15,000,000 Ford video

[Rob]

From the National Archives. I thought some might like this footage if you’ve not seen it. I’m looking for a specific film, so sorting through a lot of Ford films.

https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=* ... ffset=1540

[Steve Jelf]

It's amazing that those guys stamping the serial number got it so straight. I have trouble stamping numbers straight when I do it all by myself. Whenever I've seen that car the hood was closed, so I've never seen the engine. I wonder if it still has the autographs on it.

[Bud Delong]

As one can see what is going down the engine line even then i wonder what the odds were if 15,000 000 had been no starter or generator?? Thank"s Rob! Bud.

[Duey_C]

Pretty cool, I hadn't seen this before.
Was the stamping guide just stuck on the water inlet? Looked as if the guy with the 5 used his third finger to hold the guide in/on.
Thanks for posting this Rob!

[DHort]

I see Edsel put the brake lever forward before he started the car. I understand others do it differently. Nice video.

[thom]

I had seen only a few seconds and still shots of this video before. I love seeing more of it. Seeing all the Ts and T era cars is great and I love Henry's Quadracycle. I have studied pictures and videos of it for years and would love to build/own agood replica of it. The one "modern" addition I would add would be commercially available (probably Model T) spark plugs, points, and the appropriate coil(s). The original system would be almost impossible to replicate, and I believe it gave Ford a lot of grief. I WOULD NOT use a lawn mower engine!
I have also gathered up parts to build a full size (?) working model of his first engine, the "kitchen sink" engine. I have seen several working models of it before at antique engine/tractor shows.
DHort, I probably would not have caught Edsel moving the brake lever had you not mentioned it. Personally I leave my lever back in " brake on, trans in neutral" when I crank up then go to neutral/half way forward right before I step on either the left or middle pedal, depending on which way I want to move. I guess it's a habit but I still keep my right foot on the brake pedal until I move it to one of the aforementioned pedals.

[Chris Barker]

What colour was, or is, that engine? It's obviously much paler than the others one the line - presumably green?

Where are the later outdoor shots with the Quadricycle?

Thanks

[DanTreace]

Chris

Don't think any color photos of the 1927 15th million engine exist. Guess is that color engine was a light gray, to stand out from others on the line.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/82 ... 1541464720

This older post shows the 15th million today, had been repainted from the original Gun Metal Blue, and originally had silver lettering.....would have been best to keep that color when it was repainted IMO.

Anyway, today the engine has been painted over in Ford Green

Original colors, would seem to be a gray.

Any of those original ink signatures from the 8 longest serving employees, who also stamped the digits on this block would have been long ago burned off as this T took many road trips and visits to many dealers back in the days prior to it being housed in 1929 at the Edison Institute, now The Henry Ford. The famous photo of the early T, the Quadricycle, and 15th Million was taken at Ford's Engineering Lab, May 26, 1927.




On one of the road trips to dealers.