Ford's Moving Assembly Turns 100

BRIGHTON, Mich. - Although Henry Ford did not invent the moving assembly line, he did forever revolutionized the automobile-building industry by perfecting the process in his factories. Now, a century after the first car (a Model T) rolled off the line, Ford's moving assembly line is turning 100!

It was October 7, 1913 in Highland Park, MI when that historic Model T was the first vehicle to come off of Ford's moving assembly line. Although the Model T had already been on the market for 5 years, it was the first time that the vehicle had been made that quickly - all thanks to the new building process. The increase in speed was significant, taking the production time from around 12 hours per car to about 3 hours. As the assembly line became more developed, the time decreased further to 90 minutes and eventually, at the peak of production, a Model T was being built every 24 seconds.

This assembly line was also responsible for a huge decrease in prices, allowing a majority of Americans the opportunity to finally be able to afford the Ford vehicle. Before the moving assembly line, the Model T cost $600. By 1916, prices dropped to $360 and continued to drop as the years passed and the assembly line improved.

Before the moving assembly line, factory workers would assemble the car one at a time on top of sawhorses. As they sat atop the sawhorses, they would rotate the vehicle from station to station with the chassis remaining in one place. They would continue to rotate until the vehicle was completed. When they introduced the moving assembly line - primitive compared to what we have today - they used a winch and a rope that stretched across 150 feet, which allowed 140 factory workers to install the different parts as the chassis was dragged across the floor.

Ford's moving assembly line is turning 100 and it's truly amazing to look at how far vehicle production has come. If you'd like to take a look at one of today's moving assembly line products, come on by our dealership today! We have a great selection of New Ford Trucks and New Ford Cars - all of which are beautifully built and reasonably priced. So stop by and see us today! 

Brighton Ford is located at 8240 Grand River Ave. just north of I-96 in Brighton. We are a family owned and operated business that strives for customer satisfaction. For more information on Brighton Ford visit BrightonFord.com or give us a call at (800) 836-8206.

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5 Things You Might Not Know About Henry Ford

BRIGHTON, Mich. - 150 years after his birth, July 30th marks what would be Henry Ford's 150th birthday. Born in Dearborn on July 30, 1863, he built his first car in 1896 and founded Ford Motor Company seven years later. To remember this great men and all that he accomplished, here are 5 things you might not know about Henry Ford.

1. Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were great friends! Before Henry Ford become the automobile man that he's known for, he worked for Thomas Edison at the Edison Illuminating Company from 1891 to 1898. They become longtime friends and would frequently vacation together - sometimes President Warren G. Harding would tag along.

2. Ford Motor Company wasn't his first car company, but actually his third! The first was the Detroit Automobile Company, the second the Henry Ford Company, and then finally the Ford Motor Company that survives today. The other two companies were dissolved because of Henry Ford's dissatisfaction with the high prices and low quality of the cars being made.

3. Henry Ford built an entire town named Fordlandia. This town exists in the middle of the Amazon and was built on the idea that it would be a self-reliant town that could produce the rubber for the tires on Ford vehicles. It ended up failing and the town stands empty and abandoned to this day.

4. He ran for U.S. Senate and almost won! He ran as a Democrat for a Senate seat in Michigan, but only because of the insistent pleas of President Woodrow Wilson. Ford refused to spend a penny on the election and still only lost by 4,500 votes out of 40,000.

5. Ford was awarded 161 unique patents! Some of the patents include ethanol as a fuel source, charcoal briquettes made of scrap wood, and the development of alternative plastics made from soybeans.

Henry Ford's history is well known throughout the world, however, we hope you enjoyed these 5 things you might now know about Henry Ford. The maker of many great vehicles, we'd love for you to stop by our Wixom Area Ford Dealer today and check out his legacy. We have a great selection of New Ford Trucks and Certified Preowned Cars For Sale. So stop by and see us today! Brighton Ford is located at 8240 Grand River Ave. just north of I-96 in Brighton. We are a family owned and operated business that strives for customer satisfaction. For more information on Brighton Ford visit BrightonFord.com or give us a call at (800) 836-8206.

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