Ford Model T (1908 - 1927)
The Ford Model T (also called the Tin Lizzie) was a unique machine for its day. The Model T had a curb weight of 1,200 pounds with its all steel construction. The car ran on a 177 cubic inch, 2.9 liter inline four cylinder producing around 20 horsepower. Most small cars on the road today have at least 150 horsepower. The Ford got anywhere from 13 to 21 miles per gallon. The beginning years of the Model T had a crank start because there was no electric start. Electric ignition wasn't introduced until 1919, after that most cars could be started by hitting a button located on the floor. The throttle was located up by the steering wheel and a stick for the transmission gear selection mounted to the floor. The Model T had a 3 gear transmission (sometimes called a 2 gear because reverse wasn't taken into consideration.) The transmission's three gears were: gear 1, gear 2, and reverse. There were three separate pedals for the transmission in the Model T, the car didn't have a special clutch pedal like manuals people drive today. The left pedal engaged and disengaged the gears. The car drove much like tractors used in farming today, they run a certain speed in a selected gear. The middle pedal was used to engage the reverse gear. The Model T didn't have separate brakes connecting to rotors with brake pads like modern day vehicles. The right pedal served as the transmission brake. Back then, cars didn't have separate disc brakes and rotors, the car's motion was slowed by resistance and disengagement of the drive gears.
The Model T was also relatively easy to repair. All parts we made the same for these cars because of the assembly line so when one part broke or wore out, a person could easily find a replacement. This made fixing something very easy because a person could just buy a new part or find a used one off of another Model T. The Model T was used by people in a range from city driving to farm work, it was a durable unit for its day.
Production of the Model T grew rapidly from its beginning date in September 1908 to the end in October of 1927. Ford made the car much more affordable than other cars because of the assembly line. The cost of labor and parts cheaper so the actual cost of the car wasn't very expensive for its day. Depending on the year, the Model T's cost ranged anywhere from $290 to $850. The price actually dropped through the years because of improvments in assembly line efficiency. By the end of its production, Henry Ford was able to watch the 15 millionth Model T ever created drive off the assembly line, proving its success.
The Model T was also relatively easy to repair. All parts we made the same for these cars because of the assembly line so when one part broke or wore out, a person could easily find a replacement. This made fixing something very easy because a person could just buy a new part or find a used one off of another Model T. The Model T was used by people in a range from city driving to farm work, it was a durable unit for its day.
Production of the Model T grew rapidly from its beginning date in September 1908 to the end in October of 1927. Ford made the car much more affordable than other cars because of the assembly line. The cost of labor and parts cheaper so the actual cost of the car wasn't very expensive for its day. Depending on the year, the Model T's cost ranged anywhere from $290 to $850. The price actually dropped through the years because of improvments in assembly line efficiency. By the end of its production, Henry Ford was able to watch the 15 millionth Model T ever created drive off the assembly line, proving its success.