1913 Ford Model T Touring

After Henry Ford developed earlier Models R and S, he decided to design a new car. In a secluded room in the Ford factory, Ford and his engineers designed the Model T. He made sure the new car was easy to drive, simple to maintain, rugged enough to traverse rough roads, and inexpensive for most families to afford.

Once the public got a taste of the Model T, they used them for just about everything – for work and for pleasure. Farmers converted their Model Ts into tractors or used them to power other machinery. Doctors chose a dependable Model T for house calls. Some modified their Model Ts into campers to enjoy the great outdoors.

The Model T originally came in several colors including red, green, blue, and gray. By 1914, demand was so high that Ford decided to offer it only in one color since the black soy-based paint dried the fastest. This improved efficiency and got cars on the way to customers fast.

More from our automobile collection:

In our current exhibit, From Carriage to Classic: How Automobiles Transformed America, we present the origin story of the American automobile through 23 cars from Heritage’s permanent collection of antique and classic automobiles. Come along for a ride from the late 1800s to the 1960s and watch the car evolve from a horseless carriage to a streamlined symbol of freedom and independence.