(WXYZ) — The 1920s and 30s were an era of innovation after the end of World War I. Revival style homes were in Vogue across the country, and thousands of car makers were trying to make a name for themselves.
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We found a couple here in southeast Michigan who want to keep that time in history alive.
A Farmington Hills storybook Tudor with a faux thatch roof truly showcases the style of the era. The Edward Beals House was designed by Michigan’s first female architect, Emily Butterfield, in 1925.
"Love the setting, I love the fact that we've restored it back to its period, correct, 1925. Feels like home," said Melody Klemmer.
Inside, you’ll find a love of not only the 1920s, but of the British Royal Family.
"I am a big fan of the British family. Just adored Princess Diana," she said.
The home’s top floor holds another 1920s era surprise, an early 20th Century train set delights kids of all ages. But it’s what Melody and Ken Klemmer have in their garage that turns a lot of heads.
"This is a 1931 MG D-type. It was known as an Occasional Four because it had a four-seat body. And you only wanted to put somebody back there occasionally because it's really tiny," said Ken.
"They only made 250 of them and gave up and switched to a different model after that. It's such a rare car. Anytime you take it to even an MG car show, no one knows what it is because there were so few of them. MG was positioning itself to be the lower-end performance choice. So it was still relatively economical," explained Ken.
"This MG was owned by Ralph Hope, the nephew of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Ralph was a pilot in World War II and was killed in the battle in Britain. He never had children. His wife survived, but she remarried. I did find a nephew of his, he has his flying gloves from World War II, but that's the only thing he has of Ralph's. In this car, next to the 1931, is a 1930 MG M-type," he said.
And the 1930 MG has a story of its own.
"It was an 18-year-old's birthday present when he got his license, came from a prominent family near Sussex in Thames Ditton, which is very close to the Brooklands Racetrack in England. And Brooklands was the place to be seen in the 1920s, 1930s. If he didn't drive the car on the track, he certainly went there to watch races," said Ken.
This MG sports an interesting design.
"It's kind of an old airplane. So it's a wood-framed body. It's covered in fabric. It's very lightweight, it's very flexible, so as the chassis flexes, the body flexes, and it doesn't crack the paint and doesn't crack the joints on the body. It was super light. These cars are really underpowered. They're only 847cc. T's been extensively restored on the body, although the running gear, the engine, the gearbox, everything is still original from 1930. It just looks a lot more pristine than it would have at the time," said Ken.
The Klemmers enjoy taking their MGs out for a ride to a car show and even to the grocery store.
"They're actually pretty capable cars. I mean, it'll go 60 miles an hour. Roads were terrible in the 1920s and 1930s, so they coped just fine with Michigan pothole roads. They're actually pretty pleasant to drive," said
As for why Ken and Melody are enthusiasts of the Roaring 20s.
"I've always had a fondness for 1920s technology and architecture. There's pretty much everything we have today that's modern, but it's kind of in its proto-stage," said Ken.
"Flapper dresses, Charlestons, I just think of ... Downton Abbey. That's where my mind goes to," said Melody.
"I guess I'm just an old soul," added Ken.
Old souls who believe a historical home, or toy trains, or cars, are important to keep alive.
"We learn so much from the past. We'd really like to make sure that the history is preserved for the future," said Ken.
