Dear Readers,
According to Wikipedia, “The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie, T-Model Ford or T) is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford’s Ford Motor Co. from 1908 to 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that opened travel to the common middle-class American. The first production Model T was produced on August 12, 1908. The Model T was the first automobile mass produced on assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts, marketed to the middle class.”
The Model T had three foot pedals to operate. The left pedal engaged the gear; the middle pedal was for engaging the reverse gear and the right pedal operated the engine brake. The floor lever controlled the parking brake, which was activated by pulling the lever all the way back. This doubled as an emergency brake. The selling price of this car in 1909 was $850 or $20,513 in today’s money. By the 1920’s the cost was lowered to $290 or $3,258 in today’s money.
My Mom told us a family story about the Model T Ford. In the 1920’s, when Mom was a kid, her aunt and uncle purchased a brand new Model T. Needless to say, they were the envy of her family and their entire neighborhood.
One afternoon Aunt Mat (her real name was Martha) decided she wanted to take her kids out for a spin, while her husband was at work. Aunt Mat didn’t know how to drive but thought that it couldn’t be that hard to do. She bundled up Mom’s cousins and seated them in the shiny new car. They lived just up the street from Mom. Aunt Mat managed to get the car started and proceeded to drive down the street past Mom’s house. Mom and her brothers were out in the front yard playing when they saw and waved to Aunt Mat and their cousins in the passing automobile. A few minutes later Aunt Mat came around the block and again they waved at the car. After about 5 times of seeing Aunt Mat circling the block, they called out to her to stop and say hello. She yelled back that she didn’t know how to stop the car, so she continued circling the block until the Model T Ford ran out of gas and coasted to a stop.
Every time Mom told this family tale of Aunt Mat and the Model T, my sisters and I laughed and laughed. But I’m sure Aunt Mat wasn’t laughing at all on that eventful afternoon. At least we’ll always remember Aunt Mat with a big smile on our faces.
Keep smilin’!
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