Vehicle Description
FROM THE MISSOULA AUTO MUSEUM COLLECTION: Vehicle to be offered for Auction sale WITHOUT RESERVE and SOLD to the highest bidder January 19th - 22nd, 2017 at Russo and Steele's 17th Annual Scottsdale Arizona Auction at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Please contact us for more information.
Over its astounding 19-year production run, Henry Ford and his Model T not only revolutionized automobile production, they fundamentally changed daily life for millions of Americans and the entire world. Originally priced from just $600 when the first examples left the factory in 1908, the Model T was available new from as little as $260 by the time production ended in 1927, thanks to Ford's carefully refined assembly-line processes and emphasis on standardization. The Model T was truly was a car for the masses with over 15 million examples ultimately produced in all.
While deceptively simple, the Model T was in truth quite sophisticated. Legendary durability was the direct result of Ford's early use of strong yet lightweight vanadium alloy steel for many components. The Model T's four-cylinder engine was even more impressive. With a one-piece cylinder block, detachable cylinder head, and fine-grain castings, this reliable 177 cubic-inch unit may have only produced 20 rated horsepower, but its 83 pounds-feet of peak torque was available at just 900 engine revolutions, perfect for hauling heavy loads in 'TT' truck form on the rough roads of the era.
One of the secrets of the Model T's success was its unmatched adaptability to virtually any purpose, with its many capabilities limited only by the owner's imagination and ingenuity. Accordingly, Model Ts were utilized as ambulances, fire trucks, panel trucks, depot hacks, flatbed trucks, and even as farm tractors and snowmobiles fitted with specialized bodywork and a multitude of available accessories. By 1918, Ford offered its own dedicated truck chassis. Listed for just $600, the one-ton 'TT' was equipped with a strengthened frame and rear springs and a worm-drive rear axle. Bodies were either adapted from Ford's passenger-car roadster design, or custom-built by a number of aftermarket suppliers.
Surviving examples of these truly historic vehicles make great classics to enjoy on many levels and they never fail to draw crowds wherever they appear. This 'TT' from 1925 is a family heirloom that was passed down through several generations and restored by a family member in 2000. A highly collectible running and driving example, it is offered without reserve to the highest bidder!
