The American Dream, or the Dodge Brothers Story
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The Dodge Brothers Story
Any motorsports fan is sure to hear about people like John Francis and Horace Elgin Dodge. Thanks to them, the iconic Dodge Brothers Bicycle & Machine Factory was created, producing the greatest automotive miracles that millions of people have dreamed of and dream of. The iconic products that are undoubtedly Dodge Brothers' hallmarks are huge pickup trucks and SUVs that are enduringly popular, especially among Americans.
A difficult start in the automotive market
The story of the Dodge brothers is very similar to any story of a large company. They started from scratch and reached the peak of their dreams. One of the brothers remembered his childhood after many years with the words: "We were the poorest children in the city." Their hard work, dedication, and skills have made them pioneers in their field. John was phenomenally well versed in organizational and financial matters, and the younger Horace was an ingenious designer. The brothers undoubtedly owed a lot to their father, who showed them the basics of mechanics in his workshop. Except that he was in boat repair, and John and Horace's passion was first bicycles and then cars.
The year 1897 was the first major step for the brothers, because it was then that John began working with a man named Evans. Together they made bicycles with ball bearings that were supposed to be more resistant to dirt. It is important here that the bearing was made by another brother. This is how Evans & Dodge Bicycle was founded. Thus, the Dodge brothers took four years to become financially independent and work for their success. For some time they were engaged in the production of spare parts for the Olds brand, which brought them great fame in the automotive market.
Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company
1902 was a real breakthrough in the careers of John and Horace, because the modern automobile giant came to them and offered cooperation. Henry Ford decided to trust the brothers and offered them a 10% stake in his Ford Motor company in exchange for a $ 10 contribution to his company. In addition, John became Vice President and Managing Director. As the years passed, the brothers' fame grew. Eight years after establishing a partnership with Ford, the first plant was opened in Hamtramck, near Detroit. Every day there were more and more orders, everyone wanted to own a miracle of technology created by Ford and the Dodge brothers.
Conflict of interest
Over time, John and Horace were unhappy with their work for Henry Ford, felt they could do more, and decided to build their own car that could compete with any Ford model. It is not hard to guess that this was inappropriate for the partner. By establishing partnerships, he hoped for the rapid development of his company and dedicated employees. Wanting to outsmart the brothers, he decided to open a second company that was engaged in the production of cars, the price of which was only $ 250. Ford's actions froze the market, causing the shares of other concerns to fall. In this situation, Henry began to buy them much cheaper than they were worth. The Dodge brothers decided not to yield to the partner and offered him to sell their shares, but at an inflated price. In the end, they received two hundred million dollars. Remember, they only contributed ten thousand to Ford. John and Horace's investment was a worldwide phenomenon and is undoubtedly considered one of the most profitable to date.
Dodge Brothers independent business
After the battle with Henry Ford, the brothers focused on creating their own concern. During World War I, they signed a contract with the army to manufacture military trucks. This made them a leader in the US automotive market. It is noteworthy that they took second place in the ranking right after their former partner.
Unfortunately, both Dodge brothers died in 1920, the first John at 52 and Horace eleven months later. After the unexpected death of the brothers, their wives Matilda and Anna took over the company. However, they failed to replace their husbands. Due to lower management skills and lack of technical knowledge, the company dropped from second to fifth place in the rankings. The children of John and Horace were also not interested in taking on fatherhood and running a business. In this situation, the women decided to sell the company in 1925 to the New York investment fund Dillon Read & Company. Three years later, the Dodge Brothers were incorporated into the Walter Chrysler concern. The next few years were marked by further development of the brand, which was unfortunately interrupted by the outbreak of World War II.
Dodge Brothers, Chrysler and Mitsubishi
After the end of World War II, Chrysler and the Dodge Brothers decided to return to the game. Interestingly, after the war, almost 60% of the cars on our Polish roads belonged to the Dodge brothers.
In 1946, the Dodge Power Wagon was created, which is now considered the first pickup truck. The car was so well received in the market that it was produced without any modifications for over twenty years. Moreover, in the 50s, the company introduced the V8 engine in its products. Over time, the Dodge brand has won the title in the Chrysler sports car category.
In 1977, another step was taken in the development of the brand - a contract was signed with the Mitsubishi concern. The "children" born from this collaboration were iconic models such as the Lancer, Charger and Challenger. Unfortunately, problems with the premiere of the latter arose in 1970, when the fuel crisis hit the market. The Dodge brothers then stepped in, offering consumers small cars that the average American could service.
Dodge has returned to the classics with the latest legendary model, the aptly named Vipera.
Today, Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler form the American concern Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and are ranked seventh in the list of the world's largest car manufacturers. Unfortunately, in 2011 they officially stopped exporting to Europe.
