Rochester, Ind

Oh no! Lost the main crank bearing 90 miles from Dearborn! Fortunately it was right in front of a BBQ Restaurant that has terrific food! And ice cream, waiting for AAA to get towed in to Dearborn.

We pulled the bad engine yesterday and installed a brand new touring engine in the 400, at the trouble tent yesterday. Unfortunately it immediately lost the timing gear. So, this morning we’re back at it.

We had a great welcome dinner at the Henry Ford Museum.

So with the car troubles behind us we headed out to Detroit and surrounding sites. First stop was Hitsville USA – Motown. “Hitsville U.S.A.” is the nickname given to Motown’s first headquarters. A former photographers’ studio located at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, near the New Center area, it was purchased by Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1959. We toured this facility as well as the famous Studio A, where The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five and many more got their start.

Next stop was to the Piquette Avenue Plant where Henry Ford designed and refined the Model T Ford.

So our Grand Tour ended yesterday at Greenfield Village, a “town” set up by Hebert Ford to remind people about our past and some of the wonderful inventions in the early part of the 20th Century. Here you can see the Wright Brothers original bicycle shop, Thomas Edison’s laboratory brought from Menlo Park, NJ., Booker T Washington’s home and many other unique buildings from the 20th Century.