A golden opportunity...

[Anthony Bennett]

What if I told you we could teach 2.5million people how cool it is to own a T Ford?

There's but a few thousand people here who :
a) love and cherish old cars
b) think WhistlinDiesel is a f#@kwit
c) are angry about this YouTube video where he sets about wrecking a '27 model (link at the bottom)



The thing is that after 2 days he's got 2.5 million views and that's a lot of people who already consume car content and when you get into the comments... they're wincing just like we are.

Lots of them are already impressed about how well the old girl handled the off road driving though, it's right there in the clickbait headline image... which presents us with a golden opportunity.

If you have some time and want to see some good come from the demise of that poor old car, go make some comments in the YouTube video. Link to your local T Ford Club, recruit some young people, take them out for ice cream.

The old car community won't get engagement like this posting pictures of old people in old clothes doing old car shows.

Like him or loathe him, this guy is -very good- at garnering an audience, usually by doing outrageous things with expensive cars, but two years ago he did similar things to a Toyota Hilux and that's been seen 12million times since.

Forget about reporting this guy to the "authorities" the damage has been done and instead we should leverage that audience to make sure some good comes of it.

It might be perverse but then again Sir Elton John's most ardent fan leapt out of a crowd and stabbed him just to make sure she would be remembered forever.

Let's be honest, 14million T Fords have already suffered a far less glorious end.

This time we're presented with a golden opportunity to launch the T Ford into a crowd of people who never realised they too can own the toughest, most numerous, most fun... and most importantly the friendliest car culture there has ever been.

It's the car the century, let's explain it to them, without being the grumpy old curmudgeons that hang "look but don't touch" signs on everything.

https://youtu.be/EdmOc6jna88

[Professor Fate]

I made it to 5:22 and had to turn it off......
sad, sickening, heart wrenching.
A perfect waste of a great little car.

Any one of us could have saved it. I have a friend who is a young man in his 30's that wishes for a T to make memories with sharing it with his little kids.....
I guess I can only ask,
"Can I have the wheels?"

[Susanne]

I would certainly love to find a '27 T (actually ANY T) over here that I could afford, that would save it from the (deleted obscenity) (more deleted obscenities) that this Whistlingdip**** and his ilk want to destroy to somehow get "points" to "monitize" their abusive, destructive public behavior...

Dead serious. This moron thinks he's cute, and relies on schlocky shock value (kind of like Howard Stern in his bad days) to make himself famous. I guess that's a "thing" now, kind of like excusing abhorrent antisocial behavior...

I guess doing the right thing wouldn't get him his precious youtube hits, so I won't hold my breath.

[Keith Daniels]

I watched a few minutes, the guy is a blooming idiot. yes promotion and trying to bring attention to the subject is good, but the people that watch this guy would not be a benefit!

[Professor Fate]

Promoting the hobby, cannot come by destroying the very thing that IS the hobby.
This guy should go back to paddles and beanies at his community collage frat house...

[Bryant]

I may be wrong but Iam certain that the future of the T will be secured by the families of enthusiasts that have preserved and promoted them. To think that launching the model T into a crowd that may now think they will become famous by destroying it doesn’t sound like a good idea. Linking and commenting on this YouTube video will only promote it regardless of one’s position.
Bryant

[Jeff5015]

If he treated a top-of-the-line Tesla the same way it would have failed sooner. More than likely with a very serious battery fire.

[John kuehn]

This is like destroying the past and everything now is better. A turn off for a lot of old car people.

[Scott_Conger]

I remember quite a while ago (when I still had a TV) that there were these crazies, going around destroying antiquities and cultural monuments. They were clearly having a ball.

Toward the end of the clip, we were told who they were...someone who we had never hear of but would soon be famous: TALIBAN

they got a lot of views, too.

[tdump]

Can't help but wonder who sold him the car knowing this is what he would do with it.And why they are even in the old car hobby.
to those that seem so nonchalant about this whole thing, I can't help but wonder why they are even in a hobby related to anything old if they think it is ok to ruin it? go play with beenie babies and leave preserving history and the habits that go with it to us folks that do it for the right reasons.
My opinion of it, if a person wanted Youtube attention related to a old car or truck, they could buy several nice examples,and go to areas of the country where people lost their homes and collector cars to natural disasters or vandalism or theft, and bring a camera and a replacement for their heirloom and help bring healing and happiness to that empty spot in their lives. Yea, I know, if I lost my T pickup, Grundy would give me a check for 8000 dollars. But someone pulling up the yard with a similar truck that took that same amount of work to build and said,"here Mr Cole, we want to bring back at least some of the joy you lost". I would be grateful . and it would bring views,heck they did it with houses on tv for years.

[aDave]

Anthony has a valid point....

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" - or words to that effect.

Invite others to come ride in your T. I do mine.

Cheers,

Dave

[BobD]

@Anthony Bennett. All great suggestions. However, I don't think there will be much luck in this endeavor. Majority of YouTube commenters are cheering him on, some even going so far as requesting destructive videos on other items. Sad.

[Gen3AntiqueAuto]

I wrote him just now, offered to restore it for him (as a joke). If you all go on that video (ugh) and put a comment down "Send it to WTD to get restored" it would be hillarious. I actually need the hubs off that mess if they survived.

[Paradise Garage]

This guy gives me the sh**s. people like him make me mad. People who aren’t bothered by him cannot understand the way that it makes me and others feel. I am not a violent person but i would be if we ever came face to face. Words can’t solve some things.

[Susanne]

So the poster here (a guy, going by "Anthony Bennett", with FOUR posts here) thinks monetizing a destructive and craven act on youtube is quite acceptable, and thinks those of us who want to keep these cars around are, what, idiots who don't respect the guy becoming RICH on destroying a model T? Even better, wants to make sure he shoves this down OUR throats once again??

How about a youtube of 35 minutes of repeated, violent rape shown forcibly to a rape survivors group as a "golden opportunity"? Yeah, that sounds like the next opportunity to score some hit money on YouTube...

[TXGOAT2]

We used to keep online gambling in a jar by the door. It's gone now. I think the cat carried it off somewhere when we let him out one evening late last month. Or, he may have eaten it. Darned old cat will eat anything. We've tried zip ties, to no avail. The Vatican has been no help, although we did get a letter expressing sympathy.

[Allan]

Susanne, take a deep breath, and calm down.

The original poster is an avid model T owner/driver, and has been all his life, starting way back in 1984 or thereabouts. He restored his own 10 cwt lorry and has driven it everywhere. He has made long interstate trips to national rallies, driving thousands of miles to get there. Rally participants have welcomed his help and expertise to keep them on the road. He has installed safety seats in a tourer so he can take his kids on runs too. In short, he is of the younger generation we all like to see involved in the hobby.

He is also of the generation that understands social media.If you read his post objectively, you will see he does not condone the action, but sees a way that we can leverage the interest it has engendered to get a whole new a whole new cohort of people into participating in our hobby.

Allan Bennett, from down under.

[Susanne]

Can't help but calm down' I'm in hospital for the next 10 days!

But not over this. (I don't think so anyway!! )

People know my feelings on these cars I''ve been around for almost 60 years, (1967-68), so, um, yeah.

But it's all cool!!!

[1925 Touring]

If he treated a top-of-the-line Tesla the same way it would have failed sooner. More than likely with a very serious battery fire.

I know he made a video on the Tesla but I didn't watch it not wanting to patronize him and his stupid ways. I did, however end up seeing some sort of clip with a him putting a chainsaw on the seats.

[Steve Jelf]

Taking Anthony's advice:

I've heard descriptions of what's in this video, so I won't support it by adding my click to the views. Rather than address the guy who seeks attention by being an ignorant jerk, I'll write for the folks who read the comments. You'll do yourself a big favor if you feed your appreciation for these historical treasures. Becoming a Model T guy or gal is a very enjoyable and satisfying pursuit for many thousands of people. The care and feeding of a T is more affordable than many other antiques, and whether you show, or shop, or travel in a T, it can be a very enjoyable part of your life. Try it. You might like it.

[Afrazer]

https://youtu.be/Pv1XOJYdfcg This one is much better to watch. Part of the video is his normal content but he took the car footage while the National T Tour was happing in June 2023. Nice guy to talk to and his videos are good if you don’t mind hot wheels.

[Flyingpiper59]

Respectfully….. and I preface this to say to my way of thinking…… video is moronic….to “leverage” it to draw attention to the hobby?
No folks…not interested!…..poor taste….inane!

But, to each his own, and I have always respected everyone’s opinion, regardless of whether I agree with it or not!

I for one can think of many video presentations that would do the hobby far more justice!

I’m off to fly the big scary airplane to Anchorage … assuming I can settle my stomach, lol

Cheers!

[Paradise Garage]

This guy sucks

[Scott_Conger]

Post reported

"good bye" seems inadequate

[Susanne]

"good bye" seems inadequate

I was thinking more along the lines of "good riddiance", except the post was reported days ago and it's still up. I wonder if the whole thread could be removed...

I still find it funny that other T people here seem to thing *I'm* have an apoplectic fit... I don't see any one else being told to "Calm down", eh?

Suspect there are people here who love the whole car destruction snuff film genre of this turdball... It just makes me sad as right now, over here, I would just about die to find a car like that one to take home, nurture, care for, and bring back to life. All that "male crossbred donkey" wants is attention, like the little kid doing the "jet engine" scream in the supermarket. It's NOT "furthering the hobby", it's emboldening others to take something rare and of precious value o some and destroy it for a thrill and youtube money and glory.

Ever heard of Loeb and Leopold? They were kindred spirits to this kid.

[Scott_Conger]

Suzanne

my post was in response to a foul, "F" laced diatribe by a new poster. The post has since been edited.

[Paradise Garage]

I did edit my post I do get worked up over this assholes video and I overspoke my piece I suppose. I apologize for that and I did delete it. However it is unfortunate people get offended easily here. I suppose I need to keep in mind many people seem to get hurt by words today even when the words are not directed toward them. Personally no foul language or verbal attacks on me would make me feel anywheres close to angry as this video does. I hate this guy and his disrespect for vehicles. Hope St.Peter feels the same about him as I do. (I also expected the forum to automatically change a swear word to something else most forums do)

[Scott_Conger]

There are kids who come here, but regardless, no one comes here hoping for or expecting the invectives you were slinging around. This is at least the 2nd post you've done this and had to edit. I'm no prude but I'm your mother, either, so at some point self-control needs to kick in to maintain some semblance of congeniality and respectfulness here. Lots of information and decent folks here who are willing and able to help and advise, but burning bridges here is not in your your best interest.

[Paradise Garage]

Yes. I do understand and I did apologize. I do find it disgusting to see a video of a model t getting raped like that. I didn’t expect to run into things like that here either. It would be comparable to promoting torturing of animals for fun on PETA,s website. This sort of video is bound to anger people. Some people are much better at containing their feelings and responding in a good matter which I have already proven I am not one of those people