Were we close to another alphabet Ford?

[Rob]

Many of us are aware there was an air-cooled Ford touring planned for 1904. However, I certainly didn't know we were so close, until recently connecting a few pieces of the puzzle.

Several newspapers and magazines carried information of a planned 12-16 hp Ford air-cooled touring car planned for mid 1904. This would have been a second model, less than one year after the first 8 hp Model A was sold. It also would have been the first production Ford four cylinder car, and first with Ford's patented three point, enclosed shaft differential, both features that followed Ford through models B, K N,R,S,T and new Model A, all the way through 1931.

At least one prototype car existed, and appeared at the Ford booth at 1904 Auto shows. Below is the Horseless Age February 1904 issue description of the new air-cooled Ford. Click on the attachment to see a larger version:

The air-cooled motor incorporated fan blades in the flywheel to the rear of the motor, as will models B and K (NRS had the fan/flywheel on the front of the motor). The motor had a bore/stroke of 3 3/4 by 4 1/2, a 198.8 cubic inch displacement.

What i didn't realize was, the stockholders approved production of the new touring car on April 1st, 1904. This was a special stockholders meeting, called to approve the purchase of ground for the future Piquette plant, and the issue of the new four cylinder touring car was also taken up. "After considerable discussion," Shareholders Rackham and Strelow moved and seconded that the price of the new car be approved (Henry Ford reported that the new car would cost about $900 to produce, and the car would retail for $2,000) and agent discounts to be determined by the Board of Directors:

Courtesy The Henry Ford, all rights apply.

Below - at the April 2nd, 1904 directors meeting, the BOD approved a bid submitted March 31, 1904 by W. K. Prudence of Lansing for 1,000 wheels (250 cars). Next, that Henry Ford (in President John Gray's absence) "be empowered to make all contracts necessary to expedite the getting on the market the new touring car."

The next paragraph approves a contract with American Ball Bearing Co. for "250 rear axles etc as per plans." These axles (differentials) eventually became the differentials used with the Ford Model B.

Courtesy The Henry Ford, all rights apply.


It appears to me Ford Motor Co. Was well on the way to producing their second model, an air-cooled, enclosed drive shaft four cylinder touring car.

I wonder how the Ford lineup would have changed had this air-cooled model made it to production?

[1912touring]

Very interesting.

Are the Ford board meeting materials available online somewhere?

Thanks.

[Wayne Sheldon]

I have wondered about this car many times over the years. Now it seems it got closer to reality than we thought? And perhaps even some pre-production that may have ended up in the model B? Fascinating!

One must wonder if Franklin had a hand in Ford dropping the air cooled car? I would doubt that myself. Franklin although a major company for some time before, was just getting going in automobile production in 1904. Numerous other companies including the infamous Aerocar, several significant high wheel types, among many others were using air cooling in those years before 1910. Franklin wound up with many patents over air cooling in the years that followed, and attempted to corner the air-cooled market in America. The famous attempt by Chevrolet in 1923 was quashed by Franklin, as were other efforts by other companies. Franklin had found their niche.
I wonder what may have been if Ford had gone forward with the air cooled Ford?

[Rob]

Michael,
Send a pm or email me direct, robheyen1 at sign gmail.com
Rob

[DanTreace]

One must wonder if Franklin had a hand in Ford dropping the air cooled car? I would doubt that myself. Franklin although a major company for some time before, was just getting going in automobile production in 1904. Numerous other companies including the infamous Aerocar…..
I wonder what may have been if Ford had gone forward with the air cooled Ford?

Think you answered that, Malcolmson took on that role, could be Henry opted to only design that air cooled touring car, build the prototypes to show it, get market input, which would excite his board?

Then wrangle out of building it or maybe entice another to do it?

Perhaps Malcolmson then took Henry’s bait, and started Aerocar in 1905, so Henry got him out of Ford Motor Co. Crafty brains ole Henry had

[George Mills]

Rob,


Have you ever followed the trail of the left over engines that were stored in the Fairlane garage after Henry death? We had chatted about that a few years ago before you started following the money and the Board minutes.

The garage was actually full of engines and somewhere along the line I HAVE seen the inventory list of what was there before they put the Garage back into museum status. Might have even been in Fahenstock papers---or something one of the 'Fellows' did in his thesis--I just don't recall...but there was a list and to my mind at the time...quite a few of the motors made no recall sense as to size...

Some of that motor list if I recall correctly only mentioning bore and stroke and cylinders.

May not be worth chasing, but it did exist once and just may be languishing somewhere waiting to be refound.

[ModelT46]

What happened to the engines? Les Henry once told me that a large amount of origional early parts were scrapped by the Ford Company (and perhaps by the museum). When Les became the director of the auto collection, they had to seek out needed parts ' I have thought that perhaps the engine marked "2" by Hess might have been an unmarked or numbered engine obtained from the museum or from someone who acquired unused engines.

[Rob]

Dan, George and Darel, all good questions and points. George, no, I haven't had any success, although I tried to find info back when we discussed it. Hopefully, like many early auto history bits and pieces, something will surface. I'm amazed at the undocumented items still not cataloged at THF, so one never knows.....

Dan, lets start with the air cooled motor. I believe C.H. Wills was crucial in the design of cars/models by this point (early 1904) as well as Henry Ford. I can certainly see how air cooled would be attractive to a maker like Henry Ford, less moving parts, less weight, less expense. For some reason, it appears a good amount of research and development went into this, and I doubt the prospect of Ford's first improved model (not counting the transition to the 10 hp Model A) would have been put to the entire shareholder meeting, if Henry Ford and the directors weren't very serious. Especially with the contracts for wheels and differentials "on the books." In fact, this is the only time I recall seeing a model put up to a shareholder meeting for approval (in the BOD minutes). My guess is that this simply due to the timing (I think the special shareholder meeting was called to approve the purchase of land for the upcoming Piquette plant, FMC's first major undertaking).

I do agree that at least one Director (Board of) must have been impressed with the qualities of the Ford air-cooled engine. At 198.8 cu. inches., the Ford air cooled motor was almost exactly the same size as the 201 cubic inch Reeves motors Alexander Y. Malcomson would secretly contract to power his Aerocar just over a year in the future. That contract was signed November 1, 1905:

Meanwhile, while it appears to have been a big step, transitioning from the two cylinder chain drive Model A to the air-cooled vertical four cylinder Ford, it appears nothing in auto production was occurring in a vacuum. Just as 1906 and 1907 heralded in an expansion by many upscale producers to six cylinder cars, 1905 saw a major shift to four cylinder side entrance touring cars, with leading maker Cadillac and several others, including Ford, entering the four cylinder market for the first time:

Finally, Henry Ford's plate was full at this time. In addition to planning a new four cylinder model (that turned out to be the 283 cu. in. Model B, not this air cooled example) he was also busy planning the Piquette Plant, a major undertaking. He also had another project he was actively pursuing (after having attained the world record in early 1904 driving his revamped two year old Arrow racer on ice). He was building his next biggest, fastest "space-eater." The six cylinder racer:

In review, the air-cooled prototype (or whatever we wish to call it), had many similarities to the upcoming Model B. The differential appears to have been the same, and design of the two looks very similar. One thing that changed? The front axle of the Model B also makes an advance, going to a solid beam, as will be seen on all Ford models from 1906 on. Model C and F will still have a hollow tube front axle, as does this air-cooled touring car.


It certainly looks like there was a lot afoot at Ford Motor Company in 1904.

[mbowen]

…(I think the special shareholder meeting was called to approve the purchase of land for the upcoming Piquette plant, FMC's first major undertaking).
…

Then I must be mistaken thinking Ford bought the Piquette Plant rather than built it?

[Rob]

Miles, yes, Ford planned and built the plant. Once the plan was approved (stockholders meeting) the buildings were built and the plant operational in short order. The BOD minutes include quite a lot of detail regarding fire controls, costs, etc.

This page from the minutes included the notice, signed by Henry Ford, to shareholders notifying them of the special meeting:

Courtesy The Henry Ford, all rights apply.

[TXGOAT2]

Some issues air cooled engines present for automotive service: 1. Getting rid of enough heat quickly enough under high load, low RPM service, operation in hot environments, and at higher altitudes. 2. Noise generated by fan/blower and noise radiated from generally lighter engine construction. 3. Engine power consumed by fan/blower. (The thermosyphon system operates quietly, on otherwise wasted energy and is much better adapted to cooling critical areas of the engine, such as exhaust valves, under demanding conditions.) The air cooled engine was, and is, much better adapted to light aircraft applications.

[Rob]

Pat,
Interesting points. I wish we had more information on the development, and ultimate rejection (after all signs, including presentation to shareholders and write ups in motoring journals indicate the air-cooled car was a go) of the Ford air-cooled proposition.

It is interesting, and may be nothing more than coincidence, that Board Director Malcomson would choose a similar (size and four cylinder) motor to power his creation, the Aerocar, a little over a year later.

[TXGOAT2]

On the the pro side, the Ford organization consisted of a number Detroiters, and they would have been keenly cognizant of the severe problems associated with freezing of water-cooled systems. With the lack of really suitable anti-freeze, that would have been a major consideration, which argued for air cooling. I'd think casting and finishing large numbers of delicately-finned cylinders and heads would have been a comparitively expensive operation. Multi-cylinder air cooled engines do not lend themselves to en-bloc construction. Chevrolet tried and failed to market a low-priced, multi-cylinder air cooled car. It would be interesting to know exactly what tipped the balance against an air cooled Ford. I need to read some Franklin advertizing and see how they sucessfully promoted their air cooled line.

[Rob]

I know Franklin was one of the leading makers during the early years. Their six cylinder air cooled model came out the same year as Ford’s (1906), and was probably the 3rd leading maker of sixes (behind Ford and Stevens). It was a 30 hp motor, and I think fairly well received and reviewed.

[DHort]

Rob, how many years of Stockholder Meeting minutes have you been able to recover?

[Rob]

Dave,
My "master list" has board meeting minutes up to July 1911. However, there are board meetings missing throughout the sequence. I know there are a set that were typed, and there are a meeting or two in that set I don't have. The set I have are from Accession 512, Box 4, Folders 1 -7 at THF Benson Library. Quite interesting reading. Every time I review the minutes I find new interesting things missed before.

For example, I just noticed one time a Board Director made a motion, however no other director seconds it, and the motion fails. in all the meeting minutes, that only happened once. With all the other board members present no less. That would be embarrassing.

But I"ve only found one instance where that happened. Might make an interesting topic sometime.
Cheers,
Rob