MTFCA Forum

All:

I've created a Youtube channel for the Midwest Chapter of the MTFCI for the uploading of old home movies taken by chapter members. The first batch of videos is now complete and includes one short reel of a 1955 parade, and several club events form 1960, including the annual International tour.

You can find the videos at the following link.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8S6l ... gX8J_fB4Ww

These first videos were a trial run and the Chapter will be considering whether to fund additional film-to-digital conversion of many other reels. So you might want to click to subscribe to the channel to be notified of any future postings.

The film has no sound. It is also slowed down but if you watch on a computer, the Youtube app has a "gear" icon in the lower right corner where you can change the speed to make it more realistic. I found that the parade is best viewed at 1.5 speed and the others at 1.25, but your mileage may vary.

It might be fun if, in the comment section, folks can identify the vehicles in the video by mm:ss and year and make/model. For example, in the parade video:
"@ 2:22 1919 Ford Model T Touring"


Enjoy!

How cool. Thanks for posting them.

Bob: Thanks for sharing. The 'modern' iron in those movies is nearly as interesting at all the Model T's. If I could offer a suggestion, it would be to include a note at the beginning of the flick giving date(s) and location of the footage. I grew up in the Midwest and likely visited some of the places shown in the videos, it would be nice to know. Thanks for making this effort to preserve a bit of history. jb

I have made a few additions from 1971 to the Youtube channel, including some footage of what I assume is the Montana 500 from that year.

I'll be posting additional videos throughout the day. And more will be on the horizon. Your best bet is to "Subscribe" to the Youtube Channel so that you get notified when there are new additions.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8S6l ... X8J_fB4Ww/

Great footage and very enjoyable.
A wonderful glimpse into days gone by.
This is just a curiosity question and may be somewhat rhetorical.
I wonder if the brass car hobby in 1971 was more accessible to the middle class than it is today?
When I look at the prices of the brass cars listed on the Horseless Carriage Club website today, I wonder who can actually afford them? Certainly not the average person.
When did prices skyrocket?

FYI, I've added some videos from 1972, 1976, and 1978, including some more Montana Endurance Race and some AACA events that Clem Englmann had filmed.

RE: brass car costs. I took a look at a few issues of the Model T Times from 1971. Here are some For Sale prices from the time:

1911 Torpedo, fully restored, $5,500 OBO
1912 Ford $4,500 OBO
1911 Torpedo $7,500
1914 Touring "ready for assembly" $1,500
1914 Canadian Touring $4,000
1915 Couplet $4,500
1917 Touring, original/complete $1,200
1917 Touring $2,400 OBO
1919 Coupe $1900
1923 Touring $2,800
1923 Touring - engine redone, needs paint and upholstery $1,500
1926 Coupe - rebuilt engine, restored undercarriage, $700

Non-T
1913 Metz Model 22 Roadster $2,900
1919 Willys Overland restored $3,650

Median household income
in 1971: $7,626
in 2017: $60,145

So if you said a non-brass T was $2,000 in 1971, it represented 26% of the median household income for one year. That would equate to a cost of $15,773, today. A non-brass runner could be had for much less than that today.

If you use a brass T cost of $5,500 in 1971, that would be 72% of annual income. That equates to $43,380 today for a brass T.

In 1971 I bought my first new car, a 1971 Camaro - I paid less than $3000. I was making $7500 a year as a first-year teacher at the time so it was a big expense!

BTW - I'm new to the Model T hobby but I appreciate your saving and posting of the early film records. It is interesting to me that 50 years ago our cars were already considered to be elderly curiosities.....

I loved the videos... At the end of one from about 1960 Russ Clyde, a past president of MFTC, is seen handing out awards.
Russ was my Godfather. I grew up with his wide assortment of unique cars. He was also a founding member and brought my dad into the club too.

Thanks for converting them.

Jeff in Florida