At first I thought the title was a reference to Raymond Chandler's novel (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farewell,_My_Lovely" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farewell,_My_Lovely</a>), but then I checked the date: the novel came out in 1940. So what is the title of this article referring to, if anything? And what was Raymond Chandler referring to, if anything? In both cases it looks rather like a quotation. Perhaps it's a reference to something that is now rather difficult to find because of all the references to Raymond Chandler's novel and its adaptations. Wikipedia should explain it, but I can't immediately find it in there.
Great para - "Persons of a suspicious or pugnacious turn of mind bought a rear-view mirror; but most Model T owners weren’t worried by what was coming from behind because they would soon enough see it out in front."
On troubleshooting/repair attempts:<p>> One reason the Ford anatomy was never reduced to an exact science was that, having “fixed” it, the owner couldn’t honestly claim that the treatment had brought about the cure. There were too many authenticated cases of Fords fixing themselves—restored naturally to health after a short rest.<p>Sound familiar to anyone?
What a writer! You can tell he wrote the style section of Strunk and White's. He manages an informal style without falling into the high-school yearbook style he parodies so memorably in that work.
What is the title reference to? Raymond Chandler has a novel with that title but it was published 4 years after the New Yorker article. <a href="https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/chandlerr-farewellmylovely/chandlerr-farewellmylovely-00-h.html" rel="nofollow">https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/chandlerr-farewellmylovely/chand...</a>