Boyd is a true-blue blooded, blue oval Ford guy.
He firmly believes that the Model T is the sole reason for the company’s success since Day 1-it’s really hard to argue with that statement.
Boyd likes to back up his assertion with deeds, not words, so he owns two of the cars that put Henry Ford’s dream into reality.
Actually, he owns these rolling tributes to American innovation in automotive manufacturing primarily because he has so much fun with them.
This 1927 Model T is the embodiment of why car guys own old cars.
Like most Model T owners, Boyd is well educated in the little quirks found in these early 20th Century rides. For example, he knows that a steep hill is usually approached in reverse because of the gravity feed gas tank. Plus he knows that you have to protect your transmission because it is lubricated via the engine oil so steep inclines can affect that part of the car as well. Boyd tries not to beat up on his car, particularly when he knows better. Most smart T guys know their car’s limitations or they pay a big price…
Boyd also advises that owners bring spare parts along on any trip for two reasons-there’s a pretty good chance the local Ford dealer won’t have parts and the cars are so simple to diagnose and repair that not carrying parts is really dumb. Boyd never,under any circumstances, throws a part away because he knows that practically all parts can be saved or rebuilt.
Boyd has a simple philosophy when it comes to driving his ’27 T. Basically, he’s not in any hurry in the car-life’s too short for that so he rarely pushes the 80+ year old car past 35 miles per hour. The longest jaunt he’s taken was a 120-mile round trip-it took all day at a leisurely pace but Boyd places days like that in the priceless category.
Many old car drivers have some horror stories about driving in modern traffic but Boyd has been really lucky-he has found other drivers to be extremely courteous when he’s behind the wheel of his ancient car. His biggest problem has been the curiosity factor. Conversations at gas stations or in a parking lot can last for an hour if the crowd gets big enough.
Boyd had no problem with the extra attention and he’s more than happy to explain the intricacies of the car that put the American automotive industry on the map.
Most T guys are just as patient…it’s almost a mandatory part of the Model T ownership guide.
Jerry Sutherland
