The Model T hits its 100th birthday

To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the car, enthusiasts and Model T owners gathered in Richmond, Ind., near the headquarters of the organizers, the Model T Ford Club of America.

“We had 978 Model Ts that participated, coming from 47 different states and nine different countries,” said Marisa Bradley of Ford Motor Co., of the event. “A couple shipped their Model T’s from Australia to California then drove from California to the event.”

More than 15 million Model T’s were produced between 1908 to 1927. The first cars cost about $850 but the price was reduced to $290 thanks in large part to Ford’s fast-moving production line.

Erwin Mack of Takoma Park knows a thing or two about this historic vehicle. Owning four in total, Mack became a collector back in the ’80s after looking for innovative ways to jump-start his business.

“I wanted something for commercial purposes and I wanted to do advertising for my store. I wanted an antique car, but I was not familiar with Model Ts,” said Mack, who’s been involved with the Model T organization for 24 years. “I went to Hershey, Pennsylvania, which every October has the world’s largest automotive flea market. I was looking for a vehicle to justify as a business expense and found a Depot Hack. I bought it and used it as a float for several years.”

Soon after the Model T celebration, Mack was still on a “Model T high,” enthusiastically discussing tidbits about the car.

For example, those who remember that famous line uttered by Ford “any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black,” should know that phrase was only partially true.

“It was only in 1914 that production reached such a stage in numbers that the pastels or loud colors wouldn’t dry fast enough to keep up with production. They discovered that Japan black, which is an actual color, was the only color that could keep up with production. From 1914 through 1925, that’s where that phrase came from,” he said.

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