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999 Ford USA 1902; 1,147 cu in/18,800 cc, S4; 70 bhp/51 kW; unknown; 91 mph/147 kph ——————————————- ‘’Ford 999 was a number plate, not a model number, and only two cars were ever built. They were a world away from the mass-produced Ford Model A that was making Henry Ford’s name at about the same time. The Ford 999 was designed by Ford and arose from his fondness for motor racing. The car was an amazing-looking beast, with no bodywork at all, just a driver’s seat perched behind a massive 1,147-cubic-inch (18,800-cc) engine that sat on a wooden chassis. Often a mechanic was perched somewhere along side the driver, both to help with breakdowns and to make adjustments while the car was actually being driven. As it had no suspension, it must have been quite a ride. The original 999 was painted red, while an identical car built at the same time was yellow and called the Arrow. However, the car and their number plates became interchangeable, and both were later known as the Ford 999. The number actually came from a stern train, the Empire State Express No. 999, which was the first man-made vehicle to exceed 100 mph (160 kph) under its own propulsion when it reached a speed of 112.5 mph (181.1 kph) on May 10, 1893. The Ford never matched its namesake, its record being 91.37 mph (147.05 kph), achieved on the ice of Lake St. Clair (lying between Ontario and Michigan) on January 12, 1904. This was in the Arrow model, now renamed the 999, and driven by Henry Ford himself. The land speed record lasted only for a month, but the publicity it generated was a real boost to the one-year-old Ford Motor Company. The original 999 is is now on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.’’ (MG) #1001beforeyoudiecollections #1001beforeyoudiecollection #1001andmore #1transcribedtext #ford #oldcars

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