Laughter, love and regrets: how Fred Graf turned a 'tin shed' into West Orange Motors

At 95 years of age, the founder of West Orange Motors can still remember the decade-plus he spent turning a "tin shed" off Forbes Road into a multi-million business.

Speaking from the Borenore house he built himself, Mr Graf recounted the early struggles he faced in transforming what was initially a struggling service station after leasing the building in the early 1960s.

A few years later after "not making any money" he was approached with an offer to sell repossessed cars for his mechanic to work on.

A deal was struck between Mr Graf and the former owner for him to put down a "good deposit", purchase the business and make weekly repayments of around £10 to £20 per week.

"Or whatever I could afford as long as I paid the nine per cent interest," he added.

At that point it became a car dealership.

But Mr Graf was met with backlash from angry neighbours.

"They signed to say they didn't want a dealership there," he recalled

"If I couldn't sell motor cars I would never exist there."

Mr Graf's solicitor got in touch with the council who in turn approved his dealership license.

He was making money "straight away" and began fixing up the business.

From cementing the driveway to painting the building, things were looking up.

Mr Graf even installed toilets and showers for customers to use.

"The toilets were necessary because the outhouse was down the back with buckets that the council picked up twice a week," he said with a chuckle.

Word of his success travelled fast and Mr Graf was approached about selling a new car franchise called Prince.

Toyota's interest quickly followed and a salesman was hired to keep up with growing demand.

Next up was Mercedes-Benz.

"I just laughed," Mr Graf said.

"There was only one Mercedes in town and it was owned by one of the councillors. How would you sell Mercedes here, it's only a country town."

Never one to shy away from a challenge, he purchased one of the high-end cars and it took him nearly a year until he sold his first Mercedes; a doctor in Cudal was the lucky buyer.

By 1970 Mr Graf had become so good at his trade that he was awarded Mercedes' deal of the year.

Looking back more than 50 years later, Mr Graf said the number of "influential people" he got to meet topped the list of memories.

By the '70s, Mr Graf "didn't have many dates" left at the dealership and soon purchased "Windsor Alley" on the outskirts of Orange.

With her husband working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, Mr Graf's wife Aurelia asked that he sell the business and make a living on their newly purchased farm.

In 1975 Bob Craig approached Mr Graf with a proposition to join forces.

They worked together for a few months before Mrs Graf suggested giving the newly appointed Mr Craig a share in the business to become a partner.

A change quickly followed which saw Mr Graf remove his name from the business altogether and West Orange Motors was officially born.

Mr Craig's former employer then begged to get him back.

"I could see I was going to lose him," Mr Graf said.

After a bit more convincing from his wife, the decision was made to sell the business to Mr Craig's new business partner John James for "half of what it was worth".

"It nearly killed me. How could I have been so stupid," Mr Graf said.

"But I'd pleased my wife, paid off the mortgage and put a six foot fence around 223 acres."

And so he got a "truck-load" of deer to start his farm life.

Although his wife - for whom he had been married to for 70 years - died from cancer in 2021, Mr Graf was blessed with a "beautiful" daughter and grand-daughter who have helped him continue on.

"I don't know why I'm still alive," he said.

"But God must still love me."