Just returned from ford archives

Lawson Cox

Well-known member
We just got back from our trip to find information on 35-36 Ford pickups for "The Book". We found some or documentations at Auburn, but we verified a lot of information and discovered some great new stuff and some surprises at the Archives in Dearborn. (The Benson Ford Research Center). We are progressing, and now have to weave this new information into what we have already written. Still quite a way to go, but we are getting there. A very productive trip.
 
I'm new here, what's " The Book " project you're talkin' about? When you say Auburn do ya' mean Michigan or the old Auburn plant in Indiana?

Thanks.... W.E.
 
Auburn was the site of the early ford v-8 club meet this past week, I assume they are doing a similar book to the one that was done for the 32 ford and I believe the 40? The 32 is a everything that can be known about the cars made in that model year. An invaluable document.
 
W.E., Auburn, Indiana is the location of the Early Ford V8 Foundatiuoin Museum, as well as several other automotive museums and auto auction sites. It was the site of this year's Central National Meet of the EFV8CA. There are several Auburn posts with pictures on this site, the best bunch of pictures I've found is this one:

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46582

As for books, Lawson is working on a book specific to Ford pickup trucks. Check the site below for all the books published by the EFV8 Club available now:

https://www.earlyfordv8.org/store-products.cfm?id=2
 
I'm new here, what's " The Book " project you're talkin' about? When you say Auburn do ya' mean Michigan or the old Auburn plant in Indiana?

Thanks.... W.E.


We are working on the 1935-1936 Ford Pickup book for the Early Ford V8 Club of America. A much more difficult job than was first imagined. These old trucks were rode hard and put up wet so many times that it is hard to find one that is in any condition to tell what was original. Archives has precious little info as well. Budd who made the trucks has been out of business for years and no archives exist. We struggle on with the project, notwithstanding.
 
Thanks for all the help Lawson, still itchen to flip the pages.
 

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Any suggestions if you go to the Benson Ford Research Center on finding blueprints for various '32 car bodies? especiall the Woodie & roadster pickup?
 
Half the problem with any visit to the archives is getting your feet on the ground as to their procedures, rules, search techniques, etc. I've been there 3-4 times over a ten year period and I seem to waste half the first day just figuring out how to search for something. Then, how to operate their clunky microfiche/copier machines.

Having said that, I really enjoyed the research and accomplished plenty once I got the hang of things. You should allow at least two full days in the library. Go there with a list of things specific to your search. Work them as fully as you can. If time remains, go to your secondary list. The time absolutely FLIES by when you are in there working!
 
Half the problem with any visit to the archives is getting your feet on the ground as to their procedures, rules, search techniques, etc. I've been there 3-4 times over a ten year period and I seem to waste half the first day just figuring out how to search for something. Then, how to operate their clunky microfiche/copier machines.

Having said that, I really enjoyed the research and accomplished plenty once I got the hang of things. You should allow at least two full days in the library. Go there with a list of things specific to your search. Work them as fully as you can. If time remains, go to your secondary list. The time absolutely FLIES by when you are in there working!
Yes. time does fly at the BFRC. If you are going to research something, take part numbers! You can only take a legal pad or similar and no pen- they furnish pencils. They have lots of photographs and you can now take a digital photo of them, but they have lots of rules like you must wear white gloves when handling the photos. (they furnish them) . They have thousands of slides of engineering drawings of parts, but you must have the part number.
Lawson and I spent four days there and when you leave you may feel a little fustrated, because you find more questions than answers! Also the wooden chairs give you a pain in the a**.
 
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