Highways and Byways - 1934

This evocative film from the early 1930s takes the viewer on a journey from Land's End to John O'Groats, giving them to opportunity to see all manner of Ford vehicles from that period in action. This includes Ford Populars and V8s through to trucks, tractors and even boats -- all using Ford engines. We see some impressive off-road action alongside nostalgic views of the British countryside along the way.

[@philhealey449]

Much ranting yesterday about childhood trauma pushing various 1950's and 60's Fords on damp mornings,why am I back for more of this?

[@l337pwnage]

That car has more suspension travel, flexibility, and ground clearance than many modern "4x4's", lol.

[@hurleyfunbags]

The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway features at 4.23. This railway is now being rebuilt after it was closed in the 1930's.

[@deanosah]

I may only be a baby boomer but I still remember our Ford Pop which was our 1st family car, bought new 66 years ago. It pulled our family Caravan to Norfolk for annual family Holiday. I am told it was based on the prewar Model Y show in this film. Happy memories

[@150enduro]

Wonder how many springs they went through. Older mechanics will have a giggle about this. Very good though

[@whutteretbrock2181]

How many springs and tyres were changed?

[@alexmckenna1171]

I loved this, as my dad moved from Scotland in 1929 to work on Ford cars in Dagenham, (initially as their Briggs Engineering subsidiary) so he probably helped make all the vehicles on the film. I wish I'd questioned him more about his life then, and during the war, and through to the sixties... But kids aren't interested in the Past are they?

[@smegmalyzer]

+Alex McKenna they become interested in the past when they get older and realise it, like me, loll they actually do when the fun of youth is over, and why not really?

[@sarjim4381]

Great video and travelogue of pre-war Britain for a Yank like me. The Model Y (or Popular) was a direct US design import of the Model B, one of the few US designs produced with almost no changes in Britain. It was also the only closed car ever made in Britain that sold for £100, but only by stripping everything not required by law or basic safety. The side glass reverted to standard plate rather than safety glass, The seats were covered in an early form of vinyl with a thin layer of horsehair over canvas "springs". It was still quite a value at the price and, although not many of the £100 models were sold, the advertised price did bring traffic into the showrooms during the depths of the Depression, and that was the goal.

[@stefandavion4505]

Sorry to be off topic but does someone know of a tool to get back into an instagram account?? I was stupid forgot the password. I would appreciate any help you can give me!

[@larrybrady5180]

@Stefan Davion instablaster :)

[@stefandavion4505]

@Larry Brady I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now. I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@stefandavion4505]

@Larry Brady it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out :D

[@larrybrady5180]

@Stefan Davion glad I could help :)

[@VinnyDaQ]

2:00 Imagine trying to do that with a modern Ford car - the bottom would be ripped out in a heartbeat.

[@bboucharde]

You nailed it.

[@Frates1]

What's rubbish about this, I find it very interesting. Personally I find the this a well made piece considering its from 1934.

[@bboucharde]

All current front-wheel-drive sedans would be torn up in the scenes of the first three minutes of this film. The front CV joints and especially the CV boots would be ruined. And, today's sedans are so low to the ground, that they could not even attempt these rough surfaces.

[@660einzylinder]

it's a shame that the editor was rather 'brutal' in his task, but well worth a look despite that, thanks for posting

[@robertdenton3641]

Wonderful!

[@whutteretbrock2181]

We had to get out and push Dad's Popular up steep hills when I was a kid

[@sarran1955]

Very interesting..'March of Time' style. How life and motoring has changed in 80 years..

[@mikecastellon3022]

Didn’t realize farmers wore a suit and tie to plow

[@phaasch]

Top Gear hasn't changed much in 80 years, has it? Although it was disappointing not to see Hammond in a ditch at any point, and the jokes were a bit thin

[@paulbennet7687]

phaasch Iy .ili

[@minbannister3625]

the V8 is the american model 40 I bet hardly anybody could afford one in those days.

[@supermutant01]

Anyone knows what music is used in this video from 13:58 until 14:16 ? Thanks.

[@edward6960]

I'm afraid, as somone who grew up with and learnt to drive in pre war cars (in my case a Morris 12) I find all this very difficult to take seriously. As somebody bellow has already commented, how many springs must thy have gone through filming this?(Let alone crossply tyres!) The first few cars I drove had little more suspension than the average pram! As for driving through a ford at that speed...forget it, what the film doesnt show is the driver standing at the side of the road for a couple of hours waiting for everything to dry out, before resorting to removing the plugs and heating them up on a bit of asbestos mating with a blow torch!

[@Skoda130]

It's an old commercial movie. Did you really expect to see anything other then propaganda in favor of these cars?

[@l337pwnage]

Complain all you want, but I didn't see any break on camera.

[@jakebrakeify]

Were the Popular & V8 similar to the US Ford models? They look smaller but it's hard to tell.

[@campbejk1]

A bit late, but the larger car referred to as the V8 in the video is the standard US-designed Ford, which was assembled and sold worldwide. The "Popular" was the English-designed small Ford (launched as the Model Y a couple of years before this video was taken) that later became the Ford Eight, Anglia, and Popular. I believe it was the first time Ford allowed one of their overseas subsidiaries to design a different car for local markets.

[@glpilpi6209]

Jonathan Campbell Ford US let Ford UK design a smaller car as vehicles were taxed on horsepower and it made more sense as smaller vehicles were in demand in the British market , however Ford US tested the smaller Y models themselves before they were released on British roads.

[@l337pwnage]

@@glpilpi6209 Horsepower tax? If that happened in the U.S., they'd still sell it with a v8, but just one with a choked off head or really small carb, then the purchaser would just swap out the parts with better ones, or just an entire "hopped up" motor, lol. I still remember my 1990's GM's. There was(I think still is) a "luxury tax" for vehicles that get below a certain MPG rating. GM was able to meet it with CAGS(computer aided gear selection) which forced you do shift their 6 speed manual gearbox from 1st directly to 4th in certain situations. All the owner had to do to bypass that was reach under and unplug it.

[@philhealey449]

Water wheel driving a post mill not a pump?

[@mebeasensei]

Where is the region referred to as 'Screw Hill'? Wales?

[@FordHeritage]

+TommyTwobats Screw Hill is indeed in North Wales, near Nefyn in Gwynedd

[@smegmalyzer]

what a car, better than any of the BL crap i had

[@lesreed7943]

What has BL got to do with prewar Fords? Fool...

[@01322521959]

@@lesreed7943 Let's be polite, in keeping with the feeling in the film, chaps.

[@frankienphil9261978]

Does he say testicles at 4:43?

[@ArtyEffem]

Of course he does, it was a commonly-used word in motoring films of the period. Oh wait, that was 'test hills'.

[@brianknill1]

Rubbish!