The Administration Building Third Floor Vault records series contains material held in storage by the Finance Division (Ford Motor Company) until 1954 when the material was sent to the Ford Motor Company Archives. The series is comprised of seven subseries. The Finance records subseries, 1902-1920 (1.2 cubic ft. and 1 oversize box), contains Ford Motor Company check stubs, September 1903-September 1904; a general ledger, 1906; trial balances, 1903-1904; notes payable, 1906-1907 and 1920; general registers, 1903-1904 and 1918-1919; and a cash book, 1902-1904. The Industrial Relations records subseries, 1903-1920 (0.8 cubic ft.), includes Ford Motor Company timekeeping books, 1903-1907; a Henry Ford Farms timekeeping book for 1920; branch salary wages by employee, 1909 and 1911; and documentation (slight) of the inception of the Employee Savings and Loan Association, 1903. There is also a list of foremen employed in 1913. The Manufacturing records subseries, 1907-1917 (0.4 cubic ft.), is comprised of purchasing records, 1913-1917 and a register listing automobiles shipped to dealers, 1906-1907. The Plant Engineering records subseries, 1908-1913 (0.2 cubic ft.), is made up of three ledgers documenting various branch building projects, 1908-1913. The Sales records subseries, 1908 (0.2 cubic ft.) holds one sales book for automobiles shipped in that year. The Miscellaneous Ledgers subseries, 1901-1902 and undated (0.4 cubic ft.), contains stock related material for non-Ford entities including Dutee W. Flint Transportation Co., Park Central Motors, Trinity Motor Car Company, and A. Y. Malcomson, 1901-1902. The most substantial subseries, the General Letters subseries, 1915-1948 (25.2 cubic ft.), is comprised of policy, procedure, instructional, and operating letters which the company began issuing to its various departments, branches, and dealers in 1915. The letters are arranged chronologically and subject indexes are scattered throughout. Researchers should consult the inventory for index locations. The letters are organized into the following subsubseries: General and Stencil Letters, 1919-1933 (6.8 cubic ft.); Audit Department General Letters, 1936-1948 (2.0 cubic ft.); Branch Accounting Instructions General Letters, 1924-1933 (1.6 cubic ft.); Cancelled General Letters, 1915-1926 (1.2 cubic ft.); International Division General Letters, 1947 (0.8 cubic ft.); Lincoln-Mercury General Letters, 1948 (0.4 cubic ft.); Miscellaneous Departments General Letters,1939-1948 (2.0 cubic ft.); Parts and Accessories General Letters, 1938-1943 (0.8) cubic ft.; Production Department General Letters, 1936-1940 (1.2 cubic ft.); Sales Department General Letters, 1934-1948 (6.0 cubic ft.); and Service Department General Letters, 1934-1946 (2.4 cubic ft.). Many of these same letters are available on 22 rolls of microfilm. An index to the microfilm is in the first folder of the first box of the accession.
