Is there another Henry Ford out there
Every family is currently dealing with inflation as prices rise for just about everything. Many families have both parents working to try to keep bills paid, food on the table and live a decent life. One of the major problems they must deal with is the price of gasoline and the cost of a car to get back and forth to work. It is my opinion that what this country needs is another Henry Ford--someone to manufacture and sell a “simple” car. I am not suggesting going back to the Model T, but what about a car similar to the ones available in the 1950’s, ‘60’s, 70’s etc. No computers, no “frills”, no “gadgets”, no plastic and no invisible person talking to you! Just a simple car that has an engine that runs on gasoline, needs oil, and can be worked on by any person with mechanical knowledge. These cars and the parts to repair them should only be made in the United States!
I personally would like a “four door sedan”, however there could be different styles and a choice of colors. I don’t want a button to push to start it, just a key. However, I would need a spare key as I might forget where I left the original one. Power steering and power brakes would be very important and make driving much easier. While I am quite capable of driving a “stick shift”, I would prefer an automatic transmission. With so much traffic in today’s world, the automatic would get you moving faster and avoid the anger and frustration of the drivers behind you. However, the “stick shift” would definitely cut down on “car-jacking” crimes. Can you imagine today’s carjacker ordering a driver out of the car and then jumping in to drive away and not knowing how to drive it! The police would probably arrive before he figured it out!
In many states a heater would be a necessity, however just one simple knob that says on or off is all that is necessary, not several knobs with pictures that most people can’t figure out on them. Air conditioning would be an option, as you could always drive with the windows rolled down and the breeze blowing through the car. Most women would prefer the air conditioning as they usually do not like to drive or ride with the windows down, as the wind blowing tends to ruin the fancy hairdo’s they just
paid for at the beauty shop or spent so much time creating at home! Air conditioning would probably be a necessary choice to keep peace in the family.
Rolling down a car window can easily be done by hand and you can stop at the position of your choice. Most people would have the strength to do that. It would also prevent the small children in the back seat from playing with the buttons and rolling the windows up and down while you’re driving on a cold winter day. Yelling at them doesn’t always solve the problem! Lights would simply require a knob with positions that say on or off. Most driver are smart enough to read and to know when they are needed. With these modern cars you never know if they are on or off unless it is dark outside! Likewise, there would be a knob to turn on the windshield wipers. Surely most drivers know when it is raining, although there are always a few of them who don’t have sense enough to avoid deep water!
A radio or CD player could be an option, and it is something that could be turned on or off. It wouldn’t keep coming on and telling you that your tire pressure is low when you just checked it, or how many miles it is to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when that is not where you are going, or turn right at Mayflower Street when there is no street!
Years ago very few people other than farmers or certain types of business people drove pickup trucks. Suddenly that started to change and they become more popular with everyone. Fancier ones were made and they began building them with a second seat for children or extra passengers. The prices for them went up as they sold more. Pickup trucks are a necessity for most farmers and ranchers and are used in many different ways. Farmers need sturdy, simple trucks that can be used for all different types of chores. Four wheel drive is very important as most farmers get their trucks “stuck” somewhere quite often. The majority of farm trucks get covered with mud and some kind of manure. The beds are usually full of tools, hay, straw, baler twine, clothes, boots, beer cans, a dog, occasional baby animal and who knows what else! So being fancy is not important unless you are young and “courting” someone. Farmers have a hard time affording machinery and trucks, as they are always receiving less for their products than they should! A wellmade, less expensive truck would surely be a benefit for them!
I don’t see my idea as “a returning to the past”. I see it as a common sense approach to the needs of the people in our country. And I can see that idea applying to many other things that must be purchased by the people. I hope that somewhere out there, there is a “Henry Ford” type of person either reading my column or thinking the same common sense thoughts! “If I had asked people what they wanted they would have said ‘faster horses’. (Henry Ford)