Old Car Festival Greenfield Village

[SkimmerBob]

1) I'm surprised to not see a post about the event that IMHO is the best car show I've ever been to.

2)I'm very bummed out I thought it was next weekend. I didn't realize i missed it til my son in law text me and sent a pic of the "Gaslight Parade".

3) I only live 20 minutes away and actually have a membership at the HF/GFV .

4) It looks like I'm gonna have to call`off work and go to Gilmore next weekend (google says it's only 2hrs 16mins away). Model A day is next weekend right?

5) Does anyone know if the swap meet is any good?

[Tom Wesenberg]

I found some good parts there last year. I'm more than 12 hours away.

[WTSHNN]

Got home last night around 9. Drove the A for a 520 mile round trip. Poured rain most of the way up on Friday...beautiful drive home yesterday.

Chilly weather seemed to scare a lot of the people away Saturday afternoon/evening As the gaslight parade was pretty sparse.

Will post pics when I get a couple minutes.

-Tim

[BlueSunoco]

I forgot to get a hotel reservation early enough, tried to get into the Dearborn Inn about four months ago and they were booked up. I like staying there because 1) the history involved plus it's a neat place! and 2) I just walk from there to the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village it's handy.

I'll be trying again soon so I don't forget, for next year. Always wanted to see the Gaslight Parade the idea sounds pretty cool.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Tim, glad you had a safe trip! It is about 600 miles each way for us, so we got home in the early hours this morning. I was told at the registration table, -and later by one of the curators that there were over 900 cars registered this year. Didn't seem like it to me but again, there were vehicles everywhere, so may be. It was cold during the parade wasn't it?

There were some very neat cars there this year including a prototype 1915 Buick Twin-Six (V-12) Touring, a Minerva Town Car, and several other Town cars ( -sans Tim Kelley's T/C this year ) in attendance. A Model-T owned/driven by Ole Henry was there, and many unusual high-end cars, etc. I do agree with Bob that this is one of the best events in the country.

While we were there, I spent some time researching at the archives, visited the Piquette Plant, went & toured the Rouge Plant with James Rogers, ...and I even found the old building that Murray Body Co. build Fordors in. If you Google 1550 Clay Street, Detroit, MI you will see just how massive that place was. It is now called the Russell Trade center building and is in a poor state of repair however it still has Murray Body Co (partially obscured) painted on a tower. Several other really old factories in and around too (Regal Car Co., Fisher Body, etc.)

For those who do Facebook, here is a link to a video I posted of the Gaslight Tour.

[SkimmerBob]

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Great video Brent!!! I had planned on going up there after work on Saturday, NEXT week I can't believe I missed it. Thanks for the video !

[BlueSunoco]

Nice video fun to watch. Thanks for posting.

I always pictured the parade when it was darker, more like nightime out but then again it would be harder to see the cars-------------

[Jwilli]

Nice.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by BlueSunoco

Nice video fun to watch. Thanks for posting.

I always pictured the parade when it was darker, more like nightime out but then again it would be harder to see the cars-------------

Well, truth being told, the darker it gets the less you can see, -or at least see in a video. Below is a picture of my wife & daughter following us taken last year just before darkness set in, and you can hardly see behind her even with the flash on the camera. When it gets totally dark, the acetylene burning lamps, and Model-As with repro reflectors makes the white balance on a camera go 'nuts'! None-the-less, we usually start the parade at 6:30-7:00PM after dinner, and go until 9:00PM when the fireworks start. It is plenty dark then.

[CarlG]

You mean to say that it gets dark at 9pm? What a novel idea!

[Vanspeed]

Hey Brent, funny you mentioned the Russell building (Murray) because that is where I found my 29 roadster, it was in pieces in the lowest level of the building. How long it was there, who knows.

[Ryan J]

Hey Brent,you stopped the video right before you got to where I was parked.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Ryan J

Hey Brent,you stopped the video right before you got to where I was parked.

Does this help??

.

[Goldhardt]

Great video Brent! A few of the guys from our club went up this year. I hope to join them next year. I hear that it is great!

[1930artdeco]

I have been there what is the area like for security? I will have to put that on my list of place to go!

Mike

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by 1930artdeco

I have been there what is the area like for security? I will have to put that on my list of place to go!

Mike

Depends I guess. Greenfield Village is a "gated" complex where Ford Security personnel monitor those who enter/exit, ...even in the trailer parking areas too. We stay each night about 1½ mile away from Ford's complex in a nice area. If you go north of that area into Detroit itself at night, I'm pretty sure you would want to take the USMC sharp-shooters with you!

If you are asking about inside the village during the show, I saw security people walking around, -but with 900+ cars and about 10,000 people spread over some 80 acres, policing it 100% would about be impossible in my view.

[1930artdeco]

Brent, I was more concerned about the outside area when I stay in a hotel.

Mike

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by 1930artdeco

Brent, I was more concerned about the outside area when I stay in a hotel.

Mike

Again, the area around there is nice. Moving north about 5-10 miles is what starts to get "dangerous".

[1930artdeco]

Ok Brent, Thanks. It is now on the list of things to get done in the next couple of years.

Mike

[rowens55]

Originally Posted by forever4

Compared to Oakland?

That's what I was thinkin. Explains the concern for security though...,