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Quote:
Originally Posted by rotorwrench
Those first 200 production models were not prototypes. The first prototype was ready for road testing early in July of 1927. Most testing was for the engine and drive train testing as well as brakes and suspension. Harold Hicks was involved with the road testing of several prototype vehicles and was involved in an accident later that month that put him out of action for a while. Henry drove one of the test prototypes himself to get a feel of it. Edsel made the announcement of the completion of the "NEW" model on August 10, 1927 so they could start production tooling build up. The original prototypes were used to train line supervisory personnel for best use of the method on the new line that was being set up at the Rouge. It wasn't till mid October when they started hiring new workers and doing the training and re-training of older employees that were called back. The A line began to roll on November 1st. It's hard to imagine a plant going from nothing to something in just less than three months and especially with the size of the new Rouge facility but it happened.
The serial number 1 car was the first production car but the engine was stamped by Henry after it passed the run in test on the test stand so It took a while before engines were actually put into the frames. The first few cars would have been a practice run before the line finally started full production. Monday October 24, 1927 is listed as the first car date according to news reports of the day. Those first cars were where they learned what was going to work well and what was not. The Photo dated the 21st from the Henry Ford shows only one Tudor Sedan on the line so it was a one off at the time. https://www.thehenryford.org/collect...tifact/319178/
The short time it took Ford Motor Company to set up the Model A assembly line was a first in industrial history and was likely only surpassed by the building of the B-24 plant at Willow Run in Ford History even though the set up For WWII was also quite a change over from cars to tanks in a short period of time. |
Wasn't Hicks' accident what convinced Ford to put safety glass in the windshield?