Where were Model T engines made?

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Steve Jelf
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Where were Model T engines made?

Post by Steve Jelf » Mon Aug 02, 2021 11:11 pm

I gather that engines were made in only a few plants (Detroit, Long Island, Manchester, Walkerville [Windsor]) and were shipped to the many assembly plants (Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Los Angeles, etc., etc.) to be put into cars. Were engines made anywhere other than those four places?
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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by Chris Barker » Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:34 am

In the later years, Manchester was supplied with castings and maybe whole engines from Cork in Eire.


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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by John kuehn » Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:19 am

I don’t think the engines had any identifying mark on them. If they did I haven’t noticed any thing that would tell you. Did any of the numbers have any codes that would identify it?

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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by Steve Jelf » Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:36 am

Did any of the numbers have any codes that would identify it?

There's nothing in the numbers that would tell where they were issued, but it just dawned on me that the serial number lists do include that information. I guess I answered my own question.

Screen Shot 2021-08-03 at 8.07.45 AM.png
If you happen to have an engine numbered from 2880601 to 2880800 it was made in the Long Island plant.

Screen Shot 2021-08-03 at 8.09.03 AM.png
The British numbers are listed too.

Screen Shot 2021-08-03 at 8.10.27 AM.png
After the Rouge plant began operation numbers issued at Highland Park and the Rouge are identified.

Engines made in Windsor have their own series of numbers. They have a C prefix.
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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by NY John T » Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:47 am

Are you saying Long Island as in Long Island New York?


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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by John kuehn » Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:07 am

Steve did that information about the engine build location come from one of Bruce Mcalleys books? Seems like the information about it I’ve read somewhere way back when but my foggy brain can’t remember where.


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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by Been Here Before » Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:27 am

So what is going on at Long Island?

From HF web page:
1912
Long Island, NY
Jackson Ave and Honeywell St.
Assembly started: 1912
Assembly ceased: 1917 (plant taken over by U.S. Government, operations moved to Kearny, NJ)

1918
Kearny, NJ (moved from Long Island, NY)
Kearny Marshes
Assembly started: November 1918
Assembly ceased: December 1930 (operations moved to Edgewater)

1930
Edgewater, NJ (moved from Long Island, NY and Kearny, NJ)
309 River Road
Assembly started: November 1930
Civilian production ceased: 1942
Civilian production resumed: 1945
Assembly ceased: 1955 (operations moved to Mahwah, NJ)



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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by TRDxB2 » Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:57 am

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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by DanTreace » Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:23 pm

Except for early Ts that had engines built at the Piquette Plant, all T engines were manufactured, assembled and tested complete at the Highland Park main plant, then late in 1924, T engines were manufactured, assembled and tested at the giant River Rouge plant. Those engines were too moved to Highland Park, as car assembly of the T didn’t happen at River Rouge.

All tested engines were shipped to the many assembly branches all over, to be placed in chassis assembled on replica lines like Highland Park used. Highland Park only assembled a fraction of all the T’s built.

Of course, Canada, and Great Britain manufactured and tested engines at their plants.

Long Island City branch only assembled T’s, and for a short while when opened , no engines were mfg. there.



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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by Hap_Tucker » Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:48 pm

First -- I believe the term assembled and tested is a better way to describe what happened than asking where were they manufactured. I.e. if one part was not made at that plant was it still manufactured there?

Bruce McCalley addressed the question of where the engines were assembled on page 501 of his excellent book "Model T Ford." Below is an extract from that page:
page 501 A.JPG
page 501 A.JPG (44.18 KiB) Viewed 2064 times
Page 501 B.JPG
And his serial number listing includes many serial numbers sent to Long Island for stamping on a block there. And on page 515 he shows where the 200 engine numbers that were shipped to Long Island on Jan 7, 1918 were sent back to the the Highland Park engine shop on Jan 16, 1918.

On that same page Bruce has a comment: "Note: Engine record numbers, not engines, were shipped to Long Island, New York. Unnumbered "knocked down" (unassembled) engine blocks were also shipped; the numbers to be stamped in upon completion. Actual dates of assembly of these engines is unknown.

Hopefully that adds some clarity although it does not give the answer of where all Model T engines were assembled. And on page 537 he listed the last recorded 7 engines were assembled in 1941.

And technically the engines for the 1914 style cars produced by Ford Motor Company for the Centennial were not produced at the Highland Park nor the River Rouge.....

There is so much more to still rediscover and redocument about the cars, how they were produced, used, etc.

Respectfully submitted,

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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by DanTreace » Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:16 pm

Thanks Hap

That adds some more data of course.

The huge quantity of Model T's in the millions and the production over decades makes any 'correct' answer a bit of a chore!

While most tested and numbered Highland Park engines were shipped for installing in chassis at branches, this Service Bulletin from 1922 raises question.

Were dealers able to obtain completed tested and numbered engines for replacement from assembly branches?

Known that dealers got un-numbered bare blocks, for use in repairs and could obtain any engine pieces to put together an engine.

Found this bit of interest on engine assemblies, from Service Bulletin.

Begs to ask the question........" unable to supply Model T motors for service until further notice "......so, did dealers get from branches finished numbered motors? .....were these engines, fitted with the parts noted, marked with serial numbers? They weren't just bare blocks, with all these parts furnished. Who can know ;)


Motors for dealers 1922.jpg

Bare block in shipping crate to the order of a dealer or repair house.


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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by Kerry » Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:45 pm

Dan, parts book, 2991B Cylinder assembly $60.00, and 2991B Motor assembly less starter $125.00


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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by ModelT46 » Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:55 pm

My engine 1910 was made by the Dodge co.


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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by ModelT46 » Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:24 pm

That is a 1910 engine.


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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by Alan Long » Wed Aug 04, 2021 8:32 pm

Hello Darrel.
Just wondering how to identify a Dodge Engine Block? I was unaware of them making Blocks for Ford, other pieces yes.
My Block 33435 has the mould number “2”on the RHS and assume that was a Highland Park one ?
Cheers Alan in Western Australia


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Re: Where were Model T engines made?

Post by modeltspaz » Wed Aug 04, 2021 8:59 pm

The Long Beach, California assembly plant was not completed early enough to produce Model Ts.

The first vehicles to roll out of the Long Beach plant were Model As.
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