This morning several of us will tour the Piquette plant along with visits to Mack Avenue, Ford Manufacturing and the Aerocar factory sites. For newer forum members, the Mack Avenue plant was Ford Motor Company's first location (a replica of the building is located at Greenfield Village). Ford Manufacturing Company was a company held by Henry Ford and several investors that built the Model N chassis for FMC. Later that location became the Model K plant. The Aerocar factory was constructed in early 1906 to build the Aerocar. Alexander Malcomson, an original investor in Ford Motor Company was the primary investor and President of Aerocar. Sometime following the failure of Aerocar in 1908 Hudson produced cars at the plant.
We'll try to post pics as we tour the sites,
Rob
Yes please!!!!
Why would you say the Piquette plant, birthplace of the Model T, is off topic? Wish I was there and not working today!
Here are some photos I took for them...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t31.0-8/10484932_72824707 0569392_2618637904208046531_o.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/p417x417/1045557 0_721368451257254_220005700891014820_n.jpg?oh=82cd4b59947a5b8aa2ee150855e923c6&o e=545D907D&__gda__=1417685674_89118aadfddc942cb5812f7d20e66415
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t31.0-8/10344417_71826063 1568036_2734478697638542713_o.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t31.0-8/10452973_71770876 8289889_7752129230037485474_o.jpg
By the way, Mack Avenue was Ford Motor Company's second location.
Henry Ford's first Ford Motor Company shop, where 999, Arrow, and the prototype Model A was built, stood at 81 Park Place. Henry Ford and Harold Wills had offices next door in the Parker - Webb Building. That is the birthplace and first location of the Ford Motor Company.
Tony, very nice pics. Thank you for posting. Hopefully we will have more to post later today (although not nearly as well done ).
As I understand it, Ford Motor Company rented the Mack Avenue plant in the spring of 1903, incorporating in June 1903. One of the original investors, Albert Strelow, owned the building. Prior to this Henry Ford along with a few early Ford (Ford and Malcomson Company) employees developed the engine used for the Model A in one of A. Y. Malcomson's buildings (Park Ave.).
I don't believe FMC was incorporated while this occurred, however I'm certainly not an authority on the subject.
All I know is when I toured Piquette with our H.F. 150th. birthday tour last year, I was in awe standing in an original building where all this really got going "good". Could almost hear the clinking of wrenches and smell the factory odor.
Tony...nice pics, super quality! The last one of the black runabout is a clone to mine!! Wow.
Tim
Thank you and I spent 4 weekends there and lugged in a lot of studio lights. It was quite the show.
If a grey haired lady is working the counter named Marion, tell her Tony sentcha ;)
FYI Piquette is not opened today!
Wednesday -Sunday: 10 AM - 4 PM
Piquette is great! You must check out the front stairs. They don't seem to have been used much.
Tony,
They are open today due to OCF week (and planned visits).
Rob
preparing to leave the Hotel:
And the hotel has valet parking:
The Piquette Party of four:
Awesome! Didn't want you guys to get there and be like UHHHhhhh
Wow! You even have a Model A leading the way. That's too cool!
Honey, we're home.....
Honey, we're home.....
Rob - Ya, I know.....You liked that picture so much, you just had to post it twice.
And valet parking for a Model K.....sure, why not? Again
Thanks very much for posting pictures of these enjoyable events.
Keith
I, for one, miss the Friday evening dinners that the Piquette Plant put on in the top floor the day before the OCF to help raise money for the plant's restoration. They would always update you on the progress of things going on in the plant and what was next on the list of things to be done. It was always very cool to dine where these magnificent vehicles were built!
Rob,
Will your Model K be parked in the judging area again this year or will it be among the other 1907 vehicles? Also, I missed seeing your Model N last year. Where will that be parked? Are you going through Pass and Review with either car?
Cheers,
Willis
Willis,
Both (Tim and ours) Model K will be with a group of cars John Grace has together, wherever that is. Our N#3 will be with them too, along with Tim's Model A Town Car.
We just returned from the "Dearborn Inn," a fitting end to a great day:
Glad you missed the rain!
Thanks Rob
I sure love the early cars!
Thank you all for sharing these.
Drive carefully, and enjoy the OCF! W2
This thread is like a visit with your grandparents. The pictures, the different old cars, the history and the love of everything connected.
America at its best. Thank You to all that made it happen, Scott