MTFCA Forum

Here’s a picture that showed up again today on an old photos site. Supposedly this is, Henry Ford in his first automobile. It’s been around before and if it’s authentic is the car still in existence in its original state or been restored. Probably a common picture.

One of several common photos of Henry in the Quadracycle! Not one of the earliest photos, as it has the later seat on it.
The original car still exists, in the Henry Ford Museum. Henry had sold it I think very late 1890s? He had built his second car, and needed money to continue his experiments. He was able to buy the car back a few years later and preserved it in largely its original state. This might be after he bought it back? But I don't know that for sure. I hope one of our better experts can correct me.

Good info! Maybe this car is like the first actual T off the assembly line and what may have happened to it. Lots of stories on that one. The very first of Henry Fords notable cars were changed here and there, partially rebuilt and sold and later hunted down when possible. But that’s my opinion.
The very first successful working vehicle he built ought to be in the Henry Ford Museum.

I believe this photo of Henry Ford and his quad may coincide with the article, dating it as New York in late 1905/early 1906, at the New York Ford Branch store. I believe the car reflected in the window is a Model B Ford.

The Quadricycle has onechain for the final drive which is on the right side of the car as shown in one of the photos. It also has a differential on the right side.

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 03, 2022 12:48 am

In the first photo Henry (if that's him) is wearing a mustache in the style of the nineties, but I think what he's driving is a different vehicle than the quadricycle. Note the wooden box body hiding the works, and the chain drive.

I don't even think it looks like H.F. at all. And I agree, this is not the original Quadricycle I'm sure. Photo also looks to be "altered", look at where the wheels "sit" on the road...

The Quadricycle is an interesting story, and we will likely never know the whole tale.
I was talking with a person who would know, at Greenfield Village a while back. He told me that even the car inside the museum is a recreation built under Henry's guidance, because the original had been cannibalized for other projects. "History Is Bunk".

The late George DeAngelis of Ford was the one who saved many pieces of historic microfilm and had it donated to the Museum.

In the sixties, he decided to reproduce the Quadracycle. Since he wasn’t allowed to touch the machine, he used tape on the glass case and sighted across to minimize parallax in his measurements. Eventually Museum saw his dedication to accuracy and officials lifted the glass case and allowed him to take direct measurements. George eventually produced multiple copies of the Quadracycle and I believe one of his copies now resides in the Bagley shed.

Several years ago George was riding one of his copies on the parade field at the Village during the Old Car Festival or a Ford show. This copy had two wooden boxes filled with cooling water. George had the lid off and I could see the long narrow boxes were filled. He explained this was a later iteration that Henry had added to help keep the car running longer.

Disclaimer: These are my personal observations and memories. I do not represent the Henry Ford or the Ford Motor Company.

I’ve seen some historians call the late 1890-early 1900’s Henry Fords “mustache” period. Below he’s seated on one of his early Detroit Automobile Co. cars and delivery vans, and driving his first racer “Sweepstakes, with Spyder Huff as mechanician providing “ballast.” By the time of 999 and Arrow in 1902, I’ve seen photos of him without the mustache.

This photo was taken in 1942 when Henry Ford was 79 years old. It’s supposed to be the first car he built. Maybe this is the one that was used to make some copies of Henry’s first car.

I believe that I have read that Henry actually built three of the Quadricycles over a couple of years, and sold them all. He then located the original one and got it bought back. The photo above may be of one of the other two. Just speculation.