http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-CORTINA-MK2-MODEL-T-FORD-RETRO-A3-POSTER-PRINT-FROM-CLASSIC-60s-ADVERT-/161168703586
I just saw a reproduction of a late 60's Ford UK ad where they proudly declared they still had crankshafts in stock for Model T's.
I'm not very familiar with Cortina Mk2, so I can't tell what year this one is, though I think they were made 1966-70.
Were there lots of NOS Model T parts in stock at Ford UK up through the 60's or were the crank shafts mentioned in the ad just a fluke, like someone discovered a forgotten stash or did they actually produce repro cranks as a combined sevice / publicity stunt ?
I saw that ad in the early '70s, and I always wondered if it was true?
Larry, did they run that ad campaign in the US too or did you see it in some imported UK magazine?
I've seen mentions on the forum about one run of US-made forged aftermarket cranks back in the 60's - probably a failed enterprise since good cranks were much easier to find back then.
Roger, I think fluke is probably the answer, if not downright lie. My buddy used to work in a Ford Parts dept. There were old parts on the Ford list, mainly for post-T cars because they were used on various models (e.g. I found spring shackles for my 1938 V8 because they were also used on a 1960s van).
Willy used to keep an eye on 'our' parts on the monthly printout - if the unit price on an item started to climb month by month, it meant they were about to scrap them - time to order quickly! This was because, for example, they might have 100 left of a particular item selling at £1, so that bin represented £100 value. Jack the price up to £25 and, once you've sold 4, you've got the £100 back and the other 96 go to scrap.
I remember that ad and we all hooted with derision!
How distasteful - lying about having crank shaft if they didn't have any?
There should be laws against such behaviour.. ok there is a self regulatory organisation since 1962 that should have been contacted, the ASA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising_Standards_Authority_(United_Kingdom)
Can't comment about the UK but in Western Australia Ford dumped all remaining T parts into the ocean in the early 50's
Ford had a price list in 1941, but I don't know what happened after the war. Was it left up to each Ford dealer on what to do with the remaining T parts? I know Alvin Anderson, and Mark Auto, and another place in the Bronx got a lot of NOS stuff after the war, but did Ford Motor Company actually issue a bulletin directing the dealers to get rid of the T parts?