Arthur Farris Retires From Jim Bass Ford After Nearly 40 Years

Arthur Farris, a long-time employee of Jim Bass Ford, has retired after 38 years as a service advisor for the company.

Farris started working for Jim Bass Ford in 1978. He was 29 years old when he first started on the job. He retired at 69.

A service advisor helps customers who bring in their broken car and provides them with information and looks after their car throughout the service.

“People always talk about there being two or three of us left [who] know what a carburetor is,” Farris said. According to Oxford Dictionary.com, a carburetor is a device in an internal combustion engine for mixing air with a fine spray of liquid fuel.

Farris said some of the benefits working with the company was getting to work with the owner, Jim Bass, Sr.

“He’s the best person to work for ever,” Farris said. “After I worked here early on, I knew this is where I would be 'til I retired.”

Farris also worked with the son, John Bass, and grandson of Jim Bass, Sr., Jimmy Bass.

Regarding modern vehicles, Farris worked with many different makes and models. Pickup trucks were one of the most common vehicles he worked on.

“People drive pickups like their cars nowadays because they have the high-end fancy additions,” said Farris.

 In 1978, a frequent service Farris provided was working on 351 cu. in. engines inside of the pickup trucks, which had very poor fuel mileage, he noted.

“There was always the issue of trying to figure out how they could do better with the models,” explained Farris.

In 2016, Farris noted the engines perform much better with fuel mileage, especially with paying $3 a gallon for fuel. He noted the EcoBoost engine in the pickup trucks, with 20 or plus miles per gallon, was a spike in performance compared to the 8 mpg in older models.

The EcoBoost in a V6 cylinder engine can perform up against a V8 model, Farris noted.

Farris said he will miss working with the customers and having a set work schedule. He hopes to enjoy his retirement by getting some gambling in at the WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma.