Dumb questions

G

Geo. H

Senior Member
By request, I took my 31 roadster to a wedding yesterday to provide background for pictures. One lady asked me, "Is that an early Thunderbird?"
 
When I first read the title of your post I was going to state that there are no dumb questions!

Then I read your post ---------------- I was wrong.
 
I agree with Mike. Occasionally you encounter an actual dumb question.

Nevertheless, such questions spring from ignorance, not hostility, and as such provide a "teachable moment" if the questioner is really interested.

Then we can all come back to the Barn for a good laugh, not at someone's ignorance, but at the infinite humor of the human condition.
 
I do not consider that a dumb question at all. The general public knows nothing of Model A's and we do little to remedy that beyond copping an attitude about how dumb they are.

Unlike later cars, Model A's had no body style badges, like "Victoria", "Fairlane", "Thunderbird". She saw what appeared as a fancy old car with bling (Shiny metal trim) not found on modern iron. Seeing only 'Ford' marked on it, I can understand her associating it with Ford's later bling model, the T-bird.

Never a dumb question, I would have taken the query as a lead to explain a brief bit about Model A's.
 
Geo. H. ...........................
Obviously, the lady knew nothing about old cars, but she was showing an interest. Telling her it was the Thunderbird's grandfather, would have been a great answer, as was suggested above.
MIKE :)
 
i get a lot of questions like that, like the ones i get about my 57 stude silverhawk, is that a 57 t bird? i just laugh and say "i wish" then i tell them a little about the car. i can handle ignorance, that can be cured, but stupidty you cant do cant do anything about
 
Last edited:
Drove the speedster to a local antique power and implement museum open house (lots of really neat stuff) and they invited me inside to park with the TBirds. Had a good time razzing back and forth with the Tbird guys. We did agree Chvys sucked.
 
MikeK said:
I do not consider that a dumb question at all. The general public knows nothing of Model A's and we do little to remedy that beyond copping an attitude about how dumb they are.

Unlike later cars, Model A's had no body style badges, like "Victoria", "Fairlane", "Thunderbird". She saw what appeared as a fancy old car with bling (Shiny metal trim) not found on modern iron. Seeing only 'Ford' marked on it, I can understand her associating it with Ford's later bling model, the T-bird.

Never a dumb question, I would have taken the query as a lead to explain a brief bit about Model A's.
Click to expand...

I agree. Here was someone who wasn't ignorant, but uneducated. A nice teachable moment. On the other hand-

I work at a vet hospital called Companion Animal Hospital. Yesterday, a new client asked me "Are you Dr. Companion?" I answered that "No, I am Dr. Scheckter" and she then said,"Well, is Dr. Companion still alive?" Not so much-and hard to keep a straight face for the rest of her appointment.:)
 
For two years our club has held its Iowa Model A Day show, and both years I have been asked "Didn't these cars come only in Black?" Of course, we know that was started from Henry's statement (You can get any color you want as long as it is black. Or something to that affect.) when he was in the early years of manufacturing the Model T.

It is an oportunity to give some education and help the person beter understand the history of the A, but some seem disappointed with the answer.
 
Just think, some of us might ask an equally "dumb" question about baking, sewing or knitting, but being sincere.
MIKE :)
 
FL&WVMIKE said:
Just think, some of us might ask an equally "dumb" question about baking, sewing or knitting, but being sincere.
MIKE :)
Click to expand...

Well, the men AND women I knew around Spencer could probably all sew, bake, knit and fix your Model A and then go on to their outside job before coming home to farm. You needed a pretty diverse group of knowledge to survive 2 hours form a McDonald's-at least when I lived there. :)
 
What if the lady was somewhat confused about the term Model T and T-Bird? Yes she was still off base, but if she was thinking Model T she wasn't too far off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top