Vintage Racing Services

1927 Ford Model T Coupe

The car that put the world on wheels.

History

Henry Ford didn’t invent the mass production assembly line, but he perfected it for building automobiles. More than 15 million Ford Model Ts were built from 1909 to 1927 and made the automobile affordable for the workingman, including those who built the ‘T’. By 1918, half of all cars in America were Model Ts and the Model T has been called the most influential automobile of the 20th Century.

It has also been said that little other than the price changed in 19 years of production. Starting at $850 (equivalent of $20,000 today), the price of a new Ford Model T dropped with ever-increasing production efficiency to a low of $260 in 1925. Ford’s Model T was simultaneously built in the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Japan.

The Model T was designed to be simple to build and simple to maintain and remains a fascinating device today. The 4-cylinder engine produced a modest 20hp from 2.9 liters, on gasoline, kerosene or ethanol. The engine was cast in one block; common today but a cost saving innovation in the day. The engine was also the first in the world to feature a detachable head, making it easier to service the valves.

The Model T’s planetary transmission was controlled with three foot pedals—none for a clutch–and a lever mounted beside the driver’s seat. The right pedal released the engine brake starting the car in low gear, while lifting the driver’s foot off of the left pedal allowed the transmission to slip into high gear. The center pedal engaged reverse. The throttle was mounted in the center of the steering wheel.

But it was the usefulness of the Model T that led to its mythical status worldwide. In addition to transporting passengers and goods to market over the worst of roads, Model T’s were adapted to an almost unlimited range of tasks—from PTOs to drive farm equipment and logging saws to operating on railroad tracks.

Special Provenance

The Model T offered is an excellent restored example of the final year of production. The 2-door coupe body style was offered from 1909-1912 and again from 1917-1927. While it is frequently said that Henry Ford said the Model T was available “in any color as long as it was black”, this is not true. A range of exterior colors were offered from 1909-1916 and returned in the final production years of 1926-1927 hoping to stretch the fading T’s popularity a bit longer.

This Model T is finished in Red Carmine, with gray cloth interior.

Specifications

Chassis: 13970848-03
Engine: 2.3-liter, 4-cyl.
Engine Number: n/a
Transmission: 3-speed planetary
Brakes: transmission band
Color: red carmine/gray

Market Intelligence

Number built: (1927)