1921 Model T

When I think of that....I always figured the first 2 cars raced....not that that signifies the begining of racing....it just seems natural. I'll pour this one for Henry!

My father has about 1/2 dozen Model "T"s.

G

AHAAA! thus your need for speed. am amazed at the Bugatti that goes 250 mph...with the turn of a key.

Bill, before Henry started the Ford motor company, he ran an independent company that built race cars. His cars set several records. The notoriety from his race cars is what brought in the interested business partners he needed to start the Ford Motor Company.

Old Henry was a racer!

George

More Ford Model T's were built than any other car in the world, right up until the VW Beetle surpassed them in the 70's. If I remember correctly, the Beetle didn't surpass it by very much either.

Michael

Actually, the Model T sales figure has been bested by the Volkswagen Beetle, the Toyota Corolla, the Ford F series pick up truck and the Volkswagen Golf. The Golf is the current record holder with 21 million sales, and it is still in production!

George

Some people say the Model "T" was the first mass produced auto. It wasn't. It was the first "Assembly line auto". What was the first mass produced auto? (I had mentioned earlier).

Gary

Gary,

the answer is partially dependent upon how you define mass produced (numbers), what you define as an automobile (internal combustion engine, verses steam engine) and if you are focusing on American manufacturers or include European manufacturers as well.

I suspect your father is into vintage autos, so I bet you have all the info.

As far as I can recall what I have read in the past, if we restrict the answer to American autos, the answer is going to be either a Locomobile or an Oldsmobile. These 2 American manufacturers produced the most autos in the late 1890s and early 1900s. I believe the Olds was referred to as the "curved dash" Olds.

Neither of these makes however produced autos in the numbers of the Model T, so like I said, it depends upon how you define mass produced.

How did I do?

your friend on the DTBB, George

The 1901-1904 Curved dash Olds is considered the first mass produced automobile. While the Model T is considered the first assembly line auto. The curved dash olds did introduce the assembly line to auto manufacturing but the olds was mostly constructed in a station/group assembly. They completed task on groups of cars. The curved dash olds was to be the auto everyone could afford for around $650. Olds produced 12,000+ curved dash olds from 1901-1904. One of the original carburetors is a Holley. Dad is running an original Holley on one of his although a chainsaw carb would do fine. Dad has 2 which he puts a couple hundred miles on each year. The car is a single cylinder with a 125lb flywheel. Normally they would run about 25mph (which is pretty fast for a wooded sleigh sitting on top of 4 tall wheels) but with some help from my brother, they ground a new cam. Dad has had it up to 40mph but chooses not to go any faster. Currently he is re-working wheel bearings and axle bearings. He just got back of a tour with cars a bit older and he ran circles around them. He even set a new hill climb record in his class at an event not too far away.

The curved dash olds is best remembered for the song that was written about it:
http://www.archive.org/details/InMyMerr1932

The Curved dash olds is known for a coast to coast trip in 73 days. The year is some where between 1902-1904 for which there were no real roads at the time. There is a book about it which is pretty interesting. They made a list of everything that broke, presented it to RE Olds in order to improve on the car. RE Olds said, good, the more parts we can sell! Amazing, money in after market parts was alive even back then!

Till 1904, the curved dash Olds was a car for "everyone". After 1904 the Olds company decided to make higher class autos. RE Olds disagreed and eventually left the company to start REO. Around 1910, 1911, the Olds were becoming FANTASTIC. These high wheel huge cars rival large trucks today. Awesome autos. They look neat in picture but take your breath away when you see them. The seats are as high as your chest. The wheels are huge. OF course few could afford them and that became the downfall of OLDS which was soon bought out like other car companies of the time.


*Update* Should read USA Mass produced autos.

Here are 2 1911's:



Sorry if I momentarily hijacked your Ford thread George.

Gary

Very interesting, Gary. I learned a little something about the history of early auto makers today!

Michael

Gary,

I've been waiting, like listening to the music at the end of final Jeopardy! Wondering how I did.

Hey not too bad eh? Thanks for sharing about the curved dash Olds, that's not a hijack, just another piece in the puzzle, a person can never get too much history.

your antiquated friend onthe DTBB, George

Well George, I had been a busy man last couple days. Some times busy, some times not.

Gary