Ford works team (Australia)
| Company type | Racing team |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorsport |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Defunct | 1973 |
| Fate | Ceased operations after Ford Australia exited motorsport |
| Headquarters | Auburn, Melbourne , Australia |
Key people | Harry Firth (team manager, 1962–?), Al Turner (team manager, post-1969), Howard Marsden (team manager, from 1971), Allan Moffat (lead driver) |
| Products | Motor racing cars and teams |
| Parent | Ford Motor Company of Australia |
The Ford works team referred to an Australian motor racing outfit that received official backing from the Ford Motor Company of Australia. Established in 1962, this team ceased operations when Ford Australia exited the motorsport arena at the conclusion of 1973. Among the prominent drivers associated with the team were Allan Moffat, Fred Gibson, Harry Firth, Bob Jane, Barry Seton, Bruce McPhee, John French, as well as the Geoghegan siblings, Ian Geoghegan and Leo Geoghegan. Additionally, Ford Australia sponsored a factory rally squad between 1977 and 1980.
The Firth years
Beginning in 1962, the Ford works team established its headquarters at the Firth Motors workshop located in Auburn, Melbourne, with Harry Firth appointed as team manager. At the 1962 Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island, Firth alongside Bob Jane secured victory driving a Ford XL Falcon. The duo repeated their success the next year by winning the inaugural Armstrong 500 at Bathurst behind the wheel of a Ford Cortina Mk.I GT. In 1964, Bob Jane partnered with George Reynolds to claim Bathurst in a factory-supported Cortina GT, while Firth triumphed in the Ampol Trial event.
In 1966, Firth and his navigator Graham Hoinville captured the first-ever Southern Cross Rally title driving a Cortina. The following year at the Bathurst 500, Firth teamed with co-driver Fred Gibson to win in a 4.7-litre (289 cui) powered Ford XR Falcon GT, marking the debut victory for a V8 engine at this event. The Geoghegan brothers finished second after a revised lap count was applied. In 1968, Firth and Hoinville secured the inaugural title of the Australian Rally Championship piloting a Cortina.
During the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500, Ford unveiled the new Ford XT Falcon GT equipped with a 5.0 L 302 cui V8 engine. Their main competitor, Holden, entered the Holden Monaro GTS327, featuring a larger 5.3 L Chevrolet V8. Although the Monaros demonstrated marginally superior speed, Ford’s factory car driven by Fred Gibson and former winner Barry Seton led late in the race until radiator damage forced retirement on lap 113; they were ultimately classified 31st. The Geoghegan brothers ended up in twelfth place after extended brake repairs during pit stops. A third factory entry with an automatic transmission, driven by Barry Arentz and Mike Champion, finished eleventh.
Allan Moffat and Al Turner
Following impressive results behind the wheel of his Ford Mustang Boss 302 competing in Improved Production during 1969, Canadian-born driver Allan Moffat was recruited by Ford as their lead racer. With Harry Firth departing to join Holden and establish the Holden Dealer Team, American Al Turner was appointed as team manager.
The Ford XW Falcon GTHO Phase I, powered by a robust 5.8 L 351 "Windsor" V8 engine, emerged as a strong contender at the 1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500. It competed against Holden’s Holden HT Monaro GTS350, which featured a 5.7 L 350 Chevrolet V8. Despite having an advantage in speed, Turner's decision to utilize imported US tyres that had not been thoroughly tested led to numerous tyre failures and multiple pit stops during the race. Ironically, only one Ford works car—driven by Moffat and Allan Hamilton—avoided tyre troubles entirely. Moffat has suggested that an unscheduled early tyre change cost him victory. Following this event, Ford published a full-page advertisement humorously captioned "We were a little deflated."
At the 1970 Bathurst race, Ford achieved a one-two finish with Moffat claiming his first Bathurst 500 win driving a Ford XW Falcon GTHO Phase II, closely followed by teammate Bruce McPhee. These Phase II Falcons retained their powerful 5.8 L V8 engines but transitioned from imported Windsor units to locally manufactured 351 "Cleveland" engines.
Triumphs of Howard Marsden and Allan Moffat
By 1971, Howard Marsden had assumed the role of team manager for Ford. That year, Allan Moffat achieved a commanding victory at the Hardie Ferodo 500 behind the wheel of a Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III. The 1972 "Supercar scare" led to the cancellation of the Phase 4 Falcon program, compelling Ford to rely on the Phase III GTHO model for Bathurst. In wet conditions, Holden’s Peter Brock piloted a LJ Torana GTR XU-1 to victory. Despite this setback, Ford secured the esteemed 1972 Australian Manufacturers' Championship title.
Moffat claimed the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1973 driving for Ford, outpacing his rival Brock. At Bathurst, which had shifted to a 1,000 km race format, Moffat and co-driver Ian Geoghegan emerged victorious in a Falcon XA GT. This win came after early race leader John Goss crashed and Doug Chivas ran dry in his HDT car shared with Brock.
On 25 January 1974, influenced by the effects of the 1973 Oil Crisis, Ford Motor Company withdrew from factory racing activities. The official Australian Ford works team was dissolved, but Moffat continued competing as an independent driver during 1974 with sponsorship from Brut 33.
Moffat Ford Dealers Team
In 1976, Ford officially supported the Moffat Ford Dealers Team in both the Australian Touring Car Championship and the Bathurst 1000, with Allan Moffat as lead driver. The following year, the team expanded to two entries by adding Colin Bond, who had departed from the Holden Dealer Team. The duo secured first and second places in the 1977 Touring Car Championship and replicated this achievement at the 1977 Hardie-Ferodo 1000. Multiple Le Mans champion Jacky Ickx partnered with Moffat for the Bathurst win. Despite Ickx’s aggressive driving leading to brake failure on their #1 Ford XC Falcon, team orders from Moffat prevented Bond from overtaking for victory—a decision Bond later expressed regret over.
This period represented the zenith of the team's success before encountering formidable opposition in 1978 from Peter Brock and the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) running Holden LX Torana SS A9X models. HDT dominated major events including the 1978 ATCC, Sandown 400, and Hardie-Ferodo 1000. Although Ford introduced the XC Falcon Cobra late in that year, it was insufficient to halt Holden’s supremacy. Consequently, Ford ended its touring car racing involvement at the close of 1978, leading to Moffat and Bond parting ways.
From 1978 to 1999
After 1978, Ford discontinued development and official participation in Australian motorsport. Nevertheless, drivers continued campaigning Ford vehicles such as XD and XE Falcons, achieving notable successes including wins in the 1981, 1982, and 1984 Australian Touring Car Championships as well as the 1981 James Hardie 1000 with Dick Johnson. Johnson stated he did not receive formal factory backing until the early Group 3A 5.0L touring car era commencing in late 1992 but acknowledged support from Ford’s Motorcraft brand during earlier years.
To qualify for competition eligibility, a limited batch of XD Falcons was produced by Phase Autos featuring aerodynamic modifications designed by Wayne Draper of Ford Australia. Factory-backed racing returned in 1999 when Ford purchased Glenn Seton’s team and rebranded it as Ford Tickford Racing. Seton—son of former Ford Works driver Barry Seton—had been receiving financial assistance from Ford since 1996, with his Falcon sponsored by Ford Credit.
Rallying
In 1977, Ford launched a factory-backed rally squad with three-time Australian Rally Champion Colin Bond serving as both team principal and lead driver, accompanied by future three-time ARC winner Greg Carr. Carr clinched the 1978 Australian Rally Championship title behind the wheel of a Ford Escort BDA campaigned by Ford. The team was dissolved following the conclusion of the 1980 season.
Additionally, Ford entered a trio of Ford Cortina vehicles in the 1979 Repco Reliability Trial, an extensive 20,000 km competition traversing Australia and commencing and concluding at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds. Despite their late decision to participate, the Cortinas, with Bond at the helm, demonstrated impressive speed but were mechanically vulnerable. Carr finished in fifth place, while Peter Brock secured victory driving an HDT-prepared Holden VB Commodore, which dominated the podium positions.
List of Championships, Series, and Key Victories
1964 Lowood 4 Hour - Harry Firth & John Raeburn (Ford Cortina GT)
1964 Ampol Trial - Harry Firth & Graham Hoinville (Ford Cortina GT)
1966 Southern Cross Rally - Harry Firth & Graham Hoinville (Ford Cortina GT)
1968 Australian Rally Championship - Harry Firth & Graham Hoinville (Ford Cortina Lotus)
1969 Australian Rally Championship - Frank Kilfoyle & Doug Rutherford (Ford Cortina Lotus)
1970 Tasman Touring Series - Allan Moffat (Ford Falcon GTHO)
1970 Rothmans 250 Production Classic - Allan Moffat (Ford Falcon GTHO)
1972 Australian Manufacturers' Championship (Ford Falcon GTHO) (points contributed by McLeod Ford and Ford Motor Company teams)
1973 Australian Touring Car Championship - Allan Moffat (Ford Falcon GTHO)
1978 Australian Rally Championship - Greg Carr & Fred Gocentas (Ford Escort RS1800)
1980 Castrol International Rally - Greg Carr & Fred Gocentas (Ford Escort RS 1800 Mark II)
- Note: Victories in endurance races at Bathurst and Sandown are detailed below.
Phillip Island - Bathurst 500/1000 Victories
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Sandown Endurance Victories
| Year | Category | Car No | Competitors | Vehicle Model | Completed Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | |||||
| 1969 | D | 61 | Canada Allan Moffat Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall John French |
Ford XW Falcon GTHO Phase I | 118 |
| Ford 351 5.8 L V8 engine | |||||
| 1970 | E | 50 | Canada Allan Moffat | Ford XW Falcon GTHO Phase II | 130 |
| Ford 351 5.8 L V8 power unit |