The Ford Barn

Old Henry · 12-26-2011, 04:10 PM

I don't know about you but when I was a kid it was a major milestone in a car's life to reach 100,000 miles on the odometer. I think the understanding I had was that cars aged a year of human years for every 1,000 miles on the odometer such that, if a car reached 100,000 miles without an overhaul of the engine it was like reaching 100 years old for a human.

Well, anyway, yesterday, Christmas Day, was such a major milestone for "Old Henry", our '47 Fordor which we've owned since 1959. I knew the odometer was getting close to turning over but wasn't watching quite close enough to catch it on all 9's then all 0's but I glanced down when it had 1 mile on the odometer and stopped and took a picture for posterity. And to think that it happened on Christmas day - a double red letter day!

Here's the picture my dad took in 1962 during a cross country road trip with the family in the '53 Ford station wagon when it hit 100,000 miles. We actually all got out and pushed it the last 1/10th mile. (We didn't realize how long a tenth of a mile was.) I'm the tall one in the middle, age 10.

And the photo he took of the odometer with all 0's on it.

Nowadays it's nothing to run a car over 200,000 miles without any problems. In fact, all of our cars are well over that (except "Old Henry" of course. He's actually the "newest" car we have in mileage.) We don't even buy them until they are "well seasoned" with at least 100,000 miles on them.

Here's a picure I took when our '82 Dodge van hit 200,000 miles many years ago. (That's only 7 of our 10 kids. Three oldest were already gone. You can see why we've had 15 passenger vans for our road trips to every state we could drive to - 49 out of 50.)

AlDeBear · 12-26-2011, 04:22 PM

Great story and terrific pictures Prof. Henry!!

Brendan · 12-26-2011, 05:04 PM

i can't read the last digit on thr odomitor in my pickup so i don't realy now the mileage!

Brendan · 12-26-2011, 05:08 PM

also i had a Ford Falcon that i saw the clock turn over twice, i had to replace almost every piece in that car twice!

Gumpy · 12-26-2011, 05:27 PM

I love the 53 ranch wagon...i had one 25 years ago.....it was the 50th anniverary of ford and mine had the fordomatic...

felix37 · 12-26-2011, 06:18 PM

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That's a neat story! I like how you have stuck with your family tradition by celebrating your cars mileage. I'm also glad to see you are driving your car's and putting mileage on them.

Old Henry · 12-26-2011, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumpy

I love the 53 ranch wagon...i had one 25 years ago.....it was the 50th anniverary of ford and mine had the fordomatic...

Ours had the Fordomatic too.

Old Henry · 12-26-2011, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by felix37

That's a neat story! I like how you have stuck with your family tradition by celebrating your cars mileage.

Our most recent celebration was when our '92 van hit 250,000 miles.

Old Henry · 12-26-2011, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by felix37

I'm also glad to see you are driving your cars and putting mileage on them.

Since restoring "Old Henry" in 2006 we have put 1/4 of his total miles on him - over 25,000. I have relatives that say, "Aren't you afraid you'll wear him out?" My response: "Wear him out? Heck, we've already done that many times. You just keep replacing what wears out and keep a drivin'!" Just like Brendan did with his Falcon. No trailer queen here. What good is a car if you can't drive it? (I think that's Jay Leno's motto. I have heard that he drives all 84 cars and 73 motorcycles that he has. See his list here: http://askville.amazon.com/cars-Jay-...questId=238034 What? No Ford's earler than 1966? Might as well forget it.)

Old Henry · 12-27-2011, 02:42 PM

As "Old Henry" hits 100,000 miles it is time for his 10,000 mile service and I thought others might be interested in the maintenance record that I have made up from all suggested maintenance manuals for the 46-48 years. It is a PDF file so that you can open it and print it if you are interested.

jdl · 12-27-2011, 06:19 PM

Nice pictures. Thanks!

p.s. you drive a lot..

59ab · 12-27-2011, 09:27 PM

Glad to see you are enjoying the Ford. That is why they made the wheels round, so they would roll!

Mike in AZ · 12-28-2011, 10:59 AM

great pics....and stories...thanks for sharing....and all those peace signs....perfect time of year for peace....Mike

Old Henry · 12-28-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike in AZ

great pics....and stories...thanks for sharing....and all those peace signs....perfect time of year for peace....Mike

Those kids didn't know what peace signs were. Those were 2's for 200,000 miles.

Mike in AZ · 12-29-2011, 07:22 PM

ah, well.....still....peace.....Mike

12-26-2011, 04:10 PM	#1
Old Henry Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 5,762	Christmas - A Red Letter Day I don't know about you but when I was a kid it was a major milestone in a car's life to reach 100,000 miles on the odometer. I think the understanding I had was that cars aged a year of human years for every 1,000 miles on the odometer such that, if a car reached 100,000 miles without an overhaul of the engine it was like reaching 100 years old for a human. Well, anyway, yesterday, Christmas Day, was such a major milestone for "Old Henry", our '47 Fordor which we've owned since 1959. I knew the odometer was getting close to turning over but wasn't watching quite close enough to catch it on all 9's then all 0's but I glanced down when it had 1 mile on the odometer and stopped and took a picture for posterity. And to think that it happened on Christmas day - a double red letter day! Here's the picture my dad took in 1962 during a cross country road trip with the family in the '53 Ford station wagon when it hit 100,000 miles. We actually all got out and pushed it the last 1/10th mile. (We didn't realize how long a tenth of a mile was.) I'm the tall one in the middle, age 10. And the photo he took of the odometer with all 0's on it. Nowadays it's nothing to run a car over 200,000 miles without any problems. In fact, all of our cars are well over that (except "Old Henry" of course. He's actually the "newest" car we have in mileage.) We don't even buy them until they are "well seasoned" with at least 100,000 miles on them. Here's a picure I took when our '82 Dodge van hit 200,000 miles many years ago. (That's only 7 of our 10 kids. Three oldest were already gone. You can see why we've had 15 passenger vans for our road trips to every state we could drive to - 49 out of 50.) __________________ Prof. Henry (The Roaming Gnome) "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Ursula K. Le Guin in The Left Hand of Darkness Last edited by Old Henry; 12-26-2011 at 07:18 PM.*

12-26-2011, 04:22 PM	#2
AlDeBear Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Mountain Home, AR Posts: 106	Re: Christmas - A Red Letter Day Great story and terrific pictures Prof. Henry!!

12-26-2011, 05:27 PM	#5
Gumpy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Sf bay area Posts: 1,464	Re: Christmas - A Red Letter Day *I love the 53 ranch wagon...i had one 25 years ago.....it was the 50th anniverary of ford and mine had the fordomatic...*

12-26-2011, 06:18 PM	#6
felix37 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 1,093	Re: Christmas - A Red Letter Day Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) That's a neat story! I like how you have stuck with your family tradition by celebrating your cars mileage. I'm also glad to see you are driving your car's and putting mileage on them.

12-27-2011, 06:19 PM	#11
jdl Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: California Central Coast Posts: 931	Re: Christmas - A Red Letter Day Nice pictures. Thanks! p.s. you drive a lot..

12-27-2011, 09:27 PM	#12
59ab Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Huntsville,Alabama Posts: 247	Re: Christmas - A Red Letter Day Glad to see you are enjoying the Ford. That is why they made the wheels round, so they would roll!

12-28-2011, 10:59 AM	#13
Mike in AZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waddell, AZ Posts: 2,540	Re: Christmas - A Red Letter Day great pics....and stories...thanks for sharing....and all those peace signs....perfect time of year for peace....Mike

12-29-2011, 07:22 PM	#15
Mike in AZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waddell, AZ Posts: 2,540	Re: Christmas - A Red Letter Day ah, well.....still....peace.....Mike