Your Ford has mechanical brakes like a buckboard. Henry refused to pay the license fees to Lockheed to use hydraulic brakes. The patent expired in 1938.
@@bill90405 Indeed, the car has mechanical brakes, but they actually work very well. I can see how these got a bad reputation. When the parts are worn out and tired, the shoe linings soaked in oil or grease and the drums cut beyond spec, mechanical brakes will be terrifying. On my car, I relined the shoes and arced them to match the drums, there are new bushings, clevises and pins, and the cross shaft got a total overhaul. All that is key, oh, and getting everything dialed in via careful adjustment. - Craig
How about casting the engine's block as a single piece? Ford kept manufacturing costs down and made the engine affordable to consumers. That was ingenious
As a youngster I would do a lot of minor maintenance on my cars, such as; replacing points-condenser & spark plugs, Brake pads-rotors, etc. Had friends who did lots more and learned from them. Now I just go to car shows and have fun. Cheers
Vacuum advance was the Dodges Brothers and they had it very early but 1 Henry didn’t want the added cost to buy it from them nor the expense to his cars.
My first car was a 1928 Ford Model A. It was 25 years old, and I was15. My father was a mechanic and taught me all about spark position. Where to have it set for starting. How to advance it once started etcetera. There were several times over the year or two I had it that I even had to crank it to get it started. if you didn't have the spark set back you could be looking at a broken starter/arm. I even knew how to retime the distributor and file the points, clean and re-gap the plugs, a chore that was about a two month necessity with the old darling. In the 71 years that have followed I personally have owned about 90 to 100 vehicles, as many as15 at times. and well over half have been Fords. Can't think of a single Ford that I didn't get every cent I invested in it back with interest. Still drive a Ford today.
As a young apprentice, my first engine rebuild was a flat head 8. Learned a lot and still look back fondly, recalling the beautiful sound of it firing up the first time. Ah, to be young again. Thanks for bringing back great memories. I’m looking forward to watching more.
i am a retired professional transmission rebuilder and shop owner. i always loved rebuilding the old transmissions. you are very knowledge sir,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
@@AutoEsoterica never actually played with one of those windows but I can imagine the simplicity of the tracks tilting a bit to facilitate that rearward motion. Perhaps even more simple is the glass is not cut straight and the channels are at a slight pitch. IOW, nothing mechanical with the tracks at all.
In the 80's Lincoln had power wing windows that would slide down before the main window did when pressing the switch. Sort of a modern take on the idea.
@@Tracert-mc1hu I recall my father calling these things a "no draft" window. He learned to drive in 1933. Later on they were a vent window or a wing window.... soon to be called "2-60 AC" by the poor crowd. (2 windows open inward at 60 mph)
this is why we love vintage cars' experience. they prove, real intelligence came before A.I. and in terms of value and cost, it will eventually outsmart digital all together.
I took my electric engineer degree on late 80's/early 90's, and got plenty of the analog/digital transition. In my opinion the cleverness of the engineers continues, sometimes in ways that are difficult for the public to grasp. In addition, digital systems are most of the time far more efficient, reliable, easier to maintain and cheaper to buy. Let's cherish the past but also cheer for the ones building the future today! The computer is just a tool...
We have a 40s Ford, the beautiful art deco styling on the interior shocks me for what would be a very basic car back in the day, that metal dash, while def dangerous is absolutely beautiful and a stunning piece of art
Wish we got back to that. Instead of endless sea of hedious plastic, that pretends to be high end by being vinyl and spongewrapped. Metal and Wood should be back. Spyker cars and few hyper cars like Pagani have aluminium dashes and switchgear and it looks magnificent and prove it can be done in a modern car.
Well, now I would love to own one of these, I am already a carburetor and mechanical ignition fan, I would feel right at home with tuning these! People to this day still deny we went to the moon because "computer power was so limited" and yet a Ford motor car in 1936 had an ignition system sophisticated enough to control spark advance and dwell automatically, with manual tuning to base settings to make up for large changes in environment and/or load. People assume carburetors "just dump fuel" into the engine, but carburetors are incredibly accurate in their fuel delivery, when set up correctly. Also, the Ford Flat Head V8 has an incredible sound to it, and the cars are beautiful to look at.
Go for it! These old cars are a lot of fun. If you don't HAVE to have a convertible or, like, a '34 roadster, you can get a nice, driver-quality post-war Ford for a pretty good price these days. They're a lot of fun and as you said, nothing sounds like a flathead V8. Thanks for watching! - Craig
The moon landing happened on what would be 1 cent of computing power ultimately because of a willingness to risk life. Space cowboy was only halfway a joke they went knowing very well that the odds said it was a suicide mission and the only thing that could even those was training for the extreme of skill
People back then were way smarter than we gave them credit for. And when you think about it, more useful than a computer programmer in the real world. Subbed!
Wow! I'm glad I found your channel. I've never heard anyone explain automobile features in such a clear and knowledgeable manner. We had a 1937 Ford when I was a kid so I knew about the locking steering column. I knew about the dual point ignition from my 1939 Ford hot rod. I knew about the pressure oiling because my 1941 Chevy 216 cid engine didn't have it.
I've been a fan of Fords since the 50's, when my future brother-in-law came up our long driveway in a 1949 Ford V8, and it sounded awesome. I've been hooked ever since.
I did not know about most of these featured even though I am a mechanic. The one that stands out for me is the dual sided bearings, never heard of them before. Thanks again.
@@donjones4719 My guess is they were discontinued for several very good reasons. Those bearings did work for their application. And they were a clever design. But the Down sides included factors such as the number of pieces used, the number of distinct manufacturing steps to build them, the techniques of installation and servicability. Plus the additional man hours involved. And the speed at which all this could be completed. And Ford was all about faster, better and cheaper. At the end of the day. The single surface 2 piece half shell bearings were just a better more producible design that did the job as good or better than the multi piece double surface rotating bearing design
@@donjones4719 I would imagine the spinning bearing only got intermittent oiling as the holes passed by, unless there was a relief cut in the crankshaft. Looking at it from that perspective, it's likely easier to make a crank WITHOUT an extra cut. That way you have increased surface area and longer life.
My parents owned a Canadian built 1936 grey Ford V8 in south Auckland New Zealand on a dairy farm. It was so reliable, pulled trailers, did everything. After 120.000 miles one alloy head cracked. The local bus operator had a fleet of Ford V8s and gave us two spare cast iron heads which fitted. Post war farmers either had Ford or GM vehicles until British vehicles were traded for dairy, wool and meat.We still kept on with Ford mk 2 Zephyrs and Cortinas which had great features, large boot etc, regards John Case
Several of those innovations were new to me - great video! Although I did have a calculator when I got my engineering degrees, I did learn about all of the mechanical tricks used in engines prior to the use of computer controls. Those engineers were geniuses. I was always especially amazed at automatic transmission control boxes. Hydraulic computers, basically - still in use today! (with some computer assistance)
Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm a failed engineer, got to calc 1 and said, "That's enough math for me!" a subject that has never, ever been my strong suit. Regardless, it's absolutely astounding what they were able to create before the advent of computers. - Craig
Glad I found your channel! Having grown up in the era when these cars were still on the roads, although not in massive numbers anymore, I always loved working on the old iron, including my own 1941 Buick Super Coupe. Great time to grow up, and I learned a lot. I look forward to more from y'all! 👍
Yes, the Super Coupe sported the awesome 278 CID OHV Fireball Straight Eight engine (as opposed to the 320 CID OHV straight eight used in the Roadmaster). I was able to find the 1941-available twin 2-bbl carb setup for the high performance option (and the inability to pass any gas station), to feed my young Need for Speed back then, and it tended to get me in a bit more trouble than I bargained for! 🤣😜
Very cool video! I'm a mechanic since 1985 and everything now on cars is just remove and replace. Nothing much is serviceable any more. The old cars components were meant to be serviceable and it's all because of manufacturing theory. In the old cars it was - "how can we make this better?" In modern cars it's - "how can we make this cheaper and faster?" Older cars have their quirks but they were so much more satisfying to work on. Keep up the great content!
When I was 12, a friend of my grandfather let me drive his restored 1908 Ford. What an amazing experience back in’74 . That was the oldest car I’ve driven, and I’ve rode motorcycles of around the same age since.
When I was a young fellow in UK in the 1950’s, my uncle had a Ford V8 Pilot, as I recall it had built in jacks so that it was easy to change a puncture. We did have a puncture between London and Brighton, and the jacks took quite a while to retract! The small triangular window on cars was always referred to as a “quarter light”. Many American and English cars had them. I run a Nissan Maxima 3 litre V6 in New Zealand which has done about 257,000 kilometres from new in 1999. I understand it was a very popular car in the US of A, as well. If you look after car it will look after you!
Fascinating tidbit about the integral jacks. I've never heard of that before! Yes, maintenance is KEY to vehicle longevity. It's so much easier to change the oil than change the engine, right? If you've been taking care of it, at 257,000 km, your Nissan isn't even broken in yet. Thanks for watching and commenting! - Craig
Innovations that actually IMPROVED the car, unlike today where they just throw electronic gew gaws (touch screens, 'infotainment', 'parking assist' etc.) at you.
I drove a modern car with "Abuse-you"-at first it called me a "Jerk"forgetting in it-then my "lane-keeping-lousey"-at the lights,called me a "fairy"for not dragging the car next to me !-& I parked it-a horn sounded "Moron-Alert"-
I am always struck by how little the basic mechanics of motors/equipment have changed over the decades. I was a farm kid in the 60's/70's. I grew up in a time when we still had older vehicles and farm equipment in operation. As such I had the opportunity to work on the older pre-1950's units (because they were built to last) and also seen the progression into newer upgrades of the 1980's and beyond. What I discovered is that if you learned the basics on the older motors/equipment you had a solid foundation to work from going forward with the newer stuff. They put all kinds of 'stuff' on and around engines now but the core remains relatively unchanged. That being said, driving a vehicle with manual spark advancement is an art form in itself.
It's kind of amazing, isn't it, that internal combustion is still going strong after 120 years or more? It's the same as it was back in the day, but so many of the details have changed over the last century. - Craig
I was aware of all these innovations. Dad bought a 1940 Ford in 1940 and had it until 1951. I was born in '43. The window ventilation feature was on the rear side windows in 1940 (which was the first year the windshield did not open for more ventilation). Instead it was the first year for cowl ventilation-a scoop that opened just in front of the windshield. It also was the first year Ford that used a column shift and second year for hydraulic brakes (Ford was late to the party for both of these). Growing up I read every repair manual I could so also knew of all the other features you highlighted. I now own a '40 Ford with just over 36,000 actual miles.
Very nicely done sir! Great video! I was aware of all of these features as I have been driving a 1940 Ford Deluxe with the stock V8 for just under five decades now. You nailed it!
Glad you could learn something from this video. Tinker with the vacuum brake to see how your truck's performance changes. Turning the adjustment screw out should put less tension on the advance mechanism, allowing for more spark advance. You might get a little boost if the timing isn't properly advancing. Conversely, if you start getting spark knock, turn the screw in. Thanks for watching! - Craig
Yes, Ford V-8 ignition distributors were innovative. My first car was a 1936, which had the "diving bell" type used from 1932 to maybe 1940. All Ford distributors before 1949 had to be removed for maintenance, as they were mounted down on the block front hard to get to. Not too hard to remove with 2-3 bolts that only allowed one position to install.
I was a teenager in the UK, during the 1960's and '70's. There were dozens of these around London back then and I had the chance to ride in a couple of them. Great cars and loved the sound of the V8 engines. I've been a fan of V8's ever since. Would love to be able to get my hands on one of those cars today, as I'm now old enough to be able to really enjoy driving one. Shame they go for Silly Money these days.... IF you can find one for sale. Russ. UK
When a tike in the 50's, dad had a '35... Being a Model A buff, and a wheeler-dealer, the '35 got sold... knowing my dad, for a profit. Great video. I appreciate your knowledge and experience. Thanks!
I saw a switch on a 30ish Chevy truck that reversed polarity on the points every other time starter was used. My boss told me to see it since I would never see one again.
Dual points for extended dwell time? These guys were serious. Who thinks of these things? Ford, that's who. I like the "Blue Dot" taillight lenses. Perfect. This is an excellent video. I hope the whole channel is this good. Thank you for your effort.
During the 1950's, my older brother's drove many early Fords. 1939 to '41 Fords were common cars for younger people to own, due to the cheaper prices. As they went into the military, I got to drive them in my parent's driveway till they returned. The 1936 Ford had mechanical brakes !
Mechanical engineering solutions are impressive. I would love to see a video exploring the early days of all wheel drive, viscous coupling, dual pump drivelines. I have also always been impressed with stratified charge engines to improve fuel economy without sacrificing power.
Back when innovation/engineering/technology did not have planned obsolescence. Products and businesses back then were made with higher honesty, ethics, sound morals, shared values and integrity.
Dad had a 1938 Ford V8 with the distributor low in the front of the engine, In our rural area the dirt roads in the spring were a series of mud holes. Dad would take a run at the larger mud holes in the hope that momentum would carry him to the other side in case the muddy water short circuited the distributor and stalled the engine. Full pressure oiling was a great idea, I wished that my 1950 Chevy had that feature..
A very interesting and informative video... I thought I knew a lot about the V8 Ford engines, but it turns out there were a few things I didn't know! You earned a subscription today... keep up the good work!
My 1928 Pontiac came with automatic ignition advance to help control all 40 hp! The most inspiring feature of my car is the roll up windscreen. It rolls up a couple of inches, just like a roll down window, and the blast of fresh air is fantastic. No loss of visibility either, although I'm not sure why a ventopane is considered a visibility issue. The dashboard is designed to act as a duct that directs some of the air from under the windscreen to the floor. Now that's ingenious!
I never knew that an automaker offered a roll-up windshield! That's so interesting. The V8 Fords had crank-out windshields up to 1939. I've used it, but when open, it pretty much just blows hot air and dust in your eyes. The cowl vent is so much more effective. - Craig
I find with the roll up windscreen that there is no discomfort to my face, just an amazing blast of fresh air coming into the cabin. Mind you, I haven’t tried it on a dusty road and I would definitely close it quickly if I was following a car on a dusty road!
The 29 Oakland also had the roll up windscreen as well. GM obviously used this across there range of cars going by the comments. And the 24 Oakland also had auto advance in the distributor.
Using centrifugal force to regulate machinery is much older. It was used in steam engines to regulate engine speed. They are also known as fly-ball governors. Some clutches also use centrifugal flyweight to regulate between no drive and gradual engaged drive.
Awesome video, man. I loved working on an old volkswagon beetle and morris 8 because of all the ways those engineers made things work back then, and finding this video, which basically just covers that exactly, is pretty cool
Just watched the video, knew about must of this. I have a survivor 35 Tudor with 31, thousand miles on it. Being a 2 door the back windows slide back about a 1-1/2” cranking one way and cranking opposite they roll down. Unique feature that surprises everyone.
What a great content, sir!!! I’d love to register that I got subscribed today when you have 5,7k subscribers. I’m sure that in the near future you’ll have a lot more.
My dads 1950 Ford V8 Pilot had the same style steering lock. Had a 3 speed column change on the other side. Bench seat upfront. Liked the central interior light with remote switch. Had built in bottle jacks. Think it had some sort of mechanical central locking, turn a knob under the dash, could of been retro fitted though.
My old Willy's had 3 on the tree and a electric operated overdrive. After winding up in third and turning on OD you let up on the throttle and OD paw would lock 0:28 sun gear so overdrive engaged. As you approached and engine started slowing down you dropped the throttle to a switch in the floorboard. It would short the coil make the engine miss and disengage the OD paw from the sun gear, shifting back into 3rd to pull the hill. Just like passing gear shift in an automatic...
I marveled at the absolute genius behind internal combustion engines and all of this genius on top of genius that went along with it to make it run well back when I was 14 yrs old in the 80s and I still marvel at it equally to this day. Computers and "software"? Please.
Absolutely. Didn't Apollo 11 have less computing power than a calculator? Something like that. It amazes me what engineers could accomplish before computers. Much respect. - Craig
Love the channel Craig! Excellent video. I spy Michigan plates. If you're in the Metro Detroit area, I've got a '50 Ford Club Coupe with a stock 8BA and overdrive transmission that I'd love to see featured. I swear I have seen your '36 before. Maybe at Greenfield Village's Motor Muster or the Hines Park Cruise? Wonderful car!
Hello! Yes, I live in southeastern Michigan, and yes, I've had my car at Motor Muster a few times. It's a great show! The Hines Drive cruise is probably my favorite, though, because you can see so much and cruise around if you want. We could absolutely do a video on your car if you're interested. - Craig
I had a 1946 Ford truck F6 that had the locking steering and the flathead V8 with the distributor on the front of the engine. I also have a 1946 Ford tractor 2N with the flathead four-cylinder engine and the distributor on the front of the engine.
Ive owned a lot of fords-V8s-From '32-to -48--here in Australia,--my Favorite,Ford is the 1936,-Ive owned a few of them,-& currently-a"36-delux-Coup'e"-mint-original-5-window,-just the "Epitome-of-art-Novou"-they are just beautiful looking cars !!-& reliable-!!-that beautiful sounding V8-makes me "Swoon"with happiness !!-Ive been to the-"Ford V8-found.-Museum"-& that to me was V8-heaven !!-If you love those old Fords-you must visit the Museum ,in Auburn-Indiana-they are great people !!-
Thanks for commenting from the other side of the world! I visited the Early Ford V8 Museum about 10 years ago and it was great! I really need to go back. Maybe we'll do a video... - Craig
I didn't know the rear windows on post-war Fords did the slide-back trick, too. You learn something new every day! How is your '47 to drive? I've never driven one, but they look like they're smoother and sturdier feeling than earlier V8 models. - Craig
My first experience as a driver- Dad put me aged twelve into the seat of a Model A, and attached a tow rope to the front. Got a hell of a fright because he neglected to provide me with a key and the steering was locked. Four bolts holding the column onto the steering box and we were away. BTW, the Chev "Big Dipper" engine used the dippers to lube the big ends, not the mains. It actually worked quite well because there was no loss of oil pressure to the mains caused by the throws sucking the oil pressure away.
Some of these quirks I knew about from when I was a kid when my dad had a ‘40 Ford Pickup with a flathead v8 and 4 speed transmission. I was not aware of the spinning rod bearing design. (While curious and interesting, not a fan of that one for serviceability and durability reasons.) I was aware of the locking steering wheel feature design. Dad’s truck had it and something happened and he lost or broke his key and could not drive the truck. I remember him fixing it with a drill, screwdriver and hammer. Somehow the on off switch was part of the engine circuit and you still had to use the switch to start the truck. I remember the goofy window slide back feature, but never realized it was a specific feature. I just remember the window jogged back before it went down and you had that little bit of extra twist on the handle to slide the window forward into the fully closed position. That was actually a cool little truck. Its Achilles heel was the rear differential axle shaft cotter key. They kept sheering off and the truck would not move.
What about driving shaft, it fully covered with bigger pipe over the driving shaft at no dust enter propping shaft & the crosses. This was smart thinking in those days
Are you familiar with any of these features? If so, which ones?
Thanks for watching!
- Craig
I did not know about that window trick! That is clever.
Your Ford has mechanical brakes like a buckboard. Henry refused to pay the license fees to Lockheed to use hydraulic brakes. The patent expired in 1938.
@@bill90405 Indeed, the car has mechanical brakes, but they actually work very well. I can see how these got a bad reputation. When the parts are worn out and tired, the shoe linings soaked in oil or grease and the drums cut beyond spec, mechanical brakes will be terrifying. On my car, I relined the shoes and arced them to match the drums, there are new bushings, clevises and pins, and the cross shaft got a total overhaul. All that is key, oh, and getting everything dialed in via careful adjustment.
- Craig
How about casting the engine's block as a single piece? Ford kept manufacturing costs down and made the engine affordable to consumers. That was ingenious
As a youngster I would do a lot of minor maintenance on my cars, such as; replacing points-condenser & spark plugs, Brake pads-rotors, etc. Had friends who did lots more and learned from them. Now I just go to car shows and have fun. Cheers
If you ever driven a car with manual spark advance, you want to meet the guy who came up with centrifugal spark advance and buy him a beer.
Amen to this. Thanks for watching!
- Craig
Maybe it was a gal.
I would guess that it was Boss Kettering over at Delco in Dayton, Ohio.
Vacuum advance was the Dodges Brothers and they had it very early but 1 Henry didn’t want the added cost to buy it from them nor the expense to his cars.
My first car was a 1928 Ford Model A. It was 25 years old, and I was15. My father was a mechanic and taught me all about spark position. Where to have it set for starting. How to advance it once started etcetera. There were several times over the year or two I had it that I even had to crank it to get it started. if you didn't have the spark set back you could be looking at a broken starter/arm. I even knew how to retime the distributor and file the points, clean and re-gap the plugs, a chore that was about a two month necessity with the old darling. In the 71 years that have followed I personally have owned about 90 to 100 vehicles, as many as15 at times. and well over half have been Fords. Can't think of a single Ford that I didn't get every cent I invested in it back with interest. Still drive a Ford today.
the fact you kinda have a 1940s radio voice at times makes this so much more entertaining. lovely presentation and lovely car
As a young apprentice, my first engine rebuild was a flat head 8. Learned a lot and still look back fondly, recalling the beautiful sound of it firing up the first time. Ah, to be young again. Thanks for bringing back great memories. I’m looking forward to watching more.
i am a retired professional transmission rebuilder and shop owner. i always loved rebuilding the old transmissions. you are very knowledge sir,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Thank you so much!
- Craig
That window trick is slick. Too bad someone in detroit hasn't thought about bringing that back.
It's simple but pretty ingenious. Conventional vent windows are better, but this design is super clever.
- Craig
@@AutoEsoterica never actually played with one of those windows but I can imagine the simplicity of the tracks tilting a bit to facilitate that rearward motion. Perhaps even more simple is the glass is not cut straight and the channels are at a slight pitch. IOW, nothing mechanical with the tracks at all.
In the 80's Lincoln had power wing windows that would slide down before the main window did when pressing the switch. Sort of a modern take on the idea.
@@Tracert-mc1hu I recall my father calling these things a "no draft" window. He learned to drive in 1933. Later on they were a vent window or a wing window.... soon to be called "2-60 AC" by the poor crowd. (2 windows open inward at 60 mph)
They'll add two more models to the vehicle just for that
One of the best sounds ever is hearing a well tuned Flathead starting!
this is why we love vintage cars' experience. they prove, real intelligence came before A.I. and in terms of value and cost, it will eventually outsmart digital all together.
I took my electric engineer degree on late 80's/early 90's, and got plenty of the analog/digital transition. In my opinion the cleverness of the engineers continues, sometimes in ways that are difficult for the public to grasp. In addition, digital systems are most of the time far more efficient, reliable, easier to maintain and cheaper to buy. Let's cherish the past but also cheer for the ones building the future today! The computer is just a tool...
I had a 1934 V8 that I bought in 1959. 2nd owner.
So yes, I familiar with all these wonderful features.
We have a 40s Ford, the beautiful art deco styling on the interior shocks me for what would be a very basic car back in the day, that metal dash, while def dangerous is absolutely beautiful and a stunning piece of art
Wish we got back to that. Instead of endless sea of hedious plastic, that pretends to be high end by being vinyl and spongewrapped.
Metal and Wood should be back. Spyker cars and few hyper cars like Pagani have aluminium dashes and switchgear and it looks magnificent and prove it can be done in a modern car.
The 1940 Ford's interior is so beautiful. Thanks for watching!
- Craig
Your Ford V8 is a truly lovely car. I’m genuinely impressed.
Thank you so much!
- Craig
Well, now I would love to own one of these, I am already a carburetor and mechanical ignition fan, I would feel right at home with tuning these! People to this day still deny we went to the moon because "computer power was so limited" and yet a Ford motor car in 1936 had an ignition system sophisticated enough to control spark advance and dwell automatically, with manual tuning to base settings to make up for large changes in environment and/or load. People assume carburetors "just dump fuel" into the engine, but carburetors are incredibly accurate in their fuel delivery, when set up correctly. Also, the Ford Flat Head V8 has an incredible sound to it, and the cars are beautiful to look at.
Go for it! These old cars are a lot of fun. If you don't HAVE to have a convertible or, like, a '34 roadster, you can get a nice, driver-quality post-war Ford for a pretty good price these days. They're a lot of fun and as you said, nothing sounds like a flathead V8. Thanks for watching!
- Craig
The Moon Landing was faked. That's why they have never been back to the Moon. The Radiation will kill humans.
The moon landing happened on what would be 1 cent of computing power ultimately because of a willingness to risk life. Space cowboy was only halfway a joke they went knowing very well that the odds said it was a suicide mission and the only thing that could even those was training for the extreme of skill
People back then were way smarter than we gave them credit for. And when you think about it, more useful than a computer programmer in the real world. Subbed!
Awesome! Appreciate you watching, commenting and subscribing!
- Craig
They were MUCH smarter. They had to be, as there was no such thing as a computer. You had to figure it out with that thing called a brain.
Wow! I'm glad I found your channel. I've never heard anyone explain automobile features in such a clear and knowledgeable manner. We had a 1937 Ford when I was a kid so I knew about the locking steering column. I knew about the dual point ignition from my 1939 Ford hot rod. I knew about the pressure oiling because my 1941 Chevy 216 cid engine didn't have it.
Thank you so much! Your kind words mean a lot. We've got a lot more videos coming, so stay tuned.
- Craig
I’m an 81 year old aircraft mechanic. Never worked on cars much. I learned A LOT. Thanks
I've been a fan of Fords since the 50's, when my future brother-in-law came up our long driveway in a 1949 Ford V8, and it sounded awesome. I've been hooked ever since.
I take it he must have opted for the V8 over the I6. Thanks for the comment.
- Craig
My old man had a 50' and my brother has a 50 Ford chopped top now. Badasss love that nose cone
I did not know about most of these featured even though I am a mechanic. The one that stands out for me is the dual sided bearings, never heard of them before. Thanks again.
Glad you learned something and thanks for watching! These old cars had some brilliant engineering.
- Craig
@@AutoEsoterica Why did they stop using them? Had metallurgy advanced to the point they were no longer necessary and thus not worth the cost?
@@donjones4719 My guess is they were discontinued for several very good reasons. Those bearings did work for their application. And they were a clever design. But the Down sides included factors such as the number of pieces used, the number of distinct manufacturing steps to build them, the techniques of installation and servicability. Plus the additional man hours involved. And the speed at which all this could be completed. And Ford was all about faster, better and cheaper. At the end of the day. The single surface 2 piece half shell bearings were just a better more producible design that did the job as good or better than the multi piece double surface rotating bearing design
@@donjones4719 valian la pena .. el roce compartido por cigueñal y bielas era altamente durable y muy eficiente
@@donjones4719 I would imagine the spinning bearing only got intermittent oiling as the holes passed by, unless there was a relief cut in the crankshaft. Looking at it from that perspective, it's likely easier to make a crank WITHOUT an extra cut. That way you have increased surface area and longer life.
I didn't realise that the steering column lock was that old. A sweet sounding engine. I'd happily drive all day behind one of those.
My parents owned a Canadian built 1936 grey Ford V8 in south Auckland New Zealand on a dairy farm. It was so reliable, pulled trailers, did everything. After 120.000 miles one alloy head cracked. The local bus operator had a fleet of Ford V8s and gave us two spare cast iron heads which fitted. Post war farmers either had Ford or GM vehicles until British vehicles were traded for dairy, wool and meat.We still kept on with Ford mk 2 Zephyrs and Cortinas which had great features, large boot etc, regards John Case
Thanks for sharing. These old Fords are tough and last a long time if you take care of them.
- Craig
Several of those innovations were new to me - great video! Although I did have a calculator when I got my engineering degrees, I did learn about all of the mechanical tricks used in engines prior to the use of computer controls. Those engineers were geniuses. I was always especially amazed at automatic transmission control boxes. Hydraulic computers, basically - still in use today! (with some computer assistance)
Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm a failed engineer, got to calc 1 and said, "That's enough math for me!" a subject that has never, ever been my strong suit. Regardless, it's absolutely astounding what they were able to create before the advent of computers.
- Craig
Computers are used mainly to trim payrolls. Nothing else.
Grear video! I wasn't aware of any of those features. Those rear sliding windows are pretty amazing.
Great video.
Fords v8 was another innovative leap.
What a beautiful car.
Subscribed.
Glad I found your channel! Having grown up in the era when these cars were still on the roads, although not in massive numbers anymore, I always loved working on the old iron, including my own 1941 Buick Super Coupe. Great time to grow up, and I learned a lot. I look forward to more from y'all! 👍
The Buicks of that era were sharp-looking cars. Yours must have had the OHV straight 8, right?
- Craig
Yes, the Super Coupe sported the awesome 278 CID OHV Fireball Straight Eight engine (as opposed to the 320 CID OHV straight eight used in the Roadmaster). I was able to find the 1941-available twin 2-bbl carb setup for the high performance option (and the inability to pass any gas station), to feed my young Need for Speed back then, and it tended to get me in a bit more trouble than I bargained for! 🤣😜
Very cool video! I'm a mechanic since 1985 and everything now on cars is just remove and replace. Nothing much is serviceable any more.
The old cars components were meant to be serviceable and it's all because of manufacturing theory. In the old cars it was - "how can we make this better?"
In modern cars it's - "how can we make this cheaper and faster?"
Older cars have their quirks but they were so much more satisfying to work on.
Keep up the great content!
When I was 12, a friend of my grandfather let me drive his restored 1908 Ford. What an amazing experience back in’74 . That was the oldest car I’ve driven, and I’ve rode motorcycles of around the same age since.
I drove a Model T once and it was an EXPERIENCE. It wasn't difficult, but everything is different from what you'd expect.
- Craig
When I was a young fellow in UK in the 1950’s, my uncle had a Ford V8 Pilot, as I recall it had built in jacks so that it was easy to change a puncture. We did have a puncture between London and Brighton, and the jacks took quite a while to retract!
The small triangular window on cars was always referred to as a “quarter light”. Many American and English cars had them.
I run a Nissan Maxima 3 litre V6 in New Zealand which has done about 257,000 kilometres from new in 1999. I understand it was a very popular car in the US of A, as well.
If you look after car it will look after you!
Fascinating tidbit about the integral jacks. I've never heard of that before!
Yes, maintenance is KEY to vehicle longevity. It's so much easier to change the oil than change the engine, right? If you've been taking care of it, at 257,000 km, your Nissan isn't even broken in yet.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
- Craig
Innovations that actually IMPROVED the car, unlike today where they just throw electronic gew gaws (touch screens, 'infotainment', 'parking assist' etc.) at you.
This is so true. Nobody needs 34 speakers, five touchscreens, retractable door handles or 24-inch wheels.
- Craig
What is a "gew gaw"?
@@dannybeem7377: It is a device developed over several years. The development is caused by eating bagels.
I drove a modern car with "Abuse-you"-at first it called me a "Jerk"forgetting in it-then my "lane-keeping-lousey"-at the lights,called me a "fairy"for not dragging the car next to me !-& I parked it-a horn sounded "Moron-Alert"-
😂
I am always struck by how little the basic mechanics of motors/equipment have changed over the decades. I was a farm kid in the 60's/70's. I grew up in a time when we still had older vehicles and farm equipment in operation. As such I had the opportunity to work on the older pre-1950's units (because they were built to last) and also seen the progression into newer upgrades of the 1980's and beyond. What I discovered is that if you learned the basics on the older motors/equipment you had a solid foundation to work from going forward with the newer stuff. They put all kinds of 'stuff' on and around engines now but the core remains relatively unchanged. That being said, driving a vehicle with manual spark advancement is an art form in itself.
It's kind of amazing, isn't it, that internal combustion is still going strong after 120 years or more? It's the same as it was back in the day, but so many of the details have changed over the last century.
- Craig
Going from a 89 tbi to an 85 carb made learning everything 10x easier
You can thank the Japanese for all this computerized junk on today's cars.
I was aware of all these innovations. Dad bought a 1940 Ford in 1940 and had it until 1951. I was born in '43. The window ventilation feature was on the rear side windows in 1940 (which was the first year the windshield did not open for more ventilation). Instead it was the first year for cowl ventilation-a scoop that opened just in front of the windshield. It also was the first year Ford that used a column shift and second year for hydraulic brakes (Ford was late to the party for both of these). Growing up I read every repair manual I could so also knew of all the other features you highlighted. I now own a '40 Ford with just over 36,000 actual miles.
Very nicely done sir! Great video! I was aware of all of these features as I have been driving a 1940 Ford Deluxe with the stock V8 for just under five decades now. You nailed it!
Ah, when the only computer was in the driver's seat, maybe one on the back seat as well.
Finally a channel about classic vehicles. Thank you!
I have a '36 truck with a later 59A engine and I never knew what the vacuum brake was for and have never touched it! Great video learned alot thanks!
Glad you could learn something from this video. Tinker with the vacuum brake to see how your truck's performance changes. Turning the adjustment screw out should put less tension on the advance mechanism, allowing for more spark advance. You might get a little boost if the timing isn't properly advancing. Conversely, if you start getting spark knock, turn the screw in.
Thanks for watching!
- Craig
Yes, Ford V-8 ignition distributors were innovative. My first car was a 1936, which had the "diving bell" type used from 1932 to maybe 1940. All Ford distributors before 1949 had to be removed for maintenance, as they were mounted down on the block front hard to get to. Not too hard to remove with 2-3 bolts that only allowed one position to install.
I was a teenager in the UK, during the 1960's and '70's. There were dozens of these around London back then and I had the chance to ride in a couple of them. Great cars and loved the sound of the V8 engines. I've been a fan of V8's ever since. Would love to be able to get my hands on one of those cars today, as I'm now old enough to be able to really enjoy driving one. Shame they go for Silly Money these days.... IF you can find one for sale. Russ. UK
When a tike in the 50's, dad had a '35... Being a Model A buff, and a wheeler-dealer, the '35 got sold... knowing my dad, for a profit.
Great video. I appreciate your knowledge and experience. Thanks!
We appreciate you watching and commenting. Thank you!
- Craig
I saw a switch on a 30ish Chevy truck that reversed polarity on the points every other time starter was used. My boss told me to see it since I would never see one again.
That was a Chevy feature until about 1949 or so in cars, until about 56 in trucks
Dual points for extended dwell time? These guys were serious. Who thinks of these things? Ford, that's who. I like the "Blue Dot" taillight lenses. Perfect.
This is an excellent video. I hope the whole channel is this good. Thank you for your effort.
First time to your site and a great video that was very well presented.
cheers from down under.
Awesome! Thank you so much for watching and commenting. We've got more videos in the works, so stay tuned!
- Craig
I hope this channel grows. Great info, great shops, in person parts not just pictures and truly a pleasure to watch!
Awesome video by the way, and beautiful car. A new gem of a channel I just discovered. Keep up the great work good sir.
Thank you so much! We've got a lot more content on the way, so stay tuned.
- Craig
The model T's had a lot of innovation as well, multi spark discharge, one coil per cylinder, multi fuel option, semi-automatic transmission ...
And also one of the early users of detachable cylinder heads.
I enjoyed this presentation. I look forward to more, thank you.
Appreciate you watching and commenting. Thanks!
- Craig
I'm a 68 year old car nut and I actually learned a few things, great video, thank you.
During the 1950's, my older brother's drove many early Fords. 1939 to '41 Fords were common cars for younger people to own, due to the cheaper prices. As they went into the military, I got to drive them in my parent's driveway till they returned. The 1936 Ford had mechanical brakes !
My '36 Ford also has the mechanical brakes! They work surprisingly well when setup properly.
- Craig
Mechanical engineering solutions are impressive. I would love to see a video exploring the early days of all wheel drive, viscous coupling, dual pump drivelines. I have also always been impressed with stratified charge engines to improve fuel economy without sacrificing power.
Ford was a great man, he valued good design and your car is a great example.
Back when innovation/engineering/technology did not have planned obsolescence.
Products and businesses back then were made with higher honesty, ethics, sound morals, shared values and integrity.
Solid frickin video man. Thank you for this. Very informative and entertaining.
Wow the production quality on this channel is so good! You've got a sub!
We appreciate your kind words! Thanks for watching.
- Craig
Dad had a 1938 Ford V8 with the distributor low in the front of the engine, In our rural area the dirt roads in the spring were a series of mud holes. Dad would take a run at the larger mud holes in the hope that momentum would carry him to the other side in case the muddy water short circuited the distributor and stalled the engine. Full pressure oiling was a great idea, I wished that my 1950 Chevy had that feature..
Nice story! Yeah, I'm surprised Chevy took so long to introduce full-pressure oiling in their straight-six.
- Craig
A very interesting and informative video... I thought I knew a lot about the V8 Ford engines, but it turns out there were a few things I didn't know! You earned a subscription today... keep up the good work!
Awesome. Appreciate you commenting and subscribing!
- Craig
What an informative video. Perfectly executed. Thank you !
Thank you so much!
- Craig
My 1928 Pontiac came with automatic ignition advance to help control all 40 hp! The most inspiring feature of my car is the roll up windscreen. It rolls up a couple of inches, just like a roll down window, and the blast of fresh air is fantastic. No loss of visibility either, although I'm not sure why a ventopane is considered a visibility issue. The dashboard is designed to act as a duct that directs some of the air from under the windscreen to the floor. Now that's ingenious!
I never knew that an automaker offered a roll-up windshield! That's so interesting. The V8 Fords had crank-out windshields up to 1939. I've used it, but when open, it pretty much just blows hot air and dust in your eyes. The cowl vent is so much more effective.
- Craig
I find with the roll up windscreen that there is no discomfort to my face, just an amazing blast of fresh air coming into the cabin. Mind you, I haven’t tried it on a dusty road and I would definitely close it quickly if I was following a car on a dusty road!
29 Olds had the roll-up windshield.
The 29 Oakland also had the roll up windscreen as well. GM obviously used this across there range of cars going by the comments. And the 24 Oakland also had auto advance in the distributor.
Using centrifugal force to regulate machinery is much older. It was used in steam engines to regulate engine speed. They are also known as fly-ball governors. Some clutches also use centrifugal flyweight to regulate between no drive and gradual engaged drive.
Great show, I look forward to seeing more
Awesome! Thank you for watching and commenting. We've got more videos like this in the works. In fact, we're shooting one today!
- Craig
Excellent! Very informative.
Incredible video. Please make this into a regular series.
I guess that window feature also came in handy if the driver or passenger farted. 💨
Oh, 100%.
- Craig
Remember as a teen doing freeze out ? LOL. Brrrrrtt. And all the windows came down even in the dead of winter. 😂
That 36 looks and sounds amazing. Thanks for sharing all that's cool about the car.
Thank you for watching and commenting!
- Craig
I'm impressed!
Well worth a subscribe, looking forward to more. Thank you.
Pressurised oil system, those floating bearings, though...
Appreciate your comment! Yeah, those floating bearings are something else.
- Craig
great video, great channel! Well produced, right amount of info, well paced. Great job! Looking forward to future videos!
Awesome video, man. I loved working on an old volkswagon beetle and morris 8 because of all the ways those engineers made things work back then, and finding this video, which basically just covers that exactly, is pretty cool
I knew about these features, but I'm a hot rodder that happens to be in his 70's. And I believe some of the older ideas are worth looking at again.
Great video! Well produced. Looking forward to where you take this channel.
Very cool video man! Definitely becoming a subscriber so keep it up! 😁
Just watched the video, knew about must of this. I have a survivor 35 Tudor with 31, thousand miles on it. Being a 2 door the back windows slide back about a 1-1/2” cranking one way and cranking opposite they roll down. Unique feature that surprises everyone.
Nice! I love the 1935 Ford's styling, they're very handsome cars. I didn't know that about the Tudor sedan's rear windows.
- Craig
Id proudly drive one of these over any modern car.
What a great content, sir!!! I’d love to register that I got subscribed today when you have 5,7k subscribers. I’m sure that in the near future you’ll have a lot more.
My dads 1950 Ford V8 Pilot had the same style steering lock. Had a 3 speed column change on the other side. Bench seat upfront. Liked the central interior light with remote switch. Had built in bottle jacks. Think it had some sort of mechanical central locking, turn a knob under the dash, could of been retro fitted though.
I knew the column lock but not the rest. A really great video! Thank You
My old Willy's had 3 on the tree and a electric operated overdrive. After winding up in third and turning on OD you let up on the throttle and OD paw would lock 0:28 sun gear so overdrive engaged. As you approached and engine started slowing down you dropped the throttle to a switch in the floorboard. It would short the coil make the engine miss and disengage the OD paw from the sun gear, shifting back into 3rd to pull the hill. Just like passing gear shift in an automatic...
I marveled at the absolute genius behind internal combustion engines and all of this genius on top of genius that went along with it to make it run well back when I was 14 yrs old in the 80s and I still marvel at it equally to this day.
Computers and "software"? Please.
Yes, only paper, pencil and slide rule. That same little combination got us to the moon.
Absolutely. Didn't Apollo 11 have less computing power than a calculator? Something like that. It amazes me what engineers could accomplish before computers. Much respect.
- Craig
Great video with great info. I subscribed keep them coming.
Appreciate your kind words! Thanks for watching, commenting AND subscribing!
- Craig
Very cool stuff and well done
Awesome, thanks for watching and commenting!
- Craig
Love the channel Craig! Excellent video. I spy Michigan plates. If you're in the Metro Detroit area, I've got a '50 Ford Club Coupe with a stock 8BA and overdrive transmission that I'd love to see featured. I swear I have seen your '36 before. Maybe at Greenfield Village's Motor Muster or the Hines Park Cruise? Wonderful car!
Hello! Yes, I live in southeastern Michigan, and yes, I've had my car at Motor Muster a few times. It's a great show! The Hines Drive cruise is probably my favorite, though, because you can see so much and cruise around if you want. We could absolutely do a video on your car if you're interested.
- Craig
@@AutoEsoterica I'd love to contribute to the channel for sure!
My parents had a similar Coup. I love that engine sound and after over 60 years, I can smell the leather interior.
I had a 1946 Ford truck F6 that had the locking steering and the flathead V8 with the distributor on the front of the engine. I also have a 1946 Ford tractor 2N with the flathead four-cylinder engine and the distributor on the front of the engine.
Great video! I feel smarter now! 😀👍
Ive owned a lot of fords-V8s-From '32-to -48--here in Australia,--my Favorite,Ford is the 1936,-Ive owned a few of them,-& currently-a"36-delux-Coup'e"-mint-original-5-window,-just the "Epitome-of-art-Novou"-they are just beautiful looking cars !!-& reliable-!!-that beautiful sounding V8-makes me "Swoon"with happiness !!-Ive been to the-"Ford V8-found.-Museum"-& that to me was V8-heaven !!-If you love those old Fords-you must visit the Museum ,in Auburn-Indiana-they are great people !!-
Thanks for commenting from the other side of the world! I visited the Early Ford V8 Museum about 10 years ago and it was great! I really need to go back. Maybe we'll do a video...
- Craig
this channel is definitely going places
What a beautiful car
If that was mine I would sit and look at it all day .
Craig- Longtime fan since the Roundabout days.
Inventive video here as always.
OMG, YOU REMEMBER ROUNDABOUT?! That's a blast from the past. But hey, glad you found this channel and thank you for your kind words!
- Craig
The back side windows on my '47 Ford Tudor Sedan also do that "side move" trick. Dual points with vacuum break system thru 1948.
I didn't know the rear windows on post-war Fords did the slide-back trick, too. You learn something new every day! How is your '47 to drive? I've never driven one, but they look like they're smoother and sturdier feeling than earlier V8 models.
- Craig
@@AutoEsoterica For sure, very smooth ride. Handling, so-so. Still fun
I wish they would bring back the Lo-hi beam left side foot switch! I miss that one.
My 72 Chev C 10 has one.
My first experience as a driver- Dad put me aged twelve into the seat of a Model A, and attached a tow rope to the front. Got a hell of a fright because he neglected to provide me with a key and the steering was locked. Four bolts holding the column onto the steering box and we were away. BTW, the Chev "Big Dipper" engine used the dippers to lube the big ends, not the mains. It actually worked quite well because there was no loss of oil pressure to the mains caused by the throws sucking the oil pressure away.
Nice story about the Model A. Yeah, the "Stovebolt 6" had dippers on the big ends of the rods. Thanks for watching and commenting!
- Craig
You deserve SO many more subs than you have. Production value is amazing. and I learned a lot. Lifetime sub. Langley BC
Mallory Bluepoint dual points distributors were some of my favourite "performance" parts. Absolutely wonderful mechanisms.
Its good to see someone using these cars are intended.I daily drive my 65 Dodge Dart GT 273 hardtop,it probably gets 100 miles a day put on it.
That's awesome! One of the worst things you can do to an old car is just let it sit. Thanks for watching and commenting!
- Craig
Glad your channel came up in my feed. Just subscribed - thank you for the great insights.
I knew of the pressurized oil system, the dual points, the locking steering and the distributor advance. I currently own a 1947 Mercury.
Very nice! What body style is your Mercury?
- Craig
Great video.
Planes trains & cars was John candy at his peak.
Some of these quirks I knew about from when I was a kid when my dad had a ‘40 Ford Pickup with a flathead v8 and 4 speed transmission. I was not aware of the spinning rod bearing design. (While curious and interesting, not a fan of that one for serviceability and durability reasons.) I was aware of the locking steering wheel feature design. Dad’s truck had it and something happened and he lost or broke his key and could not drive the truck. I remember him fixing it with a drill, screwdriver and hammer. Somehow the on off switch was part of the engine circuit and you still had to use the switch to start the truck. I remember the goofy window slide back feature, but never realized it was a specific feature. I just remember the window jogged back before it went down and you had that little bit of extra twist on the handle to slide the window forward into the fully closed position.
That was actually a cool little truck. Its Achilles heel was the rear differential axle shaft cotter key. They kept sheering off and the truck would not move.
When that happens, it means that the hub had not been torqued tight enough, so you were driving "on the key". Often ruins the axle shaft.
@ It often did. I accompanied dad to a number of salvage yards while he scrounged replacements.
What about driving shaft, it fully covered with bigger pipe over the driving shaft at no dust enter propping shaft & the crosses. This was smart thinking in those days
BUT, you have to detach the rear axle from the rear spring and move it back before you can remove the trans.
My compliments on your 36 Ford.
Definitely a classic.
Thank you so much!
- Craig
Thank you for the informative video. I especially like your car as I think the '36s are one of the most handsome cars ever made.
IDK bout you, but the AutoEsoterica Guarantee certainly earned my sub and like lol
Thank you so much! We've got lots more videos in the works.
- Craig
This is brilliant!
What a beautiful automobile!
Thank you so much!
- Craig
I never knew about full floating bearings like that, super neat
Nothing sounds as cool as a flattie!