Looking For An Expert To Debunk My Hypothesis: 1930 Engine Production

[1930-Pickup]

Originally Posted by Brad in Germany

Here is a photo of the Long Beach engine warehouse area:


Brad in Maryland

Another amazing photo!
Do you think these engines are in storage, or in process?

[kimeccles]

My car was built by Briggs I think mid-West Ohio probably, but that I am not as sure of. I have a Oct. 1930 part, but can't be sure it was original as most my other references still say Sept/Oct. 1930. I believe judging allows 3 months from engine date for body parts and one month earlier for things like generator/starter/coil dates.

I believe in our cases this is really more like 5-6 months lag possibility to consider them original and your engine numbers made data is the best proof I have seen so far. Thanks

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Railcarmover

Ford did not assemble a car till it was sold to a dealer.

Not saying this is incorrect and what you are saying might be the same scenario just worded differently but where did you get that information regarding presold?

I only have hearsay or vague memory regarding this, but for some reason I am understanding that each Agency was required to take new vehicle inventory whether they wanted it or not. Maybe as you say, Ford considered it sold and built it for that agency (dealer) whether they wanted/ordered that vehicle or not.

[Railcarmover]

Ford was proud of shortening the production cycle,the time from the ore 'high line' feeding the blast furnace at the Rouge to that steel being used in a completed auto assembly was 50 hours..interesting,it claims it took one hour to asssemble a car,and the car is 'ready for the dealer'who pays cash and takes delivery within 3 hours..

Of course this probably wasn't the case all the time,but it would explain the stockpile of parts at the assembly plants,its easier to warehouse the parts than to store cars..

In the oral histories at the Benson Ford center there is more than enough evidence that Ford was tough on his dealers,well atleast the ones that were left after the changeover,wouldnt be surprising if Ford 'dictated' their inventory

[Railcarmover]

Originally Posted by 1930-Pickup

Another amazing photo!
Do you think these engines are in storage, or in process?

that's barely a days production of engines at the Rouge..

[1930-Pickup]

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Originally Posted by Railcarmover

that's barely a days production of engines at the Rouge..

That's true, but this is Long Beach, and we are probably looking at only part of the inventory.

[Railcarmover]

its hard to grasp the scale of production,that's for sure...imagine 9000 cars a day..from raw material and ore to finished car in one spot..Mr Ford was way more proud of the Rouge than the car..

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Railcarmover

Ford was proud of shortening the production cycle,the time from the ore 'high line' feeding the blast furnace at the Rouge to that steel being used in a completed auto assembly was 50 hours..interesting,it claims it took one hour to asssemble a car,and the car is 'ready for the dealer'who pays cash and takes delivery within 3 hours.


Of course this probably wasn't the case all the time,but it would explain the stockpile of parts at the assembly plants,its easier to warehouse the parts than to store cars..

In the oral histories at the Benson Ford center there is more than enough evidence that Ford was tough on his dealers,well atleast the ones that were left after the changeover,wouldnt be surprising if Ford 'dictated' their inventory

Ummmm, that really isn't saying that Ford waited until the Agency (dealer) paid before they would build it. It is saying that the capability was there to assemble a Model-A and have it available for pickup in about 3 hours.

This may be semantics but based on everything I have read or seen, Ford did not just "stockpile" parts for the sake of doing so. People spread this krap about how their car was built with odds & ends parts they were "using up". That is very misleading because while they were constantly making running changes, they knew EXACTLY what they were building/assembling per hour/week/day. In other words, they didn't just stop the assembly line at 5:00 one day building 1929 models and say "Ah heck, we got all these left over parts for '29 models that we will send back or just make them fit on the new 1930 models."

Back to the stockpile thought. Again, each Branch (factory) gave orders to their Foremen (-based on foreman's logs) on exactly the count of an item they were to produce. If the foundry foreman was given orders to make 50,000 spindles, it was his job to ensure that 50,000 spindles were manufactured in that time period. Not 49,998 or some other random count, but exactly 50k spindles. Simultaneously, transportation foremen received orders to move 50k spindles to the Machine Shop, and the Machine Shop foremen knew the answer exact number of spindles being shipped, and they too knew the exact time each spindle would take to machine. When you read these Foreman's logs, it speaks of seconds in an operation. FWIW, these guys knew which Branch was receiving the item, they knew the quantity, which day they would arrive on Ford's train, and even which car. The reason all of this had to be so precise is the cost was too great for an entire assembly line to be halted due to a shortage of front axles because the Foundry foreman decided he was gonna make 75,000 front spindles instead of making 25,000 front axle beams.

[Railcarmover]

I agree time management was critical,they did time studies on all functions and were careful about overbuilding,Fords mantra was to cut waste..that being said,if all functions are scheduled then why have such a large stockpile of parts at the assembly points? why isn't there existing pictures of thousands of complete cars in lots waiting for purchase by the dealers? you cant start and stop the line at will,I agree,production and time management was paramount and the process was monitored right to the assembly point.but at one point there was a stop,its clear,the numbers don't line up..but that didn't translate in to seas of parked completed units awaiting sale,which leads me to believe that cars weren't assembled before they were sold. I realize that in of itself is not concrete proof,but if your point is they assembled without a sale why doesn't evidence of that exist? in 1931 they 'balanced the books' by stopping production of engines for two months in process of stopping the A...that's not precision in production,they allowed bodies to catch up with engines when the market faded,even with the knowledge that service parts had to be made for a number of years after production stopped...

I do agree that the old wives tales of production 'using up'over run parts on new models is bunk,overrun was put into the service market ..or scrapped.a Enough evidence exists of production scrapping their 'mistakes'.Ill grant you this,The Rouge and the assembly plants are as fascinating as the car itself..

[wensum]

Originally Posted by Brad in Germany

Here is a photo of the Long Beach engine warehouse area:


Brad in Maryland

Mind boggling photos and really appreciated!
Keith