1907 Ford Model N

In the closing years of the 19th century, Henry Ford created his first gasoline buggy. It was a primitive quadricycle powered by a twin-cylinder engine. Commercial motorcar production began years later, in 1903 when the Ford Motor Co. was founded. Production was established in a disused wagon works in Mack Avenue, Detroit. The early vehicles were twin-cylinder engined Model As, with the engine positioned under the passenger seat, driving to the rear axle by chain.

Unlike the Oldsmobile, the Ford Model A had wheel steering with buggy-type suspension.

Henry Ford - following the success of the flat-twin powered Model A, C, and F - introduced the a new Ford Runabout in 1906 powered by a four-cylinder motor, with heads cast in pairs, and featured a familiar twin speed planetary transmission. By 1906 Ford was building his own engines and all manufacturing processes were performed in-house.

The Model N wore two-seat bodywork, with Vanadium steel construction and listed for an attractive price of $500. This made it $150 less than the Oldsmobile and a quarter of the price of Ford's own preceding Model F.

The Ford Model N remained unchanged for 1907 except for the price which rose to $600. They had an 84-inch wheelbase which it shared with the Model N, R, and S. The 149 cubic-inch engine offered around 15 brake horsepower.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2019