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By My80Volare ~ Kevin Imhoff
In the early 1900’s, two brothers were destined to
change the auto industry forever. They were the
Dodge brothers, John and Horace. John was born in
1864, in Niles Michigan, and Horace was born in
1868, also in Niles. They grew up in a hard working,
but poor family, and learned the machinist trade
from their father early in life, working in their
father’s machine and foundry shop. This is where
their career as bicycle machinist would start. The
family moved from Niles, to Battle Creek, and then
Port Huron before finally ending up in Detroit in
1886. There, the brothers began working at Murphy’s
Boiler Works manufacturing marine boilers. Later, in
1894, they took positions in Windsor, Ontario Canada
with the Dominion Typograph Company. By 1896, Horace
had invented and patented a new dirt-resistant
bicycle ball bearing, and the following year, found
a partner in Fredrick Evans to begin manufacturing
E&D (Evans and Dodge) bicycles with the new ball
bearings. The bicycles were top quality and
dependable. After a few years, they sold their
interest in the bicycle company to establish their
own machine shop in the Boydell building in Detroit.
In 1901, their machine shop opened. They began by
making stove parts, and later, auto parts. Horace
was the leader of the pair. John was quiet and the
better machinist. It was that same year that Ransom
Olds hired them to produce 2,000 engines for his new
car, thereby launching the Dodge name into Detroit’s
fledgling automotive industry. The following year,
Olds increased his order to add 3,000 transmissions,
and they caught the attention of Henry Ford, who
approached them with plans to produce parts for his
cars. The brothers agreed to manufacture nearly the
entire chassis for Henry. Since Ford was short on
cash, he gave them enough stock to make them 10%
shareholders in Ford Motor Company. They would
remain suppliers for Ford for the next 10 years.
1908, saw the introduction of the Model T Ford,
which resulted in a larger production demand at the
Dodge Brothers plant. Construction of a new plant in
Hamtramck, now known as Dodge Main, began in 1910.
It wasn’t long before the brothers’ relationship
with Ford began to strain. With increasing
unhappiness with decisions made by Henry Ford, John
Dodge declines to renew contracts with Ford Motor
Company, and he steps down as Ford’s Vice-President.
Their attention then turned to development of their
own car. Ford cars were virtually all Dodge parts,
and when asked why he and his brother would want to
build their own car, John Dodge reportedly said,
“Think of all the Ford owners who will someday want
an automobile.”
1913 is the year, and the Dodge Brothers are
starting production of their first automobile in
their Hamtramck facility. Their first vehicle, the
Dodge 4, left the production line on November 1914.
It was named “Old Betsy”, a rugged car built for
reliability and durability. By this time, the Dodge
Brothers had become so well known and respected as
automobile manufactures that over 20,000 people
requested to be dealers before any details about
Dodge automobiles were known. 249 Dodge Touring Cars
were produced that year. Dodge Brothers Motors Inc.
is born.
The Dodge Brothers were great workers, and they knew
their business. Their first car was noted for its
extra styles. It was built with 12 Volt electrics,
and back to front gear changes. These features were
industrialized, but only used until 1926. The Dodge
4 was a tough automobile, accepted by the US Army,
used in General Pershing’s battles into Mexico in
1914, and as an ambulance and staff car in World War
I. Horace Dodge was responsible for a number of
innovations, including an oven to bake enamel paint
onto steel bodies.
By 1916, Dodge had become a quite popular vehicle.
They had established the Budd all-steel bodywork,
which was used quite frequently thereafter. As they
searched the market, they gained notoriety. Their
cars sold for $785, and they were fourth in the
country for auto sales in 1916 with 70,700 cars
sold. 1917 saw the war in Europe heating up, and the
Dodge Brothers stepped up to lend help. Aside from
producing touring cars and ambulances, they built
and equipped a new factory in Hamtramck for the sole
purpose of producing the precision recoil mechanisms
used in French 75 and 155 mm field artillery. The
French, working by hand, were only able to produce 5
mechanisms a day, and had turned to the US
government for help. Within a year, Dodge was
producing 30 mechanisms a day.
1919 saw Henry Ford affecting the Dodge Brothers
again. Although they had severed their relationship
with Dodge, they still retained 10% ownership in
Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford announced his
intention to reinvest all company profits. The Dodge
Brothers filed a suite to force Ford to instead pay
dividends to the stockholders. The case was settled
in favor of the stockholders. John and Horace then
sold their shares in Ford for $25 million.
1920 saw Dodge become the number two automobile
seller in country, but this victory would be short
lived for John and Horace. In January, while
attending the International Automobile Show in New
York, Horace becomes ill with influenza as did his
brother John. Both men would pass away due to
complications from the illness; John, on January 14,
and Horace, just nine months later, on December 10,
1920. Control of the company reverted to their
widows, and Fredrick J. Haynes is appointed to run
the company.
Dodge Brothers Motors continued producing cars. By
1924, the Dodge 4 was still in production, and was
still the main product, while 1000 cars a day were
being built. 1925 saw the widows sell the company to
the New York investment firm of Dillon Reed and
Company for $146 million. A breakthrough in design
occurred in 1927 when a 3.7 liter, six cylinder
automobile exploded into the industry with
“internal-expanding hydraulic brakes.” The original
Dodge design team was still in place, and would
remain there until the smaller Chrysler Motors
purchased Dodge Brothers Motors.
1928 saw that purchase take place. The company was
sold to Walter Chrysler for $175,000,000. The Dodge
4 was discontinued, and new front brakes approached
the market. Dodge Brothers Motors retained their
individuality, even after the purchase. It wasn’t
until the 30’s that Dodge Brothers Motors slowly
became remembered as Dodge. Their cars became more
expensive, but they did offer a standard six
cylinder for $765 in 1929, while other models
approached $1,000.
Dodge continued to grow over the years under
Chrysler's improvements. Their improvements were due
to exceptional productions, new styles, innovations,
and publicity. With the improvements, prices rose
with bigger engines and greater degrees of
horsepower. Free wheels, straight 8 cylinder
engines, gearboxes, front suspension, and other
innovations made the automobile market soar. In 1933
Dodge took fourth place in sales once again with
86,062 cars sold.
In 1952, the highly publicized V-8 was initialized
under the name Red Ram. It was a great car, which
the public enjoyed, but newer cars continued to
produce. By 1959, the most powerful car emerged with
345 horsepower and 6.3 liters. This was a great
alternative even though production and innovation
continued to increase. The company began to offer
coupes in 1966 instead of sedans. The Lancer, a
compact car, was introduced in 1961. The company
soon produced three basic types in 1961: the
semi-compact Dart, the bigger Coronets, and the
full-size Polara and Monaco V-8s. These cars became
mainstream along with others under the Chrysler
Corporation.
Overall, numerous developments occurred over the
years. Many new cars were produced from 1914 to the
present. Some of the biggest products came in the
last twenty years with the introduction of the full
size pickup truck, Dodge Ram and the minivan, Dodge
Caravan. These cars also went mainstream due to
their extra styles and dependability on the road.
The Dodge brothers formed the company and
manufactured quality automobile through cheap prices
and upgraded technology. With such innovation and
strength the brothers brought the company into a
huge and lucrative market.
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