1917 Ford Model T

1917 Ford Model T for sale in our Detroit showroom. This Model T for sale has a rebuilt body, Rocky Mountain brakes, high speed rear end, kevlar transmission bands, Jack Rabbit clutch, water pump, interior oil pump plus factory original exterior oil pump, coil box reworked, front end rebuilt, reupholstered interior, 8 volt ignition system, radiator repaired, respoked front wheels, and pedal extensions. This Ford Model T coupe is painted in black with a correct black pleated leather interior. It is fitted with the desirable \'Rocky Mountain\' brake system. It is powered by a four-cylinder engine that displaces 176 cubic-inches and produces 20 horsepower. There is a two-speed manual transmission, two-speed rear end assembly, and a wheelbase that measures 100 inches. The suspension is made of leaf springs and braking is by a contracting band transmission with rear-wheel internal expanding brakes.There were few changes for 1917 including the movement of the steering wheel from the right hand side of the car to the left. Also, Ford replaced the brass trim on the steering gearbox, the hubcaps and the radiator filler neck with nickel-plated components. This change, considering the increasing volume of Model T\'s produced, greatly increased Ford\'s margin of profit. The Ford Model T has an extensive history in the automotive market lasting for nearly 20 years. It is often called the \'Tin Lizzie\' and the \'Flivver\' and is credited with \'putting America on wheels.\' During the early 1900\'s, the automobile was very new and the market place was adjusting to having these horseless carriages carry its passengers rather than bicycles or horses. Steam, electricity, and gasoline were the three means of powering the vehicles. Up until about 1915, no one really knew which would be the favorable power-source. The main benefit of the gasoline engine was that it had the most potential and an ever increasing amount of power. It was said that how a vehicle finished on the race track often determined the success of sales. With gasoline engines winning most of the races, the other sources of power were eventually doomed. Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, produced a vehicle that was affordable, but more importantly, mass produced. By using an assembly line to construct parts, rather than the traditional hand assembly, the process was streamlined. Using an assembly line process was not new, it had been done before in the meat packing industry. William C. Klan had visited a slaughterhouse in Chicago. Upon returning from his visit, he proposed the idea to Peter Martin. A team was assembled and perfected through trial and error. The assembly line did not begin operation on the Model T until 1914. The assembly line process streamlined the production greatly, now averaging just over 90 minutes to assemble a car. During 1914, there were more Ford\'s produced than all other manufacturers combined. At that point \'you get it in any color you wanted so long as it was black\'. Henry Ford favored the black color because it dried the fastest. During the years 1917 through 1923, Ford did not do any advertising, with 9 out of 10 cars being Fords, none was necessary. The first Model T was produced on September 27th, 1908 at the Piquette Plant in Detoit, Michigan. There are two classes of the Model T, those that were produced before 1919 and after 1919. The pre-1919 Model T\'s are known as veteran cars while the later models are called vintage cars. Even though the name Model T was used for almost twenty years, it was much improved both visually and mechanically over the years. At all times, the vehicle could be had in a wide variety of bodystyles. The open touring cars and roadsters were cheaper to produced and thus, produced in greater numbers. The Volkswagen \'Beetle\' is the only car model to outsell the Model T Ford. The 20 horsepower engine was capable of carrying the vehicle to a top speed of around 45 mph. There were three main bearings and side valves. A ten gallon fuel tank could be found beneath the front seat, mounted to the frame. The engine started by a hand crank located at the front of the vehicle. The crank was very difficult to operate and has been the cause of many broken arms.A \'three speed\' planetary gear type transmission was used. This had been used in the Model K but was not suited to such a large vehicle. As a result it suffered from frequent breakdowns, but worked fine in the Model T. The 3-speed unit was actually two-speeds forward plus one reverse. With no clutch pedal, shifting was handled by floor pedals that did not require a clutch. Also located on the floor was a third pedal which operated the reverse gear. The throttle was controlled by a lever on the steering column. Neutral was located by the parking brake lever. The other foot pedal applied a band around a drum in the transmission. The parking brake lever operated the band brakes on the outside of the rear brake drums. When the hand lever was pulled back, the brake was engaged and the drive gears were disengaged.Wooden \'artillery wheels\' were standard until 1926 when they were replaced with steel wire wheels. The suspension was a transversely mounted semi-elliptical spring for both the front and rear axle. Brass was used throughout the earlier vehicles for items such as horns, radiators, and headlights. Headlights were acetylene lamps but later switched to electric lights.Many of Ford\'s competitors had switched to the same principles that had made the Model T success: a cheap and reliable vehicle built on an assembly line produced in mass quantities. Other manufactures started attracting new buyers by offering amenities, extras, or larger engines. Popular options included windshield wipers, anti-theft locks, and light dimmers. Chevrolet vehicles had three forward gears while the Model T still used only two. Also, since the Model T\'s were so durable, they were still in functioning order.The Model T mobilized a nation, not only the United States, but many other countries. With dealerships and factories setup throughout the world, the Model T was mass produced and easily available to many buyers. Often, the factories were established in other countries to get around an import tax, thus keeping the cost low. The innovative Model T served its purpose. It was inexpensive and reliable, many lasting even to this day. Located in our Detroit Showroom, this 1917 Ford Model T for sale can be seen at www.gatewayclassiccars.com, or call 313-982-3100 for additional information.