Ford model T Tourer 1908

Henry Ford dreamed of bringing motoring to the wider public, and by using a moving assembly line he achieved it with the rugged, reliable, low-cost Ford Model T Tourer.

Henry Ford had one ultimate aim for his Ford Motor Company: he wanted to make a rugged car of a standard design that could be built in high numbers at low prices. Out of this policy came the Model T, and a revolution in 20th-century manufacturing. Extensive use of vanadium and heat-treated steel made the car light but sturdy (hence its nickname “Tin Lizzie”), with 10.5in (27cm) of road clearance, and hefty suspension to cope with rough roads.

Model T dimensions

The drivetrain was enclosed to keep out dust, and the Model T was 6.9ft (2.1m) tall. Ford and his colleagues created a manufacturing colossus that began feeding a production line in Detroit. Employees added parts to Model Ts as they slowly rolled past them.

A year later, Fords accounted for half of all American cars built. “Any color,” Henry Ford is often quoted as saying, “as long as it’s black.” In truth, the Model T did originally come in other colors until the introduction of moving-line mass-production.

After that, “Japan black” was standardized because it was cheap and durable. In 1926, a choice of colors returned to the Model T for its final two years after the introduction of quick-drying cellulose lacquer paint. Indeed, assembly took place all around the world, and by the time the Model T ended its incredible 19-year life in 1927, 15,007,033 models had been made.

Ford model T Tourer 1908	Specification
YEAR REVEALED	1908
PLACE OF ORIGIN	Detroit, United States of America
HISTORICAL STATUS	production car
ENGINE	177ci (2,896cc)
MAXIMUM POWER	20bhp
LAYOUT	front-mounted engine driving the rear wheels
BODYWORK	two-seater runabout or coupé, four-seater tourer, seven-seater landaulette/saloon
TOP SPEED	40mph (64kph)
NUMBER BUILT	15,007,033