FTE guys--truth or urban legend?


Ford, who made the first pick-up trucks, shipped them to dealers in crates that the new owners had to assemble using the crates as the beds of the trucks. The new owners had to go to the dealers to get them, thus they had to "pick-up" the trucks. And now you know the "rest of the story".

Also, in the early days of Ford, their mufflers were supplied by Maremont Mufflers. Ford was very particular on the size of the crates that the mufflers were shipped in...it turned out that they were using the crates for the floor boards in the cars.

Have great day! Tyler

 

Not quite........

The floorboard thing is true though, but it was the boxes that the transmissions came in. Or so I've heard.

 

Gonna throw the bs flag on this one, sorry. As Scott pointed out, there certainly were elements that were true - for the assembly plants. But while Ford did ship knock down kits to assembly plants not in Michigan for a time (Cleveland comes to mind), that didn't extend to the dealers or owners.

I'm unsure of the origins of the term 'pick-up'. That is a good question...

 

My understanding of the origins of the term "pick up" are based in the fact that, while most deliveries were made to contruction sites, warehouses, etc. via heavy truck, the ocassional run to the store/shop to "pick up" supplies was made in a personally owned lightweight truck. A pickup was the truck used to pick up smaller items.

 

I agree that is only somewhat accurate. There's an old Ford plant in town here, and they made parts that got shipped to an assembly plant. I can't believe they'd send a new owner this and expect them to finish assembly:

 

Sure take a lot of crates to assemble that wouldn't it!

 

Great pic Cat. Is there an area museum that has non-glider stuff from the Ford plant?

 

When the woody came out FORD was sure it was going to last and purchased one of the largest forest privately owned in America just so they would not have to worry about getting a good supply of wood. .

 

Duane,
Not that I'm aware of. But then again, you're asking a local who didn't know there was a glider museum in town

But I would check out the historical society up the hill from the library. Never been in there, but Ford was a major part of the town for a long time, so it would seem like a safe assumption they would have a lot of stuff there related to the plant. And you know what they say about assumptions, right?

Did you guys make it up to visit your in-laws? Your trip was planned during some nasty weather.

 

Yup, we made it up a couple of weeks ago. The younger crowd hit Brule for the day - I settled for a slog across parts of the Spread Eagle Chain and nearby roads. Weather was just cold & snowy - nothing unexpected.

So with your extensive knowledge deficit of local attractions, we'll need to get you into the Big John mine, out to Fumee Falls, up on the Pine Mountain ski jump, a look at the bat caves, into the Chippewa Club, grab a pasty from Jean Kay's (and pay homage to the Tom Izzo shrine), look at the cars/trucks at Randy Hallman's, and get an ice cream in Florence. Beer drinkin' is a given.

Howz that for a plan?

 

Hogwash!

First purpose built pickup: 1924 Dodge 3/4 ton Express. First purpose built Ford pickup: 1925 Model T.

Aftermarket companies offered pickup beds for Model T's for all years. To install, people either cut the touring car body off behind the front seat, or removed the turtledeck from coupes & roadsters.

Model T's were shipped by rail CKD (Completely Knocked Down) to dealers in rural areas or by ship to foreign countries that were far from Ford assembly plants. They assembled and sold them.

The first Ford dealer in the world was Billy Hughson, who in 1903...took the train from San Francisco, met Henry at a restaurant in Detroit, signed a contract on the back of a menu that gave him exclusive rights to all of CA.

So...at one time...every Ford dealer in CA was owned by Billy Hughson. The Henry Ford Museum has the menu on display, there are 100's of pics of it in Ford history related books.

In the 1970's, while 'cherry picking' obsolete parts from dealers, I stopped by Patchette's Ford in Newman CA .. which was originally a Billy Hughson store.

The basement had wooden parts racks that were made from shipping crates that the CKD's came in. There were piles of NOS Model T parts, but "old man" Patchette wouldn't sell anything in the basement. He liked to sit down there and reminisce. Patchette was originally Hughson's general sales manager for his dealers in the Central Valley.

Henry owned huge tracts of land in Northern Michigan, the wood for the crates came from there, as did wood for pickup beds, panel truck interiors, station wagons, 1946/48 Ford/Mercury Sportman's.

Henry not only owned the forests, but also the sawmills and the ships to transport the wood to Highland Park & The Rouge.

First purpose built Ford 'Woodie' - 1929 Model A. A friend of mine has one of the very first, it was bought new at W. D. Dunham Ford in L/A by actress Gloria Swanson for use on her ranch.

 

Hey, I'm not doing too bad on the local attractions, apparently:

Big John, went about age 9. My uncle's dog got trapped down there about 13 (maybe closer to twenty?) years ago and he had to rappel down to get him out. Got loose during a thunder storm and went to the cave.

Fumee Falls, does walking the dog around the lakes count?

Ski Jump, I've been to the bottom of the jump at the top of the hill, but have this rational fear of high places. I get a little queasy watching other people on a ladder.

Bat caves, do you know how many different harmful chemicals and bacteria are found in bat guano?! But would still be cool to see.

Chippewa Club, went to a Christmas party there this winter. Beautiful place! Great food. Wouldn't mind revisiting to make sure the first time wasn't a fluke...

Jean Kay's, haven't actually been. I'm too close to the Pasty Oven to make the drive into town feasible. Did you hear Tom's dad passed away a couple months ago?

Is Randy Hallman's the place up towards M-95 on the right?

And I never turn down ice cream. Ever. Or beer.

 

Thanks Bill, I was hoping you would chime in on this.

Any sense of how long the knock down kits were used?

 

From 1903 thru at least the 1930's.

"On Wisconsin!" as my grandma used to say, she was born in Sturgeon Bay, my mom was born in Green Bay.

 

By the way, the museums are closed between Labor Day and Memorial Day.