The Detroit Automobile Company (DAC) was an early Americanautomobile manufacturer founded on August 5, 1899, in Detroit, Michigan.[1] It was the first venture of its kind in Detroit.[2] Automotive mechanic Henry Ford attracted the financial backing of twelve investors; Detroit Mayor William Maybury, William H. Murphy and others. As with many early car ventures, the company floundered, and it was dissolved in January 1901.[1] Twenty vehicles were built and $86,000 ($2.61 million in 2019) of investment was lost.[3][4]
The company's first product was a delivery truck, completed in January 1900.
Foundation
The company was founded with a paid-up capital of $15,000 ($455,490 in 2019).[2] Henry Ford managed the manufacturing plant at 1343 Cass Avenue and Amsterdam in Detroit;[5] initially with no pay until he left his job at the Detroit Edison Company, after which he was given a monthly salary of $150 ($4,555 in 2019).[2][6] He refused to put a car into production until he had perfected it to his satisfaction,[7] infuriating investors who quickly began to lose confidence in Ford's ability to bring a product to market.[7] The company's primary objective was to make a profit for its investors, who had seen the Oldsmobile plant, where the Curved Dash Oldsmobile was built, which was profitable for its owner Samuel Smith.[4]
The company's first product was a gasoline-powered delivery truck engineered by Ford and completed in January 1900.[1] It received favorable coverage in a local newspaper, but was not without its flaws; it was slow, heavy, unreliable and complicated to manufacture.[8] Later in life, Ford recalled this period as one that was driven by profit rather than innovation.[9]
A catalog produced by Detroit Automobile Company in 1900 showed, with a cost analysis, that the automobile was cheaper to maintain and operate than a horse and vehicle.[4] Little is known about the company's designs.[10]
Cost of operating, 1⁄4 cents per mile, 25 miles per day
$114
New tires
$100
Repairs
$50
Painting vehicle four times
$100
$1,364
Horse and Vehicle
Original cost, horse, harness and vehicle
$500
Cost of keeping horse five years
$1,200
Shoeing the horse
$180
Repairs on vehicle, including rubber tires
$150
Repairs on harness, $10 per year
$50
Painting vehicle four times
$100
$2,180
Demise
The Detroit Automobile Company was reorganized into the Henry Ford Company on November 20, 1901, after Ford gained further backing from investors because of his racing success.[10] It later became the Cadillac Company under the ownership of Henry Leland, who came in subsequently after Ford had left.[9][11] The factory location for the Detroit Automobile Company is less than a mile away southeast from Mr. Ford's Piquette Avenue Plant, which opened four years later.
References
^ abcBryan, Ford R., The Birth of Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford Heritage Association, archived from the original on April 15, 2013, retrieved May 23, 2008
^ abc"Months past (an account of Henry Ford's first automobile factory)", History Today, vol. 49, no. 8, p. 50, August 1999
^Cabadas, Joe (2004), River Rouge: Ford's Industrial Colossus, MotorBooks/MBI Publishing, p. 17, ISBN0-7603-1708-9
^ abcdWeiss, H. Eugene (2003), Chrysler, Ford, Durant, and Sloan: Founding Giants of the American Automotive Industry, McFarland, pp. 7–9, ISBN0-7864-1611-4
^Bryan, Ford Richardson; Evans, Sarah (1995), Henry's Attic: Some Fascinating Gifts to Henry Ford and His Museum, Wayne State University Press, p. 107, ISBN0-8143-2642-0
^ abFord, Henry; Crowther, Samuel (1922), My Life and Work, Garden City, New York, USA: Garden City Publishing Company, Inc. Various republications, including ISBN9781406500189. Original is public domain in U.S. Also available at Google Books., p. 37.
^ abWeiss, H. Eugene (2003), Chrysler, Ford, Durant, and Sloan: Founding Giants of the American Automotive Industry, pp. 9–10
detroit, automobile, company, early, american, automobile, manufacturer, founded, august, 1899, detroit, michigan, first, venture, kind, detroit, automotive, mechanic, henry, ford, attracted, financial, backing, twelve, investors, detroit, mayor, william, mayb. The Detroit Automobile Company DAC was an early American automobile manufacturer founded on August 5 1899 in Detroit Michigan 1 It was the first venture of its kind in Detroit 2 Automotive mechanic Henry Ford attracted the financial backing of twelve investors Detroit Mayor William Maybury William H Murphy and others As with many early car ventures the company floundered and it was dissolved in January 1901 1 Twenty vehicles were built and 86 000 2 61 million in 2019 of investment was lost 3 4 Detroit Automobile CompanyFoundedAugust 5 1899DefunctNovember 20 1901FateReorganizedSuccessorHenry Ford CompanyHeadquartersDetroit Michigan Contents 1 History 1 1 Foundation 1 2 Demise 2 ReferencesHistory Edit The company s first product was a delivery truck completed in January 1900 Foundation Edit The company was founded with a paid up capital of 15 000 455 490 in 2019 2 Henry Ford managed the manufacturing plant at 1343 Cass Avenue and Amsterdam in Detroit 5 initially with no pay until he left his job at the Detroit Edison Company after which he was given a monthly salary of 150 4 555 in 2019 2 6 He refused to put a car into production until he had perfected it to his satisfaction 7 infuriating investors who quickly began to lose confidence in Ford s ability to bring a product to market 7 The company s primary objective was to make a profit for its investors who had seen the Oldsmobile plant where the Curved Dash Oldsmobile was built which was profitable for its owner Samuel Smith 4 The company s first product was a gasoline powered delivery truck engineered by Ford and completed in January 1900 1 It received favorable coverage in a local newspaper but was not without its flaws it was slow heavy unreliable and complicated to manufacture 8 Later in life Ford recalled this period as one that was driven by profit rather than innovation 9 A catalog produced by Detroit Automobile Company in 1900 showed with a cost analysis that the automobile was cheaper to maintain and operate than a horse and vehicle 4 Little is known about the company s designs 10 Table 1 Detroit Automobile Car Costs 4 AutomobileOriginal cost 1 000Cost of operating 1 4 cents per mile 25 miles per day 114New tires 100Repairs 50Painting vehicle four times 100 1 364Horse and VehicleOriginal cost horse harness and vehicle 500Cost of keeping horse five years 1 200Shoeing the horse 180Repairs on vehicle including rubber tires 150Repairs on harness 10 per year 50Painting vehicle four times 100 2 180Demise Edit The Detroit Automobile Company was reorganized into the Henry Ford Company on November 20 1901 after Ford gained further backing from investors because of his racing success 10 It later became the Cadillac Company under the ownership of Henry Leland who came in subsequently after Ford had left 9 11 The factory location for the Detroit Automobile Company is less than a mile away southeast from Mr Ford s Piquette Avenue Plant which opened four years later References Edit a b c Bryan Ford R The Birth of Ford Motor Company Henry Ford Heritage Association archived from the original on April 15 2013 retrieved May 23 2008 a b c Months past an account of Henry Ford s first automobile factory History Today vol 49 no 8 p 50 August 1999 Cabadas Joe 2004 River Rouge Ford s Industrial Colossus MotorBooks MBI Publishing p 17 ISBN 0 7603 1708 9 a b c d Weiss H Eugene 2003 Chrysler Ford Durant and Sloan Founding Giants of the American Automotive Industry McFarland pp 7 9 ISBN 0 7864 1611 4 Location of first Cadillac factory Peterson Chester Beemer Rodpo 1997 Ford N Series Tractors MBI Publishing p 10 ISBN 0 7603 0289 8 a b Black Edwin 2007 Internal Combustion Macmillan p 99 ISBN 978 0 312 35908 9 Bryan Ford Richardson Evans Sarah 1995 Henry s Attic Some Fascinating Gifts to Henry Ford and His Museum Wayne State University Press p 107 ISBN 0 8143 2642 0 a b Ford Henry Crowther Samuel 1922 My Life and Work Garden City New York USA Garden City Publishing Company Inc Various republications including ISBN 9781406500189 Original is public domain in U S Also available at Google Books p 37 a b Weiss H Eugene 2003 Chrysler Ford Durant and Sloan Founding Giants of the American Automotive Industry pp 9 10 History of the Ford Motor Company 42 21 57 N 83 04 25 W 42 365766 N 83 073593 W 42 365766 83 073593 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Detroit Automobile Company amp oldid 1071751940, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
