The Ford Barn

larrys40 · 12-16-2014, 01:58 AM

I had one of our local Model T Guys pass this to our Missouri Valley group tonight... from the Model T forum as quoted below... and interesting story as well.

George DeAngelis passed away quietly yesterday.

George's name is not well know in the Model T community. He was much better known in the Model A community, where he did extensive research on how the Model A was built. He was a well known author in his own right.

Each of us in the old Ford hobby owes George a debt of gratitude, because it was George who together with his friend and collaborator Ed Francis took it upon themselves to salvage all of the engineering parts drawings, releases, and other related materials when they were otherwise headed for the dumpster in the early 1980s. The materials they saved include the parts drawings for almost every FMC vehicle from the original Model A through the V8 era, including the Ford Trimotor.

Virtually all of the recent research that Bruce McCalley, John Regan, many others, and myself has been based upon the engineering documents collection that George donated to the Benson Ford Research Center in the later 1990s. Although this collection's official title is Accession 1701, those of us who have worked with this collection fondly refer to it as the George DeAngelis accession.

George was was an excellent machinist as well. All three of the reproduction Ford Quadricycles were built by George. He could legitimately claim that he had built more Quadricycles and had more experience with them than Henry Ford.

One of my favorite memories of George DeAngelis is from about 15 years ago. At that time I was struggling to learn how the Ford Factory Symbol Number (part number) system worked so I could find the documentation for the parts I was researching. Once in frustration I said to George "I don't know how anyone could ever figure out how the system worked!" George's patient response to me was "Well, Trent, If you had been brought up in the system you would know how it worked." While his answer at that time was not particularly satisfying, he was right. I have now spent enough seat time working with the collection at the Benson Ford to know how the factory symbol number system works, and how to find the records on the parts I am interested in.

We are diminished.

Tearfully submitted,

Trent Boggess

I met George back in the 80's at one of the Dearborn meets. He was very cordial to me as a young guy in my 20's then, and has done an enormous amount of good to the Model A Community.
Larry Shepard

12-16-2014, 01:58 AM	#1
larrys40 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: St Charles , Missouri Posts: 1,998	George DeAngelis I had one of our local Model T Guys pass this to our Missouri Valley group tonight... from the Model T forum as quoted below... and interesting story as well. George DeAngelis passed away quietly yesterday. George's name is not well know in the Model T community. He was much better known in the Model A community, where he did extensive research on how the Model A was built. He was a well known author in his own right. Each of us in the old Ford hobby owes George a debt of gratitude, because it was George who together with his friend and collaborator Ed Francis took it upon themselves to salvage all of the engineering parts drawings, releases, and other related materials when they were otherwise headed for the dumpster in the early 1980s. The materials they saved include the parts drawings for almost every FMC vehicle from the original Model A through the V8 era, including the Ford Trimotor. Virtually all of the recent research that Bruce McCalley, John Regan, many others, and myself has been based upon the engineering documents collection that George donated to the Benson Ford Research Center in the later 1990s. Although this collection's official title is Accession 1701, those of us who have worked with this collection fondly refer to it as the George DeAngelis accession. George was was an excellent machinist as well. All three of the reproduction Ford Quadricycles were built by George. He could legitimately claim that he had built more Quadricycles and had more experience with them than Henry Ford. One of my favorite memories of George DeAngelis is from about 15 years ago. At that time I was struggling to learn how the Ford Factory Symbol Number (part number) system worked so I could find the documentation for the parts I was researching. Once in frustration I said to George "I don't know how anyone could ever figure out how the system worked!" George's patient response to me was "Well, Trent, If you had been brought up in the system you would know how it worked." While his answer at that time was not particularly satisfying, he was right. I have now spent enough seat time working with the collection at the Benson Ford to know how the factory symbol number system works, and how to find the records on the parts I am interested in. We are diminished. Tearfully submitted, Trent Boggess I met George back in the 80's at one of the Dearborn meets. He was very cordial to me as a young guy in my 20's then, and has done an enormous amount of good to the Model A Community. Larry Shepard