Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

While you guys were out having fun and looking at cool cars at Street Machine Nationals, I was on the dreaded family vacation. My mom had asked me a while ago if I would want to go with my folks and grandparents to the Henry Ford Museum over in Detroit. Without having an input on the dates, mom planned it over the car show. At first I was pretty bummed to be missing the show, and then I thought, the show will be there next year, but how many more chance am I going to have to go on a vacation with my grandparents. The trip turned out to be awesome. We drove across the U.P. down to Detroit, spent three days there, and then back up across the U.P. for a total of one week. I must say, the sightseeing was great, but getting there was not. We rented a mini van, and being the youngest, and under 25 (couldn't drive) I was given the honor of the very back seat. Seven days in the rear of a mini van with his folks and grandparents will test a mans patience to the extreme. I would highly recommend the museum to anyone looking for a close vacation. The staff was very knowledgeable, many cool artifacts, and lots of cool places to see. 

On the way over we spent a day on Mackinac island. It was a little too touristy for me, but still a cool island. The Grand Hotel, is very impressive and was the highlight of the island.

Here is the Mackinac Bride. Very impressive engineering at hand. 

The Henry Ford Museum is split into three parts. Greenfield Village, which is composed of 1700's farms, houses of famous people, working factories, and artifacts. The museum itself. As well as a tour of the F-150 assembly line. We did the Village on the first day

The Wright Brothers house. 

Henry Fords childhood house.

A working train turntable. I have to think I am now the strongest guy in the club. I was able to move this 42 ton machine, pretty much by myself. It was amazing how easy it was to push, slowing it down was the bigger problem. 

Almost all of the houses on the property are the actual houses and not replicas. The museum went around, and took the houses down, brick by brick, reused as many pieces as possible and reassembled it on the property. Very cool place and easy to spend a full day walking around. 

The museum

Presidential Cars. This is the car that Kennedy was killed in. Hardtops were put on the cars immediately following his assassination and the car was continued to be used by future presidents.

The first Mustang

1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale. 1 of only 6.  Inline 8, overhead cam, 779c.i. 

1931 Dusenberg Model J

2011 Daytona 500 winning car (one of my favorite cars to see as I am a big NASCAR fan) 

1965 Goldenrod which held the landspeed record of 409.277mph until 1991.

TV show host of Innovation Nation, Mo Rocca. This show, is based off of the museum and is a big reason why we decided to go out there. They were filming for the show, and he was a very nice guy. Fun to talk with. 

Insanely huge Locomotive from 1941. 603.5 tons. Top seed of 60mph. Thing was massive!

The Wright Brothers plane (replica)

The bus that Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up on.

Some impressive guns. The second one down, had a bore of 15/16ths. Looked like a mini cannon.

And long

Words cannot explain how big this generator is.

Overall the Museum has everything you could imagine. Cars, planes, steam engines, tractors, and many other artifacts. On the third we got to tour the F-150 assembly plant. Unfortunately, they weren't producing as they were doing tooling changes for the 2017's but still cool to see. No pictures. I did get a glimpse of the no. 9 2017 Ford Raptor. Looks pretty sweet!

On the way home, we went back across the U.P. We stopped at the Sault Ste. Marie locks and that is pretty fascinating watching those work.

By the time we left the locks, and got up to Whitefish Point, the ship that was going through the locks, had already made it around the point. They haul.

Toured the Great Lakes Shipwrecks Museum

Tahquamenon Falls 

Overall, a very fun and worth while trip. Hope everyone had fun at the show. So sorry to hear about the theft and vandalism though. Sorry for all the pictures, but enjoy!