The Ford Model T

By Bruce Shawkey


The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first mass-affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relatively low price was partly the result of Ford's efficient fabrication, including assembly line production instead of individual handcrafting. The savings from mass production allowed the price to decline from $780 in 1910 (equivalent to $26,322 in 2024) to $290 in 1924 ($5,321 in 2024 dollars. The Model T was colloquially known as the "Tin Lizzie".

The Ford Model T was named the most influential car of the 20th century. Ford's Model T was successful not only because it provided inexpensive transportation on a massive scale, but also because the car signified innovation for the rising middle class and became a powerful symbol of the United States' age of modernization.With over 15 million sold, it was the most sold car in history before being surpassed by the Volkswagen Beetle in 1972.

I found this Model T repair manual from 1917 on the Internet. It is not an owners' manual, but a guide for the more advanced owner who wished to repair his own vehicle. I will share a few of the 300 pages below:






















































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