Jun 30, 2021

1908-1927 Ford Model T

Between its debut in 1908 and its final production in 1927, more than 15 million Model T’s, the runaway best-seller of its time, were manufactured. As the world’s first genuinely mass-produced car, the Model T, more than any other single car, made the automobile affordable and, with its simple mechanics, provided a car for the masses; and it was not only in the U.S. that it exerted such influence.

Indeed, automotive history is not complete without mention of the Model T. The Model T implemented planetary gear transmission, enabling speed control and shifting of gears by operation of the pedal. This was a breakthrough that rivals the modern automatic transmission in importance. It was infinitely easier to handle than the "cone clutch" systems that caused many problems during that period. Until 1909, a two-pedal system was used, with a lever control for forward and reverse. The Model T introduced a three-pedal system; it had two forward gears with the reverse gear being engaged by the middle pedal.