1910 Ford Model T

The early Ford automobiles were expensive, which Mr. Henry Ford didn't agree with, so he was sent away with a $900 gratuity and a roll of blueprints for a simple, cheap car. After finding a new backer, Mr. Alexander Malcolmson - a Detroit coal merchant, Henry built a new vehicle called the Model T. The 'T' was the 20th letter of the alphabet and Henry had rendered many of the preceding nineteen letters in metal. The early Ford Model T's had nickel brightwork, brilliant colors, and elaborately-shaped bodies that had little to production economies and much to the styles and public expectations of the day. Power was from a 177 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine with removable cylinder heads, a design that was revolutionary in the day and made it practical for owners to clean their valves and piston crowns of the carbon buildup. It had a 3.75 inch cylinder bored and offered 22.5 inch rating under the ALAM (Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers) 1000 fpm piston speed rating formula. The ALAM did not give Ford a license under the Selden patent. Ford was selling a lot of cars, and after the ALAM realized this, they sued for Selden patent royalties. In 1911 Henry won, bringing an end to a ludicrous patent monopoly.

In the end, the Ford Model T changed the way Americans lived and became a cultural icon. It offered a faster and more reliable use of transportation at an affordable and attainable price. Over the years Ford continued to add further improvements to their line, they began this move by shifting the steering wheel from the right hand side of the car to the left. The 20 horsepower engine had a top speed of over 40 miles per hour.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourabout

The Model T Ford was built from 1908 until 1927 with only minor changes over those years. Over 15 million were built. It put America on wheels. The touring car cost $950 in 1910, but by 1926/1927, the price was only $290, made possible by Ford's introduction of the moving assembly line to achieve mass production.

This car was assembled on November 11th of 1910. Normally, 1909/1910 style bodies were wooden, but this 1910 style body is partially steel, the only one known; presumably a transition to the use of all steel bodies in 1911. It was originally delivered to R.E. Lawrence in Astoria, IL. Vernon Jarvis of Decatur, IL, purchased the car in 1951 and later displayed it in his Early American Museum at Silver Springs, FL, until in 1967, when the current owner bought it. After 30 years in storage, restoration was completed in March, 2007.

Touring

After successfully building and selling nearly 10,000 Model T Fords during the first model years, Ford continued its success in 1910. The Model T's for 1910 were largely similar to the 1909 models but had a number of mechanical improvements made to the rear axle.

Ford built the Model T using components supplied by many outside manufacturers. A large portion of the engines and chassis were built by the Dodge Brothers and the bodies were built by a variety of manufacturers including the Pontiac, Beaudette and Hayes.

Six different body styles were available in 1910, including a touring car, a tourabout, a runabout, a town car, a landaulet and a coupe. In addition to these offerings, Ford also sold a bare chassis to customers that wanted to build their own special-purpose bodies. Of the six styles offered, the touring car was the most popular and contributed to nearly seventy-five percent of all vehicles sold that year. At the end of the 1910 model year, Henry Ford had built and sold nearly 20,000 vehicles, which was double his 1909 production.

This 1910 Model T Touring car sold new for $950 fob Detroit.

Touring

This car was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan. The Model 'T' was introduced to the public in December of 1908, selling over 15 million units thru May of 1927. During this production period there were very few design changes, there was a saying 'you can get any color you want as long as it is black.'

The car has a foot brake which stops the drive shaft, the transmission had 2 forward and 1 reverse gears which were speed controlled by three pedals and a lever. The engine is a 4 L-Head cylinder unit with 176.7 cubic-inches, generating 22 horsepower. The wheelbase is 100 inches and the weight is 1200 lbs. Total production of the model was 16,890 units, with a selling price of $950.

Racer

The Ford Motor Company and Henry Ford were involved in racing from the earliest days. It was Ford's way of promoting the company - and it worked.

Between 1901 and 1912 his race cars, including the famous '999,' broke records across the U.S. and made legends of drivers such as Barney Oldfield.

This Model T is an exact re-creation of the modified Ford Model T that was driven to several record-breaking victories by Frank Kulick. When Ford tried to enter Kulick and his Ford in the Indianapolis 500 race in 1913 he was told by race officials that in order for the entry to be accepted the weight of the car would have to be increased by 1,000 pounds. Ford's reply was 'We're building race cars, not trucks' and withdrew from factory-sponsored auto racing.

The Ford Motor Company did not revive its 'factory' racing program until years after Henry Ford's death in 1947, other than the unsuccessful Miller-Ford entries in the 1935 Indianapolis 500.

Touring

This year marks the beginning of mass production. Note the lack of front doors and extensive use of brass - features found only on early Model T's. Contrary to popular belief, all Model T's were not black. From 1909-1913, Ford offered six different colors. The four-cylinder, water-cooled, gasoline engine produces approximately 22.5 horsepower. Made by the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan, the Model T Touring had a base price of around $950.

by Luray Cavern Museum

Touring
Chassis number: 23554
Engine number: 23554

At the time, the Ford Model T was the most attainable and affordable car on the road. It was a remarkable automobile that changed the way Americans lived. Over its production lifespan, Ford continued to add further improvements, beginning with moving the steering wheel from the right-hand side of the car to the left. Its 20 horsepower engine allowed for top speeds of over 40 miles per hour.

This particular restored Touring model is painted the original color of the time, dark green with black and red detailing. It has brass accoutrements, and a Stewart Speedometer.

In 2002, this Touring model was a National First Prize winner at the AACA National Meet.

by Dan Vaughan

Touring

This vehicle is a Canadian Model T Touring with a very interesting story. It left the assembly line March 24, 1910 at the Ford Walkerville, Ontario Assembly Plant. It was built from a running chassis that was assembled at the brand new Ford Highland Park, Michigan plant. It is one of the last cars to have Highland Park built chassis that was assembled in Canada. It is reported that at the end of March, 1910, all production was transferred to the Highland Park plant. At this time, Ford sold the Piquette Plant to Studebaker.

This car was built using a Gray & Sons Touring body, which is slightly wider than the American Touring body. This is a unique feature that also includes a Canadian Chadwick windshield. The Canadian body can be easily identified by looking at the back of the car. A vertical seam can be seen where the two halves of the body are joined. On the American bodies, the body is constructed using a horizontal seam. A T-shaped body tag, located at the top of the riser on the front seat can be seen, showing the final assembly is Walkerville, Ontario.

This car was originally sold through a Ford distribution agent in Port Carling, Ontario to a local farmer. It remained with the farm until the late 1950s. The current owner acquired the car in 1960 in a very sad state, and has since restored it twice.

Touring
Engine number: 16032

This 1910 Model T wears a Tourabout body style - it has no front or back doors. You could buy this car for $900 when new, fully equipped with the top, lights, and horn. This car was built in Canada in Walkerville, Ontario.

Touring
Chassis number: 41394
Engine number: 100666

Over the Model T's 20 seasons of production, over 17 million examples were built.

This particular example was acquired by Jim Merrick in Iowa after it had been reposed by a bank. At the time, the car was in need of restoration, and lacking a fully equipped shop, they took over the family garage. Jim had a talent for wood working and a fully stocked wood shop. A local body shop performed the painting, and the upholstery was done by a friend who worked for a furniture company. After the work was completed, the restored Model T won several awards at local car shows and was the inspiration for building the Merrick Auto Museum Collection over the years.

This particular 1910 Ford has an unusual setup of a two-piece firewall, front-opening rear doors, and without doors on the front. The style was replaced in January of 1912 by the newer style with 'fore doors' and rear doors that opened from the rear. It has correct brass E&J lighting and it appears the engine has been replaced, as the engine installed dates from March of 1912.

This car was driven by Neil Patrick Harris in the closing scenes of the movie, My Antonia.

This car is painted in dark green and the uphostlery is diamond-pleated buttoned black leather.

by Dan Vaughan

The Ford Model T has an extensive history in the automotive market lasting for nearly 20 years. It is often called the 'Tin Lizzie' and the 'Flivver' and is credited with 'putting America on wheels.' During the early 1900's, the automobile was very new and the marketplace was adjusting to having these horseless carriages carry its passengers rather than bicycles or horses. Steam, electricity, and gasoline were the three means of powering the vehicles. Up until about 1915, no one really knew which would be the favorable power-source. Steam provided many benefits such as being quiet, clean, and cheap. Gasoline or kerosene fuel was used to heat water in a boiler; the steam produced was channeled to the cylinders, where the pressure drives the pistons up and down. The shortcomings were that it took a while to start, having to wait for the steam to prepare. It was dangerous, often exploding and causing injury. It had a limited range, lasting about 20-40 miles before requiring refueling. Electricity was popular but it too had a limited range. It was easy to start and was very popular with the ladies for driving around town. Then there was gasoline, which was dirty and hard to start. It required fueling stations that were sometimes difficult to find in this new and evolving marketplace. The main benefit of the gasoline engine was that it had the most potential and an ever-increasing amount of power. It was said that how a vehicle finished on the race track often determined the success of sales. With gasoline engines winning most of the races, the other sources of power were eventually doomed.

There were over 200 automobile manufacturers during the early 1900's. The average production figures for a factory were a couple of hundred vehicles a year. This of course varied greatly due to the complexity and prestige of the vehicle being produced. Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, produced a vehicle that was affordable, but more importantly, mass-produced. By using an assembly line to construct parts, rather than the traditional hand assembly, the process was streamlined. Using an assembly line process was not new, it had been done before in the meatpacking industry. William C. Klan had visited a slaughterhouse in Chicago. Upon returning from his visit, he proposed the idea to Peter Martin. A team was assembled and perfected through trial and error. The assembly line did not begin operation on the Model T until 1914. The assembly line process streamlined the production greatly, now averaging just over 90 minutes to assemble a car. During 1914, there were more Ford's produced than all other manufacturers combined. At that point 'you get it in any color you wanted so long as it was black'. Henry Ford favored the black color because it dried the fastest. During the years 1917 through 1923, Ford did not do any advertising, with 9 out of 10 cars being Ford, none was necessary.

He paid his workers a wage proportionate to the cost of the automobile, so they would be able to buy what they produced. By introducing these innovations, his factories were able to out-produce and outsell the rest of the industry and mobilize the country. When production of the Model T began, the cost was around $850, around $1200 less than most cars. By the early 1920's, the price of the Model T cost about $300. Ford had found many ways to cut costs and offer the least-expensive product. He instructed his suppliers on how to assemble the wood crates that were used to ship him parts. The crates were then dismantled and used within the bodies of the car. The scrapes were made into charcoal and sold under the name 'Kingsford'.

The first Model T was produced on September 27th, 1908 at the Piquette Plant in Detroit, Michigan. There are two classes of the Model T, those that were produced before 1919 and after 1919. The pre-1919 Model T's are known as veteran cars while the later models are called vintage cars. Even though the name Model T was used for almost twenty years, it was much improved both visually and mechanically over the years. At all times, the vehicle could be had in a wide variety of body styles. The open touring cars and roadsters were cheaper to produced and thus, produced in greater numbers. The Volkswagen 'Beetle' is the only car model to outsell the Model T Ford.

The Model T was designed by Henry Ford, Childe Harold Wills, Joseph A. Galamb, and Eugene Farkas. A 177 cubic-inch four-cylinder motor was placed in the front and powered the rear wheels. The 20 horsepower engine was capable of carrying the vehicle to a top speed of around 45 mph. There were three main bearings and side valves. A ten-gallon fuel tank could be found beneath the front seat, mounted to the frame. The engine started by a hand crank located at the front of the vehicle. The crank was very difficult to operate and has been the cause of many broken arms.

The smaller engines were favored by Henry Ford. His Model K had used a six-cylinder engine, but when production ceased around 1908, a six-cylinder engine would not be used again by Ford until 1941. The Model K had not been a sales success. While Ford had wanted to produce small and inexpensive vehicles, his board of directors had persuaded him to produce a larger, luxurious, and expensive model. In 1906, Henry Ford purchased the majority of stock leaving him in control and in charge of the direction of the company. After World War I, he purchased the remaining Ford stock so he could dispense with the board of directors entirely. From 1906 through 1908, Ford created the Model N, R, and S which eventually evolved into the Model T.

A 'three speed' planetary gear type transmission was used. This had been used in the Model K but was not suited to such a large vehicle. As a result, it suffered from frequent breakdowns but worked fine in the Model T. The 3-speed unit was actually two-speeds forward plus one reverse. With no clutch pedal, shifting was handled by floor pedals that did not require a clutch. Also located on the floor was a third pedal that operated the reverse gear. The throttle was controlled by a lever on the steering column. Neutral was located by the parking brake lever. The other foot pedal applied a band around a drum in the transmission. The parking brake lever operated the band brakes on the outside of the rear brake drums. When the hand lever was pulled back, the brake was engaged and the drive gears were disengaged.

Wooden 'artillery wheels' were standard until 1926 when they were replaced with steel wire wheels. The suspension was a transversely mounted semi-elliptical spring for both the front and rear axles. Brass was used throughout the earlier vehicles for items such as horns, radiators, and headlights. Headlights were acetylene lamps but later switched to electric lights.

Sales peaked in 1924 with over 2 million automobiles leaving the assembly line. By this time, many of Ford's competitors had switched to the same principles that had made the Model T successful: a cheap and reliable vehicle built on an assembly line produced in mass quantities. Other manufactures started attracting new buyers by offering amenities, extras, or larger engines. Popular options included windshield wipers, anti-theft locks, and light dimmers. Chevrolet vehicles had three forward gears while the Model T still used only two. Also, since the Model T's were so durable, they were still in functioning order. Meaning that many owners did not need a car or when they did, they usually bought a more luxurious vehicle. The used Model T's were then sold for next-to-nothing. Sales began to dip in 1925 and dramatically in 1926. Production ceased in 1927 for nearly six months while preparations were made for the production of the Model A.

The Model T mobilized a nation, not only the United States but many other countries. With dealerships and factories setup throughout the world, the Model T was mass-produced and easily available to many buyers. Often, the factories were established in other countries to get around an import tax, thus keeping the cost low. The innovative Model T served its purpose. It was inexpensive and reliable, many lasting even to this day.

by Dan Vaughan