Ford

The Ford Motor Company was officially incorporated in 1903, when

founder
Henry Ford launched his venture in a converted factory on Mack Avenue in
Detroit. With 12 investors and 1,000 shares, the company had spent almost all
of
its $28,000 cash investment by the time it sold the first Ford Model A on July
23, 1903.
Ford had its breakthrough in 1908 with the introduction of the Model T.
. Due to high demand for the vehicle, Ford Motor Company
commissioned a new factory in Highland Park, Michigan, designed by Albert
Kahn. It is here that Ford revolutionized the automobile industry by introducing
his first assembly line mass-production model.

Ford’s first international plant was built in Walkerville (now Windsor),

Ontario, right across the Detroit River from Ford’s existing facilities. The
company was a separate organization with its own set of shareholders.

Henry Ford’s Early Years

The oldest of six children, Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863, on a
prosperous farm near Dearborn, Michigan. He attended school until the age of
fifteen, at which time he developed a dislike of farm life and a fascination for
machinery.

. Although he did not

like working on the farm, he did learn that there was great value in working
hard
and being responsible.
In 1879 Ford left for Detroit, Michigan, to become an apprentice (a person
who works for another to learn a specific skill or trade) at a machine shop. He
then moved to the Detroit Drydock Company.

. He later worked for Westinghouse, locating and

repairing road engines
Ford in the 21st century
In December 2008 U.S. Pres. George W. Bush announced an emergency
financial rescue plan to aid the “Big Three” automakers—Chrysler LLC,
General
Motors Corporation, and Ford—to prevent the collapse of the country’s
struggling auto industry. The plan made immediately available $13.4 billion in
government loans from the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), a $700
billion fund approved by Congress to aid the financial industry following the
subprime mortgage crisis. The loans would allow the auto companies to
continue
operating through March 2009, when they were required to demonstrate
“financial viability” or return the money. An additional stipulation required the
companies to undergo restructuring. The money was initially made available to
General Motors and Chrysler. Ford purportedly possessed adequate funds to
continue operations and, thus, did not immediately require government relief

Ford in the 21st century

In December 2008 U.S. Pres. George W. Bush announced an emergency
financial rescue plan to aid the “Big Three” automakers—Chrysler LLC,
General
Motors Corporation, and Ford—to prevent the collapse of the country’s
struggling auto industry. The plan made immediately available $13.4 billion in
government loans from the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), a $700
billion fund approved by Congress to aid the financial industry following the
subprime mortgage crisis. The loans would allow the auto companies to
continue
operating through March 2009, when they were required to demonstrate
“financial viability” or return the money. An additional stipulation required the
companies to undergo restructuring. The money was initially made available to
General Motors and Chrysler. Ford purportedly possessed adequate funds to
continue operations and, thus, did not immediately require government relief

Ford in the 21st century

In December 2008 U.S. Pres. George W. Bush announced an emergency
financial rescue plan to aid the “Big Three” automakers—Chrysler LLC, General
Motors Corporation, and Ford—to prevent the collapse of the country’s
struggling auto industry. The plan made immediately available $13.4 billion in
government loans from the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP),
. The money was initially made available to
General Motors and Chrysler. Ford purportedly possessed adequate funds to
continue operations and, thus, did not immediately require government relief.

The Model T
The Model T was introduced to the world in 1908. Henry Ford wanted the
Model T to be affordable, simple to operate, and durable.
. The Model T was manufactured on the Ford
Motor Company’s moving assembly line at Ford’s revolutionary Highland Park
Plant. Due to the mass production of the vehicle, Ford Motor Company could sell
the vehicle for between $260 and $850 as Henry Ford passed production savings
on to his customers. Ford sold 15 million Model Ts before ceasing production in
May 1927. Ford used light and strong vanadium steel alloy for
critical parts

The Model A. It was lower and sleeker than the Model T and had
beautiful bodylines that were the direct influence of Edsel Ford’s styling ideas.
While it still used a four cylinder, similar to the Model T, the Model A was
more
powerful and smooth and was capable of 55 to 65 mph. It came with Triplex
shatterproof safety windshield and hydraulic shocks, both a first for Ford and
unheard of in the low-priced field. It was also the first Ford to carry the famous
blue oval logo and the first car assembled at the new Rouge manufacturing
complex.

1917: FORD BEGINS CONSTRUCTION OF THE RIVER ROUGE

COMPLEX. Throughout its history, the self-contained Rouge Complex has
contained
a wide array of industries necessary to produce cars, including steel mills, a tire
factory, a glass factory, a power plant and a reception depot for coal, iron ore,
rubber and lumber.
1917: FORD MOTOR COMPANY PRODUCES ITS FIRST EVER
TRUCK
The Ford Model TT was a truck based on the Model T car, but with a
reinforced chassis and rear axle. This early pickup was rated at one ton

1922: FORD ACQUIRES THE LINCOLN MOTOR COMPANY

Ford purchased Lincoln from Henry Leland, his former business associate
from the Detroit Automobile Company. Since then, Lincoln has produced many
luxury cars of historical and aesthetic note, including the 1931-1939 K-Series,
1936 Zephyr, Edsel Ford’s original Continental, the ensuing first-generation
Lincoln Continental and the classic 1956-1957 Continental Mk. II

1896: HENRY FORD BUILDS THE QUADRICYCLE

Henry Ford's first vehicle rode on four bicycle wheels and was powered by
a four-horsepower engine. Instead of a steering wheel, the Quadricycle had a
tiller. The gearbox had only two forward gears with no reverse.

1932: FORD INTRODUCES THE FLATHEAD V8 ENGINE

As with the new Model A, Henry Ford shut down all other production
operations to work on this innovative project.

The flathead was a hit. It was affordable, versatile,

It remained in production for over 22 years. To this day the flathead remains
extremely popular with hot rodders