The Old Car Festval at Greenfield Village celebrates the pioneers of the automobile industry—the vehicles of 1932 and before. Here’s our report with a big photo gallery.
Trends come and go in the car collector world. Over the years we’ve seen its center of gravity shift on a regular basis, from Tri-Five Chevys to muscle cars to Japanese imports, but there is at least one constant over the years. Since its founding way back in 1951, the annual Old Car Festival at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan remains focused on the pioneers of the auto industry—the vehicles built in 1932 and before. For us, that makes it one of the more compelling and worthwhile shows on the calendar.
A few of our favorites from this year’s show:
+ A 1915 Ford Model T Coupelet: Model T Fords are ubiquitous at the Festival, as you would expect, but among flivvers the Coupelet stands out. An advanced closed body style introduced in 1915, the Coupelet is relatively rare today as only around 2500 cars were produced over three years.
+ The 1912 Baker Model W is a sporty but conventional-appearing runabout of its period, but surprise: It’s actually an early battery-electric vehicle styled to resemble a gasoline car. Company founder Walter C. Baker was an electric racing pioneer. Read about his exploits here.
+ The oldest vehicle we saw in the show was an 1898 Beeston Quadricycle, powered by a single-cylinder De Dion engine. As its appearance strongly suggests, the Beeston had its roots in the British cycle industry.
You can find these vehicles and many more in the gallery below. Click on any image to start a slide show.
You are to be commended (there will be a ceremony on Tuesday evening) – I mean, I commend you for allowing many of us to attend this annual event vicariously via your photos and commentary. Thank you. As an impressionable young kid of 73 years, I might believe you when you tell me that the yellow ’31 Model A roadster is a cabriolet, but when I grow up, and learn the difference, I may be disappointed.Speaking of young people, how ’bout the young lady piloting that Curved Dash Olds? Imagine her telling her friends that she learned to drive…on a 1903 Oldsmobile. Thanks again for
always providing entertaining and informative automotive facts and vignettes.
Yes, the roadster was a mistake, already fixed. Thank you for your interest.
It was a nice day at the Village for sure, and the crowds reflected it! Thanks for the nice pictures: My picture of the Coupelet looks almost the same as yours; whoever parked that car there set it up perfectly.
Yes, photos are always a challenge at shows. When you can manage a good composition it’s nice. Thank you for visiting our site.