BEYONDDODGEThe Ultimate Dodge Resource

1896–1914

The Dodge Brothers before the automobile

John and Horace Dodge moved from bicycle parts to supplying engines, transmissions and axles to early carmakers, including Ford, before building a car under their own name.

Illustrative reconstruction of Dodge Brothers early automobile manufacturing; depicted people are not authenticated portraits

Illustration

Overview

John Dodge was born in 1864 and his brother Horace in 1868, both in Niles, Michigan. In 1896 Horace applied for patents on a dirt-resistant bicycle bearing, and production of the Evans & Dodge bicycle began in 1897.

Major developments

In 1901 the brothers opened a machine shop in Detroit. From 1902 they supplied engines, transmissions and axles to carmakers including Oldsmobile.

In 1903 they began supplying the newly formed Ford Motor Company. Historian Charles K. Hyde notes that at Ford's start the Dodge Brothers supplied nearly every car part it needed.

Sources

  1. History of the Dodge BrandStellantis North America (corporate blog)Official / corporate2023-08-03blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com (opens in a new tab)
  2. Horace E. Dodge and John F. DodgeBritannica Editors · Encyclopaedia BritannicaReference workbritannica.com (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Dodge Brothers: The Men, the Motor Cars, and the LegacyCharles K. Hyde · Wayne State University PressBook2005-04-08 · ISBN 9780814332474wsupress.wayne.edu (opens in a new tab)