Henry Ford II was the last of the American auto barons, wielding more power than many kings and presidents. See and hear him come to life in this fascinating 1977 interview.
This quick two-minute clip is actually an excerpt from an hour-long 1977 documentary by the Canadian Broadcasting Company called Henry Ford’s America. It’s a priceless historical document and when you have the time, be sure to watch it. (Mac’s Motor City Garage, April 23, 2016.) Meanwhile, this brief interview from the program provides a fascinating glimpse of the company’s namesake and one of the last auto moguls, Henry Ford II.
Raised from birth to rule his grandfather’s auto company, Henry II has been called unbelievably arrogant, and that’s fair by most accounts. But he was also totally frank and honest, most of all to himself, and he devoted his life to preserving the Ford Motor Company. In this interview, Ford describes his stormy takeover of the company in 1946, when he was only 27, and also discusses the challenges faced by the automaker in the 1970s, including Ralph Nader. Here’s an awesome opportunity to meet one of the car industry’s most intriguing personalities. Video below.
Well okay! The Deuce speaks. Need to see if he was interviewed by Crippen for the U-M Dearborn oral history project. Fascinating guy, had the imperial sceptre.
That’s an interesting clip, no doubt.