Looking Back At The First Affordable Car, The Ford Model T

Before humanity entered the era of 1900, automobiles were there but were meant for the rich. Moreover, those steam-powered vehicles were noisy, required heavy maintenance, and were unreliable as well. With the Ford Model T, the Blue Oval practically changed the relationship between man and an automobile by making it affordable, reliable, and almost everything that automobiles were not prior to its launch.

The Model T was also popularly known as “Tin Lizzie”, which it received after Noel Bullock, a participant in the 1922 Pikes Peak race, named his car “Old Lizzie” due to the car’s rattly state. Post that, the name stuck with the Model T even though its production ended in 1927.

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Was the Ford Model T’s design special?

Automobiles during the late end of the 1800s were complex in mechanism due to their steam-powered propulsion system but had rather similar designs. The Ford Model T came with both, a simple design as well as a simple powertrain. The first cars launched in 1908 had wooden bodies with quite a thin metal sheet covering them while the wheels were made of wood completely. For tires, the car got pneumatic clincher-type units which were a bit similar to what we see on a bicycle today. For suspension, the Model T got beam axles with semi-elliptical springs at the front and the rear.

Due to the absence of proper roads back then, the suspensions were designed and built to withstand the rough roads which they did in reality as well. The interior was barebones with lightly cushioned seats over wooden bases. The rear passengers had two doors on either side while the driver’s compartment didn’t have any. The car also had no fixed roof but a foldable convertible soft top, like it was used to be seen on earlier automobiles and horse-drawn carriages.

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What engine does the Model T have?

Among the main highlights of the Model T is its engine which allowed Henry Ford to realize his dream. Unlike earlier automobiles, the Model T had a proper internal combustion engine, and the motor was fitted in an enclosed chamber at the front of the vehicle. The 2.9-liter I-4 motor was good for 20 horsepower and 83 lb-ft of torque. The motor was mated to a standard two-speed manual planetary gearbox with one reverse gear. To make it flexible and the inconsistent quality of fuel, the engine was designed to run on gasoline, kerosene, and ethanol. The first 2,447 Model Ts’ engines were cooled using a water pump but from the 2,448 unit onward, the water pump was replaced with a non-motorized thermosiphon action cooling system.

Coming to the ignition system of the engine, it was quite unusual for the time as well. The motor had a magneto running low voltage placed on the crankshaft and it allowed the trembler coils to operate the spark plugs using alternate current. The ignition system of the engine was also designed to withstand almost any type of fuel used unlike other stationary gasoline engines used at that time. The first models used hand cranking to generate adequate electricity for starting the motors but electric ignition was offered from the 1919 model year onward.

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How were the pricing and availability of the Model T?

As we all know by now, the Model T was the first affordable automobile for the general population. To make it possible, Ford initially priced the car at $860 with an aim to reduce it further. The Blue Oval achieved its goal by reducing the price of the Model T further, and from 1925 onward, the Ford Model T price tag fell below $300. As such, the Model T alone accounted for about 40 percent of all automobiles sold in the US.

Strangely, Henry Ford made it clear that the Model T was to be sold in black color only while the initial 1908 models did not come in black though. Even after more than a century, plenty of Model Ts does drive around, showcasing Henry Ford’s determination to make automobiles reliable.