The Crittenden Automotive Library

Ford Model T

Model T
Vehicle Model

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Wikipedia: Ford Model T Subtopics Model T Times Custom 1925 Ford Model T Speedster Page Sections Reference Desk History Documents Photographs Images Merchandise

A car produced by Ford. Widely acknowledged as a car significant for bringing automobiles to people that previously could not afford them. The 1927 Model A was a replacement for the Model T.

History

The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Ford Model T page on 14 June 2016, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie, T-Model Ford, Model T, or T) is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that opened travel to the common middle-class American; some of this was because of Ford's efficient fabrication, including assembly line production instead of individual hand crafting.

The Ford Model T was named the most influential car of the 20th century in the 1999 Car of the Century competition, ahead of the BMC Mini, Citroën DS, and Volkswagen Type 1. With 16.5 million sold it stands eighth on the top ten list of most sold cars of all time as of 2012.

Although automobiles had already existed for decades, they were still mostly scarce and expensive at the Model T's introduction in 1908. Positioned as reliable, easily maintained mass market transportation, it was a runaway success. In a matter of days after the release, 15,000 orders were placed. The first production Model T was produced on August 12, 1908 and left the factory on September 27, 1908, at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan. On May 26, 1927, Henry Ford watched the 15 millionth Model T Ford roll off the assembly line at his factory in Highland Park, Michigan.

There were several cars produced or prototyped by Henry Ford from the founding of the company in 1903 until the Model T was introduced. Although he started with the Model A, there were not 19 production models (A through T); some were only prototypes. The production model immediately before the Model T was the Model S, an upgraded version of the company's largest success to that point, the Model N. The follow-up was the Ford Model A (rather than any Model U). The 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.

The Model T was Ford's first automobile mass-produced on moving assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts, marketed to the middle class. Henry Ford said of the vehicle:

I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one – and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God's great open spaces.

Although credit for the development of the assembly line belongs to Ransom E. Olds with the first mass-produced automobile, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, beginning in 1901, the tremendous advancements in the efficiency of the system over the life of the Model T can be credited almost entirely to the vision of Ford and his engineers.

Reference Desk

The Crittenden Automotive Library's "Reference Desk" is a collection of materials that cannot be shared due to copyright restrictions. Information from these resources, however, can be shared. Go to the Reference Desk page for more information.

Type	Title
1969 Magazines	Model T Times by Model T Ford Club International; 2 issues
1970 Magazines	Model T Times by Model T Ford Club International; 5 issues
1971 Magazines	Model T Times by Model T Ford Club International; 1 issue

Documents

Date	Document Name & Details	Documents
1915	Ford Manual For Owners and Operators of Ford Cars Ford Motor Company	Topic Page - 94 pages
1917	The Model T Ford Car: Its Construction, Operation and Repair Victor W. Page, M.E.	Topic Page - 288 pages

Images

	1985 Fallbrook Vintage Car Show Artist: Ken Eberts Cars: 1911 Ford Model T Event: Fallbrook Vintage Car Show Image courtesy View 1985 Fallbrook Vintage Car Show Poster - 1911 Ford Model T - 82KB
	Buster's Annual Christmas Trip to the Mountain Artist: Ken Eberts Car: 1911 Ford Model T Image courtesy View "Buster's Annual Christmas Trip to the Mountain" - 1911 Ford Model T Art - 82KB
	News and Events: For the Stamp Collector New Zealand recently issued an attractive set of six antique car stamps to help celebrate the 13th International Car Rally held in New Zealand in February. The six cars illustrate the development of the motor car from the earliest pioneering period to the introduction of the light economy car. The three cent stamp shows an 1895 Benz; the four cent a 1904 Oldsmobile; the five cent a 1914 Model T Ford; the six cent a 1915 Cadillac service car; the eight cent a 1924 Chrysler and the ten cent shows a 1923 Austin 7. The background scenes are appropriate to both the time and eras in which the cars were used. Antique Automobile: March-April 1972 View photo of 1914 Ford Model T New Zealand Stamp - 2.7MB
	4 Lil' Dips Ice Cream Shop's Modified 1915 Photo ©2013 Bill Crittenden 2013 The Cars Time Forgot View photo of 4 Lil' Dips Ice Cream Shop 1915 Ford Model T - 2.9MB
	4 Lil' Dips Ice Cream Shop's Modified 1915 Photo ©2013 Bill Crittenden 2013 The Cars Time Forgot View photo of 4 Lil' Dips Ice Cream Shop 1915 Ford Model T - 4.2MB
	1920 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Buss Ford Car Show View photo of 1920 Ford Model T - 1,988KB
	1920 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Buss Ford Car Show View photo of 1920 Ford Model T - 1,688KB
	1920 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Buss Ford Car Show View photo of 1920 Ford Model T - 1,953KB
	1920 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Buss Ford Car Show View photo of 1920 Ford Model T - 2,048KB
	1920 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Buss Ford Car Show View photo of 1920 Ford Model T - 1,429KB
	1920 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Buss Ford Car Show View photo of 1920 Ford Model T - 2,238KB
	1920 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Buss Ford Car Show View photo of 1920 Ford Model T - 2,024KB
	UPS Truck in 1921 View photo of UPS Ford Model T in 1921 - 330KB
	1921 Man and His Car: Found His 'T' In 1954 Car Buff: February-March 1971 John Matazel of Cicero, Ill., sends this photo of his pert 1921 Model T Touring. Matazel says he found this car in November of 1954. It had been in storage since 1933. "The car was solid, and no rust-outs," writes Matazel, adding, "It took very little time and labor to restore." A member of the Model T Ford Club, Matazel's Illinois license identifies him as an amateur radio ham in addition to being a car buff. One apparent addition to the "T" is the pair of small directional signal lights located just under the headlights. A wise safety accessory! View photo of 1921 Ford Model T - 2.7MB
	1922 Touring Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Round Lake Home Town Festival View photo of 1922 Ford Model T Touring - 4.1MB
	1922 Touring Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Round Lake Home Town Festival View photo of 1922 Ford Model T Touring - 4.3MB
	1922 Touring Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Round Lake Home Town Festival View photo of 1922 Ford Model T Touring - 3.9MB
	1922 Touring Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Round Lake Home Town Festival View photo of 1922 Ford Model T Touring - 5.0MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 3.4MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 3.2MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 2.8MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 2.3MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 4.7MB
	Security Auto Theft Signal System 1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 2.7MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 3.7MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 2.5MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 3.1MB
	1924 Coupe Photo ©2018 Bill Crittenden 2018 Gilberts Spring Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Coupe - 2.5MB
	1924 Station Hack Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Muscles for Muscles Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Station Hack - 4.1MB
	1924 Station Hack Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Muscles for Muscles Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Station Hack - 3.8MB
	1924 Station Hack Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Muscles for Muscles Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Station Hack - 3.8MB
	1924 Station Hack Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Muscles for Muscles Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Station Hack - 4.3MB
	1924 Station Hack Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Muscles for Muscles Car Show View photo of 1924 Ford Model T Station Hack - 4.1MB
	Street Rod 1925 Photo ©2009 Bill Crittenden 2009 Summer NNL hosted by View photo of 1925 Ford Model T Street Rod - 3,487KB
	1926 Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1926 Ford Model T - 3,833KB
	1926 Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1926 Ford Model T - 4,764KB
	1926 Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1926 Ford Model T - 3,920KB
	1926 Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1926 Ford Model T - 4,225KB
	1926 Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1926 Ford Model T - 4,678KB
	1926 Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1926 Ford Model T - 4,335KB
	1927 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Barrington, Illinois Cruise Night: July 19, 2007 View photo of 1927 Ford Model T - 1,788KB
	1927 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Barrington, Illinois Cruise Night: July 19, 2007 View photo of 1927 Ford Model T - 1,962KB
	1927 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Barrington, Illinois Cruise Night: July 19, 2007 View photo of 1927 Ford Model T - 1,483KB
	1927 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Barrington, Illinois Cruise Night: July 19, 2007 View photo of 1927 Ford Model T - 2,428KB
	1927 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Barrington, Illinois Cruise Night: July 19, 2007 View photo of 1927 Ford Model T - 2,518KB
	1927 Photo ©2007 Bill Crittenden Barrington, Illinois Cruise Night: July 19, 2007 View photo of 1927 Ford Model T - 3,385KB
	1927 Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 The Cars Time Forgot View photo of 1927 Ford Model T - 4.0MB
	1927 Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 The Cars Time Forgot View photo of 1927 Ford Model T - 4.1MB
	Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of Ford Model T - 4,043KB
	Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of Ford Model T - 3,331KB
	Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of Ford Model T - 4,318KB
	Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of Ford Model T - 4,447KB
	Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of Ford Model T - 4,157KB
	Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of Ford Model T - 4,600KB
	Dragster Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden 2010 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet March 14, 2010 View photo of Ford Model T Dragster Model Car - 3,285KB
	Dragster Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden 2010 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet March 14, 2010 View photo of Ford Model T Dragster Model Car - 3,098KB
	1926 T-Altered Photo ©2012 Bill Crittenden 2012 Classic Plastic January 29, 2012 View photo of 1926 T-Altered Model - 1.8MB

Merchandise

Type & Item #	Name	Details
Model Kit AMT 31563	Barris T Buggy	Buyer's Choice George Barris Custom Ford Model T

Article Index

Date	Article	Author/Source
23 January 2011	The Evolution of The Model T	William Jason
14 August 2015	How Do You Run Yourself Over?	Bill Crittenden
28 September 2016	Recognizing Hayes Manufacturing	Congressional Record: Sen. David Vitter