Ford has been in the process of preserving and digitizing its historical documents for years, and the fruits of that labor can now be enjoyed by Blue Oval fans everywhere via the automaker’s recently launched Heritage Vault. Unfortunately, FoMoCo is in a bit of a legal battle over its wealth of historical Australian documents thanks to a law that prevents those items from being taken out of the country, but the Ford of Europe Heritage Collection is still going strong. Now, Ford of Britain is getting in on the game with the launch of the brand new Heritage and Innovation Center, too.
Previously stored in Dagenham, the Ford of Britain collection – which contains a host of historically significant vintage vehicles – has now been moved to the brand new Heritage and Innovation Center in Daventry, which is located at the Daventry Parts Distribution Center site. The collection contains a wide array of historically important Blue Oval vehicles, including cars and commercial models, as well as important milestone vehicles and race cars.
In total, the collection consists of around 120 vehicles, and is currently used for promotional and media purposes. A group of dedicated Heritage technicians and volunteers from within the retired Ford network – including Ivan Bartholomeusz, who was the custodian of the collection and, following his retirement this year, has now become one of the dedicated volunteer team members – look after this important collection, too.
“The move to the new location will allow for greater access to this very special collection, as well as an opportunity to show our customers how Ford has played a major role in personal and business transportation within the UK over the past 100 years, from Model T to now Model E,” said Len Keen, who runs the new center.
We’ll have more on the Ford of Britain Heritage and Innovation soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
An impressive collection of vehicles that I viewed at Dagenham before retirement in 2014.
Well worth a viewing if any of you yanks are over touring the UK.
Its ominous for the historic Ford Dagenham site that the collection is being moved to Daventry..
Would love to visit. Beginning with a mk1 Fiesta S that was available here in the states (78-80) I have had a life long affinity for FOE. Would love to import a mk1 MST Escort, right hand drive naturally.
My sister and I both had 1980 Fiestas. We’ve both quite a few cars since then and we both think these little boxes were our favorites.
I bought mine in 1983 with 60k miles on it and drove to college. Sold it 5 years later with near 200k for about the same amount of money.
trying to contact heritage centre Daventry, as a friend has a mk1 escort van made by ford as a 1off test bed, please advisedetails
regards
Roger Sanders