Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Ford Model T shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Ford Model T offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Ford Model T at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Ford Model T? Wrong! If the Ford Model T is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Ford Model T then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Ford Model T? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Ford Model T and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Ford Model T wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Ford Model T then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Ford Model T site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Ford Model T, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Ford Model T, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox Automobile| image = | name = Ford Model T| manufacturer = Ford Motor Company| successor = [Ford Model A (1927)| class =| platform =| body_style = roadster, touring, coupe, sport coupe, sedan, pickup, roadster pickup, flatbed| engine = 177 in³ (2.9 L) 4 cylinder motor, 20 hp| transmission = Rear wheel drive, planetary gear, 2 speed], Childe Harold Wills, Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas-->

The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and the Flivver) was an automobile produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927. The model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile came into popular usage. One of his workers name Paul Rimmer said this was one of the best cars ever made. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that "put America on wheels"; some of this was because of Ford's innovations, including assembly line production instead of individual hand crafting (though the Oldsmobile Curved Dash had done this first), as well as the concept of paying the workers a wage proportionate to the cost of the car, so that they would provide a ready made market.Ford also attempted a "buy on time" program to aid sales, resembling that of the German Kdf-Wagen forerunner of the Volkswagen Beetle. Ford's plan was not a success, either. The first production Model T was built on [September 27, 1908, at the Piquette Plant in Detroit, Michigan.

There were several cars produced or prototyped by Henry Ford from the founding of the company in 1903 until the Model T came along. Although he started with the Ford Model A (1903), there were not 19 production models; some were only prototypes. The production model immediately before the Model T was the Ford Model S , an upgraded version of the company's largest success to that point, the Ford Model N. For some reason, the follow-up was the Ford Model A (1927) and not the Model U. Company publicity said this was because the new car was such a departure from the old that Henry wanted to start all over again with the letter A. As it happens, the first Plymouth (automobile) car (1928), built by competitor Chrysler Corporation, was named the Model U.

The Ford Model T was named the world's most influential Car of the Century in an international poll.

Characteristics The Ford Model car was designed by Childe Harold Wills and two Hungary immigrants named Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas. Also, Harry Love, C. J. Smith, Gus Degner and Peter E. Martin were part of the team.Reynold M. Wik, Henry Ford Grass Roots America, 1972. While production of the Model T began in 1908, model years range from 1909 to 1927.

Production When introduced, the T used the building methods typical at the time, assembly by hand, and production was small. The standard four-seat open tourer of 1909 cost US$850; in 1913, the price dropped to $550, and $440 in 1915. Sales were 69762 in 1911, 170211 in 1912, 202667 in 1913, 308162 in 1914, and 501462 in 1915.Georgano, G. N. Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)

The assembly line was introduced to Ford by William C. Klann upon his return from visiting a slaughterhouse at Chicago's Union Stock Yards and viewing what was referred to the "disassembly line" where animals were butchered as they moved along a conveyor. The efficiency of one person removing the same piece over and over caught his attention. He reported the idea to Peter E. Martin, who was doubtful at the time, but encouraged him to proceed. Others at Ford have claimed to have put the idea forth to Henry Ford, but William "Pa" Klann's slaughterhouse revelation is well documented in the archives at the Henry Ford Museum and elsewhere, making him the father of the modern automated assembly line concept. The process was an evolution by trial and error of a team consisting primarily of Peter E. Martin, the factory superintendent; Charles E. Sorensen, Martin's assistant; Harold Wills, draftsman and toolmaker; Clarence W. Avery; and Charles Lewis.First hand account of Charles Sorensen from his autobiography, My Forty Years with Ford (1956)Essay by Stephen C. Perry, Gardner-Webb University (Published May 8, 2000)Douglas Brinkley, Wheels for the World, 2003 When the first car was completed using the assembly line, in front of the media, onlookers and even Henry Ford, it was Pa Klann who drove it proudly off the line.

As a result, Ford's cars came off the line in three minute intervals, much faster than previous methods, increasing production by seven to one (requiring 12.5 man-hours before, 1 hour 33 minutes after), while using less manpower.Georgano. It was so successful, paint became a bottleneck. Only Japan black would dry fast enough, forcing the company to drop the variety of colors available before 1914, until fast-drying Durco lacquer was developed in 1926.Georgano. In 1914, an assembly line worker could buy a Model T with four months' pay.Georgano.



Engine and means of starting The Model T had a front-mounted, 177 in³ (2.9 L) four-cylinder en bloc motor (that is, all four in one block, as common now, rather than in individual castings, as common then) producing 20 hp (15 kW) for a top speed of 20 mph (72 km/h). The engine had side valves and three main bearings. According to Ford Motor, the Model T had fuel economy on the order of 13 to 21 mpg (11.1 to 18.7 litres per 100 km). The engine was capable of running on gasoline or ethanol, though the decreasing cost of gasoline and the later introduction of Prohibition in the United States made ethanol an impractical fuel.

A flywheel Magneto (electrical) (broadly equivalent to a modern alternator) produced low voltage alternating current to power a trembler coil, which created a high voltage current. This ignition pulse was passed to the timer (analogous to a distributor in a modern vehicle) and redistributed to the firing cylinder. Ignition timing was adjusted manually by using the spark advance lever mounted on the steering column which rotated the timer. A battery could be used for starting current: at hand-cranking speed, the magneto did not always produce sufficient current. A certain amount of skill and experience was required to find the optimal timing for any speed and load. When electric headlights were introduced in 1915, the magneto was upgraded to supply power for the lights and horn. In keeping with the goal of ultimate reliability and simplicity, the trembler coil and magneto ignition system was retained even after the car became equipped with a generator and battery for electric starting and lighting. Most cars sold after 1919 were equipped with electric starting, which was engaged by a small round pedal on the floor in front of the driver's seat.

Before starting a Model T with the Crank (mechanism), the spark had to be manually retracted or the engine might "kick back". The crank handle was cupped in the palm, rather than grabbed with the thumb over the top of the handle, so that if the engine did kick back, the rapid reverse motion of the crank would throw the hand away from the handle, rather than violently twisting the wrist or breaking the thumb. Most Model T Fords had the choke operated by a wire emerging from the bottom of the radiator where it could be operated with the left hand while cranking the engine with the right hand.

The car's 10 gallon (38 litre) fuel tank was mounted to the frame beneath the front seat; one variant had the carburetor (a Holley Model G) modified to run on Ethanol fuel, to be made at home by the self-reliant farmer. Because fuel relied on gravity to flow forward from the fuel tank to the carburetor, a Model T could not climb a steep hill when the fuel level was low. The immediate solution was often to drive up steep hills in reverse. In 1926, the fuel tank was moved forward to under the cowl on most models.

While the first few hundred Model Ts had a water pump, its use was abandoned early in production. Ford opted for a cheaper and more reliable circulation system based on the thermo-syphon principle. Hot water, being less dense, would rise to the top of the engine and up into the top of the radiator, descending to the bottom as it cooled, and back into the engine. This was the direction of water flow in most makes of cars even when they did have water pumps, until the introduction of crossflow radiator designs. Water pumps were also available as an aftermarket accessory for Model T.



Transmission and drivetrain The Model T was a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Its transmission was a planetary gear type billed as "three speed". By today's standards it would be considered a two speed, since one of the three speeds was actually reverse.

The Model T's transmission was controlled with three foot pedals and a lever that was mounted to the left of the driver's seat. The throttle was controlled with a lever on the steering wheel. The left pedal was used to engage the gear. When pressed and held forward the car entered low gear. When held in an intermediate position the car was in neutral, a state that could also be achieved by pulling the floor-mounted lever to an upright position. If the lever was pushed forward and the driver took their foot off the left pedal, the Model T entered high gear. The car could thus cruise without the driver having to press any of the pedals. There was no separate clutch pedal, so the Model T was somewhat like a modern automatic transmission vehicle to drive.

The middle pedal was used to engage reverse gear, and the right pedal operated the engine brake. The floor lever also controlled the parking brake, which was activated by pulling the lever all the way back. This doubled as an emergency brake.

Although it was extremely uncommon, the drive bands could fall out of adjustment, allowing the car to creep, particularly when cold, adding another hazard to attempting to start the car: a person cranking the engine could be forced backward while still holding the crank as the car crept forward even though it was nominally in neutral. Power reached the differential through a single universal joint attached to a torque tube which drove the rear axle; some models (typically trucks) could be equipped with an optional two speed rear axle shifted by a floor mounted lever. All gears were vanadium running in an oil bath.



Suspension and wheels Model T suspension employed a transversely mounted semi-elliptical spring for each of the front and rear axles, which were "live axle," i.e., not an independent suspension.

The front axle was Drop Forged as a single piece of vanadium steel. Ford twisted many axles eight times and sent them to dealers to be put on display to demonstrate its superiority. The Model T did not have a modern service brake. The right foot pedal applied a band around a drum in the transmission, thus stopping the rear wheels from turning. The previously mentioned parking brake lever operated band brakes on the outside of the rear brake drums.

Wheels were wooden artillery wheels, with steel welded-spoke (not truly wire) wheels available in 1926 and 1927.

Tires were pneumatic tire 30 inches in diameter, 3.5 inches wide in the rear, 2 inches in the front. The old nomenclature for tire size changed from 30X3 to 21" (rim diameter) X 4.50 (tire width).

Wheelbase was 99 inches; while standard tread width was 56 inches, 60 inch tread could be obtained on special order, "for Southern roads".

Design changes There were few major changes throughout the life of this model; early ones had a brass radiator and headlights. The horn and numerous small parts were also brass. Many of the early cars were open-bodied touring cars and runabouts, these being cheaper to make than closed cars. After the 1911 model year (when front doors were added to the touring model), U.S.-made open cars did not have an opening door for the driver. Later models included closed cars, sedans, coupes and trucks. The chassis was available so trucks could be built to suit. Ford also developed some truck bodies for this chassis, designated the Ford Model TT. The headlights were originally acetylene lamps made of brass, but eventually the car gained electric lights.

The Model T originally employed some advanced technology, for example, its use of vanadium steel. Its durability was phenomenal with many Model Ts and their parts still in use 80 years later.

Production Ford's Piquette plant could not keep up with demand for the Model T, and only 11 cars were built there during the first full month of production. In 1910, after assembling nearly 12,000 Model Ts, Henry Ford moved the company to the new Highland Park Ford Plant. The Model T was the first automobile mass production on assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts, marketed to the American middle class. Henry Ford is commonly reputed to have made the statement "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." Actually, Model Ts in different colors were produced from 1908 to 1914, and then again from 1926 to 1927. It is often stated that Ford chose black because the paint dried faster than other colored paints available at the time, and a faster drying paint would allow him to build cars faster since he would not have to wait for the paint to dry. However, this theory is not supported by fact.

Over 30 different types of black paint were used to paint various parts of the Model T. The different types of paint were formulated to satisfy the different means of applying the paint to the different parts, and they had different drying times, depending on the paint and the drying method used for a particular part. Ford engineering documents suggest that the color black was chosen because it was cheap and it was durable.

Library at its launch in Australia in 1915

By 1914, the assembly process for the Model T had been so streamlined it took only 93 minutes to assemble a car. That year Ford produced more cars than all other automakers combined. The Model T was a great commercial success, and by the time Henry made his 10 millionth car, 9 out of 10 of all cars in the entire world were Fords. In fact, it was so successful that Ford did not purchase any advertising between 1917 and 1923; in total, more than 15 million Model Ts were manufactured, more than any other model of automobile for almost a century.

The car was sold in the beginning at a price of $850 when competing cars often cost $2000-$3000. By the 1920s, the price had fallen to $300 (about $3,400 in 2006 inflation-adjusted dollars) because of increasing efficiencies of assembly line technique and volume. Henry employed vertical integration of the industries needed to create his cars. He specified how to make the wood crates that outside suppliers used to ship him parts. Then he disassembled the crates and used the preformed wood pieces in the bodies of his cars. He also used wood scraps to make charcoal and sold it under the brand name "Kingsford," still a leading brand of charcoal.

Henry Ford's eccentric approach to research and development meant few changes to the vehicle were made over its lifetime; he believed the Model T was all the car a person would, or could, ever need. As other companies offered comfort and styling advantages, at competitive prices, the Model T lost market share. Eventually, on May 31, 1927, Ford Motor Company ceased production and began the changeovers required to produce the Model A.

Model T motors continued to be produced until August 4, 1941. Almost 170,000 motors were built after car production stopped. Replacement motors were required to continue to service already produced vehicles. Racers and enthusiasts, forerunners of modern hot rodders, used the Model T's block to build popular and cheap racing engines, including Cragar, Navarro (hot rodder), and famously the Frontenac (racing car)s ("Fronty Fords") of the Chevrolet brothers, among many others.

Car clubs Cars built before 1919 are classed as veteran cars and later models as vintage cars. Today, two main clubs exist to support the preservation and restoration of these cars: The Model T Ford Club International and the Model T Ford Club of America. Many steel Model T parts are still manufactured today, and even Glass-reinforced plastic replicas of their distinctive bodies, which are popular for T-bucket style hot rods (as immortalized in the Jan and Dean surf music song "Bucket T," which was later recorded by The Who).

See also

Notes

References | url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=858 | title = Model T Facts | access-date=2007-02-19-->

External links

{{Infobox Automobile| image = | name = Ford Model T| manufacturer = Ford Motor Company| successor = [Ford Model A (1927)| class =| platform =| body_style = roadster, touring, coupe, sport coupe, sedan, pickup, roadster pickup, flatbed| engine = 177 in³ (2.9 L) 4 cylinder motor, 20 hp| transmission = Rear wheel drive, planetary gear, 2 speed], Childe Harold Wills, Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas-->

The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and the Flivver) was an automobile produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927. The model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile came into popular usage. One of his workers name Paul Rimmer said this was one of the best cars ever made. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that "put America on wheels"; some of this was because of Ford's innovations, including assembly line production instead of individual hand crafting (though the Oldsmobile Curved Dash had done this first), as well as the concept of paying the workers a wage proportionate to the cost of the car, so that they would provide a ready made market.Ford also attempted a "buy on time" program to aid sales, resembling that of the German Kdf-Wagen forerunner of the Volkswagen Beetle. Ford's plan was not a success, either. The first production Model T was built on [September 27, 1908, at the Piquette Plant in Detroit, Michigan.

There were several cars produced or prototyped by Henry Ford from the founding of the company in 1903 until the Model T came along. Although he started with the Ford Model A (1903), there were not 19 production models; some were only prototypes. The production model immediately before the Model T was the Ford Model S , an upgraded version of the company's largest success to that point, the Ford Model N. For some reason, the follow-up was the Ford Model A (1927) and not the Model U. Company publicity said this was because the new car was such a departure from the old that Henry wanted to start all over again with the letter A. As it happens, the first Plymouth (automobile) car (1928), built by competitor Chrysler Corporation, was named the Model U.

The Ford Model T was named the world's most influential Car of the Century in an international poll.

Characteristics The Ford Model car was designed by Childe Harold Wills and two Hungary immigrants named Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas. Also, Harry Love, C. J. Smith, Gus Degner and Peter E. Martin were part of the team.Reynold M. Wik, Henry Ford Grass Roots America, 1972. While production of the Model T began in 1908, model years range from 1909 to 1927.

Production When introduced, the T used the building methods typical at the time, assembly by hand, and production was small. The standard four-seat open tourer of 1909 cost US$850; in 1913, the price dropped to $550, and $440 in 1915. Sales were 69762 in 1911, 170211 in 1912, 202667 in 1913, 308162 in 1914, and 501462 in 1915.Georgano, G. N. Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)

The assembly line was introduced to Ford by William C. Klann upon his return from visiting a slaughterhouse at Chicago's Union Stock Yards and viewing what was referred to the "disassembly line" where animals were butchered as they moved along a conveyor. The efficiency of one person removing the same piece over and over caught his attention. He reported the idea to Peter E. Martin, who was doubtful at the time, but encouraged him to proceed. Others at Ford have claimed to have put the idea forth to Henry Ford, but William "Pa" Klann's slaughterhouse revelation is well documented in the archives at the Henry Ford Museum and elsewhere, making him the father of the modern automated assembly line concept. The process was an evolution by trial and error of a team consisting primarily of Peter E. Martin, the factory superintendent; Charles E. Sorensen, Martin's assistant; Harold Wills, draftsman and toolmaker; Clarence W. Avery; and Charles Lewis.First hand account of Charles Sorensen from his autobiography, My Forty Years with Ford (1956)Essay by Stephen C. Perry, Gardner-Webb University (Published May 8, 2000)Douglas Brinkley, Wheels for the World, 2003 When the first car was completed using the assembly line, in front of the media, onlookers and even Henry Ford, it was Pa Klann who drove it proudly off the line.

As a result, Ford's cars came off the line in three minute intervals, much faster than previous methods, increasing production by seven to one (requiring 12.5 man-hours before, 1 hour 33 minutes after), while using less manpower.Georgano. It was so successful, paint became a bottleneck. Only Japan black would dry fast enough, forcing the company to drop the variety of colors available before 1914, until fast-drying Durco lacquer was developed in 1926.Georgano. In 1914, an assembly line worker could buy a Model T with four months' pay.Georgano.



Engine and means of starting The Model T had a front-mounted, 177 in³ (2.9 L) four-cylinder en bloc motor (that is, all four in one block, as common now, rather than in individual castings, as common then) producing 20 hp (15 kW) for a top speed of 20 mph (72 km/h). The engine had side valves and three main bearings. According to Ford Motor, the Model T had fuel economy on the order of 13 to 21 mpg (11.1 to 18.7 litres per 100 km). The engine was capable of running on gasoline or ethanol, though the decreasing cost of gasoline and the later introduction of Prohibition in the United States made ethanol an impractical fuel.

A flywheel Magneto (electrical) (broadly equivalent to a modern alternator) produced low voltage alternating current to power a trembler coil, which created a high voltage current. This ignition pulse was passed to the timer (analogous to a distributor in a modern vehicle) and redistributed to the firing cylinder. Ignition timing was adjusted manually by using the spark advance lever mounted on the steering column which rotated the timer. A battery could be used for starting current: at hand-cranking speed, the magneto did not always produce sufficient current. A certain amount of skill and experience was required to find the optimal timing for any speed and load. When electric headlights were introduced in 1915, the magneto was upgraded to supply power for the lights and horn. In keeping with the goal of ultimate reliability and simplicity, the trembler coil and magneto ignition system was retained even after the car became equipped with a generator and battery for electric starting and lighting. Most cars sold after 1919 were equipped with electric starting, which was engaged by a small round pedal on the floor in front of the driver's seat.

Before starting a Model T with the Crank (mechanism), the spark had to be manually retracted or the engine might "kick back". The crank handle was cupped in the palm, rather than grabbed with the thumb over the top of the handle, so that if the engine did kick back, the rapid reverse motion of the crank would throw the hand away from the handle, rather than violently twisting the wrist or breaking the thumb. Most Model T Fords had the choke operated by a wire emerging from the bottom of the radiator where it could be operated with the left hand while cranking the engine with the right hand.

The car's 10 gallon (38 litre) fuel tank was mounted to the frame beneath the front seat; one variant had the carburetor (a Holley Model G) modified to run on Ethanol fuel, to be made at home by the self-reliant farmer. Because fuel relied on gravity to flow forward from the fuel tank to the carburetor, a Model T could not climb a steep hill when the fuel level was low. The immediate solution was often to drive up steep hills in reverse. In 1926, the fuel tank was moved forward to under the cowl on most models.

While the first few hundred Model Ts had a water pump, its use was abandoned early in production. Ford opted for a cheaper and more reliable circulation system based on the thermo-syphon principle. Hot water, being less dense, would rise to the top of the engine and up into the top of the radiator, descending to the bottom as it cooled, and back into the engine. This was the direction of water flow in most makes of cars even when they did have water pumps, until the introduction of crossflow radiator designs. Water pumps were also available as an aftermarket accessory for Model T.



Transmission and drivetrain The Model T was a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Its transmission was a planetary gear type billed as "three speed". By today's standards it would be considered a two speed, since one of the three speeds was actually reverse.

The Model T's transmission was controlled with three foot pedals and a lever that was mounted to the left of the driver's seat. The throttle was controlled with a lever on the steering wheel. The left pedal was used to engage the gear. When pressed and held forward the car entered low gear. When held in an intermediate position the car was in neutral, a state that could also be achieved by pulling the floor-mounted lever to an upright position. If the lever was pushed forward and the driver took their foot off the left pedal, the Model T entered high gear. The car could thus cruise without the driver having to press any of the pedals. There was no separate clutch pedal, so the Model T was somewhat like a modern automatic transmission vehicle to drive.

The middle pedal was used to engage reverse gear, and the right pedal operated the engine brake. The floor lever also controlled the parking brake, which was activated by pulling the lever all the way back. This doubled as an emergency brake.

Although it was extremely uncommon, the drive bands could fall out of adjustment, allowing the car to creep, particularly when cold, adding another hazard to attempting to start the car: a person cranking the engine could be forced backward while still holding the crank as the car crept forward even though it was nominally in neutral. Power reached the differential through a single universal joint attached to a torque tube which drove the rear axle; some models (typically trucks) could be equipped with an optional two speed rear axle shifted by a floor mounted lever. All gears were vanadium running in an oil bath.



Suspension and wheels Model T suspension employed a transversely mounted semi-elliptical spring for each of the front and rear axles, which were "live axle," i.e., not an independent suspension.

The front axle was Drop Forged as a single piece of vanadium steel. Ford twisted many axles eight times and sent them to dealers to be put on display to demonstrate its superiority. The Model T did not have a modern service brake. The right foot pedal applied a band around a drum in the transmission, thus stopping the rear wheels from turning. The previously mentioned parking brake lever operated band brakes on the outside of the rear brake drums.

Wheels were wooden artillery wheels, with steel welded-spoke (not truly wire) wheels available in 1926 and 1927.

Tires were pneumatic tire 30 inches in diameter, 3.5 inches wide in the rear, 2 inches in the front. The old nomenclature for tire size changed from 30X3 to 21" (rim diameter) X 4.50 (tire width).

Wheelbase was 99 inches; while standard tread width was 56 inches, 60 inch tread could be obtained on special order, "for Southern roads".

Design changes There were few major changes throughout the life of this model; early ones had a brass radiator and headlights. The horn and numerous small parts were also brass. Many of the early cars were open-bodied touring cars and runabouts, these being cheaper to make than closed cars. After the 1911 model year (when front doors were added to the touring model), U.S.-made open cars did not have an opening door for the driver. Later models included closed cars, sedans, coupes and trucks. The chassis was available so trucks could be built to suit. Ford also developed some truck bodies for this chassis, designated the Ford Model TT. The headlights were originally acetylene lamps made of brass, but eventually the car gained electric lights.

The Model T originally employed some advanced technology, for example, its use of vanadium steel. Its durability was phenomenal with many Model Ts and their parts still in use 80 years later.

Production Ford's Piquette plant could not keep up with demand for the Model T, and only 11 cars were built there during the first full month of production. In 1910, after assembling nearly 12,000 Model Ts, Henry Ford moved the company to the new Highland Park Ford Plant. The Model T was the first automobile mass production on assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts, marketed to the American middle class. Henry Ford is commonly reputed to have made the statement "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." Actually, Model Ts in different colors were produced from 1908 to 1914, and then again from 1926 to 1927. It is often stated that Ford chose black because the paint dried faster than other colored paints available at the time, and a faster drying paint would allow him to build cars faster since he would not have to wait for the paint to dry. However, this theory is not supported by fact.

Over 30 different types of black paint were used to paint various parts of the Model T. The different types of paint were formulated to satisfy the different means of applying the paint to the different parts, and they had different drying times, depending on the paint and the drying method used for a particular part. Ford engineering documents suggest that the color black was chosen because it was cheap and it was durable.

Library at its launch in Australia in 1915

By 1914, the assembly process for the Model T had been so streamlined it took only 93 minutes to assemble a car. That year Ford produced more cars than all other automakers combined. The Model T was a great commercial success, and by the time Henry made his 10 millionth car, 9 out of 10 of all cars in the entire world were Fords. In fact, it was so successful that Ford did not purchase any advertising between 1917 and 1923; in total, more than 15 million Model Ts were manufactured, more than any other model of automobile for almost a century.

The car was sold in the beginning at a price of $850 when competing cars often cost $2000-$3000. By the 1920s, the price had fallen to $300 (about $3,400 in 2006 inflation-adjusted dollars) because of increasing efficiencies of assembly line technique and volume. Henry employed vertical integration of the industries needed to create his cars. He specified how to make the wood crates that outside suppliers used to ship him parts. Then he disassembled the crates and used the preformed wood pieces in the bodies of his cars. He also used wood scraps to make charcoal and sold it under the brand name "Kingsford," still a leading brand of charcoal.

Henry Ford's eccentric approach to research and development meant few changes to the vehicle were made over its lifetime; he believed the Model T was all the car a person would, or could, ever need. As other companies offered comfort and styling advantages, at competitive prices, the Model T lost market share. Eventually, on May 31, 1927, Ford Motor Company ceased production and began the changeovers required to produce the Model A.

Model T motors continued to be produced until August 4, 1941. Almost 170,000 motors were built after car production stopped. Replacement motors were required to continue to service already produced vehicles. Racers and enthusiasts, forerunners of modern hot rodders, used the Model T's block to build popular and cheap racing engines, including Cragar, Navarro (hot rodder), and famously the Frontenac (racing car)s ("Fronty Fords") of the Chevrolet brothers, among many others.

Car clubs Cars built before 1919 are classed as veteran cars and later models as vintage cars. Today, two main clubs exist to support the preservation and restoration of these cars: The Model T Ford Club International and the Model T Ford Club of America. Many steel Model T parts are still manufactured today, and even Glass-reinforced plastic replicas of their distinctive bodies, which are popular for T-bucket style hot rods (as immortalized in the Jan and Dean surf music song "Bucket T," which was later recorded by The Who).

See also

Notes

References | url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=858 | title = Model T Facts | access-date=2007-02-19-->

External links



Ford Model T - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and also the Flivver) was an automobile produced by Henry Ford 's Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927.

Model T Ford Register of Great Britain - HOME PAGE
Enthusiast in Great Britain. Membership details, pictures, history information, magazine, and links.

Ford Model T - Road Tests, Motoring - The Independent
And now for something completely different. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Ford Model T, so when Ford offered to let us try one, I thought we'd give it a go.

Ford Model T reaches 100 - Telegraph
Motorists who fail to pay three parking tickets face having their cars towed away, under new rules.

Salvage Squad - The Machines - Model T Ford
I was fascinated to discover how many different designs and types of Model T were developed over the years. These cars are wonderful to work on: everything's easy to get at and ...

Media.Ford.com: Model T Facts
OFFICIAL NEWS, PHOTOS, VIDEOS, MEDIA KITS, EXECUTIVE BIO&146;S, PRESS RELEASES - Ford, Volvo, Mazda, Lincoln, Jaguar, Mercury, Land Rover

Model T Ford
Model T Ford ... 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the Model T Ford, the first mass-produced car to be made on a production line.

Showroom of Automotive History: The Model T
It has never been proven that Henry Ford ever said, "You can paint it any color...," but the phrase has survived for 3/4 of a century and does indicate something about America's ...

Ford Model T retrospective | Car Features | 4car | channel4.com
4Car salutes the one hundred year anniversary of the Ford Model T with a look back at its conception, development and the famous assembly lines.

BBC NEWS | England | Model T Ford in Manchester
A new book has been published looking at the history of the Model T Ford and the importance of Manchester in the growth of its popularity.

 

Ford Model T



 
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