the Fairlane room adjacent to the stamping plant, and had to walk past the old main canteen which has been closed for quite sometime, and there were at least 6 or 7 cars in there from the discovery centre as well as a huge range of parts that were displayed there, in storage now.

I'd say the rest of the stuff is scattered around the plant somewhere, or even over in product engineering.

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I found where they are storing a lot of the cars today. Had to go to a meeting in the Fairlane room adjacent to the stamping plant, and had to walk past the old main canteen which has been closed for quite sometime, and there were at least 6 or 7 cars in there from the discovery centre as well as a huge range of parts that were displayed there, in storage now.

I'd say the rest of the stuff is scattered around the plant somewhere, or even over in product engineering.

I was wondering what they would do with the display's.

[janddbone]

This photo has me beat... I know you said it was flipped, but I am pretty certain that the oil filter is in its usual place, where it has always been... So that makes that head and distributor setup very interesting!!!

Originally Posted by Simple6

Well I made my trip down this past weekend from Sydney. Took 2 days off (1 each side the weekend!) and enjoyed spending some time in Melbourne CBD.

The trip certainly cemented my hate for the way "Speed" is managed in Victoria. No warnings for your cameras is blatant revenue raising to me but whatever floats your boat hey? Also was thrown off by your "Right turn from left" in the CBD when there is a tram intersection - certainly received some tourist toots from the locals when I buggered that one up!

Anyway on topic - Absolutely loved the museum! So amazingly well thought out with interesting information and some really great stuff on display. Anyone who is ummming and ahhhhing should just get in there - for $9 per adult, why wouldn't you? Mind you after factoring the cost of travel and accomodation, along with the obligatory shopping as agreed with the girlfriend (had to make some sacrifices for this trip to happen!) - it was a little more than the $9 I paid to get in the door, but worth every penny.

Took as many photo's as I could (my 8GB was swapped to a 512MB card in my DSLR by mistake ) but one photo I found quite interesting was what looks to be an early prototype of an OHC head with a carby air intake. Possibly CFI but without the newly designed plastic air intake or maybe they tested the head with a carby? Either way it's pretty confusing picture until you realise it's been flipped, interesting none the less.

image

Great experience and I'm bitterly disappointed it's closing.

[MrEL]

Originally Posted by brett.r.johnstone

This photo has me beat... I know you said it was flipped, but I am pretty certain that the oil filter is in its usual place, where it has always been... So that makes that head and distributor setup very interesting!!!

100% correct.
The exhaust manifold orientation is also correct when you look at the fan belt on the front.
It looks as though the head design there is completely back to front from what we know as normal.

[music189]

that photo should be of the EA 3.3 centre point fuel injection engine but yeap that oil filter position is correct but air cleaner and plugs are wrong way round, probably an early prototype

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Those are the only 2 I got of the twin cam 6. Been having problems getting pics in full size, only works when they are made smaller, but I think i've figured it out.

image

image

Crappy pic my daughter took of the EA GT351.
image

What the... that 1994 EF BBM was actually a dusted off 1987 design? Who would have thought . And the 2002 BA motor was really a dusted off 1987 design again?

[Bossxr8]

There was an article in Saturdays Geelong Advertiser about one of the local car clubs who want to open an automotive history museum in Geelong, and they want to use some of the stuff from the Discovery Centre.

It won't be limited to Fords though, but would be good to see some of the stuff on display again.

[Franco Cozzo]

I really like the look of the EA GT, the square bonnet vents and the rear wing, very nice.

[Resurrection]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

What the... that 1994 EF BBM was actually a dusted off 1987 design? Who would have thought . And the 2002 BA motor was really a dusted off 1987 design again?

FoA has these designs in the waiting for many years with funding being the main reason they were not released sooner.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

FoA has these designs in the waiting for many years with funding being the main reason they were not released sooner.

The SOHC cam engine delivered all the power and torque they wanted, without the added expense of the twin cam version, which is why they went with SOHC.

If the SOHC couldn't get the numbers they wanted they would have used the DOHC version.

[FTE]

I know it's an old thread but I was searching to see any info on the Ford Discovery Centre.

Ford should reopen this. I know times are tough but things like this should always remain.
If Ford want global cars sold here with no local product they should at least respect Our Australian Ford history and show future generations what Australia was capable of.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by FTE

I know it's an old thread but I was searching to see any info on the Ford Discovery Centre.

Ford should reopen this. I know times are tough but things like this should always remain.
If Ford want global cars sold here with no local product they should at least respect Our Australian Ford history and show future generations what Australia was capable of.

Did Bob Graziano shut the Ford discovery centre?

[FTE]

I don't know. He could certainly throw support behind it opening again though.

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by FTE

I don't know. He could certainly throw support behind it opening again though.

Deakin University owns the building that housed the Discovery Centre and needed the space for their own expansions, plus it barely made enough money to cover keeping the lights on. Thus the decision was made not to renew the lease and redevelop the space.

[FTE]

Ford now have an entire production line building to house their history in now. Historic cars inside the building that built them.
Whether it makes money or not, Ford should do something. People today may not see the relevance but fast forward a generation or 2 and they may see it differently. 90 years is a lot to throw away

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by MrEL

100% correct.
The exhaust manifold orientation is also correct when you look at the fan belt on the front.
It looks as though the head design there is completely back to front from what we know as normal.

Looks like a fairly normal CFI EA donk in a flipped pic to me. The oil filter on them was angled down on the intake side and the starter motor was also on this side, neither of which can be seen in that pic.