Situated in the middle of a corn field near the tiny Northeast Missouri town of Bethel is a community called Heartland. Amongst the restaurants, housing developments, and dairy is the Heartland Ford Museum, off in the corner of the Solid Rock Cafe. It has a variety of Ford products from 1906 to 2012.
When I say “off in the corner”, it is no exaggeration. I took this picture from my seat in the restaurant. My last time here was about four years ago, prior to my involvement with CC. So let’s do like I did–eat some ice cream and stroll around looking at the cars. With a dairy on campus, ice cream comes with every meal.
The collection is varied, so let’s go in sections.
For all you Mustang fans, they did not fall short. This is a very early Mustang.
I say that due to the 260 engine emblem on the front fender; Ford swapped over the 289 soon after introducing the Mustang. The 260 was bolted to an automatic transmission.
This 1985 GT is powered by a 302 with a four barrel carburetor and a five-speed manual transmission. Maybe it’s those gnarly vibes, that are, like, so ’80s, man, but this Mustang is, like, totally radical.
If you like newer Mustangs, you are in luck. The two nearest the camera were both Cobra models. Unlike the relative modesty of the ’85, these two are like threading a needle with a sledgehammer – which is endearing in its own way.
Not big on Mustangs? Well, let’s keep going since there is something here for everyone. I’ll toss in a few big bodied boulevard cruisers, such as this Lincoln Mark V. Like me, it must have eaten too much, as it appears a bit drowsy. That 460 (7.5 liter) V8 just needs to be awakened.
If you are passively concerned about fuel economy, there was also a 302 (4.9 liter) powered Gold Edition 1988 Lincoln Town Car. Yes, it’s gleefully tacky, yet unapologetically garish with the gold trim. The hood on this Town Car didn’t appear much shorter than that of the Mark V, although the greenhouse on this one is much taller.
Enough of those. Let’s get to the red meat of this collection. And as for red meat from Ford, I nominate this 1906 Ford Model S. This is the car that preceded the Model T.
An adaptation of the Model N, it was the last Ford built with right hand drive for the American market. Only 3,750 were produced.
There were four Model Ts present and accounted for. My favorite T of the day was this 1927 model.
The Model T milk delivery truck had this terrific aftermarket, engine-mounted food cooker. It would be a great way for the delivery man to have a hot, nutritious lunch while making his deliveries.
In the Ford alphabet A follows T and a nice sampling of As were on display.
I once drove a 1929 Model A and would love to do so again.
Since I find myself going in chronological order, this is a great representation of the 1933 Ford. Clyde Barrow would be proud to have liberated the use of this V8 Ford so he and Bonnie Parker could continue their crime spree.
Had Clyde not been eradicated in 1934, he would likely have found great pleasure in this 1940 Mercury. This is one of five body styles Mercury offered that year; total production for Mercury was 81,128 for calendar year 1940. All were powered by a 95 horsepower, 239 cubic inch V8.
This 1955 Lincoln Capri is one of two Lincolns remaining in our tour. This hardtop Capri was the most popular Lincoln that year, with 11,462 going out the door.
No collection seems complete without a retractable hardtop, in this case a 1957 model. As an aside, I recently came across a driver-condition 1959 retractable in a grocery store parking lot. Annoyingly, I did not have my camera.
Not all the convertibles from 1957 to 1959 were Skyliner retractable hardtops; this 1958 was a regular Sunliner convertible. The Sunliner weighed 500 pounds less than the Skyliner.
Even a pickup was on display.
Saving the best for last, this is a 1933 Lincoln KB, the absolute star of the show.
Having peered through the engine vents, I was able to determine this car is packing the 448 cubic inch, 150 horsepower V12, which came standard on the 145″ wheelbase KB series. The higher-level KB series weighed 5,200 to 5,700 pounds depending upon body style.
Note the door, presumably for golf clubs, between the door and rear wheel.
This car had wire wheels behind the chrome covers. Seeing the valve stem near the middle of the wheel was a first for me. Despite it being at the bottom of the picture, it was nowhere near the rim.
Production of Lincolns in 1933 was scant. As this is a two-passenger car, I am using my Encyclopedia of American Cars to deduce this is a LeBaron-bodied convertible roadster, of which only 37 were built between two- and four-passenger styles. If somebody can verify (or refute) my deduction, please speak up in the comments.
This Lincoln was truly breathtaking.
The town of Bethel is a town you won’t stumble upon, but it would be well worth the drive down from Iowa or over from Illinois. This museum is a true gem in a profoundly rural area.
CC effect strikes again as I’ve been listening to the Gaslight Anthem’s Old White Lincoln,I’m one of the few 55 fans..A very attractive car,which would become a gargoyle in 1958.I really like the 57 & 58 convertibles,even more than the 57 Chevys which outnumber them at shows today though I think Ford outsold them in 57 & 58.
Thanks for a great read and photos
Great song!
Your closeup of the S is interesting. We tend to think of the T as the Real Start Of Ford, but in fact the T was a smooth transition from the S, with lots of shared parts. Your picture shows the sharedness nicely.
Mixing a restaurant with a museum seems like a risky proposition. Even with well-behaved Iowans as customers, food can sometimes splash to considerable distances. Drop a coffeecup in a soupbowl, and there goes the brass radiator.
A nice Museum , a nice writeup , THANK YOU ! .
-Nate
The flipped headlights do look drowsy when stuck half open from the upper edge, and it almost looks like eyebrows.
I saw a facelifted black Mark VIII with later version rims.
Franklin Mint has a nice 1/24 Ford Skyliner with retractable roof, and it could be picked up cheap on ebay with enough patience. But for the weight, the shipping cost ended up as much as for the car to me. Still a great deal for the retractable roof though, it’s the best money spent on diecast model ever.
I have a 1/18 ’57 Skyliner by Sun Star, also with operable rectracting mechanism. The detailing is probably nicer on the Franklin Mint but the 1/18 fits with the scale of some of my other models…also an eBay pickup for me.
Looks like a small but nice collection! Were the headlight doors still vacuum-operated on the Mark V? That could explain the “drowsy” look. And the gold package on that Town Car can’t have been factory, can it?
Love the Skyliner also and the oldies are well-represented–it must be quite a coup for a small museum to have the likes of that Model S, to say nothing of that gorgeous Lincoln KB!
I also spy a Mark VIII lurking in one of the photos–probably the first time I can say a model of car I once owned is in a museum! (Alas, as I get older, probably won’t be the last…)
Yes, the FoMoCo system for hidden headlight doors used vacuum to overcome some very stiff springs which made the doors default to open. Sleepy or winking Lincolns were once a common sight.
IIRC, Ford ran through pretty much the whole alphabet to “T”, but the Model A was considered to be such a leap forward, that they decided to start over with “A”. Thanks for the wonderful photo tour!
I generally have no interest in pre-WWII vehicles of any make, but these have all gotten more than a second glance from me. Awesome.
What a fun museum. That 85 Mustang GT catapults me right back to 1985 when I was shopping. I have had few non-negotiables when it comes to cars, but matte black trim is one of them. And this thing is loaded with the stuff. Reminds me why I did a pivot to the GTI.
That 39-40 Mercury coupe always fascinated me. It looked very close to a hardtop with it’s very thin door uppers/window frames. One body style that was never shared with Ford.
I will have to flip a coin with Gem on the white 55 Lincoln. I have always loved that design, so clean, elegant and restrained.
Even though I bought two Mercury Capri 5.0L RSs back then, that Mustang GT really rings my bells. Although I know my G6 will out run, out brake, out steer and go further on a gallon of gas, one of those would put me back in my mid-20’s again…
Another view of the ‘Stang…
Looks just like the one I test drove in 1985.
When I lived in Memphis, Tn. I was so close to several different car museums, but regret that I only managed to ever get to The Lane.
I’m not a fan of pre-WW II cars, but I am a Ford fan and some of those 30s Fords (and Lincolns) are just so beautiful.
I have to say I’ve never seen a Lincoln with a “gold package” that looked like the one pictured. Gold headlight bezels?
Next time I’m in that “neighborhood” I have to look this place up.
Hope the food is as good as the eye candy is for desert. Too bad it’s no where close to me, seems to be worth checking out. Nice find. Agree the 33 Lincoln is the star of the show, what a great looking car. I can almost see Al Capone behind the wheel.
Man oh man that four-eyed Mustang GT looks fantastic! It’s 30 years older than the red 2015 model and hardly seems any less sporty or modern. The ’57 Ford has to be one of Ford’s best designs ever, in terms of customer appeal. It has such a happy face.
Clarification on the ’33 Lincoln: this is a Model KA, powered by the new-for-1933 382 ci twelve which is a completely different engine than the 448 ci KB Twelve. For 1934, the 448 ci KB engine was dropped, the 382 ci enlarged to 414 ci where it powered all subsequent Model K Lincolns through the 1939. One major difference internally is the KB was the last Lincoln engine with fork and blade connecting rods.
For 1932 and 1933, the KB was built on the 145″ wb chassis, the KA on 136″ wb. Only for 1932 and 1933 KB models have the 448 ci Twelves. The ’32 KA still has the V8 of 385 ci carried over from the prior years, While the KA engine was changed to the smaller twelve for 1933, the KA wheelbase remained at 136″.
The body style here is called the Convertible Roadster, Model 513, is built by Murray as a factory catalogued body style, not the LeBaron series custom as noted. At $3,350 without sidemounts, $200 more with, it was still very much an upmarket luxury car in the depth of the Depression.
The number produced for the two KA Convertible Roadster models are as follows:
513A without rumble seat: 42
513B with rumble seat: 43
For comparison, only 24 KB Convertible Roadster by LeBaron were sold.
Thank you! I researched this for quite a while and could find nothing 100% convincing in any direction – especially since I hadn’t measured the wheelbase.
You’re welcome! Look at and study enough Lincolns over enough decades, sooner or later sight identification becomes second nature and your mind fills with the specifications for various models…….its happened to me…….
Pre WW2 Fords were so well styled for a cheap car they mostly look great the 37 probably the only ugly duckling, great museum.
Er ;
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‘ Low Cost ‘ ~ not ” cheap ” .
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=8-) .
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Agreed , those were so beautiful , too bad they were saddled with worthless (IMO,also worthless) Flathead engines and ‘ push & pray ‘ mechanical brakes….
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-Nate
1937 the ugly duckling? With that Zephyr-inspired grille and teardrop headlights? Everyone’s entitled to their opinion I suppose, but that’s not one I hear very often.
The 1938 Deluxe/1939 Standard, on the other hand, with the goofy almost heart-shaped grille; now that one was “challenging”.
Looking at all the models here from say 1910 forward in sequence, something occurred to me- when they gradually changed from open wheels to enclosed wheels, from (large)headlights mounted on fenders to (smaller) enclosed ones, from tall passenger cabins to lower ones, etc., cars became less appealing and anonymous somehow and have never recovered. It’s hard to describe exactly but it’s like they degenerated from works of art to just appliances. I’m always joyous when I look at one of the early ones but not so much 1940’s forward.
EDIT- Part of this is the angularity. When they went from obtuse and square to streamlined this effect started.
Rich ;
I hope you can get some drive time in an oldie ~ either you’ll be thrilled (me) or you’ll think ‘ nice but I’ll stick with my modern ‘ .
-Nate
Nate-
Both I’m sure! Last July several model As appeared at a local fly-in and it never occurred to me to ask for a ride. I’ll bet it’s both thrilling and I suppose hair-raising? Possibly the really old ones are best admired and not driven.
I can’t say I recall when my first ‘A’ Model Ford ride was but as I have said many times : they’re good daily drivers and not hard to make into Freeway Fliers……
If I still owned one , I’d give you a ride , i drove the wheels off all four of mine .
-Nate
NIce, but how was the ice cream?
I’m with some others here loving that ’85 Mustang GT. To my eyes it just looks right. I think I’d rather have one of those than an older or newer one. Once again it’s from the era in which I started driving which for many people is what they identify with. Great tour, thanks!
The ice cream was pretty decent.
That ’85 Mustang spoke to me more than a lot of the other cars did. The shifter appeared to be at the ideal angle and the engine is ripe for modification – or plenty healthy for the time as is.
See, we’re close to the same age and Mustang is one of those nameplates that just transcends location and background…They are cool pretty much anywhere. And you’re right, it has to be one of the most tunable cars out there with huge support and practically limitless opportunity.
Your Ford van, on the other hand… 🙂
That 1940 Mercury is a tight design. Looks really appealing, as does the 55 Lincoln and the Mark V. Drowsy; hehehe. And the 57 retractable looks positively startled.
Thanks for a nice write up !
I enjoyed them all, but the one I would pick is the 1958 Ford Sunliner. I have always been a big fan of the 58 Fords. When I was in High School, my uncle had a 58 Fairlane 2 Door sedan with 3 speed column shift. He replaced the 332 with a 1964 Police Interceptor 390. It made for a nice sleeper. I wanted to own that car but my Father was too practical to help me out.
Yesterday, I ran across a nicely restored early Model A Fordor parked next to me in the WalMart parking lot. If I’d had any camera other than my crappy cell phone, it would have made a fine CC Outtake.
What a neat place. Next time we go visit our friend in Columbia we will make a stop in Bethel, MO. I noticed how brightly lit it is. Much brighter than the Antique Car Museum of Iowa in Coralville, IA.
Deservedly, the ’58 Ford rarely gets kind comments. But, its front is quite good looking compared to the bug-eyed ’57. I never understood the ’57 headlight treatment in light of how generally handsome the rest of the ’57 is. Nice tour, thank you!
Always thought the front clip of the 1958 Ford would have looked good with the back end of the ’57 Ford.
In the 1960’s a lot of Ford men agreed ~ the ’57 & ’58 front clips inter change ~ not so the ’59’s .
Me , I like the slimmer looks of the ’57s ~ especially the Fairlanes .
-Nate
I wish that ’85 Mustang GT that I almost bought for $2,500.00 in 1996 was as nice as the one pictured