June 4, 1896 – Henry Ford drives the Quadricycle for the first time

On this day in 1896 Henry Ford test drove his first automobile, the Quadricycle, for the first time. He rolled the two cylinder, four horsepower buggy that sat on four bicycle tires out of his workshop after more than two years of experimentation and building. In his first tests he achieved speeds of more than 20 miles per hour during his initial test drives.

The Quadricycle featured a 2 speed transmission, without reverse, a chain driven, an ethanol powered engine, and no brakes. Ford sold his first Quadricycle for $200 to Charles Ainsley. He later built two more, one in 1899, and another in 1901. He bought his first one back for $60 and it now resides at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. That is the car that truly started it all for Ford.