For the past few years, the lime-farming Blundell family of Far North Queensland have also been cultivating an epic crop of classic Ford cars. Next month, this private collection will make its official public debut with the opening of the Blundell Classic Ford Museum. Motor Trader caught up with Paul, Ron, and Rosemary Blundell to discover the story behind the family’s new venture.

Words: Lara Wilde | Pictures: Jesse Donoghoe, Sweet Spot Photographer

---

Some people like cars, and some people dedicate their lives to sharing their passion for cars. Paul Blundell is one of those people. He has dedicated his life to collecting Fords. When you ask Paul, “Why Fords?” he replies, “Why would you collect anything else?”

A lime farmer by trade, Paul grew up driving a tractor, tending to the orchard, and growing limes for people all over Australia. As a young man he loved cars and in particular he loved Fords. In 1999, Paul bought his first car – a 1963 Compact Fairlane. In true Far North Queensland fashion he wheeled and dealed and ended up trading $2,000 of hard-earned cash and a bullock for the big sedan. Young Paul fell in love with the Ford, stretching her legs on the long highways and country dirt roads around Mareeba as he mastered the art of driving.

In 2010 tragedy struck. A cardiac arrest would see Paul rushed him to nearest hospital and then on to specialists in Brisbane. It was touch and go for a long time to see if Paul would survive. The incident meant he had to start life all over again, learning to walk and talk from scratch as if he was a toddler once more. Slowly, over many years, Paul learnt to function as an active member of his farming family again, but things would never be the same. When Paul had the cardiac arrest, his eyesight failed and he was left legally blind with only a narrow tunnel of vision to navigate the world. He would never get to drive his beloved Compact at full speed again.

As Paul recovered in hospital, his mum Rosemary and his dad Ron initiated a plan to keep Paul connected to the Fords he so dearly loved. Rosemary and Ron are not car people. Ron will tell you without any hesitation that his car is red, but beyond that he knows very little about it.

Ron and Rosemary knew that Paul loved his Fords and they felt that even though he could not legally drive cars on the roads anymore, his passion for the blue oval would provide meaning and purpose in his life. As a family, Paul, Ron, and Rosemary put the plan in motion to build the Blundell Classic Ford Museum.

Just east of Mareeba in Far North Queensland, on Cobra Road, is the Blundell Lime Farm and front and centre by the roadside is where the Blundell Classic Ford Museum now stands. A few years ago, a spot in the orchard amongst the lime trees was marked out and a shed was built. It was the first shed in the Blundell Classic Ford Museum.

There are many more sheds still to come. The big Compact Fairlane was parked. It was the first Ford in the Blundell Classic Ford Museum. There are many more Fords still to come.

Currently, the museum is comprised of five buildings which include a café, a display of Ford memorabilia, a merchandise shop, a workshop, a spray booth, and three large sheds filled with Ford cars, engines, and tractors. Ample room has been left for visitor parking and more sheds in the future. To date the entire museum has been funded by Paul and his family with no support provided by Government or Ford itself. Now, after nearly 10 years, the family is almost ready to open the doors of their collection to the general public with a launch planned for March 2023.

There are close to 40 cars in the collection. For some models such as the 1960 XK, the 1962 XL, the 1964 XM, the 1964 XP; the family has collected a ute, a sedan and a wagon example of each model. Pride of place is the 2016 XR8 Sprint sedan, which has never been registered or driven on the road. The dream car to add to the collection, they say, is an XR6 Sprint.

As anyone who has ever collected a few cars knows, it isn’t as simple as parking vehicles in a shed. Paul and Ron are very committed to having every car as original as possible matching the colour, the engine, and the optional extras to the compliance plate. There is a lot of maintenance and care to go into every car. When so many arrive at the shed in a very rough project state, the team that makes them worthy of a spot in a museum needs to be passionate, skilled, and dedicated. Paul is very lucky to have three such people in his team.

Shane Arnett was a diesel fitter by trade who decided to take a break from his tools in 2015 by picking limes on the Blundell farm for a bit of a working holiday. He and Ron started talking about cars and before long Shane was back on the tools full time, restoring and maintaining the Ford collection. Shane takes the time to research every car making them as original as possible. He documents each vehicle with photos and their story to track their restoration.

Mick Burnett completed his trade in coach and body building and slant panel beating when he was a young man. In 1982, Mick moved from Brisbane to Mareeba. Over the years, Ron learnt all about Mick and lured him onto the team. Mick is an artist, restoring the body of each vehicle to a condition that rival cars fresh off the factory production line. Bog is not allowed in any vehicle, with Mick taking the time to restore every panel to showroom condition.

Jannica Spinelli has her own business, Viking Upholstery, in Mareeba. Jannica is on call for the museum to restore and recreate the vehicle interiors to an original look when needed. Her passion for the vintage cars is evident as she researches the materials, colours, and trim for each Ford.

Holding the team together and driving them passionately is Paul’s dad Ron. Ron has invested his own hard-earned cash in the project and has a mission to collect an impressive array of Ford tractors to complement the car collection. Ron is constantly researching, finding and negotiating the buying of cars in close consultation with the team to make sure they are not over-investing in the wrong vehicle.

The Ford brand has a strong tribe of die-hard enthusiasts. Recently, the All Ford Club FNQ rallied more than 30 cars and 50 members to visit the museum and share their love of the blue oval. Slowly, they meandered amongst the collection, sharing stories of cars they had owned, cars they have now, and cars they will have one day. Each member was in awe of the dedication and passion that the Blundells have exhibited in bringing together a collection of classic Fords, and each member wanted to help. Generous offers of memorabilia, parts, tools, and even cars were made to the family on the day.

Ron tells us that often when people see the work they are doing, they want to contribute to the collection.

“We have a 1962 XL wagon from Toowoomba,” he says. “Their son had planned to restore the car and do it up but unfortunately he died from cancer before the car was finished. The parents couldn’t bear to part with the vehicle because it had meant so much to their son. We are honoured that they have entrusted us with restoring and caring for their son’s pride and joy.”

Paul, Ron, and Rosemary are more than lime farmers and more than just car collectors. They are custodians of the Ford brand and their commitment to restoring and caring for the vehicles they collect is testament to their passion and dedication.

If you would like to contribute or be involved, please contact the Blundell family via their Facebook profile or via email at rblundell@optusnet.com.au.

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (February 2023)

20 February 2023