Look at the history of Ford Motor Company, it's not a pretty sight. Beginning in 1903 with the first Model A, 'ol Henry was so stubborn that by the mid 1920's the company was on a downslide, because Henry refused to change with the times. The T first introduced in October 1908, was still using the same engine, transmission and rear axle in 1927!!

Henry actually shut down production of the Model T and didn't build anything for 9 months...changing over to production of the Model A...finally introduced in 1928. This move cost him thousands of dealers, who signed on with the up and coming Chevrolet, and other makes.

While son Edsel was the figurehead president of Ford, Henry treated him like a child, belittling him constantly in front of other employees, from janitors on up. Edsel died in 1943 of bleeding ulcers...and a broken heart.

During the 30's, Ford had its ups and downs, losing second place to Chrysler in the late 30's. Ford had already lost first place to GM in the mid 20's.

At the beginning of WWII, Ford Motor Company was hide bound, moribund, and in chaos. Ford had no engineering or design staff. Henry had hired a fellow named Harry Bennett in the 20's as a body guard. Bennett soon wormed his way into the company, becoming head of the Service Department, which was anything but. Bennett hired ex-convicts to enforce his rules throughout the company. When UAW organizers tried signing up workers off property in the late 30's (GM & Chrysler were already in the UAW fold) Bennett's goon squad ambushed them and beat them to a pulp. Bennett also fired any worker who even spoke about organizing. Bennett was now the de facto head of Ford.

War production problems forced the US Government to move into Ford in 1943, to oversee production. Henry had to go...but how to accomplish this?

The Government proposed that Henry Ford II....Edsel's son, take over Ford. Henry refused, but his wife Clara said if he didn't make the change, she would sell her stock (Ford didn't go public till 1956).

When "The Deuce" took over, the first thing he did was fire Harry Bennett. He then hired Ernie Breech and the Whiz Kids, former Washington DC War Production Board staffers composed of white collar accountants, designers, and engineers, which transformed Ford from the dark ages to profitibility by 1950. (Several of those "Kids" went on to start TRW and Home Savings).

The history since the 50's has been calm, rocky (the Edsel) and somewhat stable till several years ago, when tire and rollover problems with Explorers, faulty engines, high warranty costs and hide bound executives and other ills were driving the company down. Bringing in in-experienced Bill Ford was unwise, and now Ford is being run by an outsider again..Alan Mulally, a bean counter with no previous auto experience.

All we can do is hope.