Well Restored/177ci Inline 4/Leather Seating/Multiple Tour Participant

1914 Ford Model T Touring

Henry Ford wasn't the inventor of the modern automobile. That would be German engineer Karl Benz. But the Model T, which first rolled out of Ford's Detroit factory in the late summer of 1908, revolutionized transportation. The “Tin Lizzie” was the first affordable horseless carriage, the one that middle-class families could save up for. The first Model T cost $850 but, by the time it went off the market in 1927, Ford's efficient assembly-line production had knocked the price down to $260. Over 15 million Model T Fords were sold, a record that stood until the Volkswagen Beetle finally passed it in the 1970s. Part of the enduring myth of the Model T is that all of them were black. “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants,” Ford described his policy in his 1922 book My Life and Work, “so long as it is black.” It's true that the Ford Motor Company turned black paint into a science, using 30 different types of black paint for different parts of the car's exterior. But when the Model T first came on the market, customers could get almost any common color… except for black!

Fire up the Wayback machine Sherman, it's time for a trip back to 1914 to explore early motoring in a Ford Model T. Simplistic in nature and affordable for the common folk, this T has been restored, participated in such tours as the Circle South, originating in Nashville, TN and Circumnavigating The Great Lakes to name a few. Shiny brass, rust free steel and a clean interior make up this wonderful historic example, and as a bonus extra parts are available.

Exterior
Well polished brass leads the way for the front of this T. Brass bezel headlights flank the shiny radiator shell with its Ford script showing proudly and a simple chrome bumper hangs below. Curving front fenders roll above the front tires with wood spoked wheels and slip downward to a brass step plate embellished running boards before swooping back up to squared off utilitarian fenders which hover above the rear wheels and help keep road dirt at bay. A center hinged twin cowled hood in black steel leads back to the near vertical 2-piece windshield which is supported by a nicely stained wooden dash with black and brass lanterns. The carriage-esque body tub with its left side mounted twin spare tires presents in splendid form and is covered by a clean black vinyl roof. Bringing up the tail end is a single simple taillight and lantern. Overall, the gaps are well minded and the paint, while not perfect, is deep and reflective.

Interior
Very simply appointed with a black leather bench seat and back stretching from door to door both front and rear and a large wood steering wheel fronting the original simplistic dash all in metal. Door panels are utilitarian black vinyl with some buttoning for embellishments and floors, under the black vinyl mat and carpet are wood and are rot free. A fold out hinged windshield is noted for airflow and the underside of the vinyl roof and its support bows are well done.

Drivetrain
A 177ci inline 4-cylinder engine graces the engine bay. It has a 1-barrel carburetor, and a 2-speed planetary transmission on the back. The rear axle weighs in with a 3.63 ratio.

Undercarriage
Amazingly no real rust and just a bit of surface rust spattered about. Wood is solid, the frame is showing no rust and is structurally sound. Transverse leaf spring suspension with helper coil springs on the front are all around as are 30-inch wood spoked wheels, and a set of mechanical drum brakes on the rear

Drive-Ability
This isn't your father's Oldsmobile, or Cadillac, or anything like it. Driving a T is an experience in and of itself and this writer will be the first to admit it takes a whole different level of skill and fine motor coordination. With the help of a YouTube tutorial and my diligent and patient partner in crime I was able to start and even move this tourer without too much trouble. On our test track it handled well for its design and exhibited adequate acceleration. Stopping however, with the rear only mechanical drums must be planned in advance. All in all, not a bad experience for my 2nd time wheeling a T
All in all, a solid showing for this T Tourer. A nice body, simple interior, and archaic suspension all got us to where we are with automobiles today. Sherman, how about a quick stopover in Indiana so we can watch Rene' Thomas beat out Arthur Duray for the win at the Brickyard.