Ford Town USA

[Ryan]

On September 24, 1960, Lee Iacocca saw his dream become a reality. That was the day that Flora, Illinois became ?Ford Town USA.? It was a huge promotional stunt that Lee organi...

 

[streetdreams]

Very cool. I think I would have politely asked if I could have the 401 HP Starliner for the week.....

 

[Uncle Bob]

Hmmmm, funny how something like this will trigger a fond memory or three. My mother started driving later in life, around age 44. That was about a year before I started. Her first car was a brand new, base model, white, '61 Falcon. Only options were auto trans and radio. I cut my driving teeth on that puppy. Oh the things we did in (and to) that car!

As for the folks of Flora..........yeah, probably some "tests" were done.....reminds of the adage; "Nothing performs like a rental."

 

[scicala]

Very cool. I think I would have politely asked if I could have the 401 HP Starliner for the week.....

I agree. Give me the tri-power solid lifter 390 in a Starliner. You can see two Starliners in the picture. Wonder how many were in this program ?

 

[Tommy Gun]

Yeah...there has to be some good hoodlum stories out there...Drag racing, engine swaps, moving, hauling stolen goods, bank heists, dead bodies in the trunk....Would love to hear some.....

 

[streetdreams]

engine swaps..... that's funny. Reminds me of the Hertz rental Shelby Mustangs that returned with 225 hp 4 bbl 289's in place of the 271 hp HiPo 289's.

Note: I disavow any participation or firsthand knowledge of the above statement.

 

[LOWRIDER]

Can you imagine a car company trying that today? Have to give Lee credit for doing that. One of the last true "car guys".

 

[Rolleiflex]

I wonder how many of the people who received a loaner decided to purchase the vehicle at the end of the week? If it's very many there are probably a lot of white 1960 Fords languishing in garages, sheds, fields, and wrecking yards around that area.

 

[glenn33]

When this was posted over on the Jalopy Journal I did some pretty extensive searching for a few of those shady stories. Unfortunately the stories I heard could not be verified other than the one that burnt. No one seems to know the story on that one. I even did some searches at the library and local news paper and the papers were in such terrible shape that I couldn't even get a good story from them. I did get a few pictures of the last know car and a set of the manufacturer plates that they all had on them. Wish I could give you more...