NOVEMBER PROGRAM
TUMBLEWEED CLUB OF NEW MEXICO NOVEMBER 2012 RG #79, EARLY FORD V-8 CLUB OF AMERICA, PO BOX 21538, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87154-1538 MEETS FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, 7:30 P.M., OLD CAR GARAGE, 3205 CLAREMONT NE
Election and Tabletop Show by Jay Hertz
The activities at the November meeting will consist of the annual election of officers and directors along with
a tabletop vehicle show. The election is an important event each year, so members are encouraged to
attend and cast their votes. For the tabletop vehicle show, we ask that each person who owns one or more
model vehicles to bring examples of their vehicles to the meeting and display them for discussion or
questions.
PLEASE NOTE: All meetings include Show & Tell. Members are encouraged to bring items to share.
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, November 6, 7:30 p.m., at Old Car Garage.
PROGRAM: Election of officers for 2013 and a tabletop show.
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED BY: Mark & Larry Williams and Neva & Marvin Coffee.
OCTOBER ACTIVITY: October 27, Chimayo Tour. Please see Joe’s article for details.
NOVEMBER ACTIVITY: November 17, Festival of the Cranes/Bosque del Apache Tour. Please see
Frank’s article for details.
BREAKFAST GROUP: The Breakfast Group will meet Saturday, November 3 at 8:30 a.m. at Rich Ford’s
Mustang Café, Wyoming and Lomas.
NEXT BOARD MEETING: Tuesday, November 13, 7:30 p.m., Jay Hertz’ home, 8704 La Sala Del Sur, NE.
Jay’s home phone number is 296.3137. See article in this newsletter for details. All members are welcome.
MEETING REFRESHMENT VOLUNTEERS 2012
November Mark & Larry Williams / Neva & Marvin Coffee December Holiday Party
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FOR NOVEMBER 2012
Jay Hertz, President
General Motors was born as a public company, meaning that its shares were publicly owned.
That is how GM raised its operating capital. Ford Motor Company, on the other hand, began as a private
company. Henry Ford capitalized the company in 1903 with $28,000 in exchange for shares of stock.
Throughout Henry Ford’s lifetime, no other investment capital was sought or needed; to the contrary, the
company survived or thrived on its earnings or on borrowed funds. Henry Ford’s initial seed money had been
so well utilized by the company that, in sixteen short years, those shares had become worth $700 million,
making Henry Ford the richest man in America. In addition to that capital appreciation, the stock Henry Ford
owned had generated $250,000 in dividends in those first sixteen years.
At the close of the Flathead era, which was after Henry Ford’s death, most of the stock was owned by the
Ford Foundation. Specifically, in 1954, the Ford Foundation owned 3,089,908 of the 3,452,900 outstanding
shares, giving it a little over 90% of the stock. The remaining shares (except for 108 shares held by senior
employees) were owned by members of the Ford family, who were Henry Ford’s heirs. This situation had
come about through Henry Ford’s careful estate planning as well as a genuine desire for his wealth to be
put to public benefit during and after his lifetime.
The Ford Foundation had been established in 1936 as a charity. Its charter authorized it to distribute funds
“for the public welfare,” so that it was able to make gifts to fund a wide variety of charitable uses. Federal
law required that foundations distribute most of their earnings, and the Ford Foundation had huge earnings
in the form of stock dividends on the Ford Motor stock, as well as substantial other investment income.
By 1954, the Ford Foundation had concluded that it wanted to diversify its investments. To do this, it wanted
to sell off a portion of its Ford stock. Due to the magnitude of its Ford holdings, the Foundation thought it
best to make the shares available to the public, rather than to a few private buyers. Public sales of securities
are heavily regulated by the SEC and by federal law. But, because Henry Ford II had done such a careful
job of accounting, record keeping and conducting regular meetings, these requirements were easily
overcome. By January 1956, all conditions had been satisfied, and 15% of the Foundation’s shares were
placed for subscription.
The demand for Ford shares was simply enormous. Buyers could not expect to receive even a fraction of
the shares they wanted. In response, the Foundation agreed to increase the offering to 22% of its holdings.
The enthusiasm for Ford stock rivaled today’s enthusiasm for stock in Google or Facebook. Part of the
explanation for this may lie in the fact that the shares offered in the initial public offering were voting shares.
The shares opened at $64.50. By the end of the first day’s trading (which was after a sales moratorium
imposed by law), the shares sold for $69.00. At the end of the first day’s trading, 350,000 people had
acquired a stake in Ford Motor Company, with the average holding at 29 shares per person. But, by the first
anniversary of the initial offering, the sale price had declined to $54.25 per share. As of this writing Ford
stock is trading at only $10.43 per share, but many events and factors have intervened in the ensuing 55
years to cause that. Judging by the current values of Ford stock, the Foundation’s 1954 decision to diversify
its holdings seems to have been highly prudent.
The Ford Foundation survives to this day and continues to fulfill its charter by making grants for social
change to a large number of worthy recipients. It currently has fiscal assets valued at $10.3 billion, and has
distributed $16.3 billion in grants to organizations in the US, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia,
through 2011.
Much of the information for this article comes from the excellent history, “Wheels for the World” by Douglas
Brinkley (Viking Press, 2003).
OCTOBER MEETING MINUTES
By Micki Hughes for Secretary Mark Williams
The meeting was called to order at 7:30. Vice President Jeff Jackson chaired in Jay’s absence.
Minutes: The September minutes were approved as published in the October newsletter.
Treasurer’s Report: Club Treasurer Larry & Meg Williams are in North Carolina meeting their new twin
grandkids. In lieu of his attendance, Larry provided the Treasurer’s report, reflecting interest income of 13¢,
which was published in the October newsletter. The report was reviewed by Jeff at the meeting and
approved as published.
Birthdays: The birthdays and anniversaries were announced and the celebrants were congratulated.
Refreshments: Thanks to Al & Jo Seery and Bob & Joan Quirici for tonight’s refreshments.
State Fair Car Show: Jeff said it was a great show and he thanked Joe Abbin and John Shelton for
providing chains and stanchions. He also thanked Jay, Neva, Joe and Ron for their promotion at the State
Fair.
Nominating Committee: Joe reported that the nominating committee for 2013 officers is offering the
following nominations: Jay Hertz, president; Jeff Jackson, vice president; Neva Coffee, secretary; Larry
Williams, treasurer; and Max Glover, Ray Calderon and Dee Patterson, directors. Additional nominations
will be solicited at the November meeting before the vote. The nominations were approved.
Swap Meet: Joyce Clements reported on the swap meet. Friday and Saturday were both busy, but Sunday
was slower. Overall, it was a pretty good swap meet. Jim Clements provided $20 to go to the Tumbleweed
treasury for the rest of the goods sold.
Car Council: Jim Clements said the next Car Council meeting is in three weeks.
Website: Jeff said the Board asked him to look into website design. He also said he agreed to get it up and
running but he is not volunteering to maintain it by himself. The Board recommended the web design
package Jeff demonstrated tonight in order to have another access point to draw new members to our club.
It has many facets and potential for expansion. The host site provides the basic software that seems to be
easy to maintain. Items on the demo website Jeff developed includes:
• Members’ cars could be showcased, maybe two cars every month.
• Classified ads can be brought over from the newsletter, along with the newsletter itself.
• An area has set up for bylaws, and there is a members-only area for information that can be accessed
by using a password.
• There’s unlimited storage and the club will own the domain name.
• The cost is $16/month if the site is paid for yearly ($20 if monthly).
Joe noted that if the club chooses not to subsidize the Christmas party the savings would cover the monthly
website cost. Ira Rimson suggested defraying expenses by selling vendors’ ads or through links to
commercial sites. Joe suggested the club try the website for a year. A motion was made that the club will
fund a website for a year. It was seconded and passed.
Chimayo Tour: Joe said the Chimayo tour is set for October 27. The Inn at Chimayo is $75/night for
anyone who wants to go up the night before. It is owned by Marco and Pat Oviedo, former club members,
and Joe said the food is good. It’s 93 miles roundtrip. Jeff and Beth will provide a trailer in case there are
any minor car failures.
Holiday Party: There was discussion about having the holiday party at the Cooperage again. Lou and Mary
Gorenz made the arrangements because they know the manager. The cost will be ±$30/person including
tax and tip. The Board recommended not subsidizing the party this year. The Cooperage as the site and
no club subsidy for the party were put up for a vote and were approved.
Apple Festival and Durango Tours: Joyce talked about the Apple Festival tour on October 6 and the
Durango Train Ride tour on the 12-14th that she and Bob Agnew are putting together. She said there are
articles in the October newsletter providing details about both tours.
Show & Tell: Dee Patterson and Jim Clements brought literature to share with the group. Max Glover
brought a 1997 Tumbleweed newsletter for the club to keep. Jeff brought an item he bought at the swap
meet that was identified as either a Model A or Model T doorsill plaque. Regardless, it is going on the
Jackson coat rack for decoration.
Raffle: Thanks to Mistee Thompson who conducted the raffle.
Program: Joe Abbin and Will Clements gave a very interesting presentation about air cleaners. Several
examples of early Flathead V8 air cleaners were shown to demonstrate how they worked. Thanks to Joe
and Will.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
OCTOBER 2012 CLUB ACTIVITY
October 27 – Chimayo Day Tour
By Joe Abbin
On Saturday, October 27th the club will be heading to Northern NM to exercise those V-8s and do some
serious “leaf-peeping,” as they say back East. The plan is to meet at Smith’s on Tramway and Central at
9:00 am. Then we will proceed to Chimayo via the Turquoise Trail, Santa Fe and Espanola. Maps will be
available at Smith’s. We’ll meet up at Pat & Marco Oviedo’s gallery and foundry for a tour around 11 am.
3
Then it is on to Rancho de Chimayo (505-351-4444) for lunch. After lunch, we’ll take “Marco’s Ride Around
the Block,” a seven mile tour of the area and then head home.
Those who wish can go up early and spend the night Friday or stay and spend Saturday night in Chimayo.
Pat & Marco own the Inn at Chimayo which is also on their property. See www.innatchimayo.com for photos
and details. Space is limited, so call for availability and reservations (505-351-2280 and ask for Pat). This
is a great day or overnight tour with lots of flexibility. Invite your friends.
Call Joe Abbin with questions at 296-7678.
NOVEMBER 13, 2012 BOARD MEETING
By Jay Hertz
Hello, All. This is to let you know that we will be holding our November directors’/officers’ meeting on
Tuesday, November 13, at my house, 8704 La Sala Del Sur, NE (phone 296-3137) beginning at 7:30 p.m.
It is near Wyoming and Candelaria. From that intersection, go east and take the second left-hand turn bay,
which is General Stillwell. Go to the end of General Stillwell, which is only about four blocks. Where it ends,
the house on the right is mine. It is a corner house with a stop sign on the property. The entrance is on
General Stillwell even though the address is on La Sala Del Sur. I will have refreshments. All members are
welcome at our Board meetings.
NOVEMBER CLUB ACTIVITY
November 17 – Festival of the Cranes/Bosque del Apache tour
By Frank Corey
The Ford club has scheduled a trip to the bird refuge on Saturday Nov. 24. We will depart the pit parking
lot at 11 am and then stop at the Owl Bar for lunch. We plan to arrive at the visitor center about 230 pm.
One of the staff members will give us details about the refuge. The main attraction will be the return of birds
to the refuge about sundown. Those who choose can stay for that event which will probably occur about 5
pm. The members who want to head home before dark may choose that also. That decision can be made
by those who attend.
2012 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
President: Jay Hertz (jdhhag@comcast.net)
Vice-President: R. Jeff Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com)
Secretary: Mark Williams (mwdomesticengineer34@gmail.com)
Treasurer: Larry Williams (l-m-williams@comcast.net)
Director of Club Purpose: Neva Coffee (marvin.coffee@comcast.net)
Director of Education: Joe Abbin (roadrunnerengr@msn.com)
Director of Touring: Frank Corey (frankford4@aol.com)
~~‚~~
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Happy Birthday to:
5 Jay Hertz
9 Betty Shelton
30 Ray Calderon
Happy Anniversary to:
17 Vern & Pat Willan
21 Marvin & Neva Coffee
NEWSLETTER NOTE
Members are encouraged to submit articles and ads for inclusion in the newsletter, but please remember
we have space limitations. Article submissions may be reformatted for newsletter purposes, but they will not
be edited without the author’s approval. The deadline for submissions is the 20th of the month. Please
contact Micki Hughes, newsletter editor, 505.359.3227, or email: tumbleweednewsletter@gmail.com.
2012 CLUB EVENTS
11/6 Elections & Tabletop Show Board 11/3 Breakfast group meets Saturday at 8:30 a.m., Rich Ford’s Mustang Café.
11/13 Board Meeting, 7:30, Jay Hertz’ house
11/17 Festival of the Cranes, Bosque del Apache Tour
12/4 Holiday Party Board 12/1 Breakfast group meets Saturday at 8:30 a.m., Rich Ford’s Mustang Café.
TUMBLEWEED TOUR 2000 REVISITED
by Joe Abbin
Introduction
In 2000, the Tumbleweed Regional Group (our club) of the Early Ford V-8 Club produced the grandest event
in the history of our local club, the Western National Meet of the Early Ford V-8 Club, aka Tumbleweed Tour
2000. This undertaking was accomplished in a year’s time and required the participation of a majority of our
club members and many outside the group. I was president of the Tumbleweed Group at the time and cochairperson
of the event. It was a great success by any measure. Unfortunately, our club did not produce
a “memory book” which was planned to document the event and provide a reference for future events. This
recap was produced from my files and memory of the event. It was requested by Jay Hertz, current
president of our club, to support future planning. I welcome any additions and corrections.
Summary
The Tumbleweed Tour 2000 took place August 16 – 20, 2000. The host hotel and center of activities was
the Sheraton Old Town near I-40 on Rio Grande Boulevard in Albuquerque, NM. It had 181+ registrants who
paid a base fee of $60 ($75 for late), which included activities such as the Icebreaker opening cocktail party
(with Mariachis!), technical seminars, swap meet space and concourse participation. The basic registration
fee also covered the Judges Breakfast. Other activities were paid for “ala carte” and included a Sandia Peak
dinner and tram ride, a ladies luncheon with fashion show, a dinner dance and an awards banquet, both at
the Albuquerque Country Club, a farewell brunch and road tours to Jemez (complete with box lunches from
Powdrell’s) and Madrid (diverted to Bob Pearson’s due to rain). A Tumbleweed Tour 2000 Cookbook was
also produced and sold (before, during and after the event).
The total income was $44,040 and the total expenses were $36,720 for a net income of $7320. These
numbers do not include many donations of cash, materials and services from other groups, businesses and
individuals. For examples, the Denver Regional Group split the cost of the Ice-breaker, Gab Joiner and the
J&R Vintage Auto Museum provided canvas carry bags with the event logo, Corey Weintraub donated event
logo design and artwork, Bob Agnew provided shuttle service and volunteered his facilities (Old Car Garage)
for participants and paid for the band at the country club dance. There were many others who contributed
door prizes including a beautiful afghan wall hanging, etc. The basic registration fee was designed to have
an event break even number of 100 registrants.
Kathleen McCaughey provided the major part of the event management. An Event Committee consisting
of 25+ task coordinators, including me, assisted. Over 34 individual club members worked tirelessly both
before and during the event. The busiest was Kathleen of course, followed closely by Roger and Mary Kay
Campbell who were in charge of event registration. The Committee met as required, often weekly in many
cases early on and during the month before the event. The Route 66 Diner was a favorite meeting place.
The Tumbleweed Group had 43 member families at the time.
Following the event, the event committee recommended that the event proceeds be used in the following
manner as listed below in prioritized order. The dollar amounts recommended to support the recommended
projects/tasks by the committee are listed next to each item along with the actual amounts approved and
spent by the Tumbleweed Group in parentheses.
• NM EFV-8 Museum Display - $2000 (0)
• EFV-8 Foundation - $1000 ($250)
• Repay NMCCC seed money donation - $300 ($300)
• Sponsor All Ford Picnic - $800 (0)
• Event Celebration Party for the Tumbleweed Group - $1200 (0)
• Replace afghan prize - $100 ($100)
• Tumbleweed Tour 2000 Memory Book - $200 (0)
The Committee also recommended the following for future events:
• Vehicle award winners should be notified and tagged prior to the awards banquet to extend the
“moment of glory” and resolve any issues.
• Winners should be called by name and registration number at the awards banquet to avoid confusion.
• Award banquet tables/seats should be tagged by registration number.
• Door prizes should be awarded throughout the event.
• No sacks for door prizes.
Hindsight and Foresight
I have a small file of event documents and memorabilia. I can’t find any photos, although many were taken
by Will Clements and Corey Weintraub. I recommend that the Tumbleweed Group schedule a club/event
reunion-type meeting to celebrate this great event, share stories, and to gather any photos or other materials
that should be preserved for our files. The memory book still seems like a particularly good idea and should
be reconsidered along with other Committee recommendations that were not implemented. I will revisit the
museum display recommendation in a separate article.
Jerry Windle Discussion on National Meets
On 8/17/2012 I had a telephone discussion with Jerry who is the editor of The V-8 Times. The key points
concerning the hosting of national meets are listed below.
• The Branson meet this year is an experiment where the national club runs the meet, Keystone (the
company that handles subscriptions to the Times) handles registrations and collects funds, and local
groups provide manpower. This is the model used by Goodguys and the National Street Rod
Association.
• In 2013 there will be only one national meet, the Grand National in Lake Tahoe. There will be several
local or regional tours however.
• In 2014 regional meets run by individual groups or partnerships of regional groups are encouraged
as in the past. Jerry noted that it is very difficult to get volunteers due to the effort involved, financial
risks, and the aging of the club.
SWAP MEET – SEPTEMBER 28-30
by Joyce Clements
Thank you, Bob Agnew, Jim Clements, Bud Hennessy, and Al Seery for your help with the Swap Meet. It
was hugely successful – a sell-out. Bob Agnew, Jim Clements, Max Glover, Romeo Kubes, and Mistee
Thomson bought spaces to hawk their used merchandise. Also, several other v8'ers were observed walking
around, seeking out bargains. Hopefully, it was a good day for all concerned. I was a little busy to visit very
much, but I also had a good time. It’s one of my most favorite events each year, even though it’s a lot of
work. Ex-Tumbleweed member, Roger Quick, drove in from Utah to vend a few parts. It was good to see
him again. He’s still restoring V8 Fords. Again, thank you very much to all who helped and bought spaces.
The meet was a success because of you and others like you, who participate!
CONDOLENCES
Ellen Schneider, widow of Fred Schneider, recently passed away. The Schneiders were active members
of the Tumbleweed V8 Club a few years back, before Fred’s death. Our condolences go out to their family.\
OTHER NEARBY ACTIVITIES
October 27 – 2nd Annual Autumn Dash – Marriott Hotel, 2101 Louisiana Blvd NE – Fundraiser for Area
Firefighters Random Acts – Trophies, Fire Trucks, DJ, Dash Plaques, and “Trunk or Treat” for kids (Bring
some treats) – Entry $10.
October 27 – 2nd Annual Halloween Spookfest Car Show – Sonic, 5000 San Mateo NE – Dress up yourself
and your car for Halloween – Bring candy for Trick-or-Treats – Free – Register 9:00am, Show 9:30am-
2:00pm – Awards for best dressed and spookiest cars – Donations accepted for New Mexico Children’s
Foundation – info@saabistinm.com.
November 10 – 16th Vets’ Day Car Show and Swap Meet – Veterans’ Hospital, T or C – Entry $30 Show,
$25 for 10x10 swap space – Sam Shannon 575-894-222 or sam.shannon@state.nm.us.
November 10 – Los Lunas Food Drive Cruz – Wells Fargo Bank, Bosque Farms – 1:00pm – Bill Schofield
(505)565-2105 or e-mail vintagegasser@aim.com.
November 11 – Toys for Tots Run – Mesilla Mall/Field of Dreams, Las Cruces – Jenn Silva, (575)680-0830.
November 17 – ACCH Western BBQ & Open House – Embassy Suites Hotel, 1000 Woodward Pl. NE –
11am to 2pm – Open to all models – Sponsored by Albuquerque Christian Children’s Home & LOE GTO’s
http://nmcarcouncil.net/events-2/western-barbeque-and-open-house/.
November 24-25 – 3rd Annual Phoenix Antique & Classic Car Swap Meet – Arizona State Fairgrounds –
Early vendor set-up Friday, November 23 – www.phoenixcarswapmeet.com for Vendor pre-registration, map
& Swapper/Shopper details – Todd, Kim & John Harding (661)248-5205, (818)879-3965 or (818)879-3479
– E-mail todd@phoenixcarswapmeet.com or kim@phoenixcarswapmeet.com.
2013 GRAND NATIONAL GOLDEN JUBILEE
The Early Ford V-8 Club will celebrate its 50th Anniversary at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, June 17-21, 2013. This
is the site of the first meet held by the founding members of the Club. It will be a big event, and the only
National Meet for 2013. Start thinking about attending, and get your Ford ready for the road. Registration
and information are available at www.earlyfordv8.org.
FLATHEAD FORD AIR FILTERS
by Joe Abbin, Roadrunner Engineering
At the October 2012 meeting of the Tumbleweed chapter of the Early Ford V-8 Club we had a discussion
and exhibits featuring air filters for our flatheads. Will Clements, Jay Hertz, Frank Corey and I provided
examples. Below are some presentation highlights.
• A typical engine under average driving conditions inhales about 75,000 lbs of air in 10,000 miles.
• “Dirt” (particulate) concentration in the air can vary widely, but 100+ parts per million (ppm) is not
unlikely during a windstorm in NM.
• If no air cleaner is installed then the engine could inhale about 7.5 lbs of dirt along with the air in
10,000 miles. Ouch!
• Dirt comes in a big range of sizes and dirt removal effectiveness depends on the design of the filter
and the dirt particle size (among other factors).
• Flatheads did not have any air filters (only air silencers) in 1932 and 1933.
• Flatheads had coarse metal mesh (“scouring pad”) type air filters as standard equipment from 1934
to 1942. This design is not effective for fine (less than .003”) particulates which are a major cause
of engine wear. Various oil bath filters were optional in this timeframe.
• Most flatheads had oil bath air filters as standard equipment from 1946 through the end of production.
Heavy duty versions were also available as an accessory.
• If an oil bath air cleaner is installed about a tenth of a pound of dirt could be sucked into the engine
in 10,000 miles (98.5% dirt filtering efficiency).
• Heavy-duty oil bath air cleaners offered by Ford for the flathead from 1932 to 1953 could hold a quart
of oil and retain up to three pounds of dirt!
• An average pleated paper air filter is about twice as efficient (99.3%) in dirt removal over its lifetime
as an oil bath filter.
• A high filtering efficiency pleated paper air filter can remove up to 99.97% of the dirt.
• Cotton-gauze, fine metal mesh and foam filters, oiled and un-oiled, generally fall somewhere in
between oil bath filter and pleated paper filter dirt removal efficiency.
• For any given size air filter, the higher the airflow, the higher the dirt flow. That is the trade off.
• Oil bath air filters might be expected to maintain their filtering efficiency between service intervals
because of their “impact” rather than porous media method of catching dirt. Other types can vary
(usually improve) by a factor of 10 or more as they load up with dirt.
• The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommends pleated paper air filters for general
automotive use. These filters should be considered for touring and save the others for judging.
Miscellaneous Air Filters
Starting at the back row on the left we have a 1932-1933 Ford “air silencer” which has no effective filtering
capability. Moving clockwise, the next unit is an oil bath type air filter typical of the factory and after-market
accessory units offered prior to 1946. The next unit at the far right is an oiled coarse metal mesh unit typical
of standard equipment 1934-1942 Ford parts. These are poor air filters by today’s standards. The next two
are after-market pleated paper types. The larger 2x6 (element height and diameter) unit provides excellent
filtering and is a good size for stock flatheads and fits the Stromberg and Holley two barrel carburetors. The
smaller 1.5x4 unit is very restrictive. At the lower left is another 1.5x4 unit but it is open on the sides and has
an oiled gauze type element which is not as restrictive but is likewise not a very effective filter. The 6” scale
gives an indication of the size of the various parts.
EARLY FORD V-8 FOUNDATION & MUSEUM
by Joyce Clements
Edward Towe, Ford collector and proprietor of Towe Museum, passed away March 13, 2012, at the age of
97. Some of you remember his Museum in Montana; it was partly liquidated to settle his losing battle with
the IRS, and partly moved to Sacramento. According to Jerry Windle, a founder of the EFV8 Foundation,
“It was Towe (indirectly) that helped create the Foundation. His daughter’s husband, Ernie Hartley, talked
with me during a National Early Ford V-8 Club face-to-face meeting at the Towe Museum, that eventually
led to the creation of the Foundation and allowed us to start our collection of ‘Ford stuff’.” More about
Edward Towe will follow in the next newsletter.
Don’t forget that the Foundation is seeking to increase membership. Individual memberships are $25 per
year, and for the remainder of 2012, if you join, a buddy can join for free. It’s a two-for-one special! Find out
more about the Foundation at www.fordv8foundation.org.
THE HAND
October 13, 1940
From Joyce Clements
From 1934 to 1946, excluding the years of WWII, Ford Motor Co. sponsored a “Sunday Evening Hour” on
the radio. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra played ballads, classical and pop music, there was a talk by W.
J. Cameron, on a current topic of interest. Henry Ford believed strongly in the work ethic, and the following
talk reflects some of his philosophy.
The Country has lately come to realize that the Mechanic is one of the most important men in our first line
of defense. This was illustrated recently when a famous airplane engine manufacturer inquired at Dearborn
where he could get a thousand men who had been trained in the Ford Trade School. If a thousand were not
available, he would take five hundred, one hundred – any number he could get.
That school began 24 years ago, long before anyone had heard or even thought of a mechanic shortage in
this country. Mr. Ford began to develop the school not to supply any lack of mechanics, but to supply
opportunity for young men who wanted to be mechanics.
And that grew out of his own experience. Mr. Ford as a boy was simply fascinated by the mystery of
machinery. He used to study the threshing and traction engines that came to his father’s farm, and as he
grew older he went into the city and haunted the engine shops along the Detroit river front, always eager to
catch some glimpse of the way in which engineers and mechanics got things done. He found that older men,
for the most part, were glad to explain to him what he wanted to know, but at best it was a haphazard
method; and it was from the memories of his own youthful efforts that, as soon as he could, after he had
established the Ford Motor Co., he founded the Ford Trade School. He felt that normally there are plenty
of places for persons with experience, but few that will take a person for the sake of giving him experience,
as this school does. A Ford executive complained that other manufacturers grabbed the young men as soon
as they were trained and suggested that Mr. Ford do something about it. “Fine!” said the Chief, “just go
ahead and train some more. This country can always use all the good mechanics it can get.”
But our talk tonight is not about the school. Obviously, Mr. Ford cannot perform this service for the whole
country; he has only hoped during these 24 years to demonstrate what can be done to assist young men to
find their niche, and possibly inspire others to undertake the same work. Our school always has thousands
more applications than it can handle.
The point is that the mechanic is coming into his own. People used to believe that a white collar gave a man
a better chance in business or industry than did overalls and practical ability. That was one of the leftover
ideas from the class system of Europe which the United States has knocked into a cocked hat. The man
who has never worked with his hands has missed something in his training, that often leaves him at a
disadvantage. Ask a convention of 5,000 industrialists how many of them started with only their hands, their
overalls, an idea and a desire to do something in their generation, and 95 per cent of them will rise to their
feet.
It is worth remembering that the Hand is one of our principal organs of knowledge. In ordinary academic
training we employ two organs mostly – the eye to read and the ear to hear. If you understand – good! If
you understand and remember – better! But add a third organ, the Hand – anything that involves the
element of action – and the vital character of the fact is the more deeply engraved on the understanding and
memory. Work at a thing in any sphere until you can do it well, and you know it forever.
We are just becoming civilized enough to understand the wealth of culture the mind may acquire through the
Hand. The mind that has been trained to use the Hand will easily come to the mastery of books, when it so
desires, but the mind exclusively trained on books does not so easily return to acquire mechanical mastery.
There is a quality of sturdy, confident intellectual approach discernable in those that have been trained to
tackle a problem manually. Perhaps that is why the men who laid the foundations of our American
institutions did so excellent a job – they were men of their hands: planters, builders, craftsmen, practical
managers. And they were men of books too – secondarily. Much that is in the current books is rapidly
growing obsolete, whereas the mechanic in these days is practically always in the presence of ideas that
have not yet appeared in the textbooks.
When we hear that the number of young men seriously preparing to be Mechanics today is only about oneseventh
of the number of men now employed as Mechanics, whereas the number of young men preparing
for the professions is about thirteen times the number now engaged in the professions, it not only indicates
how sadly work with the Hand is underestimated, but it also indicates that the Mechanic’s outlook is the
better of the two.
It is good to see a return to the sturdy American ideal of knowing things, as we say, “from the ground up,”
and “at first hand.”
PENETRATING OILS
Machinist’s Workshop Mag™ recently published some information on various penetrating oils that is very
interesting. The magazine reports they tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts.
They are below, as forwarded by a professional machinist. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular
penetrates with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a “scientifically rusted”
environment.
*Penetrating oil Average load*
None 516 pounds
WD-40 238 pounds
PB Blaster 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench 127 pounds
Kano Kroil 106 pounds
ATF*-Acetone mix 53 pounds
The ATF-Acetone mix was a “home brew” mix of 50/50 ATF and acetone. Note the “home brew” was better
than any commercial product in this one particular test.
A machinist group mixed up a batch and all now use it with equally good results.
Note also that “Liquid Wrench” is almost as good as “Kroil” for about 20% of the price.
Steve from Godwin-Singer says that ATF-Acetone mix is the best and you can also use ATF- lacquer thinner
50/50 mix.
*ATF=Automatic Transmission Fluid
CLASSIFIED ADS
For Sale: V-8 Times Magazines. Issues from the '80s to date. $1 each or 6 for $5. Several year sets in
hard binders. Half the proceeds to our club. Joe Abbin, 505.296.7678.
For Sale: Auto road test and auto related magazines from the 1950's thru the 1980's. Find out how your
1956 Mercury performed “in the day” from Motor Trend or how Consumer’s Guide rated it! “Time capsule”
assortments of 3-6 magazines for various years for $10 each or individual magazines for $3. Various titles,
Motor Trend, Popular Science, Mechanix Illustrated, Consumers Guide, etc. Joe Abbin, 505.296.7678.
For Sale: Rebuilt generators, starters, carburetors, distributors, water pumps, clutches, etc. for your flathead. Best deal in town. Also parts. What do you need? Art Leupold, 505.299.7154.
For Sale: 1951 Ford Victoria. This is a rust-free example. I bought it in 1999 from a
guy here in Truth or Consequences, NM who was attempting to restore this car which
formerly belonged to a relative. Presumably it is a New Mexico car. The exterior was
done so I completed the interior, rebuilt the flathead V8 engine 23,000 miles ago, added overdrive, dual
exhaust and 1" lowering blocks to correct a slight rake. I recently replaced all the wiring. Because the paint
job is less than top quality and the miles I have put on it I am classifying it in #3 condition. Old Cars Weekly
Price Guide and NADA.com price it at $13,500. At present it needs nothing and you could drive it home.
t omb i rd@wi ld b lu e . n e t o r 5 7 5 . 8 9 4 . 7 1 3 7 . Th e re a re mo re p h o t o s a t :
http://s1170.photobucket.com/albums/r538/TumbleweedPhotos/Toms%20Car%20Photos/.
For Sale: For information about or photos of any of the following, call Lou Gorenz, 450-1789:
Chevy P.U., very good body and drives. 250 cu. in., 3 speed w/OD. Radio, heater, a/c, SHORT
WIDE BED.
“Southwind” gas heater from the 40s.
New Dodge dually SS fender, flare kit. New.
'63 T-Bird emblems and tail lights.
'60 Ford P.U. hood emblem and gauge set.
Ford hubcaps with crossbar. Set 15 inch.
Ford V8 '54-64 exhaust manifolds for duals (no crossover).
Ford F150 chrome grille, used for 2010-12.
1970 Plymouth Satellite. Excellent body, runs and drives.
'69 Ford Fastback XL, 429 auto. Great driver.
For Sale: For information about any of the following, call Tom Patterson, 505.864.3458:
1964 Ford Galaxie, 2-door hardtop, rolling chassis, excellent floor pan, cowl and dash, steering and
steering column, $100.00 (less than the price for new floor).
One pair of 390 heads, completely redone, including vating, magnafluxing, resurfacing and valve job.
Also includes valve covers. 4-bbl intake. Matching numbers. $390.00.
Ford 390 block with oil pan. Casting # C1AE60154G. Need repair at freeze plug area. Standard,
never bored, $60.00.
Ford RV mild camshaft. MC1776 RV Cam, $30.00.
Steel boom for 3-point hitch tractor, $75.00. Has two wheels to enable moving it by hand.
Wanted: V-8 Times Magazines. Need May-June 2007 issue, and any issues from the '60s and '70s for my
own set. Joe Abbin, 505.296.7678.
Services Offered: Vintage engine rebuilding, any make, any model. Stock or modified. Dynamometer
testing available. Results guaranteed. References available. Gary McGlasson, 505.250.1586.
Services Offered: Frank Corey, who recently made a presentation about the mechanical aspects of Ford
overdrives, is available to consult on the electrical aspects as well. Frank has a supply of overdrive parts
for sale, for those who may be interested. Frank can be contacted at 505.299.5168 or (frankford4@aol.com).
For Lease: Eight 2,000 square foot warehouses located at 3424 & 3426 Vassar NE for lease. Easy access
to the interstate. Units have office space, rest room and rear overhead doors; some with connecting doors,
making them usable as larger units. $7.20/square foot on one year lease, negotiable for longer term leases.