Ford began production on the Model T in October 1908, going on to become the first affordable automobile. What followed next was the widespread use of automobiles, as car travel was now a practical option for middle-class Americans. Thanks to Ford being efficient, thorough, practical, and effective with their manufacturing processes, the resulting vehicles were both appealing and capable.
Updated February 2022: The Ford Model T remains one of America's most important and iconic automobiles in existence, which continues to make the classic car an attractive collectible. With car values changing all the time, we've updated this article to reflect the most recent info regarding the Model T's market value today.
Some of the “assembly line” production was actually the result of individual handcrafting. Production on the Model T continued for nearly 20 years, finally ceasing on May 26, 1927. Today, the Model T is remembered fondly among classic cars for being the progenitor of automobile travel.
The Ford Model T's value as of 2022 may surprise gearheads, along with other miscellaneous trivia about the simple classic.
Model T Prices Vary Based On Two Key Factors
When it comes to Model T prices in 2022, condition is the determining factor. Basically, what condition a surviving Model T is as well as how original it remains are the biggest factors in determining the price. As a result, there's a whole price range for surviving Model T vehicles in 2022.
Model T vehicles produced from 1909 to 1927 have sold for as much $110,000 in the last five years, according to Classic.com. Over that period of time, Model Ts have sold for an average of $16,093. The lowest during that time sold for $3,300.
Model T Museum Exhibit
A museum had a whole Model T exhibit with several of them on display. The National Automobile Museum featured an exhibit on the Ford Model T from June to August 2020, focusing on the Model T's groundbreaking status as the first affordable vehicle; a car and house prices were roughly equal at the time just prior to the Model T's release. The exhibit features among its displays a bright red 1909 Touring Model T.
The Vehicle That Put America On Wheels
The Ford Model T was so widely manufactured that it held the record for most produced car until 1972, when the title went to the Volkswagen Beetle. Some nicknames for the Model T include the 'Tin Lizzie' and the 'Flivver.'
The Model T was said to be 'putting America on wheels' in the early 1900s, displacing the prominence of both horse-drawn carriages and bicycles. Vehicles at the time were either powered by steam, electricity, or gasoline. Gasoline won as the means of fuel to power an engine because it had untapped potential and constantly-increasing power.
The Ford Model T started production on an official assembly line in 1914, allowing the process to become streamlined and exponentially sped up production and many more Model T vehicles were for sale. Black was the color of choice for Henry Ford himself, as black paint dried the fastest. Ford experienced such popularity with the model T that advertising was obsolete and irrelevant from 1917 to 1923.
The Model T's Affordability Made It Successful
Affordability was the main goal with the Model T. Prior to its release. The Duryea Motor Wagon Company was the first gas automobile manufacturer in the United States, but they only made vehicles affordable to the richest of the rich. For example, the price of the first Duryea Motor Wagon was $1,500 in 1908 money or about $43,000 in 2020 money.
Although it was still affordable in its early years, part of the reason the price dropped later into production was the use of the assembly line in 1914. Prices for a Model T were higher when everything was individually handcrafted from 1908 to 1914. Once Ford invented the assembly line production method, Model Ts were made in only 90 minutes per model, allowing Ford to sell them for even less money.