During the crime spree that Bonnie & Clyde were eventually gunned down for, they stole a series of automobiles, switching often in order to keep the police off their trail. It appears, however, that Clyde Barrow’s love for Fords may have been his (and Bonnie’s) undoing.
The lore of Bonnie & Clyde was very real back in the 30’s. Due to the Depression and the hardship it imposed on average Americans, Bonnie & Clyde represented the survival instincts that many people identified with. Due to the extensive newspaper and radio coverage, they became folk heroes of sorts, equal in many ways to movie stars and popular singers. The unusual combination of a man and woman crime duo-with it’s romantic implications-made the two cult figures long before their death.
It appears that Clyde’s love of Fords may have caused him to hang onto one particular car a bit too long. Clyde even wrote something of a fan letter to Henry Ford regarding his product:
“Dear Sir,
While I still have breath in my lungs, I will tell you what a dandy car you make. I have drove (sic) Fords exclusively when I could get away with one. For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got every other car skinned and even if my business hasn’t been strictly legal it don’t hurt to tell you what a fine car you got in the V8”
We’ll never know if Ford ever considered using that letter for promotional reasons, but he certainly did not incorporate it into the company’s advertising.
After their ambush killing by police, the car-originally stolen of course, was returned to the rightful owner following a court battle with police, who were making money off its notoriety. It was on this date in 1973 that the bullet-riddled 1934 sedan sold for $175,000 to Peter Simon of Jean, Nevada. It has been bought and sold several times.
Watch the interesting story of the Bonnie & Clyde Ford below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzbLWto-bcU
If you’d like my blog in your e-mail daily, just let me know! Tim.moore@citcomm.com
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