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89-576: He worked closely with his father, as sole heir to the business, but was keen to develop cars more exciting than the Model T ("Tin Lizzie"), in line with his personal tastes. Even as president, he had trouble persuading his father to allow any departure from this formula. Only a change in market conditions enabled him to develop the more fashionable Model A in 1927. Edsel also founded the Mercury division and

178-525: A drag coefficient of 0.45. Weight was 3,350 lb (1,520 kg). The Zephyr was powered by a small 75° V12 engine developed from Ford's Flathead V8 and unrelated to the larger K-series Lincoln V12 engines . The valve-in-block flathead engine was quite compact, allowing a low hood. But like the V8 Fords of the era, the Zephyr V12 often suffered from hot spots due to exhaust passages through

267-568: A band around a drum in the transmission, thus stopping the rear wheels from turning. The previously mentioned parking brake lever operated band brakes acting on the inside of the rear brake drums, which were an integral part of the rear wheel hubs. Optional brakes that acted on the outside of the brake drums were available from aftermarket suppliers. Wheels were wooden artillery wheels , with steel welded-spoke wheels available in 1926 and 1927. Tires were pneumatic clincher type, 30 in (762 mm) in diameter, 3.5 in (89 mm) wide in

356-511: A final batch of six Model Ts as part of their 2003 centenary celebrations. These cars were assembled from remaining new components and other parts produced from the original drawings. The last of the six was used for publicity purposes in the UK. Lincoln-Zephyr The Lincoln-Zephyr is a line of luxury cars that was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford from 1936 until 1942. Bridging

445-614: A glimpse of the residence down the long meadow before revealing the entire house at drive's end. He also designed the gardens for Edsel and Eleanor's summer estate Skylands in Seal Harbor on Mount Desert Island in Maine . Jensen designed work for their other Michigan residence, Haven Hill, between 1922 and 1935. Haven Hill, now within the Highland Recreation Area near White Lake Township in southeastern Michigan,

534-417: A more modern automobile to replace the Model T , but was repeatedly overruled by his father. Dwindling market share finally made the introduction of a new model inevitable: the Model A . During the design of the Model A in 1927, Henry Ford assured mechanical quality and reliability, allowing his son to develop the body, with the help of designer József Galamb . Edsel also prevailed upon his father to allow

623-718: A pulley fastened to the hub for a flat belt to drive a bucksaw , thresher , silo blower, conveyor for filling corn cribs or haylofts, baler , water pump, electrical generator, and many other applications. One unique application of the Model ;T was shown in the October 1922 issue of Fordson Farmer magazine. It showed a minister who had transformed his Model T into a mobile church, complete with small organ. During this era, entire automobiles (including thousands of Model Ts) were hacked apart by their owners and reconfigured into custom machinery permanently dedicated to

712-534: A purpose, such as homemade tractors and ice saws. Dozens of aftermarket companies sold prefab kits to facilitate the T's conversion from car to tractor. The Model T had been around for a decade before the Fordson tractor became available (1917–18), and many Ts were converted for field use. (For example, Harry Ferguson , later famous for his hitches and tractors, worked on Eros Model T tractor conversions before he worked with Fordsons and others.) During

801-514: A rail journey in India on such a railcar. The New Zealand Railways Department 's RM class included a few. The American LaFrance company modified more than 900 Model Ts for use in firefighting, adding tanks, hoses, tools and a bell. Model T fire engines were in service in North America, Europe, and Australia. A 1919 Model T equipped to fight chemical fires has been restored and

890-406: A result, Ford's cars came off the line in three-minute intervals, much faster than previous methods , reducing production time from 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours before to 93 minutes by 1914, while using less manpower. In 1914, Ford produced more cars than all other automakers combined. The Model T was a great commercial success, and by the time Ford made its 10 millionth car, half of all cars in

979-430: A special worm gear rear differential with lower gearing than the normal car and truck, giving more pulling power but a lower top speed (the frame is also stronger; the cab and engine are the same). A Model TT is easily identifiable by the cylindrical housing for the worm-drive over the axle differential. All gears are vanadium steel running in an oil bath. Two main types of band lining material were used: During

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1068-438: Is controlled with three floor-mounted pedals , a revolutionary feature for its time, and a lever mounted to the road side of the driver's seat. The throttle is controlled with a lever on the steering wheel . The left-hand pedal is used to engage the transmission. With the floor lever in either the mid position or fully forward and the pedal pressed and held forward, the car enters low gear. When held in an intermediate position,

1157-419: Is designated as both a Michigan State Historical Landmark and State Natural Preserve. Jensen's landscape elements, with the diversity of tree, plant, and animal life, combine aesthetics, history, and nature. Ford died at Gaukler Point in 1943. His wife Eleanor continued living there until her death in 1976. It was her wish that the property be used for "the benefit of the public." The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House

1246-399: Is engaged with a lever; all units after that use the central pedal, which is used to engage reverse gear when the car is in neutral. The right-hand pedal operates 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 doubles as an emergency brake. Although it was uncommon,

1335-531: Is now open to the public. Located on 87 acres (35.2 ha), the house has an excellent collection of the Fords' original antiques and art, and the historical landscape grounds on the lakefront. The museum currently hosts tours, classes, lectures, and special events. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Ford Model T The Ford Model T is an automobile that

1424-668: Is on display at the North Charleston Fire Museum in South Carolina. The knowledge and skills needed by a factory worker were reduced to 84 areas. When introduced, the T used the building methods typical at the time, assembly by hand, and production was small. The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant could not keep up with demand for the Model T, and only 11 cars were built there during the first full month of production. More and more machines were used to reduce

1513-674: Is remembered as a significant commercial failure. The cars sold moderately well in their first year, but the Edsel division was discontinued soon after the 1960 models were introduced. In September of 1928 the Ford family moved into Gaukler Point, their new home designed by Albert Kahn , on the shores of Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan. The estate's landscape and gardens were designed by landscape architect Jens Jensen with his traditional long view, giving visitors

1602-703: The B-24 was produced. It was said that the stress of this job caused Edsel to become mortally ill. According to Max Wallace in The American Axis: Ford, Lindbergh, and the Rise of the Third Reich , letters between Edsel and Maurice Dollfus , the head of Ford SAF , sent in 1942 indicate that Ford knew and approved of their French subsidiary's manufacturing efforts on behalf of the German military. Edsel

1691-575: The Cork, Ireland plant in December 1927. Model T engines continued to be produced until August 4, 1941. Almost 170,000 were built after car production stopped, as replacement engines were required to service the many existing vehicles. Racers and enthusiasts, forerunners of modern hot rodders, used the Model Ts' blocks to build popular and cheap racing engines, including Cragar, Navarro, and, famously,

1780-569: The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). He was an early collector of African art and his contributions became part of the core of the original DIA African art collection. After his death, his family continued to make significant contributions. He helped finance exploratory expeditions, including the historic flight of Admiral Richard Byrd over the North Pole in 1926. Byrd, in his Antarctic expeditions, also financed by Edsel, named

1869-654: The Detroit University School . His family donated to both institutions. The school library at Hotchkiss is named the Edsel Ford Memorial Library. The younger Ford showed more interest than his father in flashier styling for automobiles . He indulged this proclivity in part with the purchase of the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922. His affinity for sports cars was demonstrated in his personal vehicles: Edsel bought

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1958-707: The Edsel Ford Range of mountains after him. Other Antarctic homages include Ford Massif , Ford Nunataks , and Ford Peak . Interstate 94 in the Detroit Metropolitan Area is named the Edsel Ford Freeway . In September 1957, Ford Motor Company unveiled a new division of cars called Edsel . The Edsel division included the Citation , Corsair , Pacer , Ranger , Bermuda , Villager , and Roundup models. The Edsel division

2047-600: The Frontenacs ("Fronty Fords") of the Chevrolet brothers, among many others. The Model T employed some advanced technology, for example, its use of vanadium steel alloy. Its durability was phenomenal, and some Model Ts and their parts are in running order over a century later. Although Henry Ford resisted some kinds of change, he always championed the advancement of materials engineering , and often mechanical engineering and industrial engineering. In 2002, Ford built

2136-537: The Mercury division. He was responsible for the Lincoln-Zephyr and Continental. He significantly strengthened Ford Motors' overseas production, and modernized the company's cars, such as by introducing hydraulic brakes . As an early and enthusiastic advocate for aviation, Edsel insisted that the Ford company should develop airplanes, over the initial objections of his father, who could not envision commercial applications for planes. After having huge success as

2225-698: The Zephyr , which was quickly renamed the MKZ for 2007. The following were the Zephyr models for 1936 to 1940: When the last Lincoln V-12 (Model K) had been delivered on January 24, 1940, the Lincoln Motor Company was soon to be transformed into Lincoln Division, effective on May 1, 1940, and for 1941 model year the Lincoln-Zephyr was no longer a separate marque. All 1941 models were Lincolns and

2314-619: The Century competition, ahead of the BMC Mini , Citroën DS , and Volkswagen Beetle . 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

2403-631: The Ford Motor Company, and the three sons all worked in the family business. On Edsel's death, his father briefly reassumed the presidency of Ford, then Edsel's son, Henry Ford II , became president of the company on September 21, 1945. Ford was one of the most significant art benefactors in Detroit history. As president of the Detroit Arts Commission, he commissioned the famous Diego Rivera Detroit Industry Murals in

2492-493: The Lincoln-Zephyr actually had a lower coefficient of drag than the Airflow, due in part to the prow -like front grille on the Zephyr, reflecting the popularity of leisure speedboats like Chris-Craft . The Lincoln-Zephyr succeeded in reigniting sales at Lincoln dealerships in the late 1930s, and from 1941 model year, all Lincolns were Zephyr-based and the Lincoln-Zephyr marque was phased out. Annual production for any year model

2581-540: The Lincoln-Zephyr was extremely modern with a low raked windscreen, integrated fenders, and streamlined aerodynamic design, which influenced the name "zephyr", derived from the Greek word zephyrus , or the god of the west wind . It was one of the first successful streamlined cars after the Chrysler Airflow 's market resistance, and the concept car Pierce Silver Arrow , which never went into production. In fact,

2670-405: The Model T's production run, particularly after 1916, more than 30 manufacturers offered auxiliary transmissions or drives to substitute for, or enhance, the Model T's drivetrain gears. Some offered overdrive for greater speed and efficiency, while others offered underdrives for more torque (often incorrectly described as "power") to enable hauling or pulling greater loads. Among the most noted were

2759-418: The Model T ended. The Fordson Model F tractor engine, that was designed about a decade later, was very 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 known (at the time) as "three speed". In today's terms it is considered a two-speed, because one of the three speeds is reverse. The Model T's transmission

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2848-444: The Model T had fuel economy of 13–21 mpg ‑US (16–25 mpg ‑imp ; 18–11 L/100 km). The engine was designed to run on gasoline , although it may also have been able to run on kerosene or ethanol , although the decreasing cost of gasoline and the later introduction of Prohibition made ethanol an impractical fuel for most users. The engines of the first 2,447 units were cooled with water pumps;

2937-429: The Model T lost market share and became barely profitable. Design changes were not as few as the public perceived, but the idea of an unchanging model was kept intact. Eventually, on May 26, 1927, Ford Motor Company ceased US production and began the changeovers required to produce the Model A . Some of the other Model T factories in the world continued for a short while, with the final Model T produced at

3026-494: The Model T more flexible as to the quality or type of fuel it used. The system did not need a starting battery, since proper hand-cranking would generate enough current for starting. Electric lighting powered by the magneto was adopted in 1915, replacing acetylene gas flame lamp and oil lamps, but electric starting was not offered until 1919. The Model T engine was produced for replacement needs as well as stationary and marine applications until 1941, well after production of

3115-746: The Ruckstell two-speed rear axle, and transmissions by Muncie, Warford, and Jumbo. Aftermarket transmissions generally fit one of four categories: Murray Fahnestock, a Ford expert in the era of the Model T, particularly advised the use of auxiliary transmissions for the enclosed Model T's, such as the Ford Sedan and Coupelet, for three reasons: their greater weight put more strain on the drivetrain and engine, which auxiliary transmissions could smooth out; their bodies acted as sounding boards, echoing engine noise and vibration at higher engine speeds, which could be lessened with intermediate gears; and owners of

3204-532: The US Post Office's airmail carrier, Edsel's foresight was rewarded. Because of his vision in this area, the company was able to respond to the critical need for airplanes during WW2. The Ford Motor Company played a key role in the arming of the US " Arsenal of Democracy ". With Edsel leading the company, he set the goal of producing one bomber per hour at Ford's expansive Willow Run manufacturing complex, where

3293-472: The Volkswagen Beetle in 1972. Early automobiles, which were produced from the 1880s , were mostly scarce, expensive, and often unreliable. Being the first reliable, easily maintained, mass-market motorized transportation made the Model T into a great success: Within a few days after release, 15,000 orders were placed. The first production Model T was built on August 12, 1908, and left

3382-400: The Zephyr used a 292-in³ engine. The original engine had 110 hp (82 kW) and gave the car a top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h). Suspension was Henry Ford-era transverse springs front and rear, with dead axle front and torque tube rear, already quite outdated when the car was introduced. Brakes were cable-activated for 1936 to 1938; 1939 and onwards were hydraulic. The Zephyr was

3471-621: The Zephyr-based Lincoln Custom replaced both the large Lincoln K-series cars and the Lincoln-Zephyr Town-Limousine. It also had full instrumentation. The following Lincoln-Zephyr heritage models were sold under the Lincoln name after Lincoln-Zephyr was merged into the Lincoln marque for the 1941 model year: When Lincoln resumed production after World War II the Zephyr name was dropped and

3560-405: The alphabet up through the Model T. Twenty models in all, not all of which went into production. The production model immediately before the Model T was the Model S , an upgraded version of the company's largest success to that point, the Model N . The follow-up to the Model T was another Ford Model A , rather than the "Model U". The company publicity said this was because

3649-576: The assembly line belongs to Ransom E. Olds , with the first mass-produced automobile, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash , having begun in 1901, the tremendous advances in the efficiency of the system over the life of the Model T can be credited almost entirely to Ford and his engineers. The Model T was designed by Childe Harold Wills , and Hungarian immigrants Joseph A. Galamb (main engineer) and Eugene Farkas . Henry Love, C. J. Smith, Gus Degner and Peter E. Martin were also part of

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3738-566: The cancer was unsuccessful due to the metastasis, and he died in 1943 at Gaukler Point, in his lakeside home in Grosse Pointe Shores , at the age of 49 from stomach cancer. All of his nonvoting stock was donated through a codicil in his will to the Ford Foundation , which he had founded with his father seven years earlier. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. Each of Ford's children inherited sizable shares in

3827-416: The car is in neutral. If the left pedal is released, the Model T enters high gear, but only when the lever is fully forward – in any other position, the pedal only moves up as far as the central neutral position. This allows the car to be held in neutral while the driver cranks the engine by hand. The car can thus cruise without the driver having to press any of the pedals. In the first 800 units, reverse

3916-448: The cars in the U.S. were Model Ts. In his autobiography, Ford reported that in 1909 he told his management team, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." However, in the first years of production from 1908 to 1913, the Model T was not available in black, but rather only in gray, green, blue, and red. Green was available for the touring cars, town cars, coupes, and Landaulets . Gray

4005-441: The clutch discs from slipping freely. Power reaches the differential through a single universal joint attached to a torque tube which drives the rear axle ; some models (typically trucks, but available for cars, as well) could be equipped with an optional two-speed rear Ruckstell axle, shifted by a floor-mounted lever which provides an underdrive gear for easier hill climbing. The heavy-duty Model TT truck chassis came with

4094-529: The complexity within the 84 defined areas. In 1910, after assembling nearly 12,000 Model Ts, Henry Ford moved the company to the new Highland Park complex . During this time the Model T production system ( including the supply chain ) transitioned into an iconic example of assembly-line production. In subsequent decades it would also come to be viewed as the classic example of the rigid, first-generation version of assembly line production, as opposed to flexible mass production of higher quality products. As

4183-546: The contemporaneous Lincoln Continental coupe and convertible. An electric clock was standard. This series of vehicles continued to use the 292 in³ (4.8 L) 65° L-head Lincoln V12 engine . The four-door sedan Style 73 with the Custom-spec interior was listed at US$ 2,486 ($ 38,843 in 2023 dollars ). The Zephyr was designed by John Tjaarda (1897–1962), who was fascinated with airplanes, resulting in unibody construction relatively light and rigid for its size and

4272-434: The cylinder block. In addition, the earliest Zephyrs suffered from poor oil pressure, resulting in upgrades to the oil pump. The 1936 to 1939 models were 267 in³ (4.4 L) with hydraulic lifters added in 1938. The 1940 and 1941 cars used an enlarged 292-in³ (4.8-L) engine, while 1942 and early 1946 models used a 306-in³ (5.0-L), but lower compression ratio because of the iron heads. Late 1946 to 1948 Lincolns based on

4361-415: The drive bands could fall out of adjustment, allowing the car to creep, particularly when cold, adding another hazard to attempting to start the car: a person cranking the engine could be forced backward while still holding the crank as the car crept forward, although it was nominally in neutral. As the car utilizes a wet clutch , this condition could also occur in cold weather, when the thickened oil prevents

4450-440: The enclosed cars spent more to buy them, and thus likely had more money to enhance them. He also noted that auxiliary transmissions were valuable for Ford Ton-Trucks in commercial use, allowing for driving speeds to vary with their widely variable loads – particularly when returning empty – possibly saving as much as 50% of returning drive time. Model T suspension employed a transversely mounted semi-elliptical spring for each of

4539-496: The engines of unit 2,448 and onward, with a few exceptions prior to around unit 2,500, were cooled by thermosiphon action . The ignition system used in the Model T was an unusual one, with a low-voltage magneto incorporated in the flywheel, supplying alternating current to trembler coils to drive the spark plugs . This was closer to that used for stationary gas engines than the expensive high-voltage ignition magnetos that were used on some other cars. This ignition also made

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4628-663: The era, the Model T engine was also used on home-built aircraft (such as the Pietenpol Sky Scout ) and motorboats . An armored-car variant (called the " FT-B ") was developed in Poland in 1920 due to the high demand during the Polish-Soviet war in 1920. Many Model Ts were converted into vehicles that could travel across heavy snows with kits on the rear wheels (sometimes with an extra pair of rear-mounted wheels and two sets of continuous track to mount on

4717-628: 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 Ford roll off the assembly line at his factory in Highland Park, Michigan . Henry Ford conceived a series of cars between the founding of the company in 1903 and the introduction of the Model T. Ford named his first car the Model A and proceeded through

4806-489: The first MG motorcar imported to the US. In 1932, he had an aluminum, boat-tailed speedster automobile custom-designed by Ford's first designer, E. T. (Bob) Gregorie and featuring Ford's brand-new V8 , the first low-cost, eight-cylinder engine. This car was sold at an auction during the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2016. After becoming the president of Ford, he advocated for the introduction of

4895-414: The front and rear beam axles, which allowed a great deal of wheel movement to cope with the dirt roads of the time. The front axle was drop forged as a single piece of vanadium steel. Ford twisted many axles through eight full rotations (2880 degrees) and sent them to dealers to be put on display to demonstrate its superiority. The Model T did not have a modern service brake. The right foot pedal applied

4984-468: The full-size luxury cars sold without a proper model name, known just by their body styles - Sedan, Club Coupe, or Convertible Coupe - during the 1946-1948 model years. For identification purposes, they are typically referred to as the H-Series , while the approach of offering a luxuriously equipped vehicle in a smaller size was ceded to the all-new Mercury in 1938. Their appearance was very similar to

5073-614: The gap between the Ford V8 DeLuxe and the Lincoln Model K (in both size and price), it expanded Lincoln to a second model line, competing against the Chrysler Airflow , LaSalle , and the Packard One-Twenty . Following the discontinuation of the Model K after 1940, Lincoln shifted its production exclusively to the Lincoln-Zephyr design. After World War II, the Zephyr name was dropped, lasting through 1948. It

5162-497: The inclusion of four-wheel mechanical brakes and a sliding-gear transmission on this model. The resulting Model A was a commercial success, selling over four million during four years of production. As president, Edsel often disagreed with his father on major decisions and was occasionally humiliated in public by the older man. The relationship between the father and son was close, but fraught with unhealthy aspects. Edsel managed to introduce many lasting changes. He founded and named

5251-449: The individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one – and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God's great open spaces. Although credit for the development of

5340-530: The metal and another as a final finish. Paint choices in the American automotive industry, as well as in others (including locomotives, furniture, bicycles, and the rapidly expanding field of electrical appliances), were shaped by the development of the chemical industry . These included the disruption of dye sources during World War I and the advent, by the mid-1920s, of new nitrocellulose lacquers that were faster-drying and more scratch-resistant and obviated

5429-459: The need for multiple coats. Understanding the choice of paints for the Model T era and the years immediately following requires an understanding of the contemporaneous chemical industry. During the lifetime production of the Model T, over 30 types of black paint were used on various parts of the car. These were formulated to satisfy the different means of applying the paint to the various parts, and had distinct drying times, depending on

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5518-410: The new car was such a departure from the old that Ford wanted to start all over again with the letter A . The Model T was Ford's first automobile mass-produced on moving assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts , marketed to the middle class . Henry Ford said of the vehicle: I will build a motor car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for

5607-576: The next decade, Model T tractor conversion kits were harder to sell, as the Fordson and then the Farmall (1924), as well as other light and affordable tractors, served the farm market. But during the Depression (1930s), Model T tractor conversion kits had a resurgence, because by then used Model Ts and junkyard parts for them were plentiful and cheap. Like many popular car engines of

5696-586: The niece of department store owner J. L. Hudson , on November 1, 1916. Together, they had four children: Henry Ford II (1917–1987), Benson Ford (1919–1978), Josephine Clay Ford (1923–2005), and William Clay Ford (1925–2014). They made their home at 2171 Iroquois Street, in the Indian Village neighborhood of Detroit. Ford went to the Hotchkiss School , in Lakeville, Connecticut , and

5785-474: The now-tandemed rear wheels, essentially making it a half-track ) and skis replacing the front wheels. They were popular for rural mail delivery for a time. The common name for these conversions of cars and small trucks was "snowflyers". These vehicles were extremely popular in the northern reaches of Canada, where factories were set up to produce them. A number of companies built Model T–based railcars. In The Great Railway Bazaar , Paul Theroux mentions

5874-454: The part, paint, and method of drying. Although Ford classified the Model T with a single letter designation throughout its entire life and made no distinction by model years, enough significant changes to the body were made over the production life that the car may be classified into several style generations. The most immediately visible and identifiable changes were in the hood and cowl areas, although many other modifications were made to

5963-419: The pre-Civil War track gauge for many railroads in the former Confederacy . The standard 56-inch track being very near the 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in (143.5 cm) inch standard railroad track gauge, meant that Model Ts could be and frequently were, fitted with flanged wheels and used as motorized railway vehicles or "speeders" . The availability of a 60 in (152 cm) version meant

6052-403: The price to decline from $ 780 in 1910 (equivalent to $ 25,506 in 2023) to $ 290 in 1924 ($ 5,156 in 2023 dollars ). It was mainly designed by three engineers, Joseph A. Galamb (the main engineer), Eugene Farkas , and Childe Harold Wills . The Model T was colloquially known as the " Tin Lizzie ". The Ford Model T was named the most influential car of the 20th century in the 1999 Car of

6141-434: The rear, 3 in (76 mm) in the front. Clinchers needed much higher pressure than today's tires, typically 60 psi (410 kPa), to prevent them from leaving the rim at speed. Flat tires were a common problem. Balloon tires became available in 1925. They were 21 in × 4.5 in (530 mm × 110 mm) all around. Balloon tires were closer in design to today's tires, with steel wires reinforcing

6230-438: The requirements and design of the Model T based on contemporary realities. Consequently, the Model T was (intentionally) almost as much a tractor and portable engine as it was an automobile. It has always been well regarded for its all-terrain abilities and ruggedness. It could travel a rocky, muddy farm lane, cross a shallow stream, climb a steep hill, and be parked on the other side to have one of its wheels removed and

6319-408: The same could be done on the few remaining Southern 5 ft (152 cm) railways – these being the only nonstandard lines remaining, except for a few narrow-gauge lines of various sizes. Although a Model T could be adapted to run on track as narrow as 2 ft (61 cm) gauge (Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington RR, Maine has one), this was a more complex alteration. By 1918, half of all

6408-409: The same outer diameter as 30 in (760 mm) clincher tires. All tires in this time period used an inner tube to hold the pressurized air; tubeless tires were not generally in use until much later. Wheelbase is 100 in (254 cm) and standard track width was 56 in (142 cm) – 60 in (152 cm) track could be obtained on special order, "for Southern roads," identical to

6497-429: The team, as were Galamb's fellow Hungarian immigrants Gyula Hartenberger and Károly Balogh. Production of the Model T began in the third quarter of 1908. Collectors today sometimes classify Model Ts by build years and refer to these as " model years ", thus labeling the first Model Ts as 1909 models. This is a retroactive classification scheme; the concept of model years as understood today did not exist at

6586-485: The term "pavement" as opposed to "sidewalk" comes from that era, when streets and roads were generally dirt and sidewalks were a paved way to walk along them.) Agriculture was the occupation of many people. Power tools were scarce outside factories, as were power sources for them; electrification, like pavement, was found usually only in larger towns. Rural electrification and motorized mechanization were embryonic in some regions and nonexistent in most. Henry Ford oversaw

6675-414: The time for painting, but carbon black pigment was indeed one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) available, and dark color of gilsonite , a form of bitumen making cheap metal paints of the time durable, limited the (final) color options to dark shades of maroon, blue, green or black. At that period Ford used two similar types of the so-called Japan black paint, one as a basic coat applied directly to

6764-416: The time. Even though design revisions occurred during the car's two decades of production, the company gave no particular name to any of the revised designs; all of them were called simply "Model T". The Model T has a front-mounted 177-cubic-inch (2.9 L) inline four-cylinder engine, producing 20 hp (15 kW), for a top speed of 42 mph (68 km/h). According to Ford Motor Company,

6853-409: The tire bead, making lower pressure possible – typically 35 psi (240 kPa) – giving a softer ride. The steering gear ratio was changed from 4:1 to 5:1 with the introduction of balloon tires. The old nomenclature for tire size changed from measuring the outer diameter to measuring the rim diameter so 21 in (530 mm) (rim diameter) × 4.5 in (110 mm) (tire width) wheels has about

6942-437: The vehicle. The styling on the last "generation" was a preview for the following Model A, but the two models are visually quite different, as the body on the A is much wider and has curved doors as opposed to the flat doors on the T. When the Model T was designed and introduced, the infrastructure of the world was quite different from today's. Pavement was a rarity except for sidewalks and a few big-city streets. (The meaning of

7031-431: The world were Fords. It was so successful Ford did not purchase any advertising between 1917 and 1923; instead, the Model T became so famous, people considered it a norm. More than 15 million Model Ts were manufactured in all, reaching a rate of 9,000 to 10,000 cars a day in 1925, or 2 million annually, more than any other model of its day, at a price of just $ 260 ($ 4,517 today). Total Model T production

7120-566: Was also a member of the board of directors of American IG , the American subsidiary of the German chemical conglomerate IG Farben . Edsel Ford was born in November 1893 in Detroit . He was the only child of Clara and Henry Ford, and was named after Edsel Ruddiman, one of Henry Ford's closest childhood friends. He was groomed to take over the family automobile business, and grew up tinkering on cars with his father. He became secretary of Ford in 1915, and married Eleanor Lowthian Clay (1896–1976),

7209-675: Was also present at a celebratory dinner at the Manhattan Waldorf Astoria organized by Gerhard Alois Westrick after the Fall of France . Other attendees included Sosthenes Behn of ITT , Torkild Rieber of Texaco , James D. Mooney of General Motors , and Philip Dakin Wagoner of the Underwood Typewriter Company . Ford developed metastatic stomach cancer and undulant fever . Surgery for

7298-468: Was available for the town cars only and red only for the touring cars. By 1912, all cars were being painted midnight blue with black fenders. Only in 1914 was the "any color so long as it is black" policy finally implemented. It is often stated Ford suggested the use of black from 1914 to 1925 due to the low cost, durability, and faster drying time of black paint in that era. There is no evidence that black dried any faster than any other dark varnishes used at

7387-637: Was finally surpassed by the Volkswagen Beetle on February 17, 1972, while the Ford F-Series (itself directly descended from the Model T roadster pickup) has surpassed the Model T as Ford's all-time best-selling model. Henry Ford's ideological approach to Model T design was one of getting it right and then keeping it the same; he believed the Model T was all the car a person would, or could, ever need. As other companies offered comfort and styling advantages, at competitive prices,

7476-486: Was listed at US$ 1,275 ($ 27,995 in 2023 dollars ) and the four door sedan was listed at US$ 1,320 ($ 28,983 in 2023 dollars ) Production of all American cars was halted by the Government in 1942 as the country entered World War II , with Lincoln producing the last Lincoln Zephyr on February 10. After the war, most makers restarted production of their prewar lines, and Lincoln was no exception. The Zephyr name, however,

7565-419: Was no longer used after 1942, with the cars simply called Lincolns. The idea of a smaller and more modern luxury car to fill the gap in Lincoln's traditional lineup was revisited in the 1950 Lincoln Lido (The Lido was the same size as other two-door Lincolns, though ), 1977 Lincoln Versailles , 1982 Continental , and 2000 Lincoln LS . The Zephyr name was resurrected in 2006 for the car's spiritual successor,

7654-417: Was not large, but accounted for a large portion of the Lincoln brand's sales. In its first year, 15,000 were sold, accounting for 80% of Lincoln's total sales. The Zephyr was offered as a sedan with either two or four doors, and was manufactured in right hand drive for export, and the only options listed were an electric clock, leather upholstery and a matched luggage set from Louis Vuitton . The two door sedan

7743-471: 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

7832-497: Was responsible for the Lincoln-Zephyr and Lincoln Continental . He introduced important features, such as hydraulic brakes, and greatly strengthened the company's overseas production. Ford was a major art benefactor in Detroit and also financed Admiral Richard Byrd 's polar explorations. He died of stomach cancer aged 49. Henry Ford temporarily reassumed the presidency of Ford on Edsel's death, then Edsel's eldest son, Henry Ford II , succeeded Henry as president of Ford in 1945. He

7921-492: Was the basis of the first Lincoln Continental , Lincoln's longest-running nameplate. The model line was powered by a V12 engine , in contrast to its competitors' V8 and inline-8 engines. The Lincoln-Zephyr was conceived by Edsel Ford and designed by Eugene Turenne Gregorie. It was assembled at the Lincoln Motor Company Plant in Detroit, Michigan . Introduced on November 2, 1935, as a 1936 model,

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