Ford

In 1896, Henry Ford built his first car ---- the quadricycle. This event led him to found the Henry Ford Company in 1901. Due to financial difficulties, Henry Ford turned to friend Alexander Y. Malcomson to help him finance another automobile company called ‘Ford and Malcomson.’ However, yet again, the young company was needing money. Thus, Ford Motor Company was incorporated in 1903. And in 1904, they achieved international status by expanding worldwide.

Moreover, today, Ford is still alive and well.  With their pervasiveness, it is nearly impossible for someone not to have worked on a Ford at some point in their lives. If you find yourself in such a situation, and you find that you’ve hit a brick wall having a Ford repair manual may help you find a way around that brick wall.

The Model T was introduced in 1908. In its first year, over 10,000 Model T’s were manufactured. Because of high demand for the Model T’s, in 1910, the company moved production to a larger plant. Ford had developed and refined the basic techniques of an assembly line, by 1913.

The start of the WWI impacted everyone, including car manufacturers. In an attempt to maintain peace Henry Ford went on a peace mission, in 1915, to Europe with other like-minded pacifists. Although Henry Ford was a pacifist, he did support the war effort by manufacturing war supplies. The Model T quickly became the underpinning for Allied military vehicles such as the Ford 3-Ton M1918 tank and the 1916 ambulance.

For a short period, Ford enjoyed success. However, it wasn’t long before the Wall Street Crash of 1929, hit and marked the beginning of the Great Depression. Like everyone, Ford had to scale back production and lay off workers. Henry Ford helped a few families out with parcels of land and loans, but he angered many by suggesting that the unemployed should do more to find their own work.

In response to this, the Ford Hunger March was held. On March 7th 1932, some 3,000-5,000 unemployed workers marched to Ford’s River Rouge plant to deliver a petition demanding more support. Unfortunately, the protest turned ugly, and police used tear gas and were sprayed with icy water from fire engines. It escalated even further and the police and the plant security guards ended up firing at unarmed protesters. As a result, four men were killed outright, a fifth died in hospital and up to sixty more were seriously injured.

In 1929, Ford signed a deal with the Soviet Union. The deal was for the Soviet Union's purchase of $13 million worth of Ford vehicles and parts. Ford, in return, agreed to provide technical assistance up until 1938.

Before the start of WWII, Ford kept a close relationship with Germany. Until many foreign-owned factories were taken over by the Nazi Government, Ford maintained 52% of his ownership but lost all financial gain and control. The now German controlled Ford factories contributed significantly to the strengthening of the German Armed Forces. Ford negotiated with Germany, in which Ford agreed to supply Germany with various resources ---- in particular, rubber.

In 1965, Ford's domestic sales exceeded 2 million. Furthermore, in the same year, Ford of Britain and Ford of Germany launched the first generation Ford Transit. Ford introduced the Maverick in 1970, and -- in Europe -- the third generation Cortina was launched.

All the way up to the present day, Ford is one of the few US auto manufacturers who has repeatedly surpassed the public's expectations. They have helped to define the quintessential American car. If you ever find yourself in need of help servicing your Ford, just stop on by and grad yourself a Ford service manual to get the job done right.