[Nobbc] Fw: 1937 Ford House car

[Mike Gianandrea]

Camping anyone?

Hello All,

Here's another interesting post of a vintage vehicle, and another of Ford's
better ideas, Beautiful! I guess old Henry really did have his shit together.

Michael
64 TR4

----- Original Message -----
From: John Dickey
To: JOHN WILLIAMS ; Jim Foster ; Michael Gianandrea ; Randy L Hitt
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 6:36 PM
Subject: Fw: 1937 Ford House car




      Jessie or John Dickey

      --- On Fri, 1/22/10, Jim Mathis <chief911 at swbell.net> wrote:


        From: Jim Mathis <chief911 at swbell.net>
        Subject: 1937 Ford House car
        To:
        Date: Friday, January 22, 2010, 1:51 PM







                What is it they say about nothing new under the sun?  Check
out the early motor home?



                      Take a look at this fine looking House Car...















                                1937 Ford Housecar


------------------------------------------------

                                One of only six said to have been made per
year in the mid-'30s at the Ford plant in St.Paul, Minnesota , according to an
article on this car in a 1993 "Old Cars" magazine article. Very few
others--perhaps none--remain on the road, and certainly not in such amazing
original condition. (The only other known example that I heard of was
supposedly housed in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn , Michigan .


                                But that turned out to be an early 1920s Model
T conversion, the curator told me. He said he'd never seen anything like this
'37!)



                                When discovered in a garage (under a heavy
cover) in Northern Minnesota in August 2001, she had only 19,000 miles, and
the owner's manual was actually still the glove box in like-new condition!



                                She had always been garaged and treated with
much TLC as a collector vehicle.



                                The interior, all wood lined, was still the
way it appeared in the '30s and '40s, complete with framed photos of the
original owner on his travels (mainly to Florida) and his cabin in the North
Woods, plus and other memorabilia from the era.



                                Built on the '37 Ford Pickup frame and cowling
(powered by a 60-hp flathead V8 with aluminum heads), the rear framing is all
wood, with the metal skin wrapped around it. The roof structure, too, is all
wood, over which the heavy, waterproofed canvas top is still very securely
fitted. The structure of the body is solid, appearing from underneath to be
all oak, and still in a remarkably unaltered, undamaged condition. The door
frames are thick, solid oak, and oak is visible around the window openings (as
on the four side windows in back) -- though it is painted over.




------------------------------------------------




                                She was a big hit at this campground once we
got that
                                Great old flattie V8 hummin'! Note her
expanding roof and the original dark green color, which had been repainted. I
figure the canvas roof was originally painted in reflective silver to keep it
from getting too hot inside. All four side windows open, while the back one
tilts out to three positions. The windshield also tilts open at the bottom for
natural AC while driving.



------------------------------------------------


                                Here are a few shots of her in August 2001,
out on the road in the Chippewa National Forest north of Grand Rapids , MN ...
Practicing for her next adventure: "Destination Wavecrest 2001."














------------------------------------------------


                                A peak inside: a slice right out of the
1930s...just as
                                The original owner left it. All the windows
open, with curtains on the four side ones and pull-down shades on the back
window, as well as on the driver's and passenger door windows.
                                A wide storage cabinet is located under the
bed.





------------------------------------------------


                                The wood headliner, with vent and canvas
expanding portion visible. Four wood pieces hold it securely in the up
position, while clamps hold it down while driving.





------------------------------------------------


                                More interior views....note the cedar branches
hanging
                                In the corners for that north woods aroma.
Cabinets and
                                Aluminum sink (with a wood cover insert) are
visible on the left. All the antiques stuck away inside, as well as those
hanging on the walls, came along for the ride. Also note the table behind the
driver's seat, which folds down.
































































                      .



                      __,_._,___

[demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type image/jpeg which had a name of image001.jpg]