The Ford Barn

jm29henry · 07-20-2018, 02:47 PM

I heard a story that during world war 2 at greenfield village ,they taught school. A young student had his car parked out front of the village and Henry jumped in and took it for a ride .? The young man was worried because he did not have much gas . Henry supposedly gave him a slip and the village filled his tank .The student was so happy because with gas rationing he only was able to get a few gallons .

If anyone one has heard of this story or no if the actual story is in print I would love to get a copy thanks for your help Joe.

Marshall V. Daut · 07-20-2018, 02:51 PM

Yes. The story appeared in a 1970's MAFCA "Restorer" or possibly MARC "Model A News". I have the issue somewhere among the hundreds of other back issues, but it would take a while to find the darned thing. The facts you stated about the incident are correct and the essential part of the story. The only thing I'd add is that Henry measured top speed going one way and then the other way on the track and was pleased with both speeds. He told the young man that he had his Model A well tuned. Quite a compliment from the Old Man himself, eh?
Marshall

M2M · 07-20-2018, 02:58 PM

Yes, I've heard it. Young guy (who was studying at a Ford sponsored school) thought someone had stolen the car until a security guy told him the "Old Man" had taken it for a test drive. Henry hit 60 mph+ in it on a test track if I remember correctly. Henry gave the kid a voucher for petrol when he returned the car.

Synchro909 · 07-20-2018, 06:33 PM

Yup, I've heard that story too. Evidently, Henry was happy enough with how the car performed. Wonder where that car is now. I'm sure it would be worth $$$ if the provenance could be proved.

Railcarmover · 07-20-2018, 09:19 PM

Mr Ford had a '28 coupe..with cowl vents (crotch coolers),a good idea..

jm29henry · 07-21-2018, 08:08 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thanks I have some old restorers mag I'm going try and find it I love this story

Marshall V. Daut · 07-21-2018, 09:07 AM

I'm leaning towards the article being in an old MARC "Model A News" issue because I remember the format being different from the more numerous (and preferable) "Restorer" issues I had at the time. Concentrate on looking through 1970's "Model A News" back issues for the two page article, including a photo of Henry's Special Coupe, as I recall.
Marshall

40 Deluxe · 07-21-2018, 09:56 AM

Henry had suffered a stroke by this time and was showing signs of dementia, which may have led to this episode (IF TRUE). This sounds like it could very well be just another story someone made up and others embellished as it was retold.

Marshall V. Daut · 07-21-2018, 10:23 AM

The author of the article in the magazine was also the student, whose Model A Henry "borrowed". I'd call that being pretty close to the original source of the story.

Marshall

ericr · 07-21-2018, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Henry had suffered a stroke by this time and was showing signs of dementia, which may have led to this episode (IF TRUE). This sounds like it could very well be just another story someone made up and others embellished as it was retold.

the story is indeed charming but I tend to agree with you. also he was extremely security-conscious and I always thought he had a chauffeur and armed guards around or near him.

Bob from Northport · 07-21-2018, 08:41 PM

Maybe you guys need a bit of faith. Just believe it. Does it really matter??

40 Deluxe · 07-22-2018, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob from Northport

Maybe you guys need a bit of faith. Just believe it. Does it really matter??

Of course it matters! What good is distorted history? If it's not true, then it is just more 'fake news"! Who likes to be lied to?

jb-ob · 07-22-2018, 04:25 PM

Every car has a story....If your car doesn't, make one up.

Bob from Northport · 07-22-2018, 08:11 PM

I'm with you Jimmy

Synchro909 · 07-22-2018, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Of course it matters! What good is distorted history? If it's not true, then it is just more 'fake news"! Who likes to be lied to?

No one does but any time we listen to a politician, we arr lied to. I don't care who it is, if they are a polly, they're lying.

sunnyorm · 07-22-2018, 11:26 PM

religions made loads of money with unconfirmed history.

Marshall V. Daut · 07-23-2018, 12:08 AM

I'll see if I can find the issue with the story in it. It's been a long time since I read it (many times over the years), but as I recall, the author was a student/trainee in one of Henry Ford's classes that taught vocational automotive subjects. This was long after the Model A ceased production. He happened to look out of the classroom window and noticed his car was missing from its parking place. The student rushed outside and found a security guard to report his stolen car. That's when the guard reassured him that his car had not been stolen, merely borrowed by Henry Ford, the "Old Man" as the guard called him. Henry saw the Model A in the parking lot and wanted to check how the Model A ran. This was during the Great Depression, so the student's main concern was that he had very little gas in the tank and no money to replace what gasoline Henry used up. He watched helplessly as Henry hotlapped the test track up and down for a couple passes, measuring the top speed attained each way. The rest of the story has been told in previous postings in this thread. The happy ending is that Henry gave the student a voucher for a full tank of company gas. End of story.
As an adult, the student wrote this article for one of the national Model A club magazines, which I am pretty sure was MARC's "Model A News". Rather than continuing to cast aspersions on those who have heard the story or recall the article, let's wait until I or someone else can locate the issue to verify what has been posted here. If some people here then wish to still dismiss the story as urban legend rather than accept the written memory of this student, 'can't do much about that. The sun will still come up tomorrow no matter whether the story is believed or not.
Marshall

Marshall V. Daut · 07-23-2018, 12:53 AM

Facing the daunting task of wading through several hundred back issues of the "Restorer" and "Model A News" going back to the late 1950's just to find a one-page article was not something I was looking forward to doing. Luckily, I found the article among the first 50 magazines I went through. It appeared in the November-December, 1992 "Restorer" issue, much more recently than I had remembered, AND in the "Restorer", not "Model A" News". Besides predictably misremembering a few minor details, the scanned story is as I and others here have recalled it. It's written in the first person, although the story was submitted by the man's son, first appearing in "American Heritage" magazine, a well-respected historical publication. Read it for yourself and decide if you want to believe it. But ask yourself: why would the author lie about such a thing? To what end? Whether you choose to believe this incident actually happened or not, it's a fun read!
Marshall

Marshall V. Daut · 07-23-2018, 01:01 AM

Maybe this higher resolution scan will be more legible?
Marshall

jm29henry · 07-23-2018, 10:47 AM

Thank you so much,Marshall I really appreciate you taking the time and finding the real story. A guy in my car club told it to me and I was so fascinated by it .I will enjoy sharing it with my friends .Thanks again Marshall ,
Joe.

07-20-2018, 02:47 PM	#1
jm29henry Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: michigan Posts: 1,126	Henry ford drives off in a ford model a I heard a story that during world war 2 at greenfield village ,they taught school. A young student had his car parked out front of the village and Henry jumped in and took it for a ride .? The young man was worried because he did not have much gas . Henry supposedly gave him a slip and the village filled his tank .The student was so happy because with gas rationing he only was able to get a few gallons . If anyone one has heard of this story or no if the actual story is in print I would love to get a copy thanks for your help Joe.

07-20-2018, 02:51 PM	#2
Marshall V. Daut Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 2,110	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Yes. The story appeared in a 1970's MAFCA "Restorer" or possibly MARC "Model A News". I have the issue somewhere among the hundreds of other back issues, but it would take a while to find the darned thing. The facts you stated about the incident are correct and the essential part of the story. The only thing I'd add is that Henry measured top speed going one way and then the other way on the track and was pleased with both speeds. He told the young man that he had his Model A well tuned. Quite a compliment from the Old Man himself, eh? Marshall

07-20-2018, 02:58 PM	#3
M2M Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Australia/USA/EU/Soviet Russia Posts: 1,105	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Yes, I've heard it. Young guy (who was studying at a Ford sponsored school) thought someone had stolen the car until a security guy told him the "Old Man" had taken it for a test drive. Henry hit 60 mph+ in it on a test track if I remember correctly. Henry gave the kid a voucher for petrol when he returned the car. __________________

07-20-2018, 06:33 PM	#4
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Yup, I've heard that story too. Evidently, Henry was happy enough with how the car performed. Wonder where that car is now. I'm sure it would be worth $$$ if the provenance could be proved. __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

07-20-2018, 09:19 PM	#5
Railcarmover BANNED Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,262	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Mr Ford had a '28 coupe..with cowl vents (crotch coolers),a good idea..

07-21-2018, 08:08 AM	#6
jm29henry Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: michigan Posts: 1,126	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thanks I have some old restorers mag I'm going try and find it I love this story

07-21-2018, 09:07 AM	#7
Marshall V. Daut Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 2,110	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a I'm leaning towards the article being in an old MARC "Model A News" issue because I remember the format being different from the more numerous (and preferable) "Restorer" issues I had at the time. Concentrate on looking through 1970's "Model A News" back issues for the two page article, including a photo of Henry's Special Coupe, as I recall. Marshall

07-21-2018, 09:56 AM	#8
40 Deluxe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: now Kuna, Idaho Posts: 3,779	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Henry had suffered a stroke by this time and was showing signs of dementia, which may have led to this episode (IF TRUE). This sounds like it could very well be just another story someone made up and others embellished as it was retold.

07-21-2018, 10:23 AM	#9
Marshall V. Daut Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 2,110	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a The author of the article in the magazine was also the student, whose Model A Henry "borrowed". I'd call that being pretty close to the original source of the story. Marshall

07-21-2018, 08:41 PM	#11
Bob from Northport Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: 215 E. 6th Street Northport, Michigan 49670 Posts: 941	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Maybe you guys need a bit of faith. Just believe it. Does it really matter?? __________________ Bob from Northport Northport, Michigan

07-22-2018, 04:25 PM	#13
jb-ob Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 638	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Every car has a story....If your car doesn't, make one up.

07-22-2018, 08:11 PM	#14
Bob from Northport Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: 215 E. 6th Street Northport, Michigan 49670 Posts: 941	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a I'm with you Jimmy __________________ Bob from Northport Northport, Michigan

07-22-2018, 11:26 PM	#16
sunnyorm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 359	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a religions made loads of money with unconfirmed history.

07-23-2018, 12:08 AM	#17
Marshall V. Daut Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 2,110	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a I'll see if I can find the issue with the story in it. It's been a long time since I read it (many times over the years), but as I recall, the author was a student/trainee in one of Henry Ford's classes that taught vocational automotive subjects. This was long after the Model A ceased production. He happened to look out of the classroom window and noticed his car was missing from its parking place. The student rushed outside and found a security guard to report his stolen car. That's when the guard reassured him that his car had not been stolen, merely borrowed by Henry Ford, the "Old Man" as the guard called him. Henry saw the Model A in the parking lot and wanted to check how the Model A ran. This was during the Great Depression, so the student's main concern was that he had very little gas in the tank and no money to replace what gasoline Henry used up. He watched helplessly as Henry hotlapped the test track up and down for a couple passes, measuring the top speed attained each way. The rest of the story has been told in previous postings in this thread. The happy ending is that Henry gave the student a voucher for a full tank of company gas. End of story. As an adult, the student wrote this article for one of the national Model A club magazines, which I am pretty sure was MARC's "Model A News". Rather than continuing to cast aspersions on those who have heard the story or recall the article, let's wait until I or someone else can locate the issue to verify what has been posted here. If some people here then wish to still dismiss the story as urban legend rather than accept the written memory of this student, 'can't do much about that. The sun will still come up tomorrow no matter whether the story is believed or not. Marshall

07-23-2018, 10:47 AM	#20
jm29henry Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: michigan Posts: 1,126	Re: Henry ford drives off in a ford model a Thank you so much,Marshall I really appreciate you taking the time and finding the real story. A guy in my car club told it to me and I was so fascinated by it .I will enjoy sharing it with my friends .Thanks again Marshall , Joe.