Foregoers

(b. 1881, d. 1955)

One of the most talented technical forebears in American automotive industry, József Galamb had a very eventful career. He was born in the small Hungarian town of Makó in 1881. Few years after his graduation from the Budapest Technical University, he crossed the Atlantic to try his luck at the Ford motor company. In the early 1900s he designed the legendary Model T, with its most important part—the planetary gearbox—one of Galamb’s most brilliant inventions. After the first year of production 19 thousand cars were sold. After Galamb’s adjustment of the production line, the production was increased and the unit cost was reduced, which resulted in the sales of 15 million of this model by 1927. Until his retirement, he designed several other vehicles such as ambulance vans and light tanks, and the modern and more elegant Model A to replace the now old-Model T. In 1937 he was appointed as chief constructor at Ford, and he kept this position until his retirement in 1944.