Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: The REAL Birth of Hot Rodding? Continue reading the Original Blog Post
And Model Ts were even built at one point right here in Omaha, Nebraska. The building still stands today. http://www.alleypoyner.com/tip-top-building/
A lot of Blood, Sweat, Tears, Innovation, Good Times and 15 minutes have went by between those pivotal days and today...the surviving landmarks, vehicles, paper and watered down history move forward ever changing as life moves forward. The insides eerily silent where so much was going on...Its important like many things to remember the roots of where some of the passion we possess evolved from. Thanks @Jive-Bomber
More history of the Ford Motor Company. I wonder if other makes have such an interesting history? The more I learn of it, the Better it gets!
Of course they do...I said some of the passion for the hobby came from...lots of competition back then that's for sure.
Was in Detroit recently and did the Henry Ford Museum and the Rouge Factory but unfortunately the Piquette Ave shop was closed that day. Bummer. What we saw at the others was great and also did the Edsel and Eleanor Ford house tour.
Oh, the roots of hot rodding were way before that, back in early B.C. Immediately after the second horse was broke for riding, mankind wanted to know which one was fastest.
All of the automotive giants were known to each. Most worked together at one time, some remained friends even when they were competing. If the walls in this building could talk the conversation would be REAL interesting.
I sure like that old Ford Plant, glad to see it re-purposed and standing tall. When my daughter was looking for a place to live that was first on my list for obvious reasons...A little too pricey though.
All of them have a history, but many of them are forgotten. Only the strongest ones that lasted the longest are remembered, the small ones were gobbled up by others or went broke. We could just as well be celebrating Maxwell or Rockne as the largest automotive company today and what hot rod dreams are made of. It was a matter of hard work, good engineering, and a whole lot of good luck on Ford's part that his product was successful and grew like it did.
And dogged determination driven by Henry's king-size ambition, his innovative genius, his calculated risk taking, his skill at surrounding himself with competent people, and perhaps most of all, his understanding of the Everyman need for an affordable, reliable automobile. Just don't think you can overstate his particular brand of innovative genius as a businessman (not so great a human being, but that is a disconnect that happens often enough . . . Steve Jobs, et.al.) Pretty cool, you ask? Damn straight. Let's face it, the T as a hotrod can hold it's own against anything. The T as a car has to occupy the top spot on most important/influential autos of all time. Thanks for sharing this Jay.
There is a great display of the hundreds of aftermarket accessories and speed equipment designed for the T at the American Museum of Speed in Lincoln NE. This is a shot of a display chassis and you can see a pair of engines in the background.
Without Dodge brothers Ford would'nt afford to start as a carmaker. Without the model T Dodge brothers would'nt afford to start as a carmaker either. Thats why i use a Dodge engine in my build. If it was good enough for ol Henry its good enough for me.
Amen. John Dodge was actually VP of Ford until 1913. The Dodge Boys built all the engines, trans,rear ends and steering gear. Many parts on early T's have the DB logo in them.
You would really enjoy the old car festival September 8 & 9 at The Henry Ford - Greenfield Village. Usually 400-500 cars before 1932 including speedsters and race cars including the original 999. If you stop by the museum, you can see the first Ford V8.
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