Figuring the 20,000,000 Ford

Steve Plucker

Steve Plucker

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Does anyone know just how Ford came up with the 20,000,000 Ford car on April 14, 1931?

When the 20,000,000 car was produced on April 14, 1931, a Model A Town Sedan (not sure of the engine number that was dropped into the car), on that day, engine numbers 4555866-4562872 were produced.

Ford relates that by the end of May, 1927, they had produced 15,000,000 cars (and trucks).

So how can 15,000,000 plus 4562872 (using the high end of the engine numbers produced on that day) equal 20,000,000?

Heck, Ford haden't even released those 7007 engines on that day as it was, well, maybe some at Dearborn where the car was assembled.

Unless there were more Model T's assembled after May 1927...

Am I missing something here?

Thanks.

Pluck
 
How about Foreign production? Were there engines produced overseas that make up for those missing numbers?
 
This is just my thought on it, I think that the managers would have no way of knowing the exact car that would be 20,000,000 so it was just a car chosen at random, within the approximate time frame. Then it was advertised and toured to help promote the Ford name. Also, to me anyway, when they say 15,000,000 , it is a nice round number instead of say 15,437,128 and don't forget to include the first A's, B's, C's, F's, K's, N's, R's and S's before T production into the 20,000,000 because it was the 20,000,000th Ford.
 
The sequential serial number for the 20,000,000 Ford was #4521600. My source is "Henry's Fabulous Model A Ford" by Leslie R. Henry. At one time I owned #4521689 which is a S/W 4dr. with a "restamped" firewall.
 
Canadian Fords...they made their own engines in a different set than USA, so are not part of the generally used T and A totals from US serials. As of 1930, I think all other foreign built Fords used USA engines, but Ford Canada made its own almost all the way back.
First few Fords were probably insignificant in numbers, but Ford was getting pretty big by the time of Models N, R, and S.
 
If i am not mistaken i believe i have read that HF, grabbed a car, this time the TS and Deemed it the 20mil.. so it was born!
 
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