It Beat Working: The Road to AVO

Ford Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) developed and built high performance Escorts from 1970 until March 1974. Geoff Jones worked there for most of that time, firstly as an engineer in Quality Control and Process Engineering, then moving to Product Planning working for Mike Moreton and Stuart Turner. As well as the AVO years, this book covers the early years in Liverpool - from school to college and joining Ford as a student apprentice. Before AVO, Geoff worked at Ford Competitions Department and Halewood Assembly Plant as well as spending some years as a motor race marshal. "It Beat Working" concentrates on the human aspects of working in the automotive industry and provides a unique insight into the operation and personalities. The many interesting and highly amusing stories give a real flavour of life at a time that was probably the best to be in the car building business.