OT - well what have I learned this year (last post about our K, this year :-))

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: OT - well what have I learned this year (last post about our K, this year :-))
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Monday, December 31, 2012 - 04:42 pm:

Things I know that I didn't know last year:

With several forum members help, I picked up (almost literally, the car was stuck in gear) the car near Chicago.

From there, "the K and I (sounds like a Yule Brynner/Deborah Kerr musical, geeesh I'm getting old :-( ) went to Dean Yoder's where I conveniently "dumped" it on him. After that, it was painting, cleaning, and of course doing his magic to get the car up to snuff.

By New London to New Brighton tour time, we had most of the bugs out. However, we kept fighting the carb, so after that tour, the carb went to visit Uncle Stan.

Next Hershey, still fighting junk in the fuel line. Following Hershey, I left the "K" at Hershey on the trailer to "think about it" for a while. Then I flew back to Hershey, and took the K on to Savannah where Stan joined me for the first several days with the newly rebuilt carb.

During all this time, we were learning the K was a magnificent, powerful car (when I could get clean fuel to it :-( ). Following a great tour in Savannah it was back to the frozen north of Nebraska. Now, the fuel tank is out, side curtains and seat leather are being done, and I hope to have the bugs out for 2013.

I wish to thank all of you for your encouragement while I've endeavored to get the K up and running. Many of you have helped directly, or given encouragement via the forum and PMs. Again, thank you!

A few other conclusions I'm arriving at (and have aired out on the forum over the last several days) are that the "bad press" the Model K has received over the years may not be warranted. I've stumbled upon a tremendous amount of articles and written accounts from the Model K period that I had no idea existed.

Probably the most significant, in my opinion, is the only one I'm going to attach. I'm putting it back up because there has been so much "back and forth" that I think this item has been lost in all the fracas.

The key item for me is the Motor-Car contest conducted by Motor Magazine in 1907. In this contest, over 6,500 contestants filled out forms identifying drawings of thirty cars. The winner would receive any free car, of their choice costing less no more than $3,000.

What this did was create a perfect "survey". Participants, in order to win, had to have a great knowledge about 1907 cars to ID the cars on the survey. Furthermore, they then "chose" the car they hoped they would win. What better way to find out personal preference of vehicles?

Bottom line, the 5th choice, behind such notables as Thomas Flyer, Locomobile and Franklin, was Ford! Regardless of the arguing that has occurred as a result of my posting my opinions, I'm convinced (for many other reasons, such as race and endurance results of the K) the Model K was a much better performer for Ford than we all have believed for years.

The contest results follow. I'm not looking for vindication or anyone's "conversion". However, I do believe these are significant records that should be considered as we continue to investigate Ford history. And it's hard to dispute what 6500 people who were alive at the time decided.

I hope you all enjoy a Happy New Year,

Rob

Close up of the top finishers:




Entire page:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Hjortnaes, Men Falls, WI on Monday, December 31, 2012 - 06:04 pm:

Rob

Who ultimately won a new car?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dale L Myers on Monday, December 31, 2012 - 08:12 pm:

Rob,I have enjoyed these K posts very much. Thank you.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Gumbinger, Kenosha, WI on Monday, December 31, 2012 - 08:20 pm:

Hi Rob - I have also enjoyed your posts very much and appreciate the work you've put into your K and the detective work to find out all this related information on Model K's.

Thanks again for sharing this with all of us on the Forum!

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDaniel(Indiana Trucks)Star City In on Monday, December 31, 2012 - 10:45 pm:

Rob,

I am with Dave and would love to know who won and or what car they picked as the prize.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison_Rice Minnesota on Tuesday, January 01, 2013 - 12:20 am:

Happy New Year to you too Rob and everyone else. I was going to say something about this being a K forum but I didn't want to make you feel bad. I've become so interested in your posts I'd feel like I was missing something if I came on here and didn't see something about the model k. I'm wondering if we would have a problem with the club if a separate area on the forum could be dedicated to the Pre-T Fords. My problem with the idea would be we might lose our ability to read as it is when mixed in with the rest of the post. So perhaps We should without malice of forethought (what does malice of forethought mean, and did I use it in the right context?)consider making this an unofficial Model T and pre-T forum. Which I think we've all done anyway. I'm just worried that once I walk into that old barn up in the Northern part of Northern Minnesota and find that 1903 Model A prototype (weren't they all prototypes)that I'll be able to come on here and talk about it ad nauseum. Because believe me, once I started telling you about my Model A I'm not going to be anywhere as entertaining as Rob has been about his Model K. At least he's developing our knowledge base and not wasting our time.

At any rate; Happy New Year and may you all have many, many more Happy New Years.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Tuesday, January 01, 2013 - 12:34 am:

Happy New Year guys.

As for the contest, I know the names of the four who had 29 picks right. How ever I haven't found who was the grand winner, or what car they chose. (But I'll keep working on it)
Mike,

The Early Ford Registry website and forum are great for early Ford info. The problem is our numbers are so low the forum isn't nearly as "lively" as this forum.

This is the link:

http://www.earlyfordregistry.com/

Hope I've not worn out my welcome,

Rob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison_Rice Minnesota on Tuesday, January 01, 2013 - 12:49 am:

Rob, there's no way you've worn out your welcome as far as I'm concerned. I enjoy your posts and I love your Model K. I'm just hoping I'll be able to see it again this next summer on the New London to New Brighton run in Minnesota. I was driving one of the Model Ts that were parked off to the side and spent some time with your car. Actually it was my drool you had to wipe off the fenders.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Tuesday, January 01, 2013 - 01:23 am:

Mike,

Yes we'll be there (New London/New Brighton MN). In fact, we're planning an early Ford Pre-tour so we may arrive the Saturday before the run. Currently it looks like we'll have every pre T Ford there, including two Model Ks and possibly a Model B,

Happy touring in 2013.


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