Evening star., 1927-10-13
'NEWFORD ORDERS
|. PLACED AT $4,000
Plans for Capacity Output
Made by Company-As-
SembIy Soon to Start.
by ]. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
NEW YORK. October 13.-One per
son in every thousand living in the
United States has placed an order foi
one of the new Ford cars, accom-
panied by sizable deposits as an evi
dence of good faith. The sales depart
ment Of the company has orders &C
companied by deposits for $4,000 We
kicles, which have not yet been put
in production. These orders have
, come in from authorized Ford dealers
Approximately 250,000 additiona
buyers have placed orders but have
not accompanies them by cash pay
ments in advance. These orders are
not being listed as assured sales, but
they serve to indicate there will be
ready demand for the first few hun
dred thousand of the new cars al
least.
Preparations for production on a full
capacity basis are proceeding rapidly
at the Ford Detroit plants, according
to company officials. The factories
have been turning out major parts foi
some weeks and in q few days more
the famous Ford assembly line viii
be in operation. The assembly of new
bodies has been under way for sew
eral days. Engine blocks, axles
wheels, pistons, crank shafts and other
major parts now are coming to the
assembling room line in preparation
for the start.
Capacity Increased.
Capacity of the Ford Detroit plants
both for the manufacture of parts and
the assembling of cars, has been
greatly increased since suspension OF
the manufacture of the old model T
early in the Summer. The assembly
plant at Highland Park has beer
moved to River Rouge, and it's ca
pacity Just about doubled. The High
land Park plant will be devoted tC
manufacture of bodies and parts.
The greatest single days production
ever recorded at the Ford works was
| achieved about two years ago wher
few more than 5000 cars rolled off
the assembling line in "a hours. Al
| that time, however, equipment was
| far less extensive than it is today, and
Ford engineers are confident this rec
ord will be surpassed before the new
car has been in production very long
Ford plants have continued in re
cent months to manufacture a large
number of replacement parts for the
old model 7 cars, and have shippet
them all over the world, 1t is estf
| mated million of these cars still are
in use. Ford officials estimate tha,
for several years about a third OF the
plant operations at Detroit will have
to be devoted to making parts which
will keep these cars running. Al
present there are about 5000 to 20 ,00t
men employed in the Detroit factories
Company officials say these men are
making more money than were the
uyI tr,oS- hn &
peak of the model T movement Elk
ecutfves believe that more men will be
required for the new production thar
were needed for the old plants, but the
amount, of manual labor per car will
be lessened considerably.
Cost OF. Extension.
Estimates of the cost of the plant
extension and other changes In prep
aration for the production of the new
model range from SIS 100000 to $i00,
100000. Ford officials admit that more
than $15,000.000 has been spent fol-
new machinery alone.
What Is the Ford output going Il
do to the other producers? The ques
ton has as many answers as it has
askers. However, it is quite evident
that General Motors officials are con
fident that company will hold its own
This Is indicated by the fact that it Is
starting construction Immediately or
the new Chevrolet assembly plant al
Atlanta, which win serve sector
where the Ford car for years ruled
supreme. The new plant will cos
$2,250, 900. The car capacity will b,
$50 a day. and the payroll will exceed
| $4,000 daily.
The economic effects of the struggle
among the various big and small auto
mobile concerns will be of the mos
| far.reaching character. Railroad
| freight generated by the automotiys
Industry this year will amount to some
| 100000 carloads. Nearly 3,375,00t
people are directly employed in the in
dnstry and nearly 100000 others in
directly employed. This year automo
bile owners will pay more than $3.50,
100000 in insurance premiums.