Interesting Model T Era Ford Literature Find in Argentina

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Interesting Model T Era Ford Literature Find in Argentina
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Patterson-Nicholasville, Kentucky on Friday, October 03, 2014 - 07:35 pm:

While visiting friends during the Argentine La Falda Model T tour I was shown something in a collection I had never seen. It is very logical if one thinks about it; The Ford Service Bulletins in Spanish and distributed by the Buenos Aires Branch plant to local dealers in Argentina.
1
I wonder how many other Ford foreign branch plants provide local language Ford literature to in country dealers?
Ron the Coilman


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Saturday, October 04, 2014 - 11:02 am:

Bottom Line Up Front: If you know of any other Foreign Branches that supplied Ford Service Bulletins, please let us know. We know that Canada did (some are included on the MTFCI excellent “Ford Model T Digital Library”) And in addition to printing many of the same illustrations & explanations of how to do something, they also included the unique Canadian issues such as the 4 or 5 styles of one-man tops used 1920-23 long before the USA introduced the one-man tops. Ron was wondering about those in other languages, but I think the broader question would give us more insight into how it was done.

Additional rambling:

Ron,

Good question. That one is dated Sep 11, 1919. And from page 434 of "American Business Abroad - Ford on Six Continents" it has that Ford established its first branch in Argentina in 1913 and began assembling cars in 1916 and began manufacturing in 1961. [ I think that book is now on Google Books -- I did not see the complete book for free -- but I think it is there somewhere. A new edition is available and it has page 434 and that book is located at: http://books.google.com/books?id=YOla2J3spCsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=American+Bu siness+Abroad+Ford+on+Six+Continents&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-v4vVM6RBNGmyATWmYHwAw&ved=0C CUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=American%20Business%20Abroad%20Ford%20on%20Six%20Continent s&f=false ]

And while I do not know of an easy reference prior to calendar year 1921 -- in Bruce's (R.I.P.) "Model T Comprehensive Encyclopedia" CDs as well as his book on pages 463 - 473 he has a listing of the calendar year production including the foreign plants such as Buenos Aires. In 1921 they assembled 6,161 cars (not tractors which were listed separately and none were shown for Buenos Aires.) In 1922 they assembled 11,871 and 1923 they assembled 18,586 I would guess and it is only a guess that they assembled fewer cars the years prior. They continued to generally increase production each year that is documented. Note Bruce’s book contained some errors in the tables that were correct in his CD version of his “Model T Comprehensive Encyclopedia” which are the numbers I used. The CD version is available from: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/331880/333725.html?1357665853

I suspect but I do not have documentation or evidence yet to support the guess that Ford USA encouraged the assembly plants in the various countries to do as many things like the USA as possible. And if that was the case then many of them would have been encouraged to provide the Ford Service Bulletins in their language.

Hopefully some of our other readers will be able to provide some additional information on which other countries had Ford Service Bulletins and in what language.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold R Carpenter - Fair Grove, MO on Saturday, October 04, 2014 - 03:10 pm:

Ron and Hap
This is an interesting item.

The caption below the photograph translated into English reads, "The Ford Motor Company, celebrating the fourth year of (since) the beginning of its commercial activities of (in) the Republic, organized the Second Week - Ford, the meeting has the object (purpose) of congregating (gathering) every year our Agents and Sub-Agents for commercial and other purposes, verifying (conducting) on this occasion a series of acts celebrating its (Ford's) arrival."

Based on the Service Bulletin itself Ford began its commercial operation four years prior to the date of the Bulletin which would mean that Ford began its commercial activities in Argentina in 1915 rather than in 1913 as stated in article cited by Hap.

The words in parentheses would be preferred translation to the literal translation given.

Happy T'ing.

Harold R. Carpenter


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Saturday, October 04, 2014 - 10:05 pm:

Harold,

Thank you for the translation. There may be a good explanation about how both the Ford Service Bulletin that indicates Ford began its commercial activities in Argentina in 1915 nd the book “American Business Abroad” both could be correct. But it initially sounds like one or perhaps both of them are incorrect based on the minimal items I have read so far. That is one reason it is nice to have more than one reference for an item.


A quick check of Google brought up the 100 Anniversary page of Ford New Zealand which has a time line at:
http://www.ford.co.nz/about/corporate-info/history . That timeline has:
1916
Ford Motor Company opened plant in Buenos Aires.

But that same timeline has the 10,000,000 Ford being produced in 1925. And we have some very good documentation that the 10,000,000 engine was produced at 7:47 AM at the Highland Park plant (page 530 Bruce McCalley, “Model T Ford” from the original engine records) and several references showing the 10,000,000 Ford being constructed.

I looked a little more at the “Ford on Six Continents” and it appears to have some good sources for its information. The book is still copyrighted but at the bottom of page 56 and top of 57 it discusses Mr Ellis Hampton and that Hampton was appointed “true and lawful agent and attorney” for the Ford Motor Company in Argentina. The footnote related to that paragraph was #32 and it was in chapter 3. Looking on page 469 where the references for footnote 32 are written, it has a lot of references there, but it lists the Pittsburg Press, Oct 12, 1913 that Hampton assigned Buenos Aires branch. With that late of a start in 1913 they probably did not sell many Ford in Calendar year 1913. And if they were going by fiscal year, Ford USA was using 1 Oct 1912 to Sep 30, 1913 for their fiscal year (ref: page 141 Bruce’s book also see: http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/1913.htm ). So none of the activities in Oct 1913 or later would have been in the fiscal year 1913.

There is always more to learn and to understand. Note Robert Casey, in his book “The Model T a Centennial History” quotes the 1913 date for Ford starting a branch/sales but they are referencing the “Ford on Six Continents” book.

So if anyone has additional information on when Ford began the first branch in Argentina as well as when they began assembling Model Ts in Argentina, we would love to learn more about that.

And of course the original question is still valid – does anyone have information about the Ford Service Bulletins being published in other countries/languages?

Again, Harold – thank you for taking the time to translate the caption for us.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Kable on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 03:35 am:

Hap,
The Ford Times of the period may be able to confirm the date for the Argentina start by Ford.

A Canadian Ford Times April 1914 lists Buenos Aires, Argentina as a branch so 1915 is wrong, earlier editions may also list it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 09:22 am:

Peter,

Thank you for suggesting the "Ford Times." That reminded me that the Price List of Parts also often has the list of Factories and Branches. In the Price List of Parts for 1909-1910-1911-1912-1913 with a note Prices in effect Oct 1, 1913 it has Buenos Aires, Argentina listed under Foreign Ford Branches and Service Stations as a Foreign Branch.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


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