New Fords are in

13 years ago

From an Oct. 20th newspaper ad in my shed. Five new models from $532 to $769. Janssen Motor Co.

Grandad bought a new Chevy in 1938 for $600 even, I remember he took me to Beattie KS and gave the dealer the cash in 20 dollar bills. That was the height of the great depression and prices were quite cheap, problem, most didn't have any money. Have no idea how long it took grandad to save up that amount of money. We were riding in a 28 Whippet made by Willys-Knight a little under powered but it got you there. 40 MPH seemed to be about top speed.

Lets see, if you multiply those 36 prices by 25 you might be able to buy an inexpensive Ford.

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Comments (3)

gandle
Original Author
13 years ago
Forgot to add 1936, 75 years ago.
west_gardener
13 years ago
DH's grandad bought the first Ford franchises in Harrisburg, Pa somewhere around 1911. He was a dentist by day and a representative of the Ford Company came to him and said that he could earn a commission for every Ford he could sell to his patients. Grandad did so well that he bought a franchise and a building.
He made it a family affair. DH's dad started working there when he was about 12 years old, and from what DH remembers, it was his job to crank the car and take the potential customers for a ride. DH worked there while in High School.
and he loved it and learned a lot. He can fix just about anything on an "old" car.

When DH's grandad passed, DH brought me down to the Ford Place, showed me the place and told me the story.
Nice memories, Gandle.
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calliope
13 years ago
Mama was brought up in a little Quaker farming town. Her Gramps who raised her decided they should have a 'machine' and bought a model A Ford. He worked on the railroad and made decent money for the times but problem was, he couldn't drive anything but railroad hand cars. That didn't stop him.

He called up a nephew when he wanted to get it out and have him be the chauffeur. My Mama was about eleven, and even then she had the 'can do' philosophy and manage to crank it up and decided she would go pick Gramps up at work. You didn't need a license back then, but eleven was still pushing the envelope a little. She cruises up to him and he waves his hand in salute and says "hi Sister" until it dawns on him a child was driving his auto at which time he nearly faints. Since he couldn't drive he was obliged to let her to her own devices and after nearly ending up in the river, she got him home. She was a dilly and wanted to grow up to be a 'flopper' and sneaked away to his barber about the same time and told him her g'parents said it was OK to give her a flapper boyish bob and just to charge her grandpa. It's a wonder she made it past childhood. By the time she was old enough to be a real flapper, they were history. LOL.

BTW, my first brand new car was a little gold mustang the second year they were out. I think I paid almost 7K for it and at the time, that was not considered cheap.