Ford in New Zealand

Putting the Car Before the Horse

Author: John Stokes

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This book looks at how the cars were built in Canada and shipped to NZ. Includes colour photos of the oldestknown Canadian-engined Model T (from 1913) in NZ, illustrating the notorious journey from Wellington to Auckland in 1912 an eight-dayjourney, undertaken with a Model T Ford.

(1 review)

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p>The arrival of the car in New Zealand was a game-changer - not only was it much faster and more reliable over long distances than a horse, it was affordable to everyone. It was easy to learn to drive, and journeys that had previously taken days by horse or stage coach were possible in a fraction of the time.br />The outbreak of war in 1914 saw just 20 motor vehicles shipped from New Zealand but motorised transport rapidly became vital and war zones a proving ground for the likes of Ford and Rolls Royce. br />The development of the Fordson tractor was to help Britain grow food and it soon became an important tool in New Zealand as well. By the time of the "roaring twenties" a new Ford truck had been released to quickly replace horses in the rural landscape.Agreement was reached with Ford Canada to establish the first overseas assembly plant in Wellington.br />As motoring develops and demand increases - the motor car is no longer a luxury but a necessity, and suddenly Ford is fighting for its very existence against stiff competition from other car makers.This is a riviting tale of Ford by the author withnbsp; an enduring passion for the motor-car/p>