1929 FORD AUTOMOBILE CO. FILM MODEL A ROUGE PLANT ASSEMBLY LINE (SILENT) 45354
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This silent film -- probably made by Eastman Kodak as part of the company's educational film library -- shows a Ford Model A assembly plant, probably the famed Rouge Ford Plant, and the manufacturing of these vehicles of the late 1920’s. According to a Ford expert, the closed bodies cars are Model As with all steel doors, and the crankshafts depicted are also Model A. Introduced in 1927, the Model A was Ford's second market success after the Model T which had been in production for 18 years. By late 1929, two million Model A's were sold. The range of body styles ran from the Tudor at US$500 to the town car with a dual cowl at US$1,200 ($20,862 in 2021 dollars ). Model A production ceased in 1932, after 4,858,644 had been made. Its successor was the Model B.
The film opens with a map pointing to Michigan. Henry Ford’s first Model T was crafted in 1908 at Ford’s Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit, Michigan (:38). The 1928 Model A was the first automobile completely built at the Rouge, Ford Motor Company's massive factory complex in Dearborn, Michigan, and this is likely what is shown in the film. The plant's first products were WWI anti-submarine boats produced in Building B, part of the Dearborn Assembly Plant, which started producing Model A's in the late 1920s and continued production through 2004. In the 1920’s, half of the world’s automobiles were coming from Ford in Michigan (:45). Description of the materials which go into the manufacturing of these vehicles flow on screen such as tin, glass, zinc, cloth, rubber, gasoline and others (1:01). The use of steel in the automobile industry is pointed to first (1:45) as the film turns to a steel mill (1:50). Inside of the mill, workers funnel coke and iron ore into an open furnace (1:55) and sheets of the white-hot metals are seen afterwards (2:12). The production of a crankshaft is then shown (2:46) as large machinery pummels the metal into shape. A span of the completed crankshafts follows (2:39) and an engine is slowly lowered into place (3:53). Fenders, also made from steel, are bent forcefully into shape by machinery (4:10). Once painted with a fresh coat of black; as black was for a long time the only color available for vehicles, they are set to hang dry (4:28). Rubber is examined next (4:47) beginning with the extraction of latex; a milky liquid from the cells of specific plants in the tropics (5:16). This liquid is collected, poured into containers and stretched out (6:23). The natural rubber must then be smoked for ten days (6:37). Once the rubber is sent to the automobile plant, men work to fit it around wheels (7:16). Fresh tires move down the assembly line (7:40) and tire fittings are installed (8:04). Glass is seen in production for the Model T as a hot liquid which is being pressed and rolled flat into thin sheets (8:47). The glass is then sanded down and polished (9:22) and lines are drawn to cut it into specific shapes which will fit the vehicles (9:31). Automobile bodies are sprayed black (10:04). Workers fit glass into the passenger side window (10:13). Completed models sit outside the Detroit plant (11:19). The film turns to the fueling of the vehicles (11:29). Oil rigs (11:44) and large oil drums (12:17) follow. A truck is filled with fuel through the top of the vehicle (12:38). As vehicles required satisfactory roads, construction of roadways follows (13:31). A truck dumps out a vast quantity of dolomite to be used as a road-based material (13:35). Completed modern roadways smooth and black are seen with 1920’s style automobiles and a double decker bus riding over it (14:15).
The Highland Park Ford Plant was designed by Albert Kahn Associates in 1908 and was opened in 1910. Ford automotive production had previously taken place at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, where the first Model Ts were built. The complex included offices, factories, a power plant and a foundry as part of Ford's strategy of integrating the supply chain. About 102 acres in size the Highland Park Plant was the largest manufacturing facility in the world at the time of its opening. It set the precedent for many factories and production plants built thereafter.
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com
Born in Detroit, I knew my Grandfather had worked for Ford Motor Company most of his life. This was in the same time as this movie. I believe Ford paying $5 per day drew many people to the factories but it was hot/cold, monotonous work but I guess that was a better-than-average wage in those days. I had never seen this footage of the actual factory labor until this video and have an even deeper appreciation for my Grandfather who worked his entire life in this awful environment. 'Til we meet again, Grampa!
My grandfather worked in the mines in Iron Mountain Michigan, around the same time yours was in Detroit. I went to see them a few years back, and I got a great awakening. Living was a dangerous prospect back then, but I'd still take it over the insanity going on in this world today. The men could work harder, because the food supply wasn't killing them with every bite they took. You never see a fat guy in these videos...
Thanks for sharing this Incredible footage.
If you weren't skilled you had the worst jobs , not much different today unfortunately
Many years ago I went to work for GE, here in Memphis Tennessee. The shop was located in the downtown area. It was a very old building. I talked to several of the fellows about the history concerning the building and one old timer told me that the building was constructed in the mid 1920s, and leased by the Fisher Body Company of the Ford Motor Company. The original 10 ton overhead crane was still in use. The assembly line tracks were still visible but filled in with concrete. As of the early 2000s, the building was still in place
Some scary stuff there but all excellent. Those guys were tough! It really brings home our modern environmental and safety standards that we all take for granted.
Yeah the same ones that the Republican party is trying to do away with because of humans don't matter
I'm not sure what cars are being assembled here but they are not Model T Fords or the later Model A Fords. They are definitely from the late 20s but not from 1919. One thing for sure, the crank shafts being forged are for a 6 cylinder engine which Ford never made until years later close to WWII.
There is a 28-29 model A tudor from 10:10 to 10:36 . It looks like a mixture of various manufacturers. Definately later than 1919 and no model Ts. Still a neat film.
DAVID P.----CORRECT!!!--SAVED ME TYPEING!!!!
@@CarterAutoRestyling ---CORRECT!!!!--SAVED ME TYPEING!!!!!!
packardexelence Yeah it seems to be a combination of a lot of different manufacturers to give a general idea of what it takes to assemble automobiles.
I noticed that too, but Ford did make a 6 cylinder for the Model K , 1906-1907, which I never heard of until I looked it up. The next one was in 1941.
I have a Ford model t key number 59. These films are very interesting. I love our history.
I cringed when I saw the plate glass get installed. So glad for laminated glass for vehicles. Oh the horrific injuries from broken glass in accidents.
Or the death shaft steering column pointed straight at the driver.
Worked at the Mahwah Ford and Pontiac assembly plant in Pontiac so I can really relate to those workers. Handling glass with bare hands, Ouch. Those were the days when America and its manufacturing was on the rise. Now manufacturing is off shore and America is in decline.
13:26 The truck at the quarry looks like a Mack model AC.
It sure was.
Yup solid tires chain drive acetylene lighting and crank start
Very cool and informative.
13:46 Wow, Amazon was a player back then!
Yeah, I also saw written on a truck name AMAZON
Looks like very dangerous work. Love the Beethoven music!
I grew up in Dearborn a couple of miles from the famous Rouge plant.
Amazing what we could make domestically.
Never forget the man and beloved "T" Art:Mr.Henry Ford,
Yep that old nazi sympathizer
Those cars are huge compared to a Model T, even a Model A.
If you would consider writing an updated description for us that would fix the errors ... we would appreciate it. Email to contact(at)PeriscopeFilm(dotcom)
@@PeriscopeFilm Look like it might be a Dodge production line, based on the wooden spoke wheels and some of the body lines.
Registro incrível!
That is definently NOT Highland Park, or any kind of Ford production...the film clips are intriguing, and many haven't seen the light of day in decades, but they aren't Ford.
That was great to watch thanks for sharing 👍
Back when America was great when we lost out heavy industry we were no longer a world manufacturing force . That’s what always brought us out of a slump it’s all gone never will be a word power with out the manufacturing we once had !
if you tour the rouge plant now, they only let you see the green garden-like spaces.
I’ve got a ‘21 Model T in the shop that’s been in the family since my wife’s great grandfather bought brand new. These ain’t T’s in the movie.
Cool. Some of the film looked like "A's" . Looked like a MUCH bigger motor for a T. Helped restore a 29 A Roadster back in 74- Rumble seat, no less!
I dont think they are even FORDS
Interesting scenes of auto production, but not from 1929 and not all Ford factory photos.
15:47 1920's Amazon delivery man seen making his rounds there
Watching tires being made in the Rouge made me feel sorry for the slave labor of the workers in the rubber tree plantation.
Henry was probably paying pennies per day to put America on wheels. And just think, all those jobs in making the cars in the Rouge are gone. The tire factory, glass factory, the radiator factory, the coke oven facility, the wheel factory, the door handle factory, the bumper factory, the headlight factory, the Spec foundry, and now the Ford Lake freighters that brought in the raw materials to make steel in the Ford Steel Division - ALL GONE. Ford sold off the steel Division, the ore freighters scrapped out, or sold to another company & renamed. All that American enginuity and jobs gone off shore. Many manufacturing plant's gone in the process. Today, if China, Russia, or Puerto Rico declared war against the USA. we would lose the war before it even started. Many production plants are gone, or like the Ford Rouge Plant, severely a ghost of itself. China and Russia has the manufacturing power to go to war against anybody they want to.
The USA has nothing in regards to being "The Arsenal of Democracy" as it did as this video shows. Mighty Bethlehem Steel is gone. China is the world's largest and mighty steel production country.
How did all this happen? Company executives through out this country were only focused on making millions for themselves, and allowing Wall Street to run the American companies through stock prices. Henry Ford the 2nd, did a very bad thing by taking the Ford Motor Company public on Wall Street. Now Wall Street dictates how much the company should make every quarter.
Old man Henry spent his life to keep stock broker's and bank's from telling him what to do, in running his company.
Henry the 1st was for quite a while in history, not only the richest man in the country - but the world. WHY?? Because
he kept Wall Street out of the business of producing cars that Americans can afford to own. It's a pity to see film's and video's like this show how much of American industrial strength and power is gone, due to millionaires wanting more millions at the expense of our society looking for their sliver of the American dream. My father told me that he lived through the depression, and poor people looked and really lived poor. My father also told me history always repeats itself, and that I will also live through a country depression- but my generation will be more affected because I was bought up in a country that had more to offer in regards to lifestyle than the country offered him during his young life.
The baby bloomer generation and beyond are now "functional" poor, and living just one or two paychecks from being homeless. I definitely love my country and the many diverse people living in it around me, but in regards to manufacturing might, and the Republican Party's stand that they are the only, and best for America, is making our country easy pickings for another country to take us over and destroy our constitution. A constitution that no other country has, or can dream of having.
Grab your butt cheeks people, we are in for a wild and crazy ride as we deal with China, North Korea, Russia, and Iraq.
Answer this question. How come you don't hear anything about Canada having problems like The United States Of America has? Hmmmmmm.
Excellent post it sums it all up.
Thanks 👍
Rick, you ask: "How come you don't hear anything about Canada having problems like The United States Of America has?"
My friend, up here in Canada, well we have the same country killing problems as you good hard working folks. We once had factories that made everything from screwdrivers to airplanes (Check out the Avro Arrow, the very first supersonic delta winged jet fighter ever made, we made it in the '50s... (The USA military sadly played a big part in our country NOT taking this wonderful flying machine to where it needed to go, but that's another story, watch the movie called, "The Arrow" here in youtube, it's a very good watch!) every home appliance known to man we made from scratch. We made toilets, tubs, faucets, you name it, Canada ONCE made it. Now it's all gone, everything has been sold off to china and that all started in the 1980s. I remember as a 14 year old kid in the early 80s, we went on a class trip to the Westeel Roscoe steel plant/factory in Edmonton. I was glowing, (no pun intended haha!) and so genuinely proud that my province (Alberta) had a big steel making factory because my dad was a welder and he pipeline welded Roscoe steel for many years B-pressure welding the yellow jacket 6 inch to I think up to 24 inch high pressure gas pipelines.
No, up here in Canada too many of us are just ONE pay away from being homeless, heating costs have gone through the damn roof and we are behind in paying the bills at this moment. Many of us have used a tax return or horse-traded in order to get ourselves a used but in good condition motorhome because we all feel 'the crunch' and the shitty soul draining fear of being so close to being homeless. I've installed a wood stove into our motorhome and if we become homeless we won't have to buy propane to heat us in the winter and that's a big saving. And we rescue animals, mainly cats and dogs so I feel proud that we will not ever abandon the furry part of our family if we happen to become homeless at anytime.
@@georgeloyie7456 Thank you for replying and giving me more insight to what the situation is in Canada. In the early 1970's, I would ride my 10 speed bike across The Ambassador Bridge, and party with the student's of The University of Windsor, located on the Windsor side of the bridge. Becoming friends with a group of them since then, I have friends not only in Windsor, but surrounding area's which also includes some western province's. I never heard any of them talk about the loss of industry and jobs like you mentioned. I hear more about the problems about the national health care system Canada has. Which I still have a hard time understanding, because there are still bus loads of people from the Detroit area, going through the Detroit/ Windsor tunnel to purchase their medications in Canada. Which is much cheaper than buying them in the USA, including the price of a round trip bus ticket to Canada and back. In the 1980's, an older co-worker friend of mine had to have hernia surgery. Instead of having it done here in the states, his doctor recommended that he go to hernia hospital called Solduce Hospital in Toronto to have the surgery. My co-worker friend couldn't say enough great and wonderful things about that hospital. He told everyone with ears, that if you need hernia surgery - go to Solduce Hospital in Canada. Because I live just across the Detroit River from Canada, and read The Windsor Star newspaper occasionally, I never read or took notice about the loss of industry and jobs, as you mentioned. The new Gordy Howe International Bridge being built thru my old childhood neighborhood of Delray, is going to strengthen the economy of both Canada and the USA. So if that Bridge will enhance Canada's economy and the US economy, that's how come we and me in particular never hear about the same problems in Canada, as we in the USA have. Again, thanks for bringing your insight into my view of things about Canada. My prayers to you and your family that Jesus will keep you from falling off the economic cliff, and you never have to resort to burning wood to keep warm. Just keep believing in Him, and let Jesus do the rest. I do all the time, and let the cards fall as they may.
Just keep moving forward, and remember what Rock musician Bob Seeger so eloquently sang in one of his songs: Too many people, too many people, too many people looking back.
Peace George Peace.
One tree gives rubber another maple syrup, bloody amazing if you think about it
Buen trabajo
They handled the glass without gloves.
Fenders looks like a 20’s Buick
Interesting film, but those are definitely not Model T Fords.
The music (Beethoven) is excellent, but a poor choice for this film.
Good video
lefthand thread on the wheels
Only on the right (passenger) side, I believe. Had some trailers in the military that had LH threads on the RH side and RH (normal) threads on the LH (drivers) side. Forward rotation keeps everything tight.
The Model A Ford, built from 1928-1931, did NOT have a 6 cylinder engine. It was a 4 cylinder. The Model A ford did NOT have wooden wheels, they were wire spokes from the beginning. The 4 dr sedans at around 10:08 look like Buicks to me. That is NOT a model A cowl as the Model A had the gas tank as the top of that cowling for gravity feed to the carburetor. To call it a film about making the Model A Ford in 1929, is to badly misname it. Still an interesting film though.
The era, 1929, I think is pretty appropriate to most all the views in the film. However to title it as a film about building the Model A Ford does not describe what is seen. The Model A ford was built from early 1928-1931, 4 yrs. Model T production ended in 1927 and there was quite a delay before producing the Model A due to all the retooling needed and Henry's unwillingness to settle on a final design.
The Model A body was almost identical in 1928 and 1929 and is recognizable in some scenes. The Body was changed, at the cowl for 1930 and 1931. I think some people who know cars from this era would have to go over the film, scene by scene, in order to ID all the cars being manufactured and the plants shown in the movie. GM used a lot more wood for body framing than Ford did. The Model A was mostly steel and was a much more durable design than GM products of the time. Once that wood rotted the bodies fell apart. There are a number of views of one plant and it's production that I believe are Buicks. GM was rapidly taking over the lead from Henry Ford by 1930 and was THE competitor that old Henry just loathed. And those cars had lots of wood in the bodies, more than Ford at that time, and also used wood spoked wheels longer than Ford did. Chevrolet went to steel disc wheels in 1930, for example.
There are some scenes from the River Rouge plant but also scenes from many other plants. It is a very very interesting film, but feel it would be much more appropriately titled "Manufacturing automobiles circa 1929".
Wood frame bodys are likely GM.
We would love to pin this down. Can you tell us what else to look for?
@@PeriscopeFilm It is a mixture of manufacturers as far as I can tell, there are some ford bodies in it too modelA 28 to 31.
@@PeriscopeFilm I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORIAN: & I FULLY CONCOR
WITH BOTH MIN BANNISTER's COMMENTS; + THE CRANKSHAFTS ARE
NOT FORD AT ALL!!! THEIR FOR A 6 CYLINDER, NOT MADE BY FORD
UNTILL POST WWII!!!!!!!!!!! ALSO THE FISHER BROTHERS WERE AMOUNG
THE LAST TO GIVE-UP WOOD-STEEL COMPOSITE BODIES; SO VERY LIKELY
GM!!!!!!
---LOOK AT THE BODY TRIM!!!!!!!
Neat film. Not partial to the music though.
I kinda liked the music. Beethoven's Ninth. Gets one in the mood for a little ultraviolence...
Look at all that hand labor with no gloves to prevent cuts, gashes, and abrasions.
No wonder the workers in the Ford factories have hands that look like ground beef.
at the 13.49 mark look closely a truck says amazon lmao
Cool
hire someone else for music choices
There is no need for music
The music makes me want to invade Poland.
Reminds me of metropolis
I don't see how this can be a Ford plant. The engines are not Ford engines, and the cars don't look like Ford's either. I think someone mistakenly titled this video.
This is a montage of different assembly plants from different makers. Most of it is NOT Ford Model A's. The part from the 10:10 to the 10:36 mark does show Model A bodies, but the wheels, tires, and engines are definitely for larger cars. Ford didn't make straight 6 engines and they didn't put big wooden artillery wheels on any Model A's.
Could this be Lincoln assembly?
This is NOT a Model T production.
If you would consider writing an updated description for us that would fix the errors ... we would appreciate it. Email to contact(at)PeriscopeFilm(dotcom)
One thing for sure is the part where the crankshaft is installed is definitely not for a Model A as the model A block only had 3 man bearing and the one shown has 5 and the block appears to be aluminum. Model A
Not all that long ago though relatively; My parents were toddlers back then.
Too many cylinders for a model T. They weren't six cylinder, also there were too many main bearings for a cheap car.
I'm thinking these are Dodges. Dodge used wooden wheels with fat spokes like that on some late 20's models. Ford never used wheels like that. The body lines and three hinges on the rear door also look a bit like some of the Dodges of the era, though I'm not seeing a perfect match.
Were were the Ford Model As? Or even Fords in general?
Not Ford, that looks like Studebaker in Southbend Indiana.
i think that you are correct
If you would consider writing an updated description for us that would fix the errors ... we would appreciate it. Email to contact(at)PeriscopeFilm(dotcom)
13:47 Amazon ... lol. Jeff Bezos must be a time traveler.
What fascinates me the most here if the crankshaft process, looks pretty crude.
I can't understand why they can't bring steel plants back , I'm sure they can have cleaner stacks with good filters
Detroit the american dream
I noticed the natural color of raw rubber is white.I wonder if that’s why early automobiles sometimes had white tires.
yep
Great film. Thanks for the upload. I don't believe that this is a Ford film. Based on the product, I would guess GM.
where's the other half made
You should see highland park today...... not pretty
Yes. Unfortunately the Democratic run city government has let their policies run their course.
I think Henry Ford actually bought an island? to keep up with the demand for rubber for his cars. I could be wrong.
An area of land in Brazil, for a rubber plantation. ‘Fordlandia’ was the name given to the settlement.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fordlândia
Those are not Ford automobiles as stated in the description.
Engines are not flat heads. Not Ford
13:47 Amazon?
Scenes depicted are NOT from 1919. Probably more like the early 1930's.
And, oh---the Wagnerian music at the beginning sucks.
It’s not Wagner. It’s Beethoven.
I’m retired Ford as of June 1 2021,30 yrs
Was ist mit der deutschen Opernmusik? What is with the German opera music? I know that Ford was originally fond of Herr Hitler and he may have loved this sort of music but the common American who might buy these cars probably didn't. Also, these do not look like Model T cars, I could be wrong.
The music sound track must have been provided by a high minded academic…
The skilled line workers would never put up with it ! If they could hear at all ….
The pay was lousy - but the hours were long.
The workers were paid very well. $5/day. Much more than other companies.
Ford workers after the model T got $5. An unheard of rate of pay
Son, the economy back then was sweet!
That was not a model A
Sorry--but I did not see even one Model A Ford
Lead paint and no masks.
I usually like these films/clips. But this one is horrible. Starting with a wrong title, and ending with HORRIBLE 'background music'.
My. Uncle Jerry uesd work at. Ford motor company
Ford did not offer any closed sedans in 1919. Very inaccurate
If you would consider writing an updated description for us that would fix the errors ... we would appreciate it. Email to contact(at)PeriscopeFilm(dotcom)
Looks like a VW factory
opera singer, just turn the sound off.
Everybody on TH-cam thanks I have to be Steven Spielberg George Lucas, of course I never will be. I am stupid music and can’t put together a reasonable film. This is one of them whoever you are find another job
The background music on this video sounds like Russian Propaganda music to show Communist strength in Russian industry and enginuity.
The music just about ruins this interesting film.
I would expect it in a German film!
music ruined it
God awful music.