Ford
Quadricycle

Why it matters

The Quadricycle was Henry Ford's first attempt at a gasoline-powered automobile. Its sale funded the construction of his second car, so it is the starting point of the line of vehicles that led to Ford Motor Company and, later, the Model T.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Henry Ford built the Quadricycle in 1896 with help from friends, in a shed behind a Detroit house that he and his wife Clara rented. A museum photograph shows him, aged 33, with the finished vehicle in October 1896.

He sold the Quadricycle for $200 and used the money to build his second car.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

The museum describes the vehicle as built from commonly available materials: an angle-iron frame, a leather belt and chain drive for the transmission and a buggy seat. Ford had to devise his own ignition system. These are the construction features that mark the original design.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Seminal Homegrown: Henry Ford's Quadricycle Level B Hagerty Media

   • Ford constructed a second Quad in 1899 and a third in 1901
   • it still exists ... can be seen at the Henry Ford Museum
   • twin-cylinder, air-cooled motor
   • twin-cylinder
   • "atmospheric" (self-opening) intake valves and overhead exhaust valves
   • an estimated 4 horsepower running up to 500 rpm
   • running up to 500 rpm
   • through a two-speed transmission, a rubber belt, and a chain
   • the engine drove the rears
   • no reverse gear or brakes were deemed necessary
   • A tiller steered the front wheels
   • with a 49-inch wheelbase
   • 78.5 inches long
   • 45.5 inches wide
   • stood 45 inches tall
   • 500-pound curb weight

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   The Henry Ford – 1896 Ford Quadricycle Runabout, First Car Built by Henry Ford Level B

   • 1 Individual car: “1896 Ford Quadricycle Runabout, First Car Built by Henry Ford” in The Henry Ford collection (the museum's running examples are replicas)

   Accessed 2026-11-11
3. 3
   Henry Ford: On the Way to the Model T (curated set) Level A The Henry Ford · 2013-01-01

   • a leather belt and chain drive for the transmission
   • angle iron for the frame

   Accessed 2026-11-12