The Thomas Minotour is a bus body manufactured by Thomas Built Buses since 1980. The smallest vehicle sold by the company, the Minotour is a bus body designed for cutaway van chassis . Primarily sold for school bus usage, the Minotour is also produced as a MFSAB (activity bus) or in specialized configurations specified by the customer.
116-605: The only current Thomas Built Buses vehicle not to use the Saf-T-Liner nameplate, the Minotour is manufactured alongside the full-size Thomas school bus line in High Point, North Carolina . In the early 1970s, design of small school buses underwent a period of evolution, shifting from automotive-based vehicles to purpose-built designs. From 1968 to 1971, Ford, Dodge, and General Motors redesigned their van lines, shifting
232-658: A campervan conversion produced by Auto-Sleepers converted in Willersey , Gloucestershire , known as the Auto-Sleepers Duetto was available. It was available with the high-top roof. The naturally aspirated diesel engines came in 70 PS (51 kW), 76 PS (56 kW) The turbo diesel version came in 85 PS (63 kW), 100 PS (74 kW) and in 1998 a 115 PS (85 kW) Intercooled version became available, All turbodiesels had an electronic fuel injection pump made by Lucas For
348-596: A Dodge prior to 2011). In addition to the Daimler-produced Sprinter being unable to directly compete with Ford and General Motors counterparts in terms of cost, engineering concerns came into play. In a 2002 mockup of a prototype, Thomas engineers discovered that the heavily reinforced body design of the Minotour far exceeded the GVWR rating for the then-current version of the cutaway-chassis Sprinter. As of 2020 production, there are no announced plans for
464-523: A Ford dealer in Stuttgart . "SIRA" combines " Sinpar " and "Rau" because Rau was the agent for French four-wheel-drive specialist Sinpar in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The SIRA Transit used a Sinpar transfer case and other parts, and was available with the 2-liter petrol four or the 2.4-liter Diesel, on either wheelbase. The 4x4 Transit was later offered in other markets as well. Codenamed VE6 ,
580-493: A Minotour derived from Ford Transit 350/350HD chassis or from the Ram ProMaster chassis. As of 2021 production, it will be produced on a Ford Transit 350/350HD chassis to join bus production. The Thomas MyBus (marketed as MyBus by Thomas Built Buses ) is a variant of the Minotour marketed as a MFSAB (Multi-Function School Activity Bus); it is a vehicle intended for entities transporting children (or other individuals) in
696-555: A big "Taunus" emblem as well as a small Taunus lettering which was also mounted on the back of the vehicle. New, however, was a small Ford logo underneath the right B-pillar. From 1957 onwards, with the launch of the Ford Thames 400E by Ford of Britain, the situation arose that Ford, together with the FK1000/FK1250 by Ford Werke AG, was now present on the continental European markets with two competing products. For example,
812-482: A center for distribution and logistics, customer service, banking, manufacturing, photography and pharmaceuticals. The High Point Market remains important to High Point's economy and the city's furniture industry. Its bi-annual trade show is the largest furniture and furnishings industry event in the world. It is held in April and October of each year. Approximately 12,000,000 square feet (1,100,000 m ) of showroom space
928-489: A central heating plant were all erected between 1922 and 1924 according to designs by Washington, D.C. architect R. E. Mitchell with assistance by High Point architect Herbert Hunter. Today, High Point University is a four-year, coeducational, liberal arts university related to the United Methodist Church . It offers 50 majors in a traditional day format. It also offers non-traditional evening programs, and
1044-707: A college in High Point a high priority and initiated a High Point College campaign. The campaign solicited funds in order to attract the attention of the North Carolina Methodist Protestants, who had desired for decades to found a college. High Point succeeded in attracting the college over rivals Greensboro and Burlington with a gift of 60 acres (24 ha) and $ 100,000 in pledges from leading citizens. High Point College opened in 1924 (changed to High Point University in 1991) with three buildings at various stages of development. Many of
1160-611: A cutaway van chassis, the Wayne Busette ; Blue Bird introduced the Blue Bird Micro Bird in 1975. While not the first cutaway-chassis school bus, the Micro Bird introduced several features that were adapted on virtually all subsequent models; the design included an adult-height entry door, additional glass ahead of the entry door (to aid loading visibility for the driver), and an optional wheelchair lift . In
1276-653: A dual rear-wheel chassis for both Ford and General Motors, the Thomas Minotour became the first cutaway-chassis developed for a single rear-wheel chassis; in the early 1980s, Thomas developed a narrow-body version of the Minotour for a single rear-wheel Ford chassis. Currently, the General Motors chassis is available with two gasoline engines and a diesel engine; the Ford chassis is available with two gasoline engines. In addition to gasoline and diesel versions of
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#17327971478361392-730: A fully imported model was introduced. In August 1977, a facelifted version—codenamed within Ford as the "Transit 1978 + 1 ⁄ 2 "—but usually referred to as the Transit Mark II , debuted with a restyled, longer nose section which could now properly accommodate an in-line engine in place of the Essex and Cologne V4s - therefore the Pinto engine from the Cortina became the Transit's dominant power unit. The new frontal styling brought
1508-463: A group setting, but are not making use of traffic-control devices; these vehicles have been required to take the place of 15-passenger vans due to the risk of rollover in the latter. Sharing the basic body of the Minotour, the MyBus differs primarily in its more aerodynamic front and rear roof cap styling. In addition, due to its use as an MFSAB, the MyBus is not allowed to be fitted with warning lights,
1624-492: A household in the city was $ 40,137, and the median income for a family was $ 48,057. Males had a median income of $ 33,411 versus $ 25,293 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 21,303. About 10.5% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over. Though historically focused on production of furniture, hosiery, and Hatteras Yachts , High Point diversified its economy by becoming
1740-463: A large scale. Employees who exceeded monthly quotas received a percentage bonus. All workers received a life insurance policy as well. Marketing became important to growth of the furniture industry in North Carolina in the twentieth century. Store owners had to visit the factory to select their orders due to the large size and weight of the furniture. This situation improved at the turn of
1856-584: A new "Mark" number. The Mark II was available in 6 body styles: Van, Kombi, Chassis Cab, Parcel Van, Bus, and Crewbus all available in short-wheelbase (2690 mm) and long-wheelbase (3000 mm) versions. A selection of 5 engines was available: 1.6-litre OHC Petrol, 1.6-litre OHV Petrol (Kent), 2.0-litre OHC Petrol, 2.0-litre OHC Petrol (Economy) and 2.4-litre Diesel. On top of this were 32 door combinations, 6 axle ratios and options for 12 – 17 interior seats. All of these were available in any combination when purchased with Ford's highly customizable custom plan. At
1972-423: A new nose and dashboard , along with the 2.0 L DOHC 8-valve engine as found in the 1994 to 1998 Ford Scorpio. It is similar to the earlier Sierra DOHC unit but without the distributor and uses the updated OBD II -compliant EEC-V level engine control unit . At the same time air conditioning , electric windows, central locking, electric mirrors and airbags were all made available as optional extras. In 1994,
2088-615: A second unified platform ( Ford Escort ) was launched in 1967. With the discontinuation of the Ford Zephyr (British) and Ford P7 (German) in 1972 all Ford platforms for the European market are unified. Since 1994 (discontinuation of the Ford Granada name ) even the Ford model-names are the same for the European market. The German vehicle was not widely exported, and the "Mark 1" tag has commonly been applied, retrospectively, to
2204-532: A stop sign, nor can it be painted school bus yellow (conversely, the Minotour is required to be painted that color if it is a school bus). High Point, North Carolina High Point is a city in the Piedmont Triad region of the U.S. state of North Carolina . Most of the city is in Guilford County , with parts extending into Randolph , Davidson , and Forsyth counties. High Point
2320-535: A supplement to the Mighty Mite. Sharing a similar configuration as the Blue Bird Micro Bird, the Minotour has been offered on both Ford and General Motors cutaway van chassis during its entire production. The Minotour body is produced in three different versions: one for single rear-wheel chassis along with standard and extended lengths for dual rear-wheel chassis. Since its 1980 introduction,
2436-546: A turbodiesel Jaguar S-Type ; after weight reduction and aerodynamic modifications, she was only just unsuccessful, marking her fastest lap at 10m 8s. This version won the International Van of the Year 2001. The Durashift EST automatic transmission (optional on all rear-wheel-drive models) features controls mounted on the dashboard, a specially adapted manual mode, tow-haul mode, economy mode and winter mode. This
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#17327971478362552-451: Is "North Carolina's International City" due to the semi-annual High Point Furniture Market that attracts 100,000 exhibitors and buyers from around the world. It is home to High Point University , a private Methodist-affiliated institution founded in 1924. The current mayor of High Point is Cyril Jefferson . High Point was at the highest point of the 1856 North Carolina Railroad between Charlotte and Goldsboro , where it intersected
2668-407: Is North Carolina's only city that extends into four counties. As of the 2020 census the city had a total population of 114,059. High Point is the ninth-most populous in North Carolina , the third-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad , and the 259th-most populous city in the U.S. Major industries in High Point include furniture, textiles , and bus manufacturing. The city's official slogan
2784-633: Is a family of light commercial vehicles manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1965, primarily as a cargo van , but also available in other configurations including a large passenger van (marketed as the Ford Tourneo in some markets since 1995), cutaway van chassis , and a pickup truck . The vehicle is also known as the Ford T-Series (T-150, T-250, T-350), a nomenclature shared with Ford's other light commercial vehicles,
2900-413: Is a service that shuttles people among most of the cities in the northwestern Piedmont region of North Carolina. The main service for public transportation in High Point is Hi tran , the local bus service. Highways passing through High Point include: Private schools for children were established in and around High Point as early as the early nineteenth century by Quakers . The New York Yearly Meeting of
3016-728: Is known as the ASM (automatically shifting manual) system in the Australian market. 2002 saw the introduction of the first High Pressure Common Rail diesel engine in the Transit, with the launch of the 125 PS (92 kW) HPCR 2.0-litre in the FWD. Production of the van started at the new Ford-Otosan plant in Kocaeli, Turkey which saw the end of all production at the Genk, Belgium plant which had been producing Transits since 1965. This coincided with
3132-615: Is the city's largest locally owned publication. Greensboro's News & Record is available in High Point. Triad City Beat , Yes! Weekly and Qué Pasa are free weekly papers covering High Point and the rest of the Triad area. High Point makes up part of the Greensboro/ Winston-Salem /High Point television designated market area . These stations are listed by call letters , channel number, network and city of license. Ford Transit The Ford Transit
3248-453: Is the largest furniture specialty library in the world and contains over 4,000 furniture and design-specific volumes. The High Point Market is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world, with over 11 million square feet (1 km ) and about 2,000 exhibitors throughout about 180 buildings. The market holds two major shows each year, and attracts between 70,000 and 80,000 attendees. A 2018 Duke University study showed that
3364-531: Is the only city in North Carolina that exists within four counties: Davidson , Forsyth , Guilford and Randolph . It also stands within two major watersheds: the Yadkin – Pee Dee to the west and the Cape Fear to the east. Parts of the city rise above 1,000 feet (300 m), making it among the highest cities in North Carolina's Piedmont . High Point is bordered by Greensboro to the north, Jamestown to
3480-478: Is used by 2,300 exhibitors, in 188 separate buildings. Over 100 countries are represented through both vendors and visitors. High Point was an early center for the development of the furniture industry in the South. Functional furniture had been produced on a small scale since the 17th century by artisans of English ancestry who had settled in North Carolina. As the farming landscape of the South began to change with
3596-520: Is water. High Point experiences a humid subtropical climate . Summers are hot and humid, and the dew points will often climb to near or even above 70 °F (21 °C) by late June through much of August. Nights usually remain warm above 70 degrees. Most summers the hottest day will record a maximum between 96 and 98 °F (36 and 37 °C). About once every 5 to 10 years the city will climb to or above 100 °F (38 °C). Winters are cool to cold. Nights average near 30 °F (−1 °C), with
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3712-413: The 1852 Great Western Plank Road . Its central location and transportation allowed for the delivery of raw materials like cotton and lumber as well as import and export of processed goods, contributing to its early growth. High Point was settled by Europeans, including English Quakers and German immigrants, before 1750, but was not incorporated until 1859. Before it became a major manufacturing center,
3828-490: The Bedford CA , Ford's Thames competitor, because of its restricted load area, failed to attract fleet users in sufficient numbers. Ford switched to a front-engined configuration, as did Bedford with their well-regarded CA series vans in the 1950s. Henry Ford II 's revolutionary step was to combine the engineering efforts of Ford of Britain and Ford of Germany to create a prototype for the Ford of Europe of today—previously
3944-689: The DKW Type F89L Schnellaster or the Tempo Matador . As usual in the Anglo-Saxon countries in those days, Ford's marketing experts attached more importance to the model/series designation than to the "Ford" label as a brand. Most British Ford products carried no Ford emblem. The commercial vehicles produced at Ford-Werke AG were marketed with the FK logo, while the passenger cars produced from 1948 onwards were offered under
4060-596: The Focus and Ka . Developed by Ford in the United States, the main innovation is that it is available in either front- or rear-wheel drive. Ford nomenclature makes this the V184 ( rear-wheel-drive ) or V185 ( front-wheel-drive ) model. This model features the "Puma"-type Duratorq turbo diesel engine also used in the 2000 Mondeo and Jaguar X-Type , with the petrol versions moving up to the 2.3 L 16-Valve edition of
4176-632: The Ford F-Series trucks, and the Ford E-Series chassis. As of 2015 , 8 million Transit vans have been sold, making it the third best-selling van of all time and has been produced across four basic platform generations (debuting in 1965, 1986, 2000, and 2013 respectively), with various "facelift" versions of each. The first product of the merged Ford of Europe , the Transit was originally marketed in Western Europe and Australia. By
4292-462: The straight-4 engine. A demonstration of this model's speed with the smallest panel van body, rear wheel drive, highest output 136PS 2.4 Duratorq turbo-diesel engine and optional 6-speed manual gearbox was shown in series 6 of Top Gear in 2005, where German race driver Sabine Schmitz attempted to drive it around the Nürburgring in under ten minutes, matching Jeremy Clarkson 's time in
4408-593: The "Furniture Capital of the World" in the 1980s during the golden era of North Carolina furniture manufacturing. The globalization of the 1990s opened free trade and competition from foreign furniture manufacturers. US companies, unable to compete, began outsourcing to Latin America and Asia . China became the leading manufacturer by producing furniture of equal quality at a lower price. The majority of furniture companies in North Carolina have continued to close since
4524-605: The "pig snout". The underpowered Perkins proved unpopular, and was replaced by Ford's own York unit in 1972. For mainland Europe the Transit had the German Ford Taunus V4 engine in Cologne 1.3, 1.5, and 1.7- or Essex 2.0-litre versions. The diesel version's long nose front was also used to accommodate the Ford 3.0 L Ford Essex V6 engine (UK) for high performance applications such as vans supplied to police and ambulance services. In Australia, in 1973, to supplement
4640-408: The 1920s during a period of rapid growth. This building spree culminated in 1927 with the opening of High Point High School. Among the many high styled school complexes in the state, few surpass High Point's grand 1927 high school. The campus joined the talents of two designers, Greensboro architect Harry Barton and Charlotte landscape architect Earl S. Draper. The building was matched in 1931 with
4756-470: The 1960s. Several private and independent schools are found in High Point, including High Point Christian Academy ( Baptist ), High Point Friends School ( Quaker ), Immaculate Heart of Mary ( Catholic ), Wesleyan Christian Academy ( Wesleyan ), and Westchester Country Day School (nonsectarian), and Phoenix Academy , a charter school . In 1921, the Chamber of Commerce made the establishment of
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4872-511: The 1965 to 1978 pan-European model (see below). Whilst there have only been four basic platforms since 1965, the various facelifts and upgrades over the years have been referred to using a conflicting range of "Mark" numbers, with some sources counting a facelift as a new "Mark", some not. Ford's own historical look back at Transit production, published for the launch of the 1994 model, avoids the issue by referring to generations of Transit by years produced. This article attempts to make mention of all
4988-552: The 1970s, Thomas Built Buses introduced the Mighty Mite as its first small school bus. Initially produced as a narrow-body version of the Saf-T-Liner Conventional, the Mighty Mite was reintroduced in the mid-1970s as a bus body on Chevrolet P30 stripped chassis (Type B school bus). Produced with relatively few changes, the Mighty Mite was discontinued in 1995. In 1980, the Thomas Minotour was introduced as
5104-433: The 1990s. The furniture makers who have maintained a high quality product made from solid wood continue to maintain a unique niche and are sold in both the United States and Asia. The High Point Museum showcases an exhibit, "High Point's Furniture Heritage", which examines the historical relationship between the furniture industry and the people of High Point. The Bienenstock Furniture Library located in downtown High Point
5220-766: The 30th anniversary of the Transit in 1995 Ford released a limited edition model called the Transit Hallmark. Six hundred were made and were available in three colours with 200 being made in each. In Europe the VE83 Transit was available up to 2000, but in Vietnam it was built up to 2003 when it was exchanged in June for the new generation. The Transit, introduced in July 2000, was the third all-new design, and borrowed styling cues from Ford's "New Edge" designs, like
5336-476: The 6-speed MT-82 RWD manual gearbox . The five millionth Transit rolled off the Southampton line on Monday, July 18, 2005, and was donated to an English charity. The third-generation Transit received a facelift to the body, introduced in July 2006, including new front and rear lights, a new front end and a new interior featuring the gearstick on the dashboard and Ford's new corporate radio design. Besides
5452-734: The British Ford Thames 400E was also assembled and improved as a left-hand drive version in the Ford assembly plants in Copenhagen , Denmark, as well as the German FK1000 was assembled in Azambuja , Portugal, too. In the French, Spanish, Italian, Swiss, Benelux and Scandinavian markets, both products were found. This turned out to be disadvantageous and cost-intensive especially after the fall of various trade barriers within
5568-603: The Cortina and for two years the Transit 75 was available with the 1.6 L Ford Kent cross-flow engine. High-performance versions intended for police or ambulance service used the 3.0 L V6 version of the Essex engine ; the 100 hp (75 kW; 101 PS) 3.0 was also available in some heavier duty models like the 3.5-tonne Transit 190. From September 1978, Australian variants could be had with locally built 4.1 L (250 cu in) inline 6-cylinder engines. In 1984,
5684-517: The Ford Transit was launched in 1965, based on a new unified platform . Two years later in 1967, Ford of Britain and Ford-Werke AG merged to Ford of Europe with the headquarters in Cologne , Germany. The brand Taunus was taken off the market. Ford forced the standardization of platforms and even model-names overall European market under the Ford brand and logo. After the Ford Transit in 1965,
5800-474: The High Point Market continued to set furniture trends and to be a national economic indicator; the $ 5 billion in sales in 1947 after World War II forecast a postwar boom. The 1950s' growth of the furniture market mirrored that of High Point's second population boom from 39,973 in 1950 to 62,063 in 1960. By 1959, North Carolina had surpassed New York to become the state employing the most people in
5916-441: The Minotour, Thomas offers two alternative-fuel versions. On the General Motors chassis, the Minotour can be equipped with the option of CNG (compressed natural gas) or propane-fueled powertrains. GMC Savana 3500/4500 Although Thomas Built Buses is owned by Freightliner (itself owned by Daimler AG ), the Minotour has not entered production using a Sprinter chassis (under Freightliner or Mercedes-Benz badging; also offered as
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#17327971478366032-659: The Second World War each company had its own more or less protected market. After the war, several economical boundaries were abolished and local markets did not exist anymore in the same way that they existed before. With this, Ford of Britain and Ford-Werke AG suddenly became more competitive on the whole European Continent than local market subsidiaries of their parent company in Detroit. Production of light commercial vehicles began in late 1948, when 148 half-ton delivery vehicles were built. In 1951 Ford Werke AG launched
6148-666: The Society of Friends, a network of Quakers from that state, started a school in Asheboro in the 1880s for African American students. The school relocated to High Point in 1891 on land east of town on Washington Street. The institution was named the High Point Normal and Industrial School (later William Penn High School), and was administered by the Quakers until 1897. In that year, black educator Alfred J. Griffin accepted
6264-598: The Transit back into line with the rest of Ford of Europe's passenger car range of the period with square headlamps and the black louvred grille, although the rear styling remained unaltered. The austere dashboard of the Mk1 with its single instrument binnacle was replaced with a full width plastic fascia with a more comprehensive instrument cluster and switchgear taken from the Taunus/Cortina Mk4. Many fleet owners experienced premature camshaft wear in early Pinto units in
6380-410: The Transit is proving to be the perfect getaway vehicle", describing it as "Britain's most wanted van". The adoption of a front beam axle in place of a system incorporating independent front suspension that had featured on its UK predecessor might have been seen as a backward step by some, but on the road commentators felt that the Transit's wider track and longer wheelbase more than compensated for
6496-592: The Transit sold well in the Netherlands, it was not enough to save the factory, which closed in December 1981. The Transit was introduced to replace the Ford Thames 400E , a small mid-engined forward control van noted for its narrow track which was in competition with similar-looking but larger vehicles from the BMC J4 and J2 vans and Rootes Group 's Commer PB ranges. In a UK market segment then dominated by
6612-572: The V4 engined models (the 'pig snout' diesel/V6 models remained unchanged), and the introduction of a safety padded dashboard. Overall production of this platform therefore lasted for over 20 years before finally being replaced by the all-new VE6 platform in 1986. The van was produced initially at Ford's Langley facility in Berkshire, England (a former Second World War aircraft factory which had produced Hawker Hurricane fighters), but demand outstripped
6728-459: The York diesel engine was redesigned into the 2.5 L "DI" (direct injection) unit. At this time this generation received a minor facelift including a grey plastic front grille with integrated headlamp surrounds, wraparound indicators, longer bumper end caps and multifunction rear lights incorporating fog, indicator, reversing and side lights for the panel van. This facelift did not commonly result in
6844-409: The addition of Ferndale Middle School just to the east, designed to incorporate details from the high school so that it maintained a campus theme. Both shared athletic facilities on a large tract of land between downtown and Emerywood. In 1962, High Point High School's name was modified to High Point Central High School when an additional high school, T. Wingate Andrews High School , was established in
6960-453: The apparent step backwards represented by Ford's suspension choices. Drivers appreciated the elimination of the excessive noise, smell and cabin heat that resulted from placing the driver above or adjacent to the engine compartment in the Thames 400E and other forward control light vans of the 1950s and early 1960s. The Transit was also assembled in South Africa between 1967 and 1974, the last Transit to be sold in that country until 2013, when
7076-446: The body of the Minotour has seen relatively few changes. During the 1990s, a floor-level rub rail was added. In the early 2000s, the front bodywork above the roof was modified to improve body aerodynamics. In 2008, the taillights were updated (to share a similar design with the Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 and Thomas Saf-T-Liner HDX ). Following various chassis redesigns, the window forward of the entry door has grown in size. Introduced on
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#17327971478367192-466: The capability of the plant, and production was moved to Southampton until closure in 2013 in favour of the factory at İzmit , Turkey. Transits were also produced in Ford's Genk factory in Belgium and also Turkey. Transits were produced in Amsterdam for the local market from the mid-1970s until the end of 1981. This factory had ample capacity, since the Ford Transcontinental produced there had little success (total production 8000 in 6 years). Although
7308-498: The century with the mass marketing and sales of North Carolina furniture from the catalogues of Sears Roebuck and Co. At the same time, competitors in large cities like New York and Chicago held a national exposition twice a year to display the manufacturers' products and to take orders from furniture dealers and buyers. Recognizing the need for a more convenient southern location, High Point furniture manufacturers began planning for an exposition to display and sell their product to
7424-455: The city and the surrounding area. Meanwhile, other manufacturers set up local factories to provide related products like veneers, plate glass, mirrors, paint, and locks to furniture companies. Profits in the North Carolina furniture industry declined with the increasing number of factories. In addition to the increased competition for market shares, by 1910 the salary for competent experienced workers and rising shipping costs had cut further into
7540-452: The city. At the 2010 census , there were 104,371 people, and 40,988 households residing in the city. The population density was 1,939.9 people per square mile. There were 46,677 housing units in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 53.6% white (50.4% Non-Hispanic white ), 33.0% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 6.1% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latinos of any race were 8.5% of
7656-405: The coldest averages in the upper 20s from late December through early February. Most winters the coldest temperature will dip to between 10 and 15 °F (−12 and −9 °C). About once every 10 years the minimum will dip below 5 °F (−15 °C) and to near or below 0 °F (−18 °C) approximately once every 20 years. Daytime highs average near 50 °F (10 °C) in the winter, with
7772-464: The coldest stretch between late December through early February with highs averaging in the upper 40s. Most winters there will be 2 to 4 days that remain below freezing. The hottest temperature on record for the area was 103 °F (39 °C) on August 18, 1988 (in nearby Greensboro the high reached 104 °F (40 °C) in 1914), and the coldest was −8 °F (−22 °C) on January 21, 1985. Rainfall patterns are generally spread evenly throughout
7888-404: The commercial vehicle series FK , standing for Ford Köln, with different-sized vehicles (FK2000 with 2 tons payload, FK3000 with 3 tons payload, FK3500 with 3.5 tons payload, etc.). The FK series was successor of the "Rhein" and "Ruhr" trucks. In 1953, the FK series were rounded off with the light delivery van FK1000/FK1250 (1ton/1.25tons payload), in competition to the Volkswagen Type 2 VW Bus ,
8004-419: The common naming systems. The first generation Transit, or the Transit Mark I in the United Kingdom, was introduced in October 1965, taking over directly from the Thames 400E . This generation had the longest production run of any Transit to date, staying largely unaltered for 12 years until the major update of 1977, with only one minor facelift for the 1971 model year, which saw updated front end styling on
8120-419: The contemporary Taunus. In 1955 the engine capacity was enlarged to 1.5 litres. From 1961, this vehicle was called the Ford Taunus Transit . Production of this model ceased in 1965. On May 9, 1945, the day after the unconditional surrender of the German Wehrmacht in the Second World War , production at Ford Germany in Cologne resumed. Because the production of civilian cars in the British occupied zone
8236-427: The cutaway van is an incomplete vehicle upfitted by a second stage manufacturer . In the context of school bus manufacturing, cutaway van chassis allowed for school bus bodywork (and its reinforced inner structure) to be adapted to a van chassis, replacing passenger vans or full-size SUVs (such as the Chevrolet Suburban or International Travelall ). In 1973, Wayne Corporation produced the first school bus body for
8352-548: The decade of the 1920s, the population grew from 14,302 to 36,745 as $ 20 million of building permits were issued and $ 26 million was spent on city improvements. The Great Depression did not seem to affect the southern furniture market, which focused on trendy and affordable furniture, while those in the North focused on traditional, luxurious products. By 1935, North Carolina was second only to New York in US furniture production. Meanwhile,
8468-580: The end of the Civil War and slavery, cheap labor became available during the Reconstruction Era . The North Carolina furniture industry gained momentum in the late 19th century, and developers were attracted to High Point for its location, transportation, and cheap labor. The city was in the center of the Piedmont region with access to vast hardwood forests in the central and western parts of
8584-579: The end of the twentieth century, it was marketed nearly globally with the exception of North America until 2015 when it replaced the Ford E-Series van. Upon its introduction in North America, the Transit quickly became the best-selling van of any type in the United States, minivan sales included. That mirrors the success the Transit has achieved in Europe, where it has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle for forty years, and in some countries
8700-486: The engine ahead of the driver. Another popular development under the bonnet was the equipping of the van with an alternator at time when the UK market competitors expected buyers to be content with a dynamo . A 43 bhp (32 kW) diesel engine sourced from Perkins was also offered. As this engine was too long to fit under the Transit's stubby nose, the diesel version featured a longer bonnet - which became nicknamed as
8816-411: The engine configuration of all three vehicles from behind the front seats to a forward engine placement. Along with far more stable handling characteristics (from a longer wheelbase), the new vans adopted mechanical commonality with light-truck product lines (allowing for increased durability). A new type of commercial vehicle was introduced: the cutaway van chassis . In line with a chassis cab truck ,
8932-484: The first school building. Twelve school commissioners were appointed to administer the 350-student system of five grades. Growth of the city's institutions reflected improved primary educational facilities. A school building campaign coupled with additional grades and improved classes resulted in four additional schools for white students: Elm Street School (1905), Park Street School (1910), Fairview School (1910), and Grimes Street School (1911). Many other schools were born in
9048-511: The first time. The new version (Ford nomenclature V347 for front-wheel drive and V348 for rear-wheel drive) won International Van of the Year for 2007 despite tough competition from several all-new rivals. This Transit arrived in Mexico to replace the Freestar after the 2007 model year. This was the first Transit with a five-cylinder engine available (in the 3.2L 200PS version). Mid-2006 saw
9164-654: The furniture industry. In 1961, The State magazine declared, "High Point, in Guilford County, is the world's leading manufacturing center of wood furniture. It is also the location of one of the nation's principal furniture markets." Four international furniture shows were being hosted by High Point at that time, including the High Point Market (still known then as the Southern Furniture Exposition), which The State reported
9280-421: The graduate studies program offers 10 master's degrees and one doctorate degree. High Point is one of the nine Shaw University "CAPE" (College of Adult and Professional Education) program centers. Guilford Technical Community College maintains a High Point campus. Providence Bible College & Seminary ( Baptist ) operates in High Point, offering degrees from Bible Diploma to Doctorate Degree. High Point
9396-682: The introduction of the Transit Connect (also produced in Kocaeli), a smaller panel van based on the C170 (Focus) platform and aimed at replacing the older Escort and Fiesta based models. Despite the name, the Connect has no engineering commonality with the full-size Transit. 2003 saw a new instrument cluster with a digital odometer. 2004 saw the launch of the first RWD HPCR, the 135 PS (99 kW) 2.4-litre variant that also introduced
9512-487: The last of the 1978–1985 Mk.1 facelift model, although in 1989 the high-performance 3.0 Essex V6 petrol was replaced by the Cologne 2.9 EFI V6, mainly because of emissions regulations as the Essex V6 design was nearly 25 years old by then and still used a carburettor. The third generation Transit was developed under the "Triton" code name. A subtle facelift in 1992 saw the fully independent front suspension adopted across
9628-534: The market contributed $ 6.7 billion to the area's economy. In May 2011, the High Point Market and the Las Vegas World Market Center were combined into the new firm International Market Centers (IMC). In September 2017, Blackstone Inc. and Fireside Investments purchased IMC, which at the time owned 14 buildings totaling 6.7 million square feet, over 50% of the downtown. According to High Point's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,
9744-494: The most dating back to the start of snowfall record-keeping in 1928. In addition to snowfall, some years the city can be impacted by significant ice storms. Cold air wedging up on the east side of the mountains can lock this part of the state into cold air while warmer moist air moves in aloft. This proximity to the mountains creates what is known as the Appalachian Wedge and can produce crippling ice storms. High Point
9860-497: The most important industries were tobacco, woodworking and textiles. The High Point furniture factory opened in 1889. High Point College was founded in 1924 as a private Methodist-affiliated institution. The college later became a liberal arts university, now with approximately 4,400 undergraduate and graduate students from 51 countries and 46 states. Sites on the National Register of Historic Places High Point
9976-407: The name Taunus referring to the re-produced pre-war model Ford Taunus G93A . Due to continental European habits, the original series and model designations "FK" and Taunus mutated into real brands, each with its own emblem and different models, comparable with Daimler Benz Mercedes models or General Motors Opel models. The FK emblem consists of two slightly overlapping ovals with the "F" from
10092-437: The newly founded EEC . For this reason, such a situation with internal competition and parallel developments was very unsatisfactory for the Ford headquarters in Detroit. The aim was to not only standardize the vehicle production ( world car ), but also merge the company structures in Europe. Under parent's dictate, Ford of Britain and Ford-Werke AG started the "Redcap-Project" in the commercial vehicle sector in 1963, from which
10208-482: The northeast, and Archdale to the southeast. The city limits of Trinity and Thomasville come within half a mile of High Point's city limits to the south and southwest, respectively. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 58.43 square miles (151.3 km ), of which 56.91 square miles (147.4 km ) is land and 1.52 square miles (3.9 km ) (2.60%)
10324-678: The numerous civic organizations founded in the 1920s pledged funds, including the Rotary , Kiwanis , Civitan , and the American Business Club . The architectural design of the High Point College campus was in keeping with traditional and historical architectural initiatives found at many private colleges and universities across the state in the 1920s. The administration building (Roberts Hall), male and female dormitories (McCulloch Hall and Women's Hall, respectively), and
10440-483: The original interstate roadway, which is now designated Business 85. The new Interstate 74 runs north and east of the city. This section is referred locally as the "East Belt" freeway project, and was completed southeast to I-73/US 220 near Randleman in 2013. To the northwest, it extends to Interstate 40 in Winston-Salem . The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) operates in High Point. It
10556-546: The population. At the 2000 census , there were 85,839 people, 33,519 households, and 22,523 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,750.1 inhabitants per square mile (675.7/km ). There were 35,952 housing units at an average density of 733.0 per square mile (283.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 54.56% White , 34.77% African American , 0.46% Native American , 4.45% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 2.27% from other races , and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.89% of
10672-420: The population. 12.7% were of American , 8.7% English , 8.3% German and 5.9% Irish ancestry. There were 33,519 households, of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. Of all households, 27.2% were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who
10788-621: The position of principal and led the establishment into a long period of growth. The school closed in 1968, but was renovated and reopened in 2003 as Penn-Griffin School for the Arts, a public arts magnet high school . It is one of three public high schools in the city. The High Point public school system was founded in 1897 with the approval of a $ 10,000 bond, in part to finance the purchase of J. Elwood Cox's family home on South Main Street for use as
10904-414: The profit. Bankruptcies resulted from inexperienced managers who tried to sell products below the cost of production and companies that tried to expand too quickly. An innovative High Point company, Tomlinson Chair Co., devised incentives to give its workforce an opportunity to receive part of the profits. The company was one of the first to manufacture period reproduction dining and living room furniture on
11020-485: The public. The first North Carolina furniture exposition was held in High Point in 1905. In 1921, a brand new Southern Furniture Exhibition Building was built with ten stories and 249,000 square feet (23,100 m ) at a cost of $ 2 million. The event that became known as the High Point Furniture Market was attended by 700 buyers and generated $ 2.25 million in sales. High Point overtook Chicago as
11136-456: The range, whilst a redesigned floor plan allowed the use of single, rather than paired, rear wheels on the LWB derivative, further increasing payload—these models are identifiable by the slightly more rounded front headlamps. In Australia, the third generation Transit did not go on sale until March 1994, after a 13-year absence from that market. A major facelift to the Transit in 1994 gave the Transit
11252-482: The second generation Transit platform appeared in January 1986 and was notable for its all-new bodyshell which was of "one-box" design ( i.e. the windscreen and bonnet are at close to the same angle), and the front suspension was changed to a fully independent configuration on SWB versions. Initially fitted with Chubb AVA locks, Tibbe barrels were fitted soon after. The engine range was carried over largely unchanged from
11368-543: The site of the nation's most important semi-annual furniture show. Gradually the High Point Furniture Market, held in April and October, grew into an internationally renowned furniture trade fair for home furnishings. High Point continues to be the prime U.S. location to purchase brand-name furniture at a substantial discount. The furniture industry and developing textile manufacturing set the pace for two 20th century growth booms in High Point. Over
11484-542: The state. High Point, at the junction of the railroad and a main state road, provided a centralized shipping point for the southern market. An agricultural depression of the 1890s drove farm workers to developing towns like High Point looking for industrial jobs. Factories were needed to produce affordable wooden household furniture for the southern market. The first furniture company, the High Point Furniture Manufacturing Company,
11600-461: The styling changes, the powertrains were revised. The old petrol engine was replaced with one from the Ford Ranger , the front-wheel-drive diesel went from 2.0 to 2.2 litres capacity, and all diesel engines gained high-pressure common rail ( TDCi ) systems. The powertrains were changed to meet new emissions legislation. Additionally, the facelift introduced CAN bus electronics to the Transit for
11716-472: The term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic trademark applying to any light commercial van in the Transit's size bracket. Predecessor of the British and German-built Transit, the first production Ford to wear the "Transit" badge was a van built in Ford's Cologne plant in Germany. It was introduced in 1953 as FK 1000 (carrying 1,000 kg) with the 1.2-litre Ford sidevalve engine from
11832-811: The time this gave the business sector an unprecedented amount of flexibility, which was a major factor in the vehicles' ultimate success. In 1981, for mainland European market only, the Transit Clubmobil was introduced by the Hymer company. This was fitted with a 1.6 / 2.0 OHC engine, and featured a custom interior – captain style swivel seats in velour, pile carpet, motorsport steering wheel, unique Ronal 14" alloy wheels, unique side windows, folding back seat, luggage box, unique front spoiler, tinted glass, power assisted steering, spare wheel carrier and rear door ladder. In 3 years of production 150 were produced and less than 20 are thought to still exist. In late 1982,
11948-481: The time. Another key to the Transit's success was the sheer number of different body styles: panel vans in long and short wheelbase forms, pick-up truck, minibuses, crew-cabs to name but a few. The engines used in the UK were the Essex V4 for the petrol -engined version in 1.7 L and 2.0 L capacities. By using relatively short V-4 engines Ford were able to minimise the additional length necessitated to place
12064-427: The top employers in the city are: Amtrak 's Crescent , Carolinian and Piedmont trains connect High Point with the cities of New York , Philadelphia , Baltimore , Washington , Richmond , Raleigh , Charlotte , Atlanta , Birmingham and New Orleans . The recently refurbished historic High Point Amtrak station is at 100 West High Street. Interstate 85 runs through southern High Point, southeast of
12180-462: The two Essex V4 engines that were available the Transit was released with the long-nose diesel front used to accommodate an inline 6-cylinder engine derived from the Ford Falcon . The Metropolitan Police reported on this vehicle in 1972 via a Scotland Yard spokesman that "Ford Transits are used in 95 per cent of bank raids . With the performance of a car, and space for 1.75 tonnes of loot,
12296-430: The two subsidiaries had avoided competing in one another's domestic markets but had been direct competitors in other European markets. The Transit was a departure from the European commercial vehicles of the day with its American-inspired styling—its broad track gave it a huge advantage in carrying capacity over comparable vehicles of the day. Most of the Transit's mechanical components were adapted from Ford's car range of
12412-521: The well-equipped Transit Ghia was introduced to some markets, only as a nine-seater bus. This offered a velour interior, full carpeting, tinted windows, and sunroof. Externally it can be identified by chrome dog-dish hubcaps and extra lamps in the grille. In 1982, a four-wheel drive version was added to the German market, called the SIRA-Ford Transit. This was developed together with Rau GmbH,
12528-621: The well-known Ford emblem in the first and a "K" in the same font in the second oval. The Taunus emblem first depicted the Cologne Cathedral ; from 1953 on until its discontinuation in 1967, Cologne's city flag inspired the Taunus emblem. In 1961, Ford discontinued the entire truck production in Germany and took the FK brand off the market, due to serious defects and therefore strongly decreasing demand. The unrelated FK1000/FK1250 van, unaffected by these defects, continued to sell well and
12644-468: The year, with between seven and eleven wet days per month. The city averages around 43 inches (1,100 mm) of rain per year. Snowfall varies from year to year, with most years totaling less than 5 inches (13 cm). However, there are some years that exceed 20 inches (51 cm), and this brings the overall average to more than 8 inches (20 cm) per year. In the winter of 1959/60 the city had just over 30 inches (76 cm) of snowfall, which stands as
12760-443: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males. The median income for
12876-453: Was also the home of John Wesley University (formerly called Laurel University and John Wesley College), which merged into Piedmont International University in Winston-Salem in 2018. The High Point Enterprise , established in 1885, is the only daily newspaper published in High Point. HP Magazine is a full-color glossy lifestyle magazine that offers stories on food, history, events, the furniture industry, and more. The monthly magazine
12992-401: Was drawing crowds of five to six thousand buyers. Throughout the end of the 20th century, North Carolina continued to lead the nation in the production of both upholstered and wooden household furniture. The furniture was slightly styled and inexpensive, but lost its regional characteristics. Some local artisans still maintained a unique and high quality wooden product. High Point became known as
13108-401: Was formed in 1889. Subsequently, from 1890 to 1900, 38 new furniture factories opened in the state, with 13 of those in High Point. The Southern Railway line was formed in 1894, and High Point was shipping eight fully loaded freight cars of furniture each day by 1898. By the turn of the century, High Point had become the leading furniture center in the South, with over 40 furniture companies in
13224-464: Was now offered under the successful Taunus brand with the model name Transit in addition to the cars Taunus 12M/15M and the Taunus 17M . A comparable program to Volkswagen, that offered its vehicles VW Beetle , VW 1500 and VW Bus the same way on the continental European market. The "new" Transit Taunus van was now labelled with the Transit model name (instead of the FK logo) in big chrome letters and
13340-546: Was one of several communities affected by a 2010 tornado outbreak . The twister reached its most powerful EF3 classification as it crossed the northern suburbs of the city. In 1989, High Point sustained minor wind damage from Hurricane Hugo as it raced through the western Piedmont region of North Carolina after making landfall 5 hours away in Charleston, South Carolina . As of the 2020 census , there were 114,059 people, 40,877 households, and 25,792 families residing in
13456-610: Was restricted, Ford-Werke AG was limited to the production of trucks until 1948. Those trucks based on the slightly modified war models V 3000 S, B 3000 S and V 3000 A as they were already produced before and during the Second World War in the Ford production facilities in the Third Reich . Those trucks were now called "Rhein" (V8-engined) and "Ruhr" (four-cylinder). At that time neither Ford of Britain nor Ford Werke AG were 100% subsidiaries of Ford Motor Company in Detroit ; before
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