History

In 1932, Ford changed automotive history by introducing his Flathead motor that made V-8 power affordable. The V-8 made 65 bhp at 3400 rpm, although the more conservative Society of Automotive Engineers set the net rating at 30 bhp.

One group that was particularly impressed with the Ford V-8 were gangsters. Both John Dillinger and Clyde Barrow (of Bonnie & Clyde fame) wrote to Henry Ford to express their satisfaction with the new vehicle.  Below is the letter sent by Clyde Barrow to Henry Ford in April, 1934, exactly as written:

Dear Sir:

While I still have breath in my lungs I will tell you what a dandy car you make. I have drove exclusively when I could get away with one. For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got ever other car skinned and even if my business hasen't been strictly legal it don't hurt anything to tell you what a fine car you got in the Ford V-8.

Yours truly,

Clyde Champion Barrow

The Ford Century: Ford Motor Company and the Innovations that Shaped the World The Ford Model T changed the way America lived--almost everyone could now own a car. And when Henry Ford devised the assembly line method of car building so that more Fords could be produced, American industry was also changed. 2003 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of Ford Motor Company, and this large-format visual history of the company is tied to the planned worldwide celebration. Author Banham, a business journalist and book author, writes engaging text that is certainly not overshadowed--but, instead, supported--by the vast illustrations. Of particular delight is the "Special Collectors Section," which profiles 25 "vehicles that have generated excitement and inspired passion," from the 1914 Model T to the 1991 Explorer.  12 x 10 ½, 272 pages, 500 pictures

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