Victoria body drop

[Dave Mellor NJ]

What's that on the running board?

[Dave Mellor NJ]

Sometimes it doesn't come through

[katy]

Looks like a tool tray to me, probably has fasteners along w/tools.
Protective cover on the steering wheel?

[Phil Brown]

A pair of those full fender covers would be nice to have sometimes

[Joop]

Like these.

[SHEC]

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Can I place my order for this Vicky please? I will be a cash buyer and can do my own maintenance if that helps. Oh if we could only step back in time and do so……
Great Ford factory photo ✔️ Thanks

[Bob Bidonde]

I enlarged the picture 400%, and the object is a mechanic's tool tote.
I would trade-in my Victoria to purchase one Ford Maroon Leather-back Victoria and also one Chickle & Copra Drab late 1931 Steel-back Victoria.

[WTSHNN]

Originally Posted by Dave Mellor NJ

What's that on the running board?

Photo dated 3-6-31

Hi-Res Original Image
https://www.thehenryford.org/collect...lide=gs-203363

[Bob Bidonde]

The real mystery is, "What's in the tool tote?"

[rotorwrench]

It would be interesting to know just how they prepared for body blocks and bolts to set the bodies on efficiently with relatively fast production.

[ModelA29]

Today Ford has a test assembly line where they build about 100 of a new car to find the best methods and order of things. I wonder if in the early times workers were left to their own devices to develop the fastest way to do their job.
It's interesting that the Victoria is still up in the air and the cars behind it are already down. A problem getting everything aligned? Staged for the photo?

[Dave Mellor NJ]

I have seen other pics of assembly lines. The body coming down is always the only one still in the air

[Randy in ca]

Originally Posted by Dave Mellor NJ

I have seen other pics of assembly lines. The body coming down is always the only one still in the air

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Look again, appears to be another body ready to be dropped 3 cars back.

Another thing I've always found puzzling is the mix of the bodies on the lines. Here there is a Victoria followed by a Roadster followed by something else and then the body yet to be dropped. Seems like the most efficient way to do things would be to have all similar vehicles one after the other as much as possible. Must have been a method to their madness!!

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[Bob Bidonde]

My guess is the order of body styles at the Body Drop may have been in accordance with orders for Model A's from local branches / dealerships.

[rotorwrench]

They likely had build sheets for special orders and then just the standard production cars.

Charles Sorenson has some mention in his book about the assembly line start ups for each major change in the 40 years he worked for Ford. The model T production was the first to get the line when the new Highland Park plant was built for it. The first Model A off the assembly line start up at the Rouge plant was a training run for the line. There are photos of this 1928 Tudor sedan on the Henry Ford. Problems went to engineering right away where they could make changes to make for better quality and faster production. Ford was actually pretty picky about quality so any problems were quickly reported by the line supervisors. All the branch plants went through this process as well. Supervisors were highly involved with first assemblies so they could train line personnel and correct problems on the fly.