theoldwizard Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) I just visited the Dearborn area after a while away (I live in Florida on the beach now -- only return to visit, not to stay). Things to do in D'born and surrounding area: (a) Michigan Ave. and Outer Drive - Eat at La Pita, get the lamb kabobs. Some will claim that La Sheesh (sp?) was better until the government shut them down for tax evasion, supporting middle east terrorists and one family member lying on her application to the FBI (yes, she was hired and worked there for years) (B) Grab a beer at Miller's, on Michigan Ave. just north of Telegraph. It's "on your honor" and the burgers rule. Fix your compass. A couple blocks East of Telegraph on the North side of the street. c ) Check out Bailey's on Michigan Ave. north of Outer Dr. to check out the local talent. Compass off again. South side of the street, several blocks East of Outer Dr., actually much closer to Oakwood Blvd. Not certain what you mean by "local talent", but the professionals dance at the Silver Cricket on Michigan Ave. a few blocks West of Telegraph. You missed my favorite watering hole, Cheli's Chill Bar on Michigan and Oakwood. (d) The Henry Ford is cool, the Rouge is neat. I worked at the ROB for a few years, and enjoyed heading over to DTP on lunch to see the assembly line. The whole bit with the frame being matched to the powertrain is pretty cool, even after you seen a few times. (e) Go to Ann Arbor while you are in town and see where the LL5s live. Lots to do downtown, and you'll still see a bunch of Fords, and Saabs. Home of Billy Ford. You can see him driving himself to work around 7AM on I-94. I think Edsel is "old school" and live in one of the Grosse Pointes (far east side) although he is officially retired. (f) Check out Depot Town in Ypsilanti. Go to Aubree's, get a Frog Island brew (once a Huron, always a Huron). (g) Have a Vernor's, Vernor's isn't Vernor's any more ! They sold out years ago and true Detroiters know that they changed the formula when it was sold. Have a Boston Cooler ! New Era potato chips are long gone, but the yown of New Era lives on ! a Faygo, Hard to find Red Pop and Rock 'n' Rye these days and enjoy some Sander's hot fudge. Still available, but hard to find. (h) Listen to 107.1. Dick Purtan, an infamous AM radio DJ from the 60's is on 104.3 He actually was the DJ in the opening scenes of Beverly Hills Cop III ! He still brags about his residual checks a couple time a years. He claims they are less than a dollar ! You didn't mention the Hockeytown Cafe across from Comerica Park ! I can come up with a list of closed Ford Engineers facilities ! First, has to be Powertrain Operation and Engine Engineering (known by us old timers as EEE), right next to the Henry Ford Museum and the Automotive Hall of Fame on Oakwood Blvd. This was the first build Henry built exclusively for engineering. It has Henry's personal office, fully restored, and library. It also is the home of "Mahogany Row" and the Ford Management Height Chart. Hopefully, someday this will be open to the public. Now it sits quietly rotting. Edited September 24, 2008 by theoldwizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) Spend some time driving the blocks around the Henry Ford Museum. Never know what you might see, and you'll know where about half the Ford spy photos come from. Ground Zero for Prototypes entering and leaving the secure area is right down the street from an old Hotel (the Dearborn Inn, I think). Correct ! The Dearborn Inn was the very first airport hotel. Built by Henry Ford so that potential customers that flew in on Tri-Motors and landed across the street (at what now is the Dearborn Proving Grounds) had some place to spend the evening ! Also head out to Livonia (10 minute drive) Ford's transmission development center is out there and so is another lot full of mules. 30+ years of commuting to/from Dearborn/Livonia and I never made it in less than 20 minutes B) Add 5 more if you want to get to ATNPC (Automatic Transmission New Product Center) Jack Roush's headquarters are couple blocks West of Stark (the West side of the plant), just North of Plymouth Road. I think all the racing stuff is down south now, but you still might see some interesting prototypes being loaded on a transporter, and many are not Ford brand ! The best legitimate attraction that no one has mentioned here yet is the Benson Ford research center on the Henry Ford Museum grounds. They have every car related publication you can think of and its all free. No one mentioned Fairlane Manor, on the campus of U of M Dearborn, off of Evergreen just North of Michigan Ave.. This was Henry's home for many years. Tours and lunch available in the pool room (yes, an indoor swimming pool, now filled in) Edited September 24, 2008 by theoldwizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) For true out of town Ford geeks, you can actually drive through the Dearborn Research and Engineering Center. About a half mile South of Michigan Ave on Oakwood Blvd. is the main entrance on the west side of the street. Kind of kitty corner from the Henry Ford Museum. Enter through the iron gates and you will be on Village Road. There are no guards. If you keep going straight, you will pass Body Engineering, Dyno Building, Research and Innovation Center and Fuel Systems. If you make a left as you exit you will be on Outer Drive and will pass Buildings 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1. in that order. They have names but no one ever uses them. I guess technically you are on private property so obvious use of a camera would be a bad thing. If you had turned to the East on Village Road off of Oakwood Blvd, to your right behinds the buildings, is the Dearborn Test Track. As you drive along, you will come to the infamous "sine wave brick wall". Designed by Henry Ford, this 10' high brick wall is only one brick thick ! Most masons will tell you that is impossible because a one brick thick wall lacks enough rigidity to withstand a stiff wind. However, because the wall is a sine wave, each brick is a bit offset from its neighbor. Holds up fine to the wind. Not so good to any car that ran off the track ! Edited September 24, 2008 by theoldwizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbmphil Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Don't drive through on the weekend though!^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OHV 16V Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Just got back from Dearborn and World HQ last week. ( I stayed at the Hyatt next door...) I always try to check out something different everytime I'm up there. theoldwizard, thanks for the helpful tips, that gives me a few more items to check out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonj80 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Vernor's isn't Vernor's any more ! They sold out years ago and true Detroiters know that they changed the formula when it was sold. Okay way way off topic but it wasn't changed when it was sold it was changed as old Vernor's was sweetened with Stevia, in '91 the FDA banned it, basically because the farm lobby wanted it banned as it was cheaper and sweeter than HFCS -- same reason we tax raw sugar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) Don't drive through on the weekend though!^^^ Yeah. A lot of time the back gate is locked. I doubt the rent a cops get out of the P&A building more than once a shift ! Ford got rid of all their own security and replaced them with rent a cops about 3 or 4 years ago. They had gotten rid of their Fire/Safety personnel about a year before that. About 2 years ago we got a warning light on a computer room fire suppression panel. It took 3 days and multiple phone call to Security and me finally demanding to speak to the shift supervisor to find out why they were not doing anything about it. Turns out they did not know that 1) they were responsible for it and 2) they had the only key to open the panel. Luckily it only took 4 of them to find the button labeled "Reset" and push it ! Edited September 24, 2008 by theoldwizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Just got back from Dearborn and World HQ last week. ... Next time, for something different, stay at the Dearborn Inn on Oakwood. A bit pricey, but very "old timey". Their lunch buffet used to be called "The Fat Mans Club"; endless shrimp bowl, carved roast beef, etc, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixt9coug Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 Next time, for something different, stay at the Dearborn Inn on Oakwood. A bit pricey, but very "old timey". Their lunch buffet used to be called "The Fat Mans Club"; endless shrimp bowl, carved roast beef, etc, etc. The Holiday Inn Suites doesnt give us endless roast beef..... hmmph. a couple of free beers doesnt stand a chance against free roast beef. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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