Ford letter cars

Thanks. Maybe I should have just asked the questions here. What parts had the DB logo stamped of forged into them? I remember seeing it on front spindles. What other parts? How long did that last? If the dies or molds were still used after the Dodge Brothers left Ford did the parts still have the logo?
 
noboD said:
Thanks. Maybe I should have just asked the questions here. What parts had the DB logo stamped of forged into them? I remember seeing it on front spindles. What other parts? How long did that last? If the dies or molds were still used after the Dodge Brothers left Ford did the parts still have the logo?
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You might like this book
https://www.modeltford.com/item/PAT...0K9Pz1hZvh7ZLLbeEQMIcZ44cpQO5tenXJaDgQyvWqIz2

I'm not near my copy to check if you specific question is addressed but it is a very detailed book on early Fords.
 
noboD said:
Thanks. Maybe I should have just asked the questions here. What parts had the DB logo stamped of forged into them? I remember seeing it on front spindles. What other parts? How long did that last? If the dies or molds were still used after the Dodge Brothers left Ford did the parts still have the logo?
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Most of what I have seen with the DB logo was steering and axle components. My '09 has a different name (and not DB) but as I understand it, DB started manufacturing for Ford sometime in 1910 but didn't logo anything. Then in 1911 they introduced the DB logo on components, ...and then by mid to latter 1914 they were phased out.
 
Thanks. I am aware of Carlton's book, need to find a copy. I also need to find my copy of Charlie Hyde's book about the Dodge Brothers. I think they started work for Henry soon after the Olds factory fire. They were building engines for the curved dash Olds.
 
They were making parts for Ford from the begining according to Charles Sorensen's book. That's how they ended up share holders in the fledgling company. Even though they were shareholders they still charged Ford for the parts they made. Charlie mentions that they would inspect the new parts from DB and return the ones that didn't pass. The rejected parts would then show up later in other batches of new parts. The relationship was strained due to this type of stuff and that's why Henry basically forced a buy out of shares in the mid to late teens. They and the other investors were all well compensated for their shares and the brothers went on to go into full production of their own cars.
 
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I believe Dodge brothers manufactured the engines and chassis for Ford (to Ford's designs) on the Models A B C F and K. It wasn't until the Models N R and S that Ford began to manufacture its own engines.
 
My understanding is they received a price per unit, like $250 for engine, trans, rear, and steering. As they built more units per year Henry could not, would not always be able to pay them in money. SO they got some money and some stock. That is how the brothers wound up with such a large percentage of stock, and John was VP too.
 
DB parts, such as front axles and steering columns can be found on Model T's up through 1913 and some are said to have appeared in early '14.
 
one step further- The brothers amassed a sum equivalent to 1 billion dollars..........
all of the heirs who inherited it, squandered it. all gone.
 
The kids were idiots. They had LARGE lumps of money in the form of yearly allowances given to them and they STILL sued their mothers for more. many failed marriages and business ventures followed. But that headed in a different direction. I was mainly interested in when the brothers made parts for Henry. Trying to know what parts had the logo on them and how long. Thanks for all the discussion.
 
Ford's first assembly shop on Mac Avenue was pretty small. They had a separate machine shop at another location. They didn't have a foundry until the Highland Park plant was built. The Piquette Avenue Plant was a lot larger but still didn't have a foundry. The model T was born there but was produced at Highland Park. A good portion of the early cars were built at the Piquette Avenue plant.

The Dodge brothers had a lot of tragedy in their lives from the death of John's spouse to the deaths of his children. They were party animals from most accounts so they didn't fit into the Detroit High Society. It was only a year or so after the completion of the Ford buyout that they both came down with the Spanish influenza while at the Ritz in NYC. One died and the other basically drank himself to death in relatively short order. The wives ran the company for about 5-years before they sold out to investment bankers. Those bankers sold out to Walter P Chrysler in 1928.
 
Very accurate description, Rotowrench. I think they were worth 54 million when they died. The business was sold to Dillon Reed, the bankers, for 146 million. I have touched the actual check. It is in the AACA museum with the rest of the DBC literature collection. W.P. Chrysler paid 172 million in '28 and built Plymouth and Desoto from nothing the same year. And continued his own brand. Talk about having a big pair!
 
With regards to forging marks like DB, another forging supplier was Transu/Williams. (SP?) You will see a "TW" forge mark on many later T parts. Not sure of the time liine where Ford moved away from DB, but the info is out there with a little searching.
 
Chryslers home in Kings Point NY is now the Merchant Marine Academy.
My oldest son graduated from there.
 
I was acquainted with Chrysler's grandson. He ran a firm that built marshes and used plantings to prevent soil erosion on waterfront property on Chesapeake Bay. He had a different last name, so few knew that he was Chrysler's grandson.
 
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