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Lang's box of memories.

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3 years 1 month ago - 3 years 1 month ago #219152 by Lang
Replied by Lang on topic Lang's box of memories.
No, Acacia Ridge was not invented until the mid 60's their final preparation and distribution of both Queensland and interstate assembled Holdens plus Vauxhall, Bedford etc was from Strathpine. They were one of the first big companies to set up at what is now the very large Strathpine/Brendale industrial area.

There was a low rail bridge on the Pacific Highway which the car carriers could not get under and they had to take a very long detour. We seldom got car carriers at Southport because of the long extra drive and they could only do one Brisbane-Gold Coast trip a day while most other trucks could do two runs.

My mother was a driver for the pick-ups. She would load the car with 5 blokes (Mechanics, salesmen etc) and take them to Strathpine where they would pick up a car each to drive back to Southport. I can remember the old man going through the roof when he found out the young mechanics were racing the brand new FB Holdens on the way home and boasting about being at 80 mph side by side. At least the customers' cars were run in!

Lang

GMH Brisbane Story

In 1954, it had become obvious that the Wickham Street site was too small for good operating and higher volumes, as the 1.57 acre area just did not allow sufficient space for parking finished stock. So, a 153 acre block was purchased at Strathpine, to provide immediate relief for body and vehicle storage, and to build a new Plant at some time in the future.

However, in early 1964, GM announced a new expansion program, including:

”The largest expenditure of the Holden's program will be $16.3 million for a new assembly plant on a 160-acre tract at Acacia Ridge nine miles south of Brisbane.

The new location acknowledges the rapid suburban development south of Brisbane where three new housing developments ranging in size from 20,000 to 50,000 homes will assure a convenient labour supply. It will also take advantage of the junction of the Standard and Narrow Gauge railroads south of Brisbane by being able to ship cars by rail over either line, without transhipping.”

Gerry Muirhead (Acacia Ridge Plant & Equipment) recalls:

The Acacia Ridge site comprising 160 acres (half a mile square) was acquired circa 1963 for I believe 160,000 Pounds. From memory, the project cost to build the Acacia Ridge Plant was about 14 million Pounds. Earth works started about Easter 1964.

The Plant & Equipment Engineer (Duncan McCullough) and the Chief Draftsman (Gordon Gillies) had been in those roles at the old Wickham St Plant. Frank Saunders who was a Body Shop specialist transferred from (Dandenong or Pagewood; I am not sure which at this late time) as a Project Mechanical Engineer. All of the other staff for the Acacia Ridge Plant & Equipment Engineering Department including John Wernham as Equipment Engineer, Tim Moreland as Project Electrical Engineer, myself as Project Mechanical Engineer, Hugh Hall, Kev Bess, Ross Hayes (and another guy I don't remember) as Draftsmen were all employed locally in Brisbane in 1964 with no previous motor vehicle experience. We were fast learners.

During Plant construction and until the new Administration Building was built, the Project Team (P&E Engineering Dept) operated out of a site office located at a high point on the site adjacent to the new Fire Tanks and Fire Pump House.

The Wickham St Plant closed in December 1965 and the Acacia Ridge Plant commenced limited production (Vehicle Assembly operations only) in January 1966 and it was a few months later that the new body shop was commissioned allowing full CKD Operations.. The new Administration Building was finished in 1967.”
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Lang.
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3 years 1 month ago #219157 by V8Ian
Replied by V8Ian on topic Lang's box of memories.
Thanks Lang, I wasn't aware that GM had a plant at Brendale. I recall going by Hornibrook Bus, on a school excursion to GM Acacia Ridge.
The Valley factory ended up as Elphinstones Holden Parts. Was that a GM subsidiary?

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3 years 1 month ago - 3 years 1 month ago #219159 by Lang
Replied by Lang on topic Lang's box of memories.
I think Elphingstones was a GMH parts distributor. I remember dropping off loads of Holden spares from Dandenong at Elphingstones in Sydney. I think the dealers dealt through them for their spares rather than direct with GMH.

Here is the GM Wickham Street building, Now a multi story modern building. You can see the extra floor put on between 1930's and 1960's when it was a major repair garage for the military during WW2.

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Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Lang.
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3 years 1 month ago - 3 years 1 month ago #219160 by JOHN.K.
Replied by JOHN.K. on topic Lang's box of memories.
The GMH place was across the railway line from the Strathpine station........someone Lang might know ,G Moesker had a small shed in the yard ,and ran an old 1200cfm compressor in the yard next to the line .....had a seized bearing in the airend ,blew 50 gallons of oil into a thick white fog ,and blocked the North Coast rail for hours.......QGR tried to hit Moesker for some astronomical sum,but as he had no money,they got zero...............recall ,Drysdale and Ridgway were in the yard,but I think they went away in the 1980s recession.......cant be sure,but they still had a couple of cranes there ,and maybe did some sandblasting there.
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by JOHN.K..

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3 years 1 month ago #219161 by Lang
Replied by Lang on topic Lang's box of memories.
Yes John. He called me about a month ago to ask about tow motors. The big GMH shed is still there probably with its 50th tenant since they left in the 70's?

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3 years 1 month ago #219162 by hayseed
Replied by hayseed on topic Lang's box of memories.

Lang wrote: The Acacia Ridge site comprising 160 acres (half a mile square) .”


G'day Lang, Just to be a little pedantic.....:sick:

160 acres is a quarter of a square Mile..

"Be who you are and say what you feel...
Because those that matter...
don't mind...
And those that mind....
don't matter." -

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3 years 1 month ago #219163 by PDU
Replied by PDU on topic Lang's box of memories.
The two pictures of the Wickham Street establishment suggests that the upper floor went on in the 40's, not the 30's, as the upper picture has what may well be a mid 40's Pontiac out the front.

Also note that the La Salle signage is still there, and the last of them was 1940. The badge from this, or the still born '41 model, would be the basis for the new Holden that was to come later.

Great old pictures and lots of information, particularly from Lang. ;)
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3 years 1 month ago - 3 years 1 month ago #219165 by Lang
Replied by Lang on topic Lang's box of memories.
Hayseed

That is what he said. Half a mile square is 1/4 of a square mile.

Lang
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Lang.

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3 years 1 month ago #219169 by hayseed
Replied by hayseed on topic Lang's box of memories.

Lang wrote: Hayseed

That is what he said. Half a mile square is 1/4 of a square mile.

Lang




:oops: :oops: OOOpps, I need a refresher course in English Comprehension.. :blush: :blush:

I misread it as half a square Mile..:(

"Be who you are and say what you feel...
Because those that matter...
don't mind...
And those that mind....
don't matter." -
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3 years 1 month ago - 3 years 1 month ago #219171 by Lang
Replied by Lang on topic Lang's box of memories.
More pretty random stuff out of the photo box.

Here is a Picture of Stan Jones looking completely buggered after he won the Australian Grand Prix in his Maserati at Caversham near Perth in 1957?

This photo is interesting to me because it nearly ended up with dad in court. Miss Australia was a big thing in those days and the WA Sporting Car Club and CAMS who were hosting the Grand Prix contracted with Miss Australia's agent to have her put the winner's wreath around his neck with accompanying photos and PR.

Anyhow, the old man who was State Sales Manager for Standard Vanguard at that time and also President of the Sporting Car Club started looking for this girl with a few laps to go but she was nowhere to be seen. There are two stories that she got bored with the motor racing and wandered off into one of the hospitality caravans or she had just gone for (a very long) leak.

Panic ensued as Stan was helped out of the car and collapsed onto the oil drum with a Coke. The photographers were swarming around so the old man grabbed my 8 year old sister ( who gave me the box of these photos last week) and she put the wreath around his neck and got the front page photo next morning. You can see dad with the cap leaning over on the right pushing her into frame. Stan's wife at the right front.

It did not take all day for the lawyer's letter to arrive from the agent demanding millions for breach of contract. Before the day ended the Sporting Car Club and CAMS had both sent a lawyers letter to this bloke demanding millions from the girl who failed to make herself available as contracted. Of course everything came to nothing and we have this beaut photo.

Just as an aside, after the old man sold Moran Motors in Southport in the late 60's he became General Manager of Stan Jones Motors in Essendon in Melbourne which at that time was one of the biggest Holden Dealerships in Australia. Unfortunately Stan sucked it dry firstly supporting his own motor racing then supporting his son, Alan's, motor racing on his way to becoming world formula one champion.

Lang

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Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Lang.
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