Henry's fist car

SkimmerBob

SkimmerBob

Senior Member
I'm taking a CNC class at Henry Ford Community College.
The teacher ( who can't be a day over 35 yrs old, not that it matters)) had some bonus or extra credit questions at the end of the test. The one that got me read "What year did Henry Ford Build his first car in Detroit ?" My first thought was does he mean the "Quadrcycle" or the "Detroit Automobile Co." or Ford Motor Company. The answer he accepted was 1908. So I got it wrong.
 
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Stoopid Instructor! The answer I would have given was the Original Mod. A. The mod.T was built in 1908.
Terry
 
I hope you showed that instructor the correct answer.

Seems to me, if I remember correctly, the Quadricycle was made and tested in Detroit in 1896. I'd like to hear his other criteria for an answer. Ford made quite a number [ actually, letters, I guess] of vehicles before 1908.
 
In 1896, Ford completed what he called the “Quadricycle,” which consisted of a light metal frame fitted with four bicycle wheels and powered by a two-cylinder, four-horsepower gasoline engine.

Determined to improve upon his prototype, Ford sold the Quadricycle in order to continue building other vehicles. In 1903 Ford established the Ford Motor Company.A month later the first Ford car—the two-cylinder, eight-horsepower Model A was assembled at a plant on Mack Avenue in Detroit. At the time, only a few cars were assembled per day, and groups of two or three workers built them by hand from parts that were ordered from other companies.

Ford was dedicated to the production of an efficient and reliable automobile that would be affordable for everyone; the result was the Model T, which made its debut in October 1908

http://www.history.com/topics/henry-ford
 
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Mikeinnj said:
In 1896, Ford completed what he called the “Quadricycle,” which consisted of a light metal frame fitted with four bicycle wheels and powered by a two-cylinder, four-horsepower gasoline engine.

Determined to improve upon his prototype, Ford sold the Quadricycle in order to continue building other vehicles. In 1903 Ford established the Ford Motor Company.A month later the first Ford car—the two-cylinder, eight-horsepower Model A was assembled at a plant on Mack Avenue in Detroit. At the time, only a few cars were assembled per day, and groups of two or three workers built them by hand from parts that were ordered from other companies.

Ford was dedicated to the production of an efficient and reliable automobile that would be affordable for everyone; the result was the Model T, which made its debut in October 1908

http://www.history.com/topics/henry-ford
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You forgot henry first started the Henry Ford Motor Company, which is still in business as Cadilac. I believe there was one before that also.
 
For some reason it seems to be a trick question, I (and possibly you) just don't see the trick. Are you sure you included all the words exactly as he gave them? Gather your reference material. Ask some of the other students their opinion of his answer. Politely ask him to explain his answer. Remember he is the one that has the power to give you your grade. Don't "win the battle and lose the war".

Charlie Stephens
 
Charlie Stephens said:
For some reason it seems to be a trick question, I (and possibly you) just don't see the trick. Are you sure you included all the words exactly as he gave them? Gather your reference material. Ask some of the other students their opinion of his answer. Politely ask him to explain his answer. Remember he is the one that has the power to give you your grade. Don't "win the battle and lose the war".

Charlie Stephens
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I thought the same thing so I verified that the Bagerly St. home and the Piquette plant were both in the city limits of Detroit thinking that may have been the trick.
 
I think misinformed or just not phrasing the question correctly. Ford Motor Company was Henry's third company. Third time is the charm, I guess.
 
He should give double marks to those that got the question correct. As a former professor I truly understand the necessity for an accurate question! Wayne
 
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I hope to get my test back today. If I do I'll post a pic of the question. I find it somewhat funny that when we are sitting in class we are less than 3 miles due north form the "Quadricycle". The instructor is a good guy and very knowledgeable about CNC's and is a good teacher.
 
In my never to be humble opinion, Henry Ford's Quadracycle was a proof of concept and never an actual car. The Detroit A.C.cars(20?) were not true Fords. This first Ford was the mod A (1901) By 1908, he had produced the A,B,K,N,R,and S.All were true Fords and all were produced prior to the Mod. T 1908.
Terry



2manycars said:
I thought of the same thing. Either it is a trick question, or he is miss informed.
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It seems to me that the Henry Ford Company was founded in 1901 and the Ford Motor Co in mid-1903. The first Model A came out in mid to late 1903. I was I could remember exactly when. We had serial #3 for quite awhile.

It also seems to me that the Quadricycle was an actual car in that that is was built and actually driven. Maybe it wasn't built under the Henry Ford or Ford Motor names, but, it was built by Mr Ford and a friend.

The model T happened to be the next letter in sequence from the first A in 1903. When asked why the 1928 [ 1927] Model A was named as such, it was said because it was such a new and different design the sequence needed to be started over again.

But, then, maybe I'm all wrong.
 
todd3131 said:
You forgot henry first started the Henry Ford Motor Company, which is still in business as Cadilac. I believe there was one before that also.
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The question asked "when did Ford build his first car in Detroit" , not what was the name of his companies........

P.S. Cadillac is a division of General Motors.
 
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Tom Wesenberg;[B said:
1271971]See #3 for the answer.
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Tom Wesenberg;[B said:
[/B]
Ford later bought back the Quadricycle and it's now in the museum, as well as a nice replica of it.
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Tom, #3 does NOT state the correct answer. Read it (the question) again.
 
Mikeinnj said:


Tom, #3 does NOT state the correct answer. Read it (the question) again.
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Cadillac of course is now part of GM, but, at one time it wasn't. Cadillac came from Ford. So did Dodge. They came about in a round about way, but, they started one way or another with Ford.

I looked up the date of the first car Henry Ford made in Detroit along with year. It was first driven on 6/4/1896.
Unless I read the question wrong, it was previously answered as being 1896. If I'm wrong, then tell us the correct answer.




You may want to talk about the Arrow or 999, I don't know, but, those vehicles came after the Quadricycle.
 
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Patrick L. said:
Cadillac of course is now part of GM, but, at one time it wasn't. Cadillac came from Ford. So did Dodge. They came about in a round about way, but, they started one way or another with Ford.

I looked up the date of the first car Henry Ford made in Detroit along with year. It was first driven on 6/4/1896.
Unless I read the question wrong, it was previously answered as being 1896. If I'm wrong, then tell us the correct answer.
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Nahh, don't think so!! ;) Them boys had a bicycle shop and were great machinists. They were just vendors for Ford in the early years.
 
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