Manufacturing 

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Henry Ford and the start of mass production

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4 mins. 1 secs.            

AH-105                        

An informative film showing how Henry Ford developed the idea of mass production at his factory by moving cars past the workers and thereby significantly speeding up the car manufacturing process -changing car production forever.

How a car is made, 1924

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7 mins. 5 secs.             

AH-A998                    

Thoroughly informative silent documentary which contains some of the earliest existing known film footage chronicling the complete process of how a car of the period is built. Excellent archive material for any true motoring historian.

The making of the Ford V8 car, 1935

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3 mins. 43 secs.             

AH-A231                         

An informative, high-quality, documentary from the 1930s which shows each process of how a Ford V8 car is manufactured.

Ford's new all-weather test chamber, 1939

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3 mins. 24 secs.             

AH-A663A                 

Film of a new state-of-the-art all-weather test chamber built by Ford in the late 1930s to make sure that each car built will survive in every sort of weather.

Testing new cars, 1932

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1 mins. 43 secs.            

AH-A371                

In an official marketing film from the early 1930s, a car is thrown over a cliff to test its strength and durability. Not only does it survive, but it then performs a series of additional challenging road tests afterwards.

The testing of Ford cars, 1939

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6 mins. 42 secs.              

AH-663                           

An informative film showing the extensive and rigorous tests which Ford engineers undertake to ensure every working part of a Ford car works exactly as it should. Of particular interest are the range of special mechanical machines which have been built to complement the work of humans during the various testing processes.

Testing new British Fords, 1932 (Part 1)

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2 mins. 48 secs.             

AH-53                            

The new English Ford V8 is put through a series of rigorous tests to show what it is capable of.

Testing new British Fords, 1932 (Part 2)

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3 mins. 46 secs.              

AH-54                        

A film which shows how new English Ford cars are built and tested in the early 1930s.

Ford car tests, late 1940s

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2 mins. 25 secs.              

AH-524A                   

Outdoor tests of the new Ford cars designed and built at the end of the 1940s.

Road testing the new English Ford V8, 1930s

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1 mins. 53 secs.               

AH-A1017                   

Great footage of the English made Ford V8 being put through a range of rigrous road tests across the country -including the City of London, Brooklands and even through snow along country roads.

Pushing Ford's new 1930s V8 car to the limit

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1 mins. 16 secs.              

AH-A1018A                   

Testing new English Ford cars and commercial vehicles in the early 1930s

New Ford cars for 1949

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5 mins. 48 secs.            

AH-524                         

A feature-by-feature tour of the new Ford saloon and convertible cars for 1949.

Shaken for the camera -1920s Ford road holding test

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1 mins. 11 secs.   

AH-481                      

Wonderful period footage of cars being shaken violently from side to side on top of a steep purpose built ramp to test their road holding. A convertible car containing a bunch of pretty girls inside is then given the same treatment and again the car withstands every challenge thrown at it.

Special all-seeing protective glass for cars, 1939

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4 mins. 29 secs.                

AH-A1172

An informative documentary from the 1930s showing how safety glass in cars not only protects drivers and passengers if the car was in a collision, but also ensures the driver gets the best possible field of vision when they are driving along the road.

Road testing the latest Chevrolet cars, 1950

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2 mins. 12 secs.            
AH-A1171              
New Chevrolet cars are put through rigerous tests to show potential car buyers that the cars can cope with the most demanding driving challenges

New car technology, 1989

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1 mins. 59 secs.            
AH-A473          
A major breakthrough in the automotive world as Chrysler launches CDRS (Conceptual Design and Rendering System) a new computer system to make the design of new cars cheaper and more efficient. For the first time, a finished model can be seen on a computer screen and then continuously changed, instead of a physical model needing to be built from the gound up.

Making the Jaguar XK8

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8 mins. 50 secs.
AH-A1195              
Artistic film made in the mid 1990s showing the concept behind the all-new Jaguar XK8 car and how the designers not only used the finest material to produce the latest Jaguar model, but also maintained strong links with Jaguar's illustrious heritage.

A brief look at the work of a car "toot tester"

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49 secs.
AH-119                  
A brief film featuring a person who tests the sound of car horns in the late 1940s to make sure they have the correct pitch.