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 an astounding 19-year production run, Henry Ford and his Model T not only revolutionized automobile production, it fundamentally changed daily life for millions of Americans and the entire world. Henry Ford did not invent mass production, but he did pioneer the moving assembly line, in 1913. The famous body drop at his Highland Park plant was the first implementation of the technique as we know it. By the early months of 1914, production time of the Model T had been cut by a factor of eight. The speed of this operation caused other problems. The drying time of paints became a critical parameter in the production equation and led to exclusive use of black lacquer, the only shade that would dry quickly enough. For a time, brass brightwork was retained, but by 1917 nearly all forms of ornamentation had disappeared, not to reappear until the Model T's twilight years.
New bodies were introduced in August 1922. Lower than the earlier cars, their radiators were taller. Coupes had their luggage compartments integrated into the body, while roadsters retained a separate unit that could be removed for commercial use if desired. Open cars had a new "one-man" top and a windshield raked back at an angle. Originally priced from $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 a car for the masses with over 15 million examples ultimately produced in all.
While simple at first glance, the Model T was in truth quite sophisticated. Its startling durability was the direct result of Ford's early decision to utilize lightweight, yet strong vanadium alloy steel for many components. The Model T's four-cylinder engine was even more impressive. With its 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, providing ample power for the rudimentary roads of the era.
One of the keys to the Model T's success was its uncanny ability to be adapted to virtually any purpose, with the vehicle's many capabilities seemingly 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 farm tractors and snowmobiles when fitted with specialized bodywork and a veritable multitude of accessories and equipment.
Offered in good mechanical condition, this 1923 Ford Model T Touring is reported by the Consignor to run and drive well. Carrying a wonderfully simple and unpretentious open Touring body, it is a fun car to drive around the neighborhood with family and friends. Highly collectible and enjoyable, it is an essential part of any classic car collection.
