Lots of great 34 Ford footage! Netflix Highwaymen

[38bill]

You have to remember that back in the day law enforcement was a very local deal plus there was not the mass communication available that we have now. I have copies of some of the letters that were mailed between various officials trying to get a bead on the gang. Yes, they actually use snail mail to try to track them. These bad guys drove whatever they could steal, just happened to be a lot of Fords around at the time. It was my Great Uncle that was killed in Joplin Mo in '33 during a shoot out. At that time the gang were driving a stolen "1932 dark green Ford Coach" according to the wanted posters. This letter shows just how hated Bonny and Clyde were at the time.

[Digger]

Was wondering if one of my Greyhounds would appear, but no. Opening scene has one of the cheap repops, but still a good watch

[jimTN]

Thats what I thought about the radio communications then. I have one of those police receivers, mounts on the inside of the firewall like a Ford receiver, has a fixed frequency and is about the size of a 36/7 radio.

[big job]

Now my big question: We know they stole V8 Fords. So I would like to know how does
one steal a parked Ford when we have a well equipped shop and we fought and fought
to only replace the key and tumbler. Clyde must have carried a Snap On tool box. Thing
is, when a crook is on the run, there is no time, as a Plymouth or Chevy a simple jumper
wire to the coil. Any one have a clue how they did it so fast. Don't think slide hammers
were invented yet?

[Byron Warwick]

I think, (no facts here) that they just looked for cars that still had the key in the lock and sitting there. I do the same thing (leave the key in), often when driving around our small town. i just figure nobody would know how to start it anyway. Let alone know how to drive that stick shift.
I also enjoyed the movie. I could not tell if the black car was a '33 or a '34.
Cheers, Byron.

[rotorwrench]

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Folks in rural United States didn't worry about someone stealing their car back then. It was a different world at that time.

Where I was raised in Kansas, folks never locked their doors until 1959 when the Clutter family was murdered in a town not far away called Holcomb, Kansas. After that, everybody started locking their homes & cars. They kept their weapons a bit closer to the bed at night as well.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by bobH

I'm not so sure about that... The version that I read, had the car being TOWED to town, and I think with bodies in it???
And, the "over 100 rounds", not sure of that, either. I've seen the car many times. I don't think there's 100 rounds. I'll take another look, next time I see it. Which will be very soon. Looking at my own personal pictures, I think I can count, perhaps, half-to-three-fourths of a hundred. Of course, I admit, I can't verify rounds that went through the windows. The shooters were not very good marksmen. I suppose one doesn't have to be a marksman with automatic weapons.
It's sad for me to see the car deteriorating. Especially, when only a few years ago, it was roadworthy for the Great Race.
JMO

Like anything on Bonnie and Clyde there are lots of stories -I have certainly read multiple times that there were over 100 rounds fired . One of the posse estimated 150 rounds . However as you say they weren't great marksman so many might have missed the car

I did also read it was driven from the scene but I can't find that reference now . I did find a reference to Ruth Warren driving the car to Shreveport (to put the car on a transporter to take it home ) after she had legally regained ownership .

[fourfords]

This is the American Experience, PBS Episode of Bonnie & Clyde
They used my '33 for some extra shots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw9ucc1k9EA

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by 38bill

You have to remember that back in the day law enforcement was a very local deal plus there was not the mass communication available that we have now. I have copies of some of the letters that were mailed between various officials trying to get a bead on the gang. Yes, they actually use snail mail to try to track them. These bad guys drove whatever they could steal, just happened to be a lot of Fords around at the time. It was my Great Uncle that was killed in Joplin Mo in '33 during a shoot out. At that time the gang were driving a stolen "1932 dark green Ford Coach" according to the wanted posters. This letter shows just how hated Bonny and Clyde were at the time.

People loved the Jesse James / younger gang too. Or at least Jesse James.


https://www.history.com/this-day-in-...s-younger-gang

[38bill]

They mention my Great Uncle and show photos of him in the PBS show. He is Detective Harry McGinnis (my Grandfathers brother) and was killed in the Joplin Missouri shoot out.

PS: As a kid my Grandfather knew Frank James who after going straight lived in the same small Missouri town.

[Tinker]

Interesting info Bill. Wild America eh.


Banks of the day where owned and funded from local people.


.

[35fordtn]

Originally Posted by big job

Now my big question: We know they stole V8 Fords. So I would like to know how does
one steal a parked Ford when we have a well equipped shop and we fought and fought
to only replace the key and tumbler. Clyde must have carried a Snap On tool box. Thing
is, when a crook is on the run, there is no time, as a Plymouth or Chevy a simple jumper
wire to the coil. Any one have a clue how they did it so fast. Don't think slide hammers
were invented yet?

Sadly I’ve done this... not to steal a car but bought a running driving 39 ford at auction that ran but they lost the keys. One hard tug on the wheel broke the lock detent and a jumper wire across the ignition switch. Sounds reckless, but i had to get it moved ASAP.

[Fortunateson]

Just finished watching it. Pretty good movie as others have stated. Did see the some of the same cars throughout the show. My biggest peeve is that s show and others when the director or set decorator wants to show dilapidated areas the get it surprisingly wrong. For example, in the migrant camps they showed vehicles that were only a handful of years older than the time being depicted and looks like they sat for 60/70 years. In other words they decorated with old unrestored relics. Even some of the buildings looked like they were not that old but truly worn out. Or is the environment that rough down in that part of the world?

[38bill]

Originally Posted by Fortunateson

Just finished watching it. Pretty good movie as others have stated. Did see the some of the same cars throughout the show. My biggest peeve is that s show and others when the director or set decorator wants to show dilapidated areas the get it surprisingly wrong. For example, in the migrant camps they showed vehicles that were only a handful of years older than the time being depicted and looks like they sat for 60/70 years. In other words they decorated with old unrestored relics. Even some of the buildings looked like they were not that old but truly worn out. Or is the environment that rough down in that part of the world?

As a PBS show the funding wouldn't have been near as high as something like a Hollywood feature film so they use "artistic license" to get it done.

[dpson]

Watched the movie on Netflix last night. I didn't realize how good looking the 1933/34 Ford sedans are, now I want one!

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by dpson

Watched the movie on Netflix last night. I didn't realize how good looking the 1933/34 Ford sedans are, now I want one!

They look even better with beauty/trim rings....

[Fortunateson]

????? PBS? I thought this was a Netflix production. Like I said, a good show but they could have used my subscription fees a little more authentically. LOL

[38bill]

Originally Posted by Fortunateson

????? PBS? I thought this was a Netflix production. Like I said, a good show but they could have used my subscription fees a little more authentically. LOL

Sorry if I confused things. Both the PBS show and the Netflix show were being talked about and its all about the cost.

[38bill]

Been digging through my files and found this photo of the death car when it was brought into town. What a circus!

Looks like that while they were in Joplin the gang had a Ford roadster, a '32 Ford sedan as well as Buck Barrow's Marmon. The Marmon was being kept in a neighboring garage and was abandoned during the shoot out. The Marmon car was kept for restitution. They escaped in the Green '32 sedan but I haven't found anything about what happened to the Ford roadster that they were reported to have.

[cajunfirehawk]

Enjoyed this flick, was confused why this never made it to my local show, then like Woody Harlson I realized only old peeps like us (lol) would go see it, IMHO and to my further surprise, one would think since I was born in Louisiana, I never realized they were shot there.