Category: Documenting Model T History

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The 1911 Model T Ford – Part 1 the New Runabouts

Ford planned and implemented extensive changes for the 1911 model year. The cars of 1909- 1910 were relatively unchanged during their run, and with good reason. Ford had an extraordinary success on its hands. Any changes that were made in those early years were to fix design flaws or to streamline assembly and production. The first of the new “1911” Fords to be released to the public were the new Torpedo Runabout body style introduced on October 5, 1910. The new Torpedo Runabout had a steel paneled body and curved fenders front and rear. Both of these features were unheard of in previous Model T production. The hood was lengthened, and the steering column, longer to compensate for the lengthened hood, was placed at a lower angle to give a more “racy” appearance. A sporty Model T Ford was being built.

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Repairing the T932B Steering Bracket – How to Replace Bushings

Our 1917 torpedo has developed a bad habit. It likes to shimmy, especially while slowing to a stop for a stop sign. Once it is above 10 MPH, no problem, but every time we slow down it happens, the dreaded death wobble. It begins about 10 MPH, the steering wheel flopping back and forth slowly and gets worse as you slow down. This happened only occasionally until the recent 2017 Texas T Party, where it began to do it nearly every time we slowed down. Not good!

One night at the YO Ranch Hotel a friend helped us inspect the steering components to look for looseness caused by wear. While Tim rocked the steering wheel left to right without moving the front wheels, I was under the car looking to see what moved.  The only place that was moving was the bottom of the steering column where it goes through the frame bracket. Apparently the bushings in the steering bracket are completely worn out. We finished the tour carefully, slowing down well before stop signs, and never close to another car.

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The 1926 – 1927 Improved Fords Part 3

One of the most photographed Model T Fords of all time is this 1927 touring, serial number 15,000,000. The car is on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan. Henry Ford’s design concept, from its introduction in the fall of 1908 as a 1909 model to the final day of production in 1927 was responsible for making the entire world a better place. Whole industries revolved around the Model T Ford. Businesses such as The Pep Boys in Philadelphia, Chicago’s own JC Whitney company, Western Auto stores of Kansas City, Kansas, KR Wilson of Buffalo, New York and many others were started and indeed were thriving on the Model T Ford by 1927.

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The 1926 – 1927 Improved Model T Fords Part 1

tudor_ford_model-t_1926 channel green

A new 1926 touring poses behind the Highland Park plant showing its new straw colored wire wheels, optional bumpers, wind wings and top boot. Notice the headlamps are individually mounted without a headlight bar. The headlight bar would be added early in the model year to stiffen up the headlights and fenders.

Henry had made a lady out of Lizzy. The new “Improved Fords” for 1926 introduced a series of improvements that made the Model T more stylish, sturdier, and more reliable. Meanwhile the accounting department sharpened their pencils and kept the Model T the most affordable four cylinder cars in the world.

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