Founded by brothers John and Horace Dodge;
the duo began as bicycle machinists working
in their fathers Michigan (USA) shop, then
moving to Windsor, Ontario (Canada) where they
adapted their skills to meet the needs of the
fledgling automotive industry. They were particularly
adept at the manufacture of intricate automotive
parts, their products soon coming to the attention
of Henry Ford. So impressed with the quality
of their workmanship, and the brothers themselves,
Ford would offer them a whopping one-tenth
interest in his own new car company.
That partnership
would endure for the next 12 years, the brothers
then splitting from Ford to pursue the creation
of their own automotive empire, particularly
given that the Fords of the day were built
almost entirely out of Dodge parts! When asked
why he and his brother wanted to build their
own car, John Dodge reportedly said "Think
of all the Ford owners who will someday want
an
automobile".
In 1914 Dodge Brothers
was formed, and in their first year the "Old
Betsy" would be released, a rugged car
built for reliability and durability at a time
such vehicles were held in very high regard;
that year Dodge built a total of 249 new cars. In 1928 Chrysler acquired the company, creating
a new division to help it better compete with
the all conquering GM, and at the same time
adding much needed additional production facilities.
During World War 2 the company would manufacture
the highly acclaimed Power Wagon - a vehicle
that would continue in production a decade
after the war.
The company would continue to
lead the way in technical innovation, including
the first 140-horsepower "Red Ram" Hemi
V8 engine in the 1953 Coronet. In the 1960s
and '70s Dodge contributed to America's
fascination with high-performance muscle
cars by manufacturing the 505 Charger
Daytona’s for stock- car racing and as
production cars. From the 1980’s Dodge
engineers and designers would set about the
creation of some of the most desirable sheet
metal going around, from the Dodge 400 (and
the Chrysler Lebaron) convertibles of the 1980’s,
to the Viper of the 90s. And like the Old Betsy
of days past, Dodge would also manufacture
a formidable lineup of rugged pickups and small
trucks, such as the Ram, Dakota and Durango.
Also see: The History of Dodge (USA Edition)