Welcome to Ford First

All Ford owners are welcome on Ford First, from vintage Model T to classic mid-20th century Ford models (Falcon, Thunderbird, Mustang, Torino, Fairlane, Maverick, Comet, etc), to modern Ford owners (Focus, Taurus, Probe, Escort, Fusion, Festiva, Mondeo, etc) as well as all Ford Trucks and SUVs modern & classic (F-150, Expedition, Navigator, Super Duty and Heavy Duty, Crossovers, Explorer, Ranger, Escape, Bronco, Classic F-100) and everything in-between!

Come on over to the Ford First Forums and say hello, ask a question, or buy and sell used parts in the Trader.

Ford History in a Nutshell

Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company, currently the third largest carmaker in the world, with the Dodge Brothers in 1903. Ford's first cars were initially named chronologically with letters: the Model A was introduced in 1903. In 1904 Ford introduced the world famous T Model that was to become a symbol of the American motorcar industry. In 1907, Ford launched its current Blue Oval Trademark.

Henry Ford witnessed huge success with his vehicles, especially with the Model T, and by the early 1910s he expanded overseas with production facilities in France, Denmark and Germany, England and Austria. When the First World War started, Ford was producing half of the cars being sold in the US and almost half of all cars being produced in England. During the war, Ford produced many of its cars for the military. By 1941, Ford owned the largest assembly plant in the world.

Post-WWII Ford was a company that developed and evolved very quickly. Many famous models were produced in the 1950s and the 1960s, such as the Thunderbird (1955), the F-1 truck (1948) and the Mustang (1964). Ford also continued to develop and implement the latest technologies in their cars and they had become one of the most important carmakers in the world during the Cold War. During that time Ford Motor Company continued to expand overseas, looking for other possible investments. In 1979 they bought a quarter of the Japanese carmaker Mazda, in 1987 Ford bought Aston Martin and in 1989 Ford acquired Jaguar.

Continuing their expansion into the 21st century, in 1999 Ford acquired Volvo and Land Rover in 2000. In 2003 Ford Motor Company celebrated its 100th birthday and it introduced a series of special commemorative cars, such as the new Ford Mustang. During the financial crisis of 2008, Ford faced financial difficulties that led to the selling of some of its brands; Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover in particular. Ford was the only manufacturer to refuse a government bailout to help restructure during the crisis of 2009, and as a result Ford Motor Company is seen as the healthiest of the "Big 3" automakers with a bright future ahead.

History based on article by Donald Arson.