First released in October of 1908, the Ford Model T was designed to be a car for the people. Unlike cars that had come before it, the Model T was made to be easy to operate and inexpensive enough that any working person could own one. Ford’s redesigned manufacturing process made this possible. Instead being assembled in place, Model Ts moved along a monorail, with large machines placed in the order they were needed to produce individual car parts. This moving production line became an instant hit, cutting fabrication time in half. Within five years, Ford had adapted the method to each of its various assembly lines, minimizing the company’s expenses and revolutionizing the modern factory.
Ford’s most popular Model T, the Touring series, originally cost $850, or approximately a teacher’s yearly salary in 1908. Although this was a comparatively reasonable price, the Model T’s straightforward operation and ease of repair are what really made it sell. The Model T’s high clearance, light weight, and four-cylinder engine allowed the car to handle nearly any rough road surface. The vehicles traveled an average of 10-12 miles per gallon, and could sometimes reach speeds of more than 30 miles an hour, though only on the best roads. The worst that could be said for them is that their brakes were terrible.
The first Model T design came in green, grey, and red, and quickly gained the nickname “Tin Lizzie,” a reference to motorcars being cheap metal versions of horses, which were often called Liz or Lizzie. In 1914, Ford began its famous “any color as long as it’s black” strategy to minimize costs and improve durability. The Model T’s simplicity generated a huge aftermarket for accessories and parts, as most of the original vehicles didn’t even include an instrument panel.
Following World War I, Ford’s sales dropped during America’s postwar economic recession, and the company finally began to rethink its Model T design. Though business soon improved to reach a new peak in 1923, with 2.2 million cars produced, pressure from competing automakers’ yearly design upgrades pushed the company towards a new Model A.
During 18 years of production, Ford had created a stunning 16.5 million Model Ts. Named the “Car of the Century” in 1999, the Ford Model T is still the most collected and well-respected car ever produced.
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Antique vehicle show like no other set for SaturdayPress & Sun-Bulletin, May 28th
TechWorks! consists of volunteers who focus on restoring vintage technology, including IBM computer equipment, flight simulators and other interesting artifacts from the past. Four years ago, according to Sherwood, the volunteers ... "We all love what...Read more
Park celebrates 100 years with summer full of outings and exhibitsThe Daily Camera, May 28th
In August, a Model T enthusiast group from Buena Vista plans to organize a car camp in the park's Moraine Park Campground as it might have been set up in the parks early days, with canvas tents and other vintage equipment. A RMNP centennial exhibit ...Read more
A man drives his restored vintage Chevrolet classic car in Rawalpindi. —AP PhotoDAWN.com, May 27th
For an elite but passionate group of vintage car collectors in Pakistan, restoring antique rides is like travelling back in time and money seems to be no obstacle when the prize is a Lincoln convertible that belonged to an Afghan king or a Rolls-Royce...Read more
Mercer Museum celebrates Volunteer Firefighting exhibit with special outdoor ...Bucks Local News, May 27th
DOYLESTOWN >> The Mercer Museum celebrates its Volunteer Firefighting exhibit with a special outdoor Firefighting Day and Antique Equipment Muster on the grounds of the museum on Sunday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event features fire...Read more
Owls Head Transportation Museum gears up for Spring Auto ShowPenBayPilot.com, May 26th
In addition to an assortment of classic, vintage and antique vehicles, the Museum will offer an array of family activities including free Model T rides. In case of rain, alternate plans for children may include interactive readings from the book...Read more
See Photos of the Ford Model T During Its Decades of DominanceTIME, May 26th
For years, Henry and Edsel Ford had been denying that the day was approaching. Asked whether they were working on a new model of car, after nearly two decades of producing the famous Model T, they kept mum. But, as TIME noted back then, “in the U. S. ...Read more
2 Hurt After SUV and 1912 Ford Model T CollideNBC 10 Philadelphia, May 20th
Two people were hurt after an SUV and an antique automobile collided in East Marlborough Township, Chester County Wednesday morning. The accident, which occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m. on West Doe Run and Mill roads involved a Kia SUV and a ...Read more
SATURDAY: Ford Model Ts and As to be displayed at free antique car show in ...Shelton Herald, May 3rd
The fifth annual Model T & Model A-Era Antique Car Show is scheduled for Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Beardsley's Cider Mill and Orchard, 278 Leavenworth Road (Route 110). The event is free for participants and spectators, including those ...Read more