AP EAGERS CENTENARY 1913 – 2013 AP EAGERS CENTENARY 1913 – 2013 Carolyn Nolan Edited by Dennis Hull AP Eagers Limited 2013 Published by A.P. Eagers Limited PO Box 199, Fortitude Valley Brisbane Queensland 4006 www.apeagers.com.au © A.P. Eagers Limited 2013 This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. ISBN 978-0-646-90221-0 Enquiries should be made to A.P. Eagers Limited Created by Prodigy+, 320 Adelaide Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000 www.prodigyplus.com Printed in Australia by PR Print. www.prprint.com.au CONTENTS FOREWORD iii 1 EAGER FOR THE OVERLAND 1913 – 1917 1 2 THE PUBLIC WORLD OF MOTORDOM 1917 – 1929 37 3 THE THIRTIES AND THEN WAR 1930 – 1944 75 4 DYNASTIC CHANGE 1945 – 1957 125 5 A PUBLIC COMPANY 1957 – 1972 147 6 SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES 1973 – 1991 173 7 PIPER AT THE GATES 1991 – 2000 191 8 AP EAGERS EXPANDS ACROSS AUSTRALIA 2000 – 2013 211 ACKnowledGEMents 250 BIBLIOGRAPHY 252 INDEX 253 FOREWORD Crowds flock to see Fred Eager and Whitey in Toowoomba on 5 July 1918 after his attempt to set a new record from Brisbane. From the Treasury Building to the Toowoomba Post Office took 2 hours 7½ minutes, the time recorded by a watch in a sealed packet carried by the driver and opened on arrival. Even by then the 1912 Overland had over 140,000 miles on the clock. At centre right, in a flat cap, is Wally Webb, Fred Eager’s constant offsider and expert motor mechanic. foreword iii FOREWORD It was just over 100 years ago when Edward Eager with his wife It has been a daunting task for the author to draw together all Medora and son Frederic journeyed to Australia to start a new life. the threads of the group’s life and record them in this book. It is IIn the early days of the automotive industry, they set in motion not easy to discover people with the capacity and willingness to a chain of events, starting with a single business in Brisbane, undertake and complete such a project. We were fortunate to have that has led to the existence today of a sizable Queensland-based found the book’s author Carolyn Nolan and editor Dennis Hull, group of companies with substantial trading operations and other our former Company Secretary – high calibre people with the interests throughout Australia. expertise, knowledge and time to produce this book. This book is both a record and a celebration of the history and Congratulations to the AP Eagers group on an outstanding achievements of the AP Eagers group of companies. It identifies first hundred years! I hope all who read this book will find it as many of the key contributors to the group’s growth over the past interesting and satisfying as I have. 100 years and it captures significant milestones achieved and also obstacles faced. It cannot of course be all embracing in every detail and some readers may find a record of their particular interest missing from these pages. I believe this book is, however, an accurate depiction of the stages in the development of the group and will give all who read it a clear picture of events that have shaped the group to its current dimensions. Benjamin Wickham Macdonald AM FAICD This story is one of human endeavour, crowned with success, Chairman, AP Eagers Limited and reflects an important part of the history of the car and truck industry in Queensland and Australia. 7 January 2013 It should not be overlooked that this story is about people. It is their individual dedication, skill and commitment and their foresight and willingness to respond to challenges as times have changed, that have contributed to the success of the AP Eagers group. Moreover, I believe the group’s continuing prosperity will depend more than ever upon the ability of our people and other stakeholders to work together as a loyal team – loyal to each other, loyal to their dealerships and loyal to the group as a whole. iv A DRIVING FORCE Overlands First Because Overlands Last The following lines were penned by an enthusiast who knew what Tit meant to own an “Overland.” We don’t hold ourselves Are you thinking of buying an automobile, responsible for metre or rhyme but the sentiment’s right. And And have the pleasure of sitting behind the wheel? he must have been a man of discrimination in motor matters There are autos and there are autos of every kind, – for he chose an “Overland.” And to make the right choice you must bear in mind, (Steering Wheel, October 1915) That other people have made mistakes in the past; Then select “Overlands First Because Overlands Last.” Some look at cut prices, others look at the car, But if you get the cut price it isn’t worth par; There's something wrong with the car, or with the man, For selling his product, on a cut-price plan. If you want to go slow, or if you want to go fast, Don’t forget: “Overlands First Because Overlands Last.” John Willys puts the price on the Overland car, And it's sold at that price both near and far. Larger value in an auto cannot be found − To convince yourself, just look around. Future service and quality same as the past, Hence, “Overlands First Because Overlands Last.” chapter one – EAGER FOR THE OVERLAND 1 chapter one EAGER FOR THE OVERLAND (1913–1917) Establishment of E.G. Eager & Son Limited. Belief in the future of Queensland motoring. Progress up to the death of Edward Eager in 1917. 2 A DRIVING FORCE EAGERS IS A NAME well-known to all who pass the extensive site facing Breakfast Creek Road, at Newstead, Brisbane. It is in the Eheart of one of the areas of the city undergoing urban renewal, as residential areas take over from industry. This is a valuable strip of land situated between the Brisbane River and the major arterial road to the northern suburbs and the airports. In 1992 Eagers merged with the AP Group Ltd, a company founded by Alan Piper. Today AP Eagers Limited is Australia’s second largest listed automotive retail group. Edward George Eager, an American from Ohio, chose this site for his firm in 1912, and there Eagers has remained firmly in the public eye. Different generations of buyers have associated this Company with various makes of cars such as Overlands, Willys Knights, Whippets, Pontiacs, Buicks, Vauxhalls, and especially with Holdens. More recently the list has included Audis, Volkswagens and Land Rovers and, in the centenary year, 29 car brands, as well as 12 bus and truck brands. For most of the twentieth century, in Brisbane and throughout Queensland and for many years in the Northern Districts of New South Wales, loyal and cohesive staff under firm but caring management have seen the expansion of an enterprise that dates back to the earliest days of motoring. The founder, Edward George Eager, had come to Australia as the representative of the Overland Company. He explained his business intentions in an interview with The Australian Motorist in September 1911: Well, in the year 1909 I was investigating the automobile business The cigar-smoking businessman from Ohio, E.G. Eager soon made his for one of the leading manufacturers in the States, and, having name a household word in Queensland. Four years after he arrived as been in the motor car business almost from its inception in one a representative for the Willys Overland Company he was featured in way and another, principally selling tyres and accessories to large Queenslanders as we see ‘em, published by the Newspaper Cartoonists’ Association of Queensland in 1916. (STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND 111248) dealers, I saw that the conditions were ripe for a good American car that would stand the road conditions throughout Australasia, and could be sold at a fair price to bring it within reach of people of moderate means. Upon my return to the States the Willys Overland Company had purchased the largest and finest equipped motor concern then in U.S.A., one that had never made anything under 5000 dollar cars, in Toledo, Ohio, this being my native city. chapter one – EAGER FOR THE OVERLAND 3 I investigated all the leading makes on the market carefully, taking the advice of ten of my motor expert friends, who are in the business, with the view to selecting a car which embodied all the features for Australian conditions, both as to price and quality. The Eager party visiting the Sphinx in I may say without fear of dispute I was offered several makes, but January 1911, featured on the front cover of the motoring journal Steering that the special features of the Overland, especially its cylinders cast Wheel in February 1915. E.G. Eager separately, five bearing crank shaft, three point suspension, thermo is on the extreme right. The group syphon, dual magneto ignition, crucible steel housing for differential includes Mrs E.G. Eager, Mrs McIntyre gears, with the reputation they had already obtained in its two and Miss Jean McIntyre of Winnipeg, Canada, also the family of Mr. Gabriel, years of existence, having placed it in the front rank. I selected the the Overland agent in Egypt, the Overland as being most suitable for Australian conditions. tall figure on the left with the turban.