Henry Ford left his position as CEO of the Ford Motor Company seventy years ago this month. He had spent a lot of time innovating and battling as he created his own personal empire, so I’m sure he was exhausted.
I get the impression that consumers have either love or hate for Ford cars. I’ve had good experiences with a few of them, so I can’t really say anything negative about them. However, I don’t really get excited about cars. I’m among those who consider automobiles to be a necessary evil. Although it can be more practical than luxurious, I must own one.
Today, a friend and I plan to travel a few hours to a car auction. It’s not just a car auction; only classic and collector cars are included. You know, vehicles like a 1928 Duesenberg or a 1932 Ford truck in near-mint condition. A 1972 Ford Mustang or another muscle car from that era might also be appropriate.
Before I saw a driver park an old car on the auction floor, I used to think having an old car would be fun. With no power steering, he struggled to turn the steering wheel while donning leather gloves. He gripped the wheel firmly and pulled relentlessly to move the heavy wheels that were attached to the iron frame that held the 12-cylinder engine.
While walking to his table at a restaurant in New York City, Glen Curtiss was once stopped by an old man who said, “Please let me know if you need any assistance with your legal matter.”
Curtiss was with his attorney, and later asked, “Who was that guy?”
The attorney replied, “That’s Henry Ford, I see.”
At the time, the Wright brothers were suing Curtiss over their invention of airplane flaps. using wires to warp the wings to control flight.
A Rochester, New York doctor once filed a lawsuit against Henry Ford over the engine’s design in his early years. The doctor claimed that Ford had violated some kind of patent he held on valves or something, and Ford was sued by the doctor for doing so. After a court battle, Ford prevailed and was able to continue producing. Despite earlier claims, he later demonstrated sensitivity to the issue of progress.
The Ford Motor Company did roll out a lot of new features, but some of them were failures. Most people would concur that the Edsel was among its worst models and that the Mustang was among its best.
The late 20th century presented the greatest difficulties as Japanese engineering, under the direction of an American engineer, set a new standard that had to be met. Despite these difficulties, the American automobile industry is now improving each year as more and more innovation is incorporated into the design and manufacturing processes.
The automobiles of today would make Old Henry proud. He would probably not waste time on the recent past, preferring to focus on the future and ways to advance the technology of contemporary cars.
Therefore, we thank Henry Ford for having contributed to such a significant aspect of our culture.
