History What is that thing in Henry's Garage?

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

What is that thing in Henry's Garage?

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WOW! What a beauty! First time I've ever read about or seen pictures of it. So Edsel had a hand in it's design. I'm sure Henry considered it far too ostentatious.

 

Edsel had great visions in design. Glad some of them got through to production. I really don't know the whole story but he had several beautiful one offs. Even that fifties Edsel has a look I have warmed to over the years.

That is a beauty...thanks for sharing.

 

So let's see those shop shots! Come on man

 

Kind of makes you wonder what our favorite old Fords would look like if the old boy wouldn't have been so stubborn and allowed Edsel more design input.

From Wikipedia.
The younger Ford showed more interest than his father in flashier styling for automobiles. He indulged this proclivity in part with the purchase of the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922. His affinity for sports cars was demonstrated in his personal vehicles: Edsel bought the first MG motorcar imported to the US. In 1932, he had an aluminum, boat-tailed speedster automobile custom designed by Ford's first designer, E.T. (Bob) Gregorie. This car had several features not available on any other car. Most of the design features appeared in many Ford models throughout history. The car had Ford's brand-new V8, the first low-cost, eight-cylinder engine. Many car collectors around the world have tried to locate the '32 and acquire it for their personal collection, but have been unsuccessful thus far. The one-of-kind was the first collective creation by Bob Gregorie and Edsel Ford. The car was the prototype that never went into production. The car is considered one of the most valuable and the world's first "hot rod" by many car experts and historians. Two years later, Edsel had another car designed, this one a low-riding, aluminum-bodied speedster. The latter two cars he kept for the remainder of his life, and along with the Lincoln Zephyr, inspired the design of the Lincoln Continental.

 

I love this thing, especially the nerf-type bumpers, the headlights, and the wraparound cowls. Why, this thing even has a factory dropped axle!

 

Gorgeous!! I was born in the wrong time period.

 

If their individual design sense equaled music, then Henry Ford was square dance, but Edsel was pure Jazz.

 

the model A is the perfect blank canvas for customizing/hot rodding....... Edsel knew it.
start cutting.

 

Actually, the estate is on the Detroit River.

 

+1 on everything you said.

 

Didn't I read somewhere that Henry took an ax to one of Edsels creations. He didn't want Edsel "wasting his time" on projects not work related. Tough old bird! Jive Bomber, I also did Fair Lane about 20 years ago along with the Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. I want to do them again, although without kids this time, I'll see a lot of stuff that I missed.

 

Love it. And for good measure, here's an Edsel commissioned Pininfarina bodied '32 Ford that I captured at the Peterson a few years back...

 

I love it! I actually have plans of similar ilk for my '34 phaeton!

 

Walk into the design shop...."Ok boys......a little something different for today!"
Then over to production......."Can you folks pop this out for me?"
"And by they way......the old man doesn't need to know about this."

 

Detroit has had some hard times but there are so many hidden treasures like Fairlane. There is also Edsel's estate, the original factory on Lafayette, Greenfield Village. The Detroit Institute of Arts is another spot not to be missed.

 

About the only thing that car needs is to be closer to the ground. Well maybe a few inches off the top of the windshield too.

 

Henry was something of a farmboy at heart most of his life and did love his barn dances. To the point that he bought a couple of Stradivarius violins to play at the dances he put on.

 

It would be interesting to know why Henry didn't take an ax to this one.

Ford Motor Company had its own private landfill (called the claypits) about a mile south of the museum. Sure would be interesting to see some of the stuff that got buried there.

The estate IS on the Rouge River. It runs into the Detroit River about five miles downstream.

 

I think there was a pic on the Hamb of Henry with an axe taken it to the trunk of a 40 or something near that...

 

You have no idea how true that statement is! Edsel had Bob Gregorie design, and the Ford Tri Motor shop workers build his Model 40 Speedster... as Gregorie put it, "the boys at the Tri Motor plant weren't building many airplanes in '33..."

EVERYTHING had to be hidden from Henry, though, as he had a severe distaste for anything fancy (or ostentatious )! The Model 40 (as well as other custom vehicles of Edsel's) were usually hidden in the gardener's shed, and taken out when dad wasn't around.

 

What do you suppose Henry would have to say about the Ford GT.

 

Stogy, the picture you are referring to is an experimental trunk made with some sort of soy bean compound. I think it was similar to a plastic or fiberglass. Henry was very interested in the process. I think it was a flop because of several issues. Anyone know the story?

 

cows, goats & sheep took a likin' (lickin') to it.

 

Well, here is what I just read. Henry was so sure that the soya bean was a magical plant. He had his chief chemist Robert Boyer develop a soya bean plastic trunk. The reason we only see the picture of Henry swinging the ax and no other pictures is that the trunk split into two pieces after it was hit. The article goes on to say that in 1937 two pounds of a Ford car was made from soya bean products, mainly interior knobs, buttons and insulation. Henry also had a suit and tie made from soya beans and his tailor told him never sit down or raise your arms because the suit would fall apart. After Henry died, Henry II did away with hundreds of thousand acres of soya bean, "enough to cover half of Dearborn". Henry also had about a thousand acres of marijuana plants for hemp experiments.

 

Did 'ya see the angle on that windshield? Oh, Gawd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2016/03/12/edsel-ford-speedster

All I can say is WOW!

 

Here's another interesting machine that belonged to William Clay Ford (Edsel's son). Check out the front axle.

 

If it hadn't been for Edsel, FoMoCo would have produced Model T's until Henry died.