What a great week it’s been, with Galpin receiving a visit from the Top Dog of Ford Motor Company, Jim Farley — the man who was kind enough to give The Autopian a shoutout at the Ford holiday party last year. Here’s what we discussed, and here’s The Autopian’s plan for Pebble Beach. (Yes, I’m skipping the Woodward Dream Cruise again. No, I don’t feel great about it).
First off, thank you for being an Autopian member. Your support is critical to the success of this community, we appreciate it more than you know, and we strive everyday to earn your support. Ok, it’s time for a little members-only content, and this time it’s about a visit from Jim Farley, CEO of FoMoCo. He dropped by Galpin Auto Sports to do a couple of things:
First, he and Beau — Autopian cofounder and head of the greatest Ford dealership on earth — talked business (see above). Then Farley met up with a special celeb, but because I don’t know whether I’m allowed to disclose who that was, I’m going to keep that on the DL for now. Then Farley got a look at Galpin Auto Sports’ plans to convert the most perfect convertible Foxbody I’ve ever seen into an EV:
That’s the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT’s front electric motor there in the center (Ford sells it as a crate motor called the “Eluminator“); that’s the old 5.0-liter V8 on the left. I’ll be covering this EV conversion very closely in the coming months, so keep an eye out!
Jim also sat down with a bunch of owners and members of what I think was the F-150 Lightning Club? I can’t quite recall; all I know is that he was really nice to me and that his son drives an E46 BMW M3, so they’re good in my book. Before he left, Farley handed over a framed old Ford press release showing Henry Ford II, Lee Iacocca, and William P. Benton meeting with Beau’s dad Bert, who sadly passed away earlier this year, and about whose life The Autopian plans to write a thorough deep-dive (what a fascinating life he lived) as soon as I’m done helping edit The Galpin Book (which itself is fascinating).
Farley’s visit was part of his “August In America” road trip, whose aim it is “to go and see researchers, businesses, dealers, salespeople, EV conversion shops, EV drivers and communities. There are things you can’t learn in an office or from a PowerPoint.” It’s all about learning, and in the case of Galpin, it was about continuing to improve the dealer-OEM relationship, and also about learning more about EV conversions and how Ford can support them (Farley’s next stop, if I recall correctly, was an EV conversion company).
The photo above shows the truck Farley is driving alongside his BMW M3-owning son. The photo below shows a Lincoln Continental with COACH DOORS (suicide doors).
Yes, it’s one of the extremely rare ones that Lincoln itself offered a few years back, and yes we’re excited to drive it to Pebble Beach. My lord how my life has changed from the Postal Jeep days.
Beau, congrats, that must have been pretty awesome for you.
I have a ton more respect for Jim. I’m halfway through a 2 week family road trip in an Edge, myself.
I like Farley, he seems to say all the right things, has a good vibe and just really seems to be the best CEO out there right now.
But then I have to take a look at reality, and their cars have turned into shit boxes you can’t rely on, right from the factory. The amount of recalls, issues and tsb’s coming out of Ford under him really makes you have to re-think how good he is.
If I am a dealer, I guess the upside is my service department is always busy, but I would prefer to have cars that work.
Basically I’m conflicted on him, but don’t think I would look at anything from Ford outside their Super Duty trucks at this point.
In fairness to Farley, these quality control issues long pre-date his tenure as CEO and it’s almost impossible for any of these issues to get fixed in under a decade (at least for American manufacturers).
Maybe he can take a page out of Hyundai/Kia’s playbook and get the company to offer a 5-year/60k mile bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100k powertrain warranties instead of the skimpy 3/36 and 5/60 they have now. It would show that the company stands by its product and create a greater financial incentive to finally get shit fixed.
As always, this 2007 BBC story about the Andon cord and the cultural mindset differences between Toyota and Ford plants is telling.
I’d love an article on the Andon cord!
The (rusty) gears in my mind are now starting to turn. I’d love to put one together for The Autopian as a contributor! Though, that’s as long as my current employer is ok with me writing for outside media entities haha.
Good point, it isn’t like the “Found On Road Dead” joke came around just when he started.
The head of Fomoco’s son drives a BMW on a Ford press tour? Well I guess its better than the president of the USA’S son possesses an illegal weapon and does coke in the White House.
All Trumps fault.
In fairness, it seems as though he might just own one, not that he necessarily drove his dad around in it on a Ford PR tour.
I mean, don’t we all expect “well, what kind of car do YOU drive? Out with it!” would be the first thing David would ask anyone from the son of a car company CEO to some rando in line at the grocery store?
Do we really need to put up with this kook bullshit here? Why am i paying to read this website?
Jim Farley seems like a good dude, but when I see his face I simply can’t disassociate the fact that he’s Chris Farley’s cousin.
What a guest, great news guys! Looks like Jim is a honestly cool guy. Looking forward to all the related content.
Wow David, you’ve changed! Maybe in for the better LOL
Where the hell is the real David Tracy?? Instead of taking a 3-figure vehicle to the desert to try to destroy it he is taking a 6-figure luxo-barge (a very, very cool barge at that) to Pebble Beach where he is going to feast on caviar and canapés. Seriously who is this imposter, what happened, and where is the real David Tracy?? Does this mean DT is finally growing up (a little?)??
I remember when DT cooked a Thanksgiving dinner on hubcaps and valve covers. Hopefully he took Kristen out for Chinese after that disaster.
If you need a dose of the old DT, go read the post about a kitten and opossum living happily together in one of his vehicles.
OK, here’s what we’ve got: the Rand Corporation, in conjunction with the saucer people, under the supervision of the reverse vampires, placed an opossum inside David’s body which has been secretly controlling him this entire time. But, somehow, the opossum got out, moved into the Jeep and the David we have now is THE REAL DAVID. Think about it. The David we know shared a lot of traits with that of an opossum.
We’re through the looking glass here, people.
It’s like Being John Malkovich, except Being David Tracy. I smell sequel and DT is in LA. Coincidence? I think not.
Honestly, I’d watch that.
Earlier in the week he was on video squealing about a Jeep bed. I think the real David is still in there, but since living in Cali and getting a cat, we are now experiencing Valley DT.
Honestly, the Holy Grail should be going to Pebble Beach, fleas and all.
Go forth and eat the rich, little fleas.