The Centenary of Ford, 2003
The Ford Motor Company was incorporated in Detroit, Michigan in June 1903. Over the next one hundred years the company grew into one of the largest corporations in the world, identified by one of the most globally-recognisable logo, the Ford "blue oval".
In 2003, the Ford Motor Company celebrated its centenary. Ford was the first motor company, under the same family ownership, to reach this milestone. All over the world various celebrations were held, including in New Zealand. What turned out to be the largest event to mark the Ford centenary here in New Zealand was held in Canterbury.
The concept of our event was displays by Ford clubs, by individuals, by vintage machinery enthusiasts and by the show sponsor Avon City Ford and some relevant commercial operators. One unique display was of ephemera from the once prominent North Canterbury Ford dealership Palmer & Doak, created by the Palmer family. All of that was bordered by the real feature of the show, being a walkable timeline display of 100 Ford vehicles - one for each year of the century!
Take a stroll along the timeline....
The idea of the timeline was to have each year represented by a meaningful vehicle.
Sadly, to represent the earliest years, New Zealand was home to just three of the so-called "letter cars", which came before the Model T when it was introduced in late 1908. So it was impossible to fill all but three of those years with a Ford vehicle. Thereafter was no problem at all - even the war years could be filled. Click on each photo for a brief history....
