One of the oldest and best-known American automobile manufacturers is Ford, which was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford who had a dream of producing the “universal car,” a car which could be owned by everyone. In 1908, Ford introduced the Model T, which would become America’s first mass-produced car. Originally, the Model T had a retail price of $850, but with mass-production and popular demand, the price had fallen to $290 in 1924. By1914 the Ford factory could produce a Model T in just 93 minutes. In 1923, the company produced more than 2 million Model Ts.
Mass production of the Model T was made possible by the development of the assembly line. The proto-type for Ford’s first assembly was developed by Peter Edmund Martin. Martin joined Ford in 1903 and was the company’s fifth employee.
Demand for the Model T sometimes exceeded production and on several occasions Ford had to stop accepting orders so that production could catch up. Soon there were millions of Model Ts in America, all looking pretty much the same, and creating a demand for roads, highways, gas stations, and all of the other things associated with the automobile.
The Model T had fairly simple controls. First of all, the throttle was a lever on the steering wheel. There were three pedals on the floor. Pushing in the left pedal engaged low gear and, if the shift level was fully forward, taking the foot off this pedal put the car into high gear. Putting the shift level into the neutral position and pushing in the middle pedal engaged reverse. The pedal on the right operated a transmission brake (there were no separate breaks for the wheels).
The Model T was soon known as the Tin Lizzie and functioned as the family workhorse. Ford also offered the do-in-yourself folks accessories such as mufflers and fenders. For those who felt that the Model T was a bit sluggish, one popular remedy was to drop a few camphor balls into the gas tank.
From 1908 to 1913, the Model T was available in grey, green, blue, and red (notice that black was not an option). While green was available on touring cars, town cars, coupes, and Landaulets, red was available only on touring cars, and grey only on town cars. In 1914 Ford adopted a black-only policy because black paint was cheaper and more durable.
The Model T became a part of American popular culture and inspired songs, movies, and jokes. Other retailers, such as Hammacher Schlemmer and Saks Fifth Avenue, sold automobile clothing and accessories to go along with the popular car.
LeMay—America’s Car Museum:
Harold LeMay, a Tacoma businessman, loved cars and managed to collect more than 3,000 automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles over forty years of collecting. A number of the vehicles from his collection form the nucleus of the LeMay—America’s Car Museum. This collection of more than 300 cars, motorcycles, and trucks is displayed in a four-level building in Tacoma, Washington. Shown below are some of the Model Ts which are on display in this museum.
Shown above is a 1915 Ford Model T Depot Hack.
Shown above is a 1924 Ford Model T Roadster Pickup. These trucks were available in both electric start and crank start models.
Shown above is a 1921 Ford Model T, Touring.
Shown above is a 1922 Ford Model T, Touring.
Shown above is a 1923 Ford Model T, Touring.
Shown above is a 1926 Ford Model T, Touring.
Shown above is a 1927 Ford Model T Roadster.
Montana Auto Museum:
The Montana Auto Museum is housed in the Old Montana Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. The museum displays more than 150 automobiles. Shown below are some of the Model Ts which are on display.
Shown above is a 1910 Ford Model T Runabout. It originally sold for $900.
Shown above is a 1914 Ford Model T Speedster.
Shown above is a 1917 Ford Model T, Center Door Sedan. According to the display:
“Many buyers avoided buying the Center Door model partly because of its high price tag. It was considered too dangerous during an accident due to the plate glass window.”
Shown above is a 1924 Ford Model T Roadster which originally sold for $265.
Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum:
The Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon has a collection of more than 100 automobiles. Shown below are some photographs of the Model Ts which are on display.
Shown above: 1914 Ford Model T Touring Car. The Model T went into production in 1908.
Shown above: 1914 Ford Model T Depot Hack. This was designed to ferry guests between train stations and vacation resorts.
Shown above: 1915 Ford Model T Runabout