Ford built the MADE company car, a ’65 Econoline, the same year its Philco subsidiary outfitted NASA Mission Control.

America is more than Americana

The phrase “American Made” conjures up some pretty great imagery. Brats browning-up on a Weber. Well-worn Red Wings. A trusty Snap-On socket set. All of those products have a hallowed place in the annals of American manufacturing, and it’s cool that the brands who make them have continued making them here, despite the constant lure of offshoring. But if there’s going to be a resurgence in American manufacturing, it’ll have to encompass more than those types of products. It’ll have to include technologically advanced offerings, too. Multi-megawatt wind turbines. Next generation solar cells. Semiconductors, silicon chips, and the smart phones that contain them. This duality is nothing new. The MADE company car is a 1965 Econoline Pick-Up. But the same year Ford built it, Ford’s Philco subsidiary outfitted NASA Mission Control in Houston, Texas. There’s a lesson in there somewhere. Maybe it’s just that while we’re busy being soulful, we can’t forget to shoot for the stars.

Ford built the MADE company car, a ’65 Econoline, the same year its Philco subsidiary outfitted NASA Mission Control.