The Ford Model T was a car made by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is often called the first car that many middle-class Americans could afford. The lower cost was partly because Ford used efficient production methods, such as assembly lines instead of making each car by hand. These methods saved money, which helped the price drop from $780 in 1910 (about $26,952 in 2025) to $290 in 1924 (about $5,448 in 2025). Three engineers designed the Model T: Joseph A. Galamb (the main engineer), Eugene Farkas, and Childe Harold Wills. The car was nicknamed "Tin Lizzie."

In 1999, the Ford Model T was named the most influential car of the 20th century in the Car of the Century competition, beating the BMC Mini, Citroën DS, and Volkswagen Beetle. The Model T was successful because it offered affordable transportation to many people and became a symbol of progress for the growing middle class in the United States. Over 15 million Model Ts were sold, making it the best-selling car in history until the Volkswagen Beetle surpassed it in 1972.

Introduction

Early automobiles, made from the 1880s, were often rare, costly, and not always dependable. The Model T became a major success because it was the first car that was reliable, easy to repair, and available to many people. After it was introduced, 15,000 orders were received within two days. The first Model T was built on August 12, 1908, and it left the factory on September 27, 1908, at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan. On May 26, 1927, Henry Ford watched the 15 millionth Model T roll off the assembly line at his factory in Highland Park, Michigan.

Before the Model T, Henry Ford designed a series of cars from 1903 until its introduction. He named his first car the Model A and continued with letters up to the Model T. A total of 20 models were planned, but not all were produced. The Model S, which was made before the Model T, was an improved version of the company’s most successful car at that time, the Model N. After the Model T, the next car was again called the Model A, not the "Model U." The company explained this choice because the new car was so different from the Model T that Ford wanted to begin again with the letter A.

The Model T was the first car mass-produced using moving assembly lines and parts that could be swapped easily. It was marketed to people in the middle class. Henry Ford said about the vehicle:

Although Ransom E. Olds created the assembly line for the Oldsmobile Curved Dash in 1901, Ford and his engineers made major improvements to the system’s efficiency during the Model T’s production.

Characteristics and design

The Model T was designed by Childe Harold Wills and Hungarian immigrants Joseph A. Galamb (main engineer) and Eugene Farkas. Other team members included Henry Love, C. J. Smith, Gus Degner, and Peter E. Martin. Galamb’s fellow Hungarian immigrants, Gyula Hartenberger and Károly Balogh, also worked on the project. Henry Ford oversaw the designers directly. Production of the Model T began in the third quarter of 1908. Today, collectors sometimes group Model Ts by their build years and call these groups "model years," labeling the earliest Model Ts as 1909 models. This is a way of labeling that started later; the idea of model years as used today did not exist at the time. Even though the car’s design changed slightly over its 20 years of production, the company never gave new names to these changes. All versions were called simply "Model T."

The Model T has a front-mounted 177-cubic-inch (2.9 L) inline four-cylinder engine that produces 20 horsepower (15 kW) and can reach a top speed of 42 mph (68 km/h). According to Ford Motor Company, the Model T had fuel efficiency of 13–21 miles per gallon (16–25 mpg; 18–11 L/100 km). The engine was designed to run on gasoline, but it could also use kerosene or ethanol. However, as gasoline became cheaper and Prohibition later made ethanol less practical, most users stopped using ethanol. The first 2,447 Model Ts used water pumps to cool the engine. Starting with unit 2,448 (with some exceptions before unit 2,500), the engine was cooled by thermosiphon action.

The Model T used an unusual ignition system. A low-voltage magneto built into the flywheel supplied alternating current to trembler coils, which powered the spark plugs. This system was similar to those used in stationary gas engines, not the expensive high-voltage magnetos used on other cars. This design allowed the Model T to use a variety of fuels. The system did not require a starting battery because hand-cranking the engine generated enough electricity to start it. In 1915, electric lighting powered by the magneto replaced acetylene gas and oil lamps. Electric starting was not available until 1919.

The Model T engine was used for replacement parts and in stationary and marine applications until 1941, even after the Model T itself stopped being produced. The Fordson Model F tractor engine, designed about a decade later, was similar to but larger than the Model T engine.

The Model T is a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Its transmission is a planetary gear type called "three speed" at the time. Today, this is considered a two-speed system because one of the three speeds is reverse. The transmission is controlled with three floor-mounted pedals and a lever on the driver’s side. The throttle is controlled by a lever on the steering wheel. The left pedal engages the transmission. When the floor lever is in the middle or fully forward and the left pedal is pressed, the car enters low gear. Holding the pedal in an intermediate position puts the car in neutral. If the left pedal is released, the car enters high gear, but only if the lever is fully forward. In other positions, the pedal only moves to neutral. This allows the driver to hold the car in neutral while cranking the engine by hand. The car can then move without pressing any pedals.

In the first 800 units, reverse was engaged with a lever. After that, the central pedal was used to engage reverse when the car was in neutral. The right pedal controls the transmission brake; there are no brakes on the wheels. The floor lever also controls the parking brake, which is activated by pulling the lever all the way back. This also serves as an emergency brake.

Although rare, the drive bands could become misaligned, causing the car to creep forward, especially when cold. This created a hazard during starting, as a person cranking the engine could be pushed backward while still holding the crank. This could also happen in cold weather when thickened oil prevented the clutch discs from moving freely. Power reaches the differential through a single universal joint connected to a torque tube that drives the rear axle. Some models, like trucks, could have an optional two-speed rear Ruckstell axle with a floor-mounted lever to provide an underdrive gear for climbing hills.

The heavy-duty Model TT truck chassis had a special worm gear rear differential with lower gearing than standard models. This gave more pulling power but reduced top speed. The Model TT can be identified by the cylindrical housing over the axle differential. All gears are vanadium steel running in an oil bath.

Two main types of band lining material were used:

• Cotton – Ford originally used cotton woven linings. These were gentler on the drum surface, causing damage only from rivets scoring the drum. However, improper adjustment could cause overheating, reduced power, and rapid destruction of the cotton lining.
• Wood – Wooden linings were offered as a "longer life" option. They were a single piece of steam-bent wood and metal wire. These provided a stronger grip on the drum, increasing the driver’s feel for the pedals and brake drum.

During the Model T’s production, especially after 1916, more than 30 manufacturers offered auxiliary transmissions or drives to replace or improve the Model T’s drivetrain. Some added overdrive for speed and efficiency, while others added underdrive for more torque to help with hauling. Notable examples included the Ruckstell two-speed rear axle and transmissions by Muncie, Warford, and Jumbo.

Aftermarket transmissions generally fit one of four categories:

• Replacement transmission – A sliding gear/selective transmission used as a direct replacement for Ford’s planetary-gear system.
• Front-mounted auxiliary transmission – Fitted between the engine and Ford’s transmission to add gear ratios.
• Rear-mounted auxiliary transmission – Mounted at the rear axle housing to add gear ratios.
• Multi-speed axle – Designed to fit inside the differential housing to add gear ratios.

Murray Fahnestock, a Ford expert during the Model T era, recommended using auxiliary transmissions for enclosed models like the Ford Sedan and Coupelet for three reasons: the added weight of these cars put more stress on the drivetrain and engine, which auxiliary transmissions could help manage; the car bodies amplified engine noise and vibration, which intermediate gears could reduce; and enclosed car owners typically spent more money on their vehicles, making enhancements more likely. He also noted that auxiliary transmissions were valuable for Ford Ton-Trucks used in commercial work, as they allowed for varying driving speeds.

Production

The skills and knowledge needed by factory workers were grouped into 84 areas. When the Model T was first made, workers built cars by hand, and production was small. The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant could not meet the high demand for the Model T, and only 11 cars were made there during the first full month of production. Over time, more machines were used to simplify the work within the 84 areas. In 1910, after building nearly 12,000 Model Ts, Henry Ford moved the company to the Highland Park complex. During this time, the Model T production system, including the supply chain, became a famous example of assembly-line production. Later, it was seen as a classic example of the early, rigid version of assembly-line production, compared to later flexible methods for making higher-quality products.

As a result, Ford’s cars were made every three minutes, much faster than before. This reduced production time from 12 and a half hours to 93 minutes by 1914, using fewer workers. In 1914, Ford produced more cars than all other automakers combined. The Model T was very successful, and by the time Ford made its 10 millionth car, half of all cars in the world were Fords. It was so popular that Ford did not buy any advertisements between 1917 and 1923. Instead, the Model T became famous on its own. More than 15 million Model Ts were made, with production reaching 9,000 to 10,000 cars a day in 1925, or 2 million cars a year, at a price of $260 (equivalent to $4,773 today). The Model T’s total production was finally surpassed by the Volkswagen Beetle on February 17, 1972. The Ford F-Series, which came from the Model T roadster pickup, later became Ford’s best-selling model.

Henry Ford’s design approach for the Model T was to make it perfect and keep it unchanged. He believed the Model T was all the car a person would ever need. As other companies offered more comfortable and stylish cars at competitive prices, the Model T lost market share and became barely profitable. While some design changes were made, the idea of keeping the model the same was kept. Eventually, on May 26, 1927, Ford Motor Company stopped making the Model T in the United States and began producing the Model A. Some factories outside the U.S. continued making Model Ts for a short time, with the last Model T made at the Cork, Ireland plant in December 1927.

Model T engines were still made until August 4, 1941. About 170,000 were built after car production ended, to replace engines in existing vehicles. Racers and car enthusiasts used Model T parts to build racing engines, including those made by Cragar, Navarro, and the Frontenacs of the Chevrolet brothers.

The Model T used advanced technology, such as vanadium steel alloy. Its durability was remarkable, and some Model Ts and their parts are still working more than 100 years later. Although Henry Ford resisted some changes, he supported progress in materials, mechanical, and industrial engineering.

On May 26, 1927, Henry Ford and his son Edsel drove the 15-millionth Model T out of the factory. This marked the end of Model T production at the main factory.

Although Ford no longer makes parts for the Model T, many parts are still made by private companies as replicas to service the thousands of Model Ts still in use today.

In 2002, Ford built six Model Ts as part of their 2003 centenary celebrations. These cars were made from new reproduction parts and some parts based on original drawings. The last one was used for publicity in the UK.

The moving assembly line system, started on October 7, 1913, allowed Ford to lower car prices. As Ford improved the system, costs dropped significantly. As production increased, prices also fell because fixed costs were spread over more cars. Large investments in the supply chain and changes in materials and design further reduced prices. Ford’s dominance in North America during the 1910s forced competitors to lower their prices to stay competitive. Competitors also offered features not available on the Model T, such as a variety of colors, body styles, and interior choices. They also benefited from lower raw material and infrastructure costs.

In 1909, the Runabout model started at $825 (equivalent to $29,560 in 2025). By 1925, the price had dropped to $260 (equivalent to $4,770 in 2025).

The following figures are U.S. production numbers compiled by R. E. Houston, Ford Production Department, August 3, 1927. Numbers between 1909 and 1920 are for Ford’s fiscal year. From 1909 to 1913, the fiscal year was October 1 to September 30 the following year, with the year number indicating the ending year. For the 1914 fiscal year, the period was October 1, 1913, to July 31, 1914. Starting in August 1914, the fiscal year was August 1 to July 31. From January 1920 onward, the numbers are for the calendar year.

The total listed is 14,689,525 vehicles. Ford claimed the last Model T was the 15 millionth car produced.

Henry Ford used wood scraps from Model T production to make charcoal briquettes. Originally called Ford Charcoal, the name was changed to Kingsford Charcoal after the Iron Mountain Ford Plant closed in 1951. The Kingsford Chemical Company took over the wood distillation process. E. G. Kingsford, Ford’s cousin, helped choose the new sawmill and wood distillation plant site. Lumber for Model T production came from the same location, the Iron Mountain Ford plant, built in 1920. Scrap wood was processed at Iron Mountain to create methanol and lump charcoal, which was pressed into briquettes and sold by Ford.

• The first Ford assembly plant in La Boca, Buenos Aires, around 1921
• A 1923 Ford T in Canada, photographed in 1948

The Ford Model T was the first car made by multiple countries at the same time. It was produced in Walkerville, Canada, and Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, England, starting in 1911. After World War I ended in 1918, Model Ts were assembled in Germany, Argentina, France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, and Japan

Advertising and marketing

Ford used a large advertising campaign in Detroit to make sure every newspaper reported on and promoted the new product. Advertising for the Model T started early, with newspaper ads appearing in January 1908. Ford's system of local dealers helped make the car available in almost every city in North America. Much of the Model T's success came from Ford's new method of creating many sales centers, which made it easier for people to buy the car. These dealers, who operated independently, became wealthy and helped spread awareness about Ford cars and the idea of owning a car in general. Local motor clubs formed to support new drivers and explore the countryside. Ford focused on selling cars to farmers, who saw the vehicle as a tool to help their work. Sales increased quickly – some years saw a 100% increase compared to the year before.

"Jitney" taxi

In the early 1900s, many owners of Ford Model T cars in the United States and Canada used their vehicles for shared taxi services or illegal taxi services. Because of this, the Ford Model T was often called a "jitney" when used as a taxi.

24 Hours of Le Mans

Charles Montier, a Ford dealer from Paris, and his brother-in-law Albert Ouriou participated in the first 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1923. They drove a greatly altered version of the Model T, called the "Montier Special." The car finished in 14th place during the inaugural event.

Car clubs

Today, four main clubs help keep and fix these cars: the Model T Ford Club International, the Model T Ford Club of America, and the combined clubs in Australia. The Model T Ford Club of Victoria has many chapters worldwide and includes a large number of cars made uniquely in Australia. (Australia built its own car bodies, which caused differences between Australian cars and those made in the United States or Canada.) In the United Kingdom, the Model T Ford Register of Great Britain reached its 50th anniversary in 2010. Steel parts for Model T cars are still made today, and fiberglass copies of their special bodies are also produced. These copies are often used in a type of fast car called T-buckets, as described in the song "Bucket T" by Jan and Dean, which was later recorded by The Who. In 1949, more than twenty years after production ended, 200,000 Model T cars were registered in the United States. In 2008, it was estimated that between 50,000 and 60,000 Ford Model T cars remained in working condition.

Gallery

• Model T timeline
• 1909 Touring (an early version with two pedals and two levers for control)
• 1909 Roadster
• 1909 Tourabout (similar to the Touring but without rear doors)
• 1911 Touring
• 1911 Torpedo Runabout
• 1911 Open Runabout
• 1912 Touring
• 1912 Commercial Roadster
• 1912 Torpedo Runabout
• 1912 Delivery Car
• 1913 Touring
• 1913 Runabout
• 1914 Touring
• 1914 Runabout
• 1915 Runabout (curved cowl panel was added)
• 1916 Touring
• 1917 Runabout (curved hood was added to match the cowl panel)
• 1919 Runabout
• 1920 Touring
• 1921 Ford Model T
• 1921 Touring
• 1922 Runabout
• 1922 Flatbed Truck
• 1923 Ford Model T Depot Hack
• 1923 Runabout (early 1923 model)
• 1924 Touring (higher hood and slightly shorter cowl panel began; late-1923 models were similar)
• 1924–1925 Runabout
• 1925 Touring (balloon tires and split rims were optional features)
• 1925 Touring
• 1926 Runabout (higher hood and longer cowl panel began)
• 1927 Runabout
• 1927 Touring (last Ford Model T built at Highland Park Ford Plant)
• 1928 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan (shown for comparison: body is wider and has curved doors).