Henry Ford's Amazing Plant - “The Rouge” – Men, Methods and Machines

[t-head]

For some quiet entertainment this Sunday we are covering one of the most amazing production facilities in the world, Ford’s famous River Rouge manufacturing plant where the Model A was built. We have covered it at length on The Old Motor, but it remains a favorite topic of ours. It’s status as a benchmark industrial plant keeps us coming back for more, so we were very pleased when we came across this well made, high quality video about it and are happy to share it with you today.

Narrated in his inimitable style by radio and newsreel star Lowell Thomas, it documents the manufacture of a new Ford from it’s beginnings as raw materials to a well-crafted finished product as it wends it’s way through the giant plant in 1938. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did and will also take a look back at our previous posts on the subject that include more videos and period pictures. See it here on The Old Motor.

[insomniacshotrods]

Cool vid thanks for posting.

[BlueSunoco]

yes thank you!!

[jrelliott]

Very interesting. If you get a chance read "Wheels for the World". It has a lot of info on the Rouge Plant. BTW the Model A would not have came about if were not for Edsel. It is a shame the way Henry treated Edsel as Edsel was far thinking and tried to get Henry to modernize his cars earlier and design for style. Edsel had a lot to do with the Lincoln designs.

[huddy]

Originally Posted by jrelliott

... Edsel had a lot to do with the Lincoln designs.

...and then they went and posthumously named after him what was probably Ford's worst designed car up to that point. It's not right to insult the dead that way, they can't fight back.

[huddy]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thank you for posting that. It was amazing, inspiring, and a little scarey.

Ore and silicon and coal and people in one end, cars out the other. We'll never see its like again. Imagine, being able to build a complex machine without depending on China, India, Malaysia, or Japan.. this is what allowed the US to become the Arsenal of Democracy during WWII. Scares me how much we depend on other countries, not all of them friendly to us, for our raw materials and finished products. What would (will) we do the next time the free world is threatened?

I've seen a lot of complex machines in my time, but I cannot even fathom the intelligence and imagination it took to envision that plant and make it into reality.

Another reaction: just about every scene I said to myself, "I wouldn't want to work there!" except maybe the power plant or QC. It all looks like hard, hot, dirty, dangerous work. Makes me appreciate my Coupe and what went into it even more.

--Ed

[t-head]

Originally Posted by huddy

Thank you for posting that. It was amazing, inspiring, and a little scarey.

--Ed

It truly was one of the wonders of modern manufacturing.....

[SilverGhost]

Thank you very much for posting the link to this film. It was absolutely great.
Thank you

eric

[t-head]

Good to here that you all enjoyed it. We will covering Brand X next, the Chevrolet, watch for it on The Old Motor.