The Ford Model T started it all. It's the one car that made Americans realize that they too could afford a four-wheeler and live a good life. Gone were the days of the cars that only the elite could afford – the Ford Model T was Henry Ford’s dream come true. Any American who earned a good salary could get his hands on the Model T and enjoy his life to the fullest, along with his family.
Henry Ford built a car that could easily be put together and be large enough to fit a family. Yet, he also wanted it to be small enough for the owner to easily maintain. And with the Ford Model T, he achieved all that. However, the effect that the Model T would have on the automotive industry (and the world in general) turned out to be more than Henry Ford could have ever hoped for.
Frankly, had Ford never put the Model T in front of the American consumer, American automobile history would have been a lot different than it is today. So, in honor of one of the most important vehicles ever created, here are 15 photos of the Ford Model T that will make you want one, right now.
15 It Has Many Names And Nicknames
Officially, it was the Ford Model T. Colloquially, it had many nicknames: Tin Lizzie (because of the race a dilapidated Ford Model T named Lizzie won), Flivver, Leaping Lena, and Jitney. And if you have chanced upon the animated movie series Cars, the character Lizzie (married to Stanley), was a Ford Model T Coupe. Now you know why.
14 The Most Influential Car Of The 20th Century
Without the Ford Model T, the dream of affordable cars might have taken far longer in the making. By 1918, just ten years into the production run of the Ford Model T, half of all the cars in the US were Ford Model T's. In fact, at the launch itself, some 15,000 orders were placed.
13 Millions Were Sold, And Many Still Exist
A total of 16.5 million Ford Model Ts were sold during its lifetime from 1908 to 1927, with Henry Ford and his son Edsel personally driving out the 15th million one out of the Dearborn plant in Michigan. These are tough numbers to match, especially when automobile manufacturing was at its nascence in the world.
12 But Driving It Was A Pain
If you look at the insides of the Ford Model T today, you would be perplexed. There are no gauges so everything has to be checked for under the hood. There was no keyed ignition, but a manual crank that one had to rotate to power up the engine. The throttle and the firing of the spark plugs also had to be manually operated by the driver!
11 Electric Start Came In 1919
By 1919, the Ford Model T debuted an electric start. This spared the drivers the time and energy spent on manual cranking, which was sometimes known to cause injuries to the driver when the engine backfired instead of starting! The pedals were also pretty complicated, with the brake being on the far right and two gear shifters on the left.
10 It Was Quite The Off-Roader
Despite the non-assuring looks of the car as compared to the tough SUVs and pickups of today, the Ford Model T could handle bad terrains pretty well. Remember, these were the early 1900s. Good roads were unheard of, most of the world existed in bad terrain. So the Model T was adept at handling dips, streams, gravel, and mud.
9 It Was Put To Varied Use By Many
The Ford Model T was a nifty, adaptable vehicle, so people bought it, took it apart and then put it back together in innovative ways. Some turned their Model Ts into tractors and other farm equipment like grain mills. Others turned it into snowmobiles and even railcars, for that matter.
8 This Turned Into A Lucrative Business
With the advent of Ford Model Ts and the innovative uses it was put to, businesses mushroomed around it. Aftermarket kits were soon flooding the market, promising to turn your Ford Model T into whatever kind of workhorse you wanted it to be. Dedicated magazine columns sprang up too, with DIY advice on how to do what to the Ford Model T.
7 Wood, Metal, And Superstitions
Initially, when the Ford Model T was launched, the body was made up of wood with a thin sheet of metal covering it. And if that weren’t strange enough, no woman was allowed on the factory floor where the Model Ts were built. Women and wood did not get along, be it on (pirate) ships, or at Ford!
6 In-House Sales Were Contracted
When the Ford Model T was launched, Ford employees had to sign a strange contract. In it, they promised to buy a Ford Model T as soon as their salaries made it affordable to them. So clearly, Ford may not have believed that charity began at home, but sales certainly did. Wonder what happened to the employees who bought the competition instead?
5 There Is Some Crazy In Kansas
There were two Model T's in Kansas, at a time when there were only two roads and a single intersection in the entire state. And yet, these two Model T's not only managed to meet at that very intersection of the two roads but also managed to crash into each other, according to Car Throttle. Must have been very myopic drivers.
4 As Long As Its Black
Ford once said that the Model T customer could have their car in any color, as long as it was black. Ironically, the black Ford Model T's were not made available until 1914. However, from 1914 to 1926, the most commonly and aggressively marketed color of the Model T was black, because it was economical.
3 Annual Production Figures Were Phenomenal
From a 10,666 production run in 1909, the debut year, to 399,000 plus in its final year – the Ford Model T came a long way from its humble beginnings. In 1924 and 1925, the Ford Model T set new records by producing more than 1.9 million vehicles each year. By 1927 though, the Ford Model A had taken its place and did pretty well too.
2 Not The First Assembly Line Car
Despite popular belief, the Ford Model T was not the first assembly line car and neither did Henry Ford “invent” the assembly line. It was Ransom E. Olds of the Oldsmobile car company who invented the assembly line and made the Oldsmobile Curved Dash on it. But Ford and the Model T took assembly line to mass production.
1 The Ford Model T Clubs Of Today
You may be surprised but there are many up and running Ford Model T's and TT's (the Model T trucks) all over the world. The preservation, restoration, and the stock-part help come from four clubs – an International one, an American one, and a few clubs in Australia as well. The Model T, or at least some of them, are still alive and kicking!