When Your Dad Is Henry Ford II, Take Your Kid to Work Day Means Destroying Ferrari

It was early afternoon on June 18, 1966, when the helicopter descended from the sky, landing on a helipad by the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans. Record crowds had turned out to witness the 24-hour classic—some 350,000 people gathered for a climactic war of speed between Ford of Dearborn and Ferrari of Maranello. From out of the chopper came Henry Ford II (“the Deuce”), the grandson of Ford’s founder and one of the most powerful chief executives of his time. Beside him was his son Edsel Ford II, then just 17 years old. All around them, the crowds surged. “It was absolutely extraordinary,” Edsel Ford says, looking back.

The great-grandson of Henry Ford rarely gives interviews. But we caught up with Edsel to look at these old photographs (most of which have never been published), hoping they would jar memories loose. And, man, did they ever.

“I remember my father suggesting that maybe I should come with him to France,” Edsel says. “I thought that was an absolutely wonderful idea for lots of reasons, but primarily because that would give me some time to spend with my father. That was important to me.” He recalls being thankful for the helicopter, not because it was cool to fly in but because of security. “It was wonderful to have the helicopter so we could get out quickly. There were lots of people. From a security point of view, for my father especially, it was a good idea.”

Henry Ford II was the grand marshal of the race that year. He was sharply dressed in coat and tie and had his new wife on his arm, the beautiful Maria Cristina Vettore Austin Ford, who had bet $1000 on Ferrari to win. “After all,” she said, “I’m Italian!”

Reporters peppered Henry II with questions. “Ford is an international company,” he told one, “with branches all over the free world. We feel a good showing by our products at Le Mans will reflect favorably on us in the countries where we do business.”

As the grand marshal, the Deuce waved the French flag to start the action. “Those were the days,” Edsel recalls, “when the drivers ran across the track to start the cars.” The 7.0-liter V-8s of the GT40s exploded to life, along with the 4.0-liter Ferrari V-12s. “You think of the engines in those vehicles,” says Edsel. “I sure would like to hear that again now.”