A 1924 Model “T” Ford on display at Mr. Tire on Lee Highway. Photo by Michael McMorrow.
Ninety years of age, her beauty makes heads turn and she still performs her duties perfectly seven days a week. The Model “T” Ford built in 1924 stands in the display window of Mr. Tire on Lee Highway near George Mason Drive in Arlington.
For decades, the automobile tire and servicing business was family-owned and operated as Craven Tire & Auto. In July 2007, Munro Muffler/Brake bought it and changed the trade-name to “Mr. Tire.” During the lead-up to sale, Steve Craven wrestled mightily with a decision more personal than business: What to do with his favorite car, the Model T in his showroom.
Not unusual for someone in his line of work, Craven owned a variety of vehicles over the years. They ranged from a Formula One racer to a “gussied up” golf cart. So the family was not surprised upon learning of his latest whimsical purchase. “Everyone got a kick out of it,” according to Craven, with a younger member judging “that would really be cool.”
An automotive supplier in Fairfax had the 1924 Ford on consignment from a restorer when Craven took notice in the mid-1990s. The car was in operating condition, but he would never drive it on public roads. An unusual feature of the year-model was that some appointments were the same found on luxury line Lincolns. Once arrived at the Lee Highway shop, a mechanic-employee came across a $50 finishing touch on the Internet: a 1924 license plate. For years to the present day, customers and passers-by cannot resist close inspection. All are amazed at the vehicle’s simplicity and the fact that “it works.”
Leaving behind the automotive business logically meant cutting loose from the 1924 Ford, so Craven transferred personal ownership to the business before sale. Mr. Tire has made no public offer to sell the car, but more than one inquiry suggests the door may be open to a private sale.