Ninety-nine years ago, on September 24, 1908, “Tin Lizzie,” the first factory-built Model T was completed. Though the Ford Model T doesn’t hold the title as first car ever produced, it is the vehicle that propelled the automobile into popular usage, nicknamed the car that “put America on wheels.”
In 1908, the Model T cost $850 new and seated two people. Though not pocket change at the time, the Model T was an affordable vehicle, marketed as a reliable choice for the average driver. Henry Ford achieved vehicle affordability through the utilization of revolutionary mass production methods and the control of all raw materials within the company.
The Ford Model T had a front-mounted, four-cylinder engine capable of propelling the car along at 45 mph. The carriage represented, frankly, a carriage, reminiscent of horse-drawn wagons. The car was started manually, with a hand crank, sometimes a dirty process, making dusters (to cover your clothing) a common fashion accessory to an afternoon car ride.
Today, Model T’s are highly coveted veteran cars (”vintage” refers to vehicles produced after 1919) and replacement parts are still produced today. The fan base is large enough to also support the production of fiberglass Model T replicas, popular for T-bucket style hot rods. What a car. What a legacy.
