What a great car the Model T Ford was. Ford Motor Co. produced more than 15 million of these cars in 19 years from 1908 to 1927.
Today we associate the passing of time with higher prices of the products we want and need, but that was not the case for the Model T Ford. In 1910, the lowest-priced model, the Runabout, was $900 (about $29,430 in today’s dollars). By 1925, the price had dropped to $260 ($4,610 today’s dollars).
Henry Ford’s objective was to build an affordable, durable car that was simple to operate. He didn’t invent the assembly line (Ransom Eli Olds did), but he perfected it and passed on the savings to his customers.
“There’s no use trying to pass a Ford, because there’s always another one just ahead,” Ford once said of his vehicles’ popularity.
The Model T had an interesting transmission. At that time, it was called a “three-speed” transmission, but that was just two gears forward and one in reverse. The driver had three pedals on the floor. The left pedal was the transmission — press in for first gear and let up to shift into high gear. The middle pedal was the reverse gear, which could also be used as a brake. The right pedal was the brake.
The throttle was a lever on the steering wheel. The 10-gallon gas tank was under the driver’s seat, and the gas gauge was a stick or ruler stuck in the tank, a simple but effective gauge. The 177-cubic-inch inline four-cylinder engine produces 20 horsepower with a top speed of 42 mph.
It was designed to run on gasoline but could also run on kerosene or ethanol. According to the Ford Motor Co., the Model T’s fuel economy was 13 to 21 mpg. An electric starter first became an option in 1919; up to that time a hand crank was used to start the engine.
This issue’s featured vehicle is a 1923 Ford Model T touring sedan. I learned the history of this car from its current owner, Ray Busch, and the car’s former owner, Jeff Schler. The friends and co-workers live in Castro Valley.
“I bought the car about 20 years ago from Jeff for $12,500, which is about what they’re going for now,” Ray said. “This is not one that makes money.”
Jeff bought the car in 1991 for $7,500 from a schoolteacher’s widow. He estimates having invested $8,000 to $10,000 while he owned it on the car’s restoration, which he did himself, working on the car most weekends.
“I wanted to get it done so I could drive it properly without breaking down,” Jeff said.
Some of the improvements include disc brakes, all kinds of modifications to the engine, which Jeff souped up some and then teamed with a floor-mounted three-speed Model A transmission. He said he got the car up to 53 mph once, which was a little scary. He put all new wooden spokes on the wheels, a new radiator and new paint on the fenders and hood, and he nickel-plated the headlights, oil lamps and hub caps.
Jeff said he believes the interior is original, although he did add some gauges and converted the six-volt electric system to a 12-volt system and changed the oil lamp lights to electric turn signals. Also, period-correct on the driver’s running board are three metal cans painted red, white and blue that carry an emergency supply of gas, oil and water. Ray has no plans to ever sell the Model T.
“To me the value of the car is far more than the market value because of all Jeff did to it.”
Have an interesting vehicle? Email Dave at MOBopoly@yahoo.com. To read more of his columns or see more photos of this and other issues’ vehicles, visit mercurynews.com/author/david-krumboltz.