Making Model A Ford Glass; The Ford Assembly Line

By the time the Model A came around Henry Ford had automotive glass production mastered. Applying his moving assembly line concept to mixing, pouring, polishing, and cutting glass he was turning out millions of square feet of glass a year.

We took 11 different archive films and spliced this compilation together. It looks like most of the glass being made is door and rear window glass, there's no obvious signs of Triplex Safety Glass being manufactured in this film.

A Model A is dedicated to the history of the Model A Ford using historical images and videos as well as modern resources.

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Sources;
Library of Congress Ford Motion Pictures Archives
A. Nevins and F. E. Hill. Ford: Expansion and Challenge, 1915-1933, by A. Nevins and F. E. Hill
Sorensen, Charles E., and Samuel T. Williamson. My Forty Years with Ford. Wayne State University Press, 2006.

We reserve the right to moderate comments that we feel fall outside of the scope of the Model A hobby.

#1928 #1929 #1930 #1931 #fordmodela #modelaford #asmr

[michaellachapell]

My Father was a furnace specialist at the glass plant in River Rouge.

[Wooley]

Such a highly involved process. This was incredible to see.

[tyvdqrj]

Another great video. In 1984, I worked for a glass and upholstery shop.
The original owner came by. He was in his mid-80s. He said he moved to town in the early 20s. Every car in town had at least one broken window, as there were all single pane plate glass. He charged $2.00 to replace a window, the bulk glass brought in by rail.
I can't imagine driving on rough dirt roads with plate glass.

[nivdel]

Just look at the skill of the workers handling glass.

[dennishutchinson]

Super interesting! I truly enjoy these historical videos. 👍

[ValuedTeamMember]

wow (spelled W.O.W.) "Walking the glass". That's a new one for me. SpaceX (formally Twitter) has nothing on these guys. Very COoL. Clearly it must be considered a "crime against humanity" to bReAk one of these? R.E.S.P.E.C.T p.s. Xlint [voice over]. You RoCk.

[bluegtturbo]

It's hard to imagine this Labour intensive slow process could keep up with the car production line

[jimervin]

Very interesting. I still have the original windshield from my Canadian made '30 Model A Coupe. But still no safety glass.

[fredburban]

I remember in the 60's along the DT&I railroad tracks (formerly Ford) in Northern Allen Park just south of Dearborn Rouge Plant there were still the pens for sand for the Glass Plant. Pure White Sand.

[tjohn]

The Dodge Bros also built the frames and for Ford, don't forget that.

[jimdean]

I’ve got a 29 Model A and a 29 Chevy. Hope they never meet in Columbia Mo..

[craigroberts]

Really fascinating. I love the safety gear for cutting glass. They had everything except safety glasses of course. Cutting hand off is bad, Stabbing eye out is ok. If I'm not mistaken only the windshield was safety glass. The side and rear windows were still regular plate glass.

[cinemabunny]

Imagine market prices being $1.50sf and Ford getting it down to $.20sf

[tiger]

Ford didn't screw around. When he needed rubber for the tires he built a rubber plantation in Brazil. He didn't like relying on suppliers for his raw materials.

[boblowinske]

Amazed by the guys walking on the glass.

[saxongreen]

Plate glass is one of the FIRST original parts of any veteran car to throw into the nearest rubbish skip...not worth dying over a detail.

[unclejoe]

Bonnie and Clyde would like to order some bullet proof glass please.

[markrix]

Now i know why the city of rouge south of Detroit is called rouge.

[tedwalker]

I am amazed by the large number of people it took to make these cars.

[motorTranz]

Fascinating and well done ! Thank you for sharing this !