Auto industry historians and fans agree the '32 Ford planted the seeds for America's love affair with the car.
"Since the beginning of the year there have been events all over the country paying homage to Henry and Edsel Ford's creation," said Ford chief designer Larry Erickson. "What's great about this event is that it's like coming home, it's a variation on the movie 'Field of Dreams;' they built it here, so they will come."
The three day celebration will include a concours d' elegance, cruises, specialty vehicle displays, a drive-in date night, a gathering at Greenfield Village, and visits to the Henry Ford Fairlane estate and the Grosse Pointe Shores estate of Edsel Ford.
The '32 Ford was well on its way to becoming an American icon long before The Beach Boys sang about it in their 1961 hit "Little Deuce Coupe," and George Lucas gave it a role in his 1971 movie "American Graffiti."
With the world's first affordable V-8 Flathead engine, inspired by Henry Ford himself, and an innovative design from his son Edsel, it wasn't long before the Deuce was a favorite of the earliest hot rodders.
"These were depression era kids who spent their time modifying cars and racing them on the salt flats of Southern California," said Henry Astor, producer of the documentary "Deuce: The Definitive Documentary of an American Icon." "They're the ones most responsible for instilling the '32 Ford into the psyche of the American consciousness."
That Ford enthusiasm remains today. According to Hemmings.com, a Web site for car collectors, there are more registered fans clubs for Ford vehicles than any other automotive brand in the world.
"Our goal is to unleash the inherent passion Ford fan club members have for the brand, starting here with the Deuce 75 event and enlist them to talk up the current Ford product line-up with family and friends" says Edsel Ford II, honorary chairman of the event. "Classic car clubs are unique American-car phenomenons that create a matchless marketing opportunity for us."
The celebration takes place August 9-12. All proceeds from the event will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. -Ford release
