So i'm just doing a bit of history research on my 47 Tudor and I figure I might as well start from the beginning. What year did Ford start making their cars in states other than MI? And were they all from the Rouge plant or was there more? Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions....i've only been in the Northern Hemisphere for 7 years. Also, could I trace anything using the ch***is number or wouldn't records go back that far?
I use this magazine when I have questions about older cars. http://www.carsandparts.com/ It has a lot of information from junk yards to restore to modified cars. George
Ford had plants all over the country all the way back to the Model T days. In the flathead days, all engines and transmissions were built at the River Rouge plant in MI. The serial number was ***igned to the engine/trans unit. When that engine/trans unit was bolted into a ch***is, the number was then copied off the bell of the trans onto the frame.
As above, all USA engines from Rouge plant...I think another engine source (Cleveland??) opened somewhere in '48-52 period. Look at your patent plate on firewall: If you're lucky, there will be a small open square with two letters stamped in it denoting your ***embly plant. MY early '48 was built at Edgewater, NJ, as an export car...Edgewater did all export stuff, even my car which was delivered in Shanghai! If you are a detail nut, get the '41-8 book from the V8 club. It is not one of their best productions but has a lot of good detail.
On history...I think first Fords from other than Detroit were 1903 or 1904 Canadian. Don't know first other ***embly plants in US, but certainly in early T days. ***embly plants existed at all levels...some small ones were pure ***embly operations, some big ones made many stampings and other parts. All engines came from Detroit area or Canadian main plant until after 1947, I believe. What plant was on that plate, if any??
There was a Ford ***embly plant in Houston on Harrisburg Blvd from about 1912-27. The building still exists, has been added to over the years by the Maxwell House Coffee company. Ford had ***embly plants the world over. However, outside the US quite often the models didn't change for several years at a time.
I remember, as a kid in the 50's, riding past the Edgewater plant. Right on the Hudson river. Just south of the GW bridge. Rail yard attached. And buildings on both sides of the road, River Road. Thanks to Bruce I now know it was Export. Makes sense, load the ships right there. I also remember a huge plant in Metuchen/Edison, recently closed. And a town named Fords. I visited an ancient factory building in Millville. I was told it too was built to be a Ford plant. I read that Ford, being frugal, found it cheaper to send rail cars of componants cheaper to ship than complete cars. Thus ***embly plants close to the market. Frank
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