Fame came to Henry Ford (1863-1947) thanks to the nondescript model "T" car, jokingly nicknamed in America the machine of losers. For 19 years, this model was produced in almost unchanged form, and more such cars drove on the roads of the world than all others.
Why was the Model T called the Losers' Machine? According to Americans, a successful person makes thousands or millions of dollars. He won't buy a Model T, he will buy a Cadillac or a Packard. All the rest are “losers”. But it was on them that Ford was counting. After all, there are much more of them than millionaires.
Young Ford's activities as an inventor-designer receded into the background in 1899, when he founded Detroit car company... To develop cheap mass machine, the introduction of continuous production was inspired not so much by creative ideas as by business.
Ford set a low price (up to $ 1000) for the Model T, but produced tens of thousands, then millions of cars a year, becoming one of the richest people in the world. Ford's plan was to divide the work of making a car into many operations, entrust each operation to one or two workers, free them from shipping from the warehouse, sorting and fitting parts. Manufactured parts and assembled mechanisms must move past workers on chains, belts, roller conveyors. This is how the conveyor appeared.
Now he is known to everyone. If you release many of the same, standard cars, then you can use the most complex expensive machines and other production equipment that will replace manual labor. Equipment costs are gradually spread over the thousands of machines produced. With the individual manufacture of each car, as was done by all factories of the early XX century, mechanization is not justified, it places a heavy burden on the selling price of the car. However, any technical improvement, invention, discovery can be turned into harm to man. It is enough to start the conveyor a little faster - almost imperceptibly for the worker in order to extract the necessary profit. And after a while - even a little faster ... And the result is a "scientific system of squeezing out sweat", subjected to sharp criticism by V. I. Lenin.
Ford model "T" device
Model "T" had everything necessary, according to the concepts of its time, for safe movement, was free from excesses. The simplicity of the device plus durable materials provided the machine with a weight of 550 kg, that is, 3-5 times less than that of large machines. A 20-horsepower engine was enough to reach speeds of up to 70 km / h on a Ford.
Car mass production could no longer be specially adapted to individual needs, it had to become universal. "Ford-T" in the number of seats (five) approached big cars, and for the simplicity of design and decoration - to "vaturettes".
The simplicity of its design begins with the engine, four cylinders of which are cast in one block (instead of separate or twin cylinders). Fuel is supplied to the engine by gravity from a tank mounted under the seat; no need to pressurize the tank with a hand pump or exhaust gases. There are only two gears in the box, which is enough for a light car. Instead of four longitudinal springs, there are two transverse ones. The car does not have a battery, the headlights are powered by the magneto ignition system.
Buying a Ford-T, the future owners did not think that they would have to pay later for its cheapness and simplicity. On steep climbs, the tank was lower than the engine, and no fuel flowed to the carburetor. In this regard, they say that a farmer told the seller that he would buy a car if it was able to overcome the rise to his house. The seller was not embarrassed. During the demonstration, he famously drove into an alley in the middle of the ascent, turned the wheels abruptly, backed the rest of the way and said to the buyer: "You see, this hill is nothing but nothing for your future car, it even takes it in reverse!" To refuel the tank, the passenger had to free the seat. The headlights shone dimly and blinked if the engine was running at low revs. Therefore, in the dark, drivers deliberately increased their revs, moving on low gear... When starting the car in cold weather, the frozen oil blocked the gearbox, the engine was connected directly to the rear wheels (the clutch was in the gearbox). Turning the crank, the driver turned not only the engine shaft, but also ... the wheels. They began to roll, and you had to dodge the car, jump on the move on the seat in order to quickly press the gas pedal, otherwise the engine would stall. Some drivers, before starting the car, lifted the rear wheel with a jack, which was removed after heating the oil. In a cold engine, all cylinders did not immediately begin to work, and it worked in jerks, shaking the car.
However, in warm weather during the day, the car worked confidently, which was quite satisfactory for the then motorists. They also put up with the need for frequent maintenance of mechanisms; there was even a special interest in this, especially since a set of tools useful in any household was attached to the car. They put up with the fact that almost all Fords were painted black. (Ford jokingly said: “You can buy a car of any color from us, provided that this color is black.”) In general, Ford pleased the then “average American”.
Although the cartoonists loved to mock Model T's modest appearance, she was beautiful in her own way. Its beauty lies in simplicity. It seems that you cannot subtract or add anything. But the moment came when motorists saw wretchedness in the simplicity of Ford. What seemed simple now seemed to be insufficiently strict, angular. Yet the example of "Ford" shows that it is simple form the car is able to "live" for a relatively long time.
Conveyor car production
The conveyor method of production and the reliability of cars could, however, become a reality only after the cooperation of enterprises (or the creation of such a giant complex of factories as Ford's), the achievement of precision processing, the interchangeability of parts, the use of new materials in the design of the car.
Three complex elements were combined in the car - the crew, the engine and the transmission. The carriage factories, which have now become automobile plants, did not do everything themselves, but bought springs, seat cushions, and forgings on the side. Special factories arose car engines, power and ignition devices. The internal structure of enterprises and their external relations became more complicated.
Since cars were often serviced and repaired in conditions when there were no mechanical workshops nearby, it was necessary to replace damaged parts with others that could be easily purchased. At first, it did not even occur to car builders that a complex car could be made in any other way than by individual production and fitting of parts. Can you compare a car with a rifle bolt, which was already made from interchangeable parts? And the skill of car builders has not yet been compared with the qualifications of gunsmiths.
In 1907, Henry Leland (1843-1932), an American designer and technologist, head of Cadillac, built three cars from carefully crafted parts. To demonstrate the interchangeability of their parts, the machines were disassembled and turned into a pile of metal objects. In front of hundreds of spectators (it was at the stadium), mechanics, choosing at random parts from a pile, again assembled three cars. Then, on these machines, an 800-kilometer run was completed without a single breakdown, which was a great achievement for that time.
The high precision in the manufacture of parts and assembly of the engine has led, for example, to the fact that its power has doubled. Another step was taken towards mass production of cars.
The next step - the use of strong and light steel alloys - prompted the designers of racing cars. Based on their experience, high-strength steels were created, in particular vanadium, which was widely used in the construction of Ford-T. Automotive manufacturers required metallurgists to create metals and alloys with constant chemical and mechanical properties, stainless steel, calibrated smooth-drawn sheet. There appeared powerful mills for rolling this sheet, presses for molding body panels from it, the most precise machines for cutting noiseless gears.
Development of the automotive industry
The automotive industry began to consume a good half of the steel and cast iron produced, three quarters of rubber and leather, a third of nickel and aluminum, and a seventh of wood and copper. The automotive industry came out on top in terms of production volume among other branches of mechanical engineering, and began to have a serious impact on the economic life of states. By the beginning of the First World War, the car park on the globe amounted to about 2 million. Of these, 1.3 million were in the United States, 245 thousand in England, 100 thousand in France, 57 thousand in Austria-Hungary, 12 thousand - to Italy, 10 thousand - to the Russian Empire.
With all the variety of bodies and assemblies, the technical characteristics of the majority of "veterans" fit into the classic scheme with a "double-phaeton" body, a stamped frame (instead of the old oak, forged steel) and, as a rule, a four-cylinder engine. The options are now reduced only to battery ignition or from magneto: to the location of the gearbox separately (less and less) or in a block with an engine; to the transmission of power to the wheels by a chain (also rare) or by a propeller shaft; suspension of rigid axles on four longitudinal (except for "Ford-T") semi-elliptical springs, sometimes with an additional rear transverse spring; to band or shoe brakes on the rear wheels; to the presence or absence of shock absorbers, electric lighting and a folding awning.
Technical and operational indicators reached the following values \u200b\u200bon average: average number of places - 4 (instead of 3.5 at the very beginning of the century); specific power - 19.5 liters. s / t (instead of 9 l. s / t); maximum speed - 80 km / h (instead of 50 km / h); acceleration time from standstill to speed - 60 km / h about 15 s (instead of 30-40 s); fuel consumption has decreased by only 5-10%. The calculated efficiency indicator has increased 1.5 times. As if very modest. But we must take into account that the main goals of development in this period were dynamics and comfort, and they were achieved not only due to the improvement of the engine, but also as a result of the weighting of the car by almost 1.5 times. They may argue: the number of seats has also been increased! Yes, but still the weight of the car per passenger increased by 30%. Ultimately, the value of the overall estimated indicator (remember: at the very beginning of the century, it barely exceeded one) doubled.
This year marks 110 years since the appearance of the car, which played a crucial role in the development of not only the auto industry, but also civilization as a whole. We are talking about the famous Tin Lizzie - Ford Model T. Henry Ford flooded America with millions of inexpensive cars, putting the nation on wheels. Then the rest of the world got up on wheels.
Much has been written about Tin Lizzie. No gangster film about the times of Prohibition can be imagined without participation in the Model T extras. But we are more interested not in the "assembly line" era when Ford churned Model T like black buttons, but in the authentic, good old Tin Lizzie of 1908, assembled by hard workers - by immigrants from the Pickett plant, a masterpiece of the Bronze Age of the automotive industry, from the invention of the automobile to the First World War. It is called bronze because it was bronze in those years that was the main material used for the manufacture of spare parts and decorative elements.
A light two-seater body with a convertible cloth top and a cargo platform. Color options: green, black, black enamel, leafy ornament.
In the early winter of 1906, mysterious events were taking place at the Ford Motor Company's Pickett plant in Dearborn. On the third floor, Henry Ford ordered that the premises be fenced off for a new workshop. Only a few people received admission - Ford himself, vice president of the company John Cousins, the best plant engineer Child Harold Wills, Hungarian immigrants Jossef Galamb and Egen Farkas, engineers Love, Smith, Degner and Martin. Several engines and frames from the then Ford Model N, samples of steel sheets and bronze billets, a smelting furnace and metalworking machines were brought into the workshop. Work continued outside the workshop until late in the evening.
The Model N, the company's fifth model, has become a real bestseller. She was cheap and reliable, strong and unpretentious. For 1906, Ford managed to sell 2,194 copies - an unthinkable success by the standards of the early twentieth century.
In America at that time, cars were not assembled only by the lazy. 485 American companies offered their products to consumers. The production technology was simple. Companies bought motors, transmissions, controls, and wheels from outside. Then the whole thing was put on a riveted steel frame. From above there was a semblance of a saloon with a cloth top or, in rare cases, with a metal roof. There were not many more buyers than the companies themselves. The average price of a car in the 1900s was $ 1000 - fantastic money for the time. Henry Ford understood already then that it was possible to win against competitors only if prices were reduced. But the shareholders of the company had a different opinion: why give up the profit that goes into their own hands? Fortunately, one of the main shareholders, timber merchant and race car driver Malcolmson, went bankrupt and was forced to sell his share to Ford. Ford got the decisive vote and, without delay, changed the company's pricing policy.
Closed panel carriage with folding windscreen. There is only one color option: green enamel with decorative elements of black enamel.
Fatal accident
The main type of car advertising in those days was racing. At first, Ford himself did not disdain to personally drive his cars. In 1901, Henry won a race at Gross Point in his 999 against a car designed by renowned racer Alexander Vinton. It was then that he met people who later provided him with money to create the Ford Motor Company. During one of these races in Florida in 1906, Henry Ford witnessed a French car crash. The car overturned several times, but practically did not suffer. Surprised Ford examined the car carefully and realized that the steel from which it was made was lighter and tougher than usual. He managed to grab a piece of steel with him. This fact can be considered a classic case of industrial espionage. At Dearborn, he showed the steel to his specialists. It turned out that it owes its rigidity, twice as high as the best American steels, to the addition of vanadium. No one in Pittsburgh, America's steel capital, had any idea how to make it. Ford managed to invite a metallurgist from Europe to America, who revealed the cooking technology to him. All this took place in conditions of increased secrecy: only two or three people from Ford's inner circle knew about what was happening.
Light express train with a cabin from a carriage and a cargo platform. There is only one color option: green enamel with decorative elements of black enamel.
The idea was simple - Henry Ford was not at all a supporter of difficult decisions. Steel unseen in America and the refinement of the Model N's successful design could lead to a car that has no competition. This is what the company's engineers were doing in the secret workshop of the Pickett plant. The large number of cars sold allowed them to accumulate extensive information about the weakest points of the Model N and purposefully engage in their refinement. Hungarian engineers Galamb and Farkas, together with Ford's loyal friend Wills, managed to thoroughly shake up the Model N design in a year, simplify and lighten the main components of the car. In September 1907, two prototypes of the future Model T were built. They were so successful that soon after the start of testing, Ford ordered the start of re-equipment of the Pickett plant for the new model. By the fall of 1908, the Model N and its expensive modifications, the Model R and S, were discontinued, and the $ 2,500 luxury Model K was rebuilt elsewhere. And on September 27 at the Pickett plant, the first ever copy of the Ford Model T 1909 was assembled. model year... Henry Ford introduced the concept of “model year” with the advent of Tin Lizzie. All cars that were produced after August 31 of the current year were officially considered models of the next year. This practice was soon adopted by all car manufacturers. This is exactly how automobile "chronology" happens these days.
Light express with a cabin from a carriage and a cargo platform with a folding fabric awning. Green enamel with black enamel decorative elements.
What's in a name
Experts say that if this car had not been created by Ford, but by someone else, then time would have erased any memories of it long ago. However, to make a Model T, you have to be born Henry Ford. Why Tin Lizzie? On this score, the historians of the auto industry do not give a clear answer. But there are two main versions. Americans often prefer nicknames to real names. At the beginning of the last century, the villagers usually called their workhorses by the female name Lizzie. Well, the word "tin" does not need additional interpretation. An iron horse, in general. The second version explains everything a little differently. Lizzie - as the Irish called stubborn and wayward beauties. And although it's hard to call Model T the beauty, if you like her, then this explanation will do. Very often the Americans called the Model T "Flivver", and in total this legendary car had about twenty different nicknames. But in history she remained Tin Lizzie.
Lived: 1863-1947. Profession: Inventor (author of 161 US patents), businessman, industrialist, founder of Ford. “Who really works does not need titles. His work is an honor enough for him. "
Practical Ford, in principle, did not create anything new. What for? After all, the main components of market success were well known to him - a solid reliable frame and transmission made of vanadium steel, a proven 2.9-liter engine and affordable price... The rest is little things. The more buyers can scrape together money for a car that doesn't break, the better. Cars, according to Ford, were supposed to be something like a hamburger. Cheap and satisfying, even if gastritis is provided later. When automotive historians write about the Model T, they extol its reliability in every way. You can't argue with that. The car was simply unkillable. At the same time, not a word is said about the complete lack of comfort, poor design and inconvenient control system. Tin Lizzie made the famous 50 list worst cars Time Magazine. Paradox? Let's figure it out.
Ford Motor Company was less than a year old when Henry Ford decided to build his own plant in Dearborn, Michigan. The three-story factory building had an elongated shape, typical of industrial architecture, and a large area of \u200b\u200bglass. On April 1, 1904, the company's shareholders approved the purchase of a 3.11 acre land plot on Pickett Avenue for $ 23,500. Ford himself and John Dodge, who had a stake in the company, were appointed project leaders for preparing the terms of reference. The company of brothers John and Horace Dodge was engaged in the construction of gasoline engines and supplied them to Ford for a long time. Subsequently, the brothers created their own auto company. Interestingly, the first company founded by Ford, Detroit Automobile Co, which went bankrupt in 1900, was later reorganized into the famous Cadillac Motor Car Company. It turns out that Henry Ford became the founder of several long-lived car brands at once. The architectural design of the three-story building of the plant was carried out by the Detroit company Field, Hinchmann & Smith. Construction began in June 1904, and already at the end of the same year, machinery and furniture for office premises began to be delivered to the workshops of the plant on Pickett Avenue. The offices of the company were located on the ground floor, but Henry Ford's own office was on the second, next to the famous experimental workshop in which Tin Lizzie was created. In addition, on the ground floor, at the back of the building, there was a warehouse for raw materials and spare parts, as well as a department for the delivery of finished products.
Simple, even easier
The Tinplate Lizzie, like its predecessor, the Model N, was built on a heavy duty steel frame with two longitudinal beams and 1/8-inch sheet steel crossbars. It was made for Ford at the Michigan Stamping Company. Attached to the frame was a 2.9-liter Henry Ford engine along with a primitive but reliable two-stage transmission, leaf spring suspension and bodywork. There were many types of body in those years, and automakers called them each in their own way. Six body styles were originally developed for Lizzie - Touring, Runabout, Landaulet, Town Car and Coupe, but in 1908 the Model T was only available in Touring and Landaulet variants. The bodies were ordered from third-party manufacturers in Detroit. The upholstery of the open modifications was made of thick black genuine leather of a special "diamond" finish. The fabric upper, which was made from tarpaulin painted in gray, dark red or dark green, was an optional extra. The closed Lizzies only had the seats upholstered in black leather, and the interior door trim was made of leatherette.
Contrary to popular belief that the Model T was painted only black, in fact, this practice only began in 1913 with the beginning of the assembly line. And until 1913 there were no black Tin Lizzies at all! Buyers could choose from gray, dark green or dark red body color. The windshield was not standard and had to be ordered separately. At the same time, a transverse steel beam for rigidity was installed in a wooden partition between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment, reinforced with bronze stripes. Otherwise, the glass just burst on bumps, because the Model T body began to creak within a few days after purchase. The interior equipment was, to put it mildly, Spartan. A large wooden steering wheel with a diameter of 36 cm with bronze spokes was tightly screwed to the end of the steering shaft. Below it on the right were two short bronze levers with hard rubber knobs. One lever controlled the fuel supply and the other controlled the ignition.
The first two thousand cars had two pedals on the floor and two large levers to the left of the driver's seat, then there were three pedals, and only one lever. The left pedal included first gear, the right one - rear wheel brake and reverse. The levers were responsible for reverse gear, transmission brake engagement and neutral gear. The driving process was quite complex and it took quite a long time to learn how to drive the Tin Lizzie. In the instructions of those years, the driver for an emergency stop was recommended to press both pedals simultaneously and pull the transmission brake lever back all the way. The car stopped rooted to the spot. Speedometer was not on the list standard equipment Model T, Ford Motor Company purchased these devices in Detroit from Stewart, National and Jones.
Ford Model T cars, assembled from 1908 to 1909 at the Pickett plant, are now considered very rare and cost a lot of money. The first models of the Pickett plant were Model C, F and B. On the second floor, the chassis and bodies of Model B were assembled, and the third was given to the manufacture of Model C and F. At the end of 1906, production of these models was discontinued. And in April, after a small re-equipment, the plant began producing the new Model K, R, S and S Roadster. Three months later, in July, the promising Model N appeared, which became the basis for the future Tin Lizzie. At the end of the winter of 1908, after the completion of the preparation of technological documentation for the newest Ford Model T, an accelerated re-equipment of the enterprise began. Previous Models were discontinued and only the assembly of the Model K continued for some time. But soon it was also discontinued. And on September 27, 1908, the first ever copy of the Tin Lizzie was assembled, which on October 1 was sent to the first buyer, a wealthy doctor from Detroit. Even before the start of assembly of the Ford Model T, it became apparent to Henry Ford that the Picket plant was not large enough to carry out his plans, and he began to look for a site for the foundation of a large new assembly plant. At the end of 1908, construction began on a plant on a plot of land in Highland Park. The Picket Avenue building was owned by the Ford Motor Company until January 1911, when it was sold to another well-known Studebaker auto company. Experts say that of the 12,000 original Model T Piquette, no more than 100 remain so far.
Back to front by gravity
The Tin Lizzie engine was developed by Henry Ford himself in the early 1900s and was subsequently refined many times. It was an inline four gasoline engine with side camshaft and valve mechanism. The block was cast from cast iron in one piece together with the water jacket of the cooling system, which was a technological breakthrough for those years. The ignition of the air-fuel mixture coming from the gravity carburetor of the Kingston system was provided by a magneto generator connected by a belt directly to the engine shaft. The compression ratio was only 4.5: 1, which made the motor very reliable in long-term use. With a volume of 2.9 liters, it produced only 22.5 hp. power and 112 Nm of torque. But for a very light car weighing only 540 kg, this was quite enough. Gasoline from the carburetor came by gravity, and when driving uphill, sometimes the engine simply stalled. Therefore, the climbing technique was unusual - in reverse! The process of starting the engine involved the use of a manual starter, the same long-forgotten "backwater". Cranking the starter required skill. Dislocated fingers of the right hand were common, which was reflected in American anecdotes of those years. The motor was quite noisy, despite the presence of a muffler. It was straight-through and was made of thin sheet steel with asbestos gaskets between the components.
The clutch assembly was a simple wet type - three thick steel discs in an oil bath transferred the torque flow to the shaft of a two-speed planetary transmission, developed by Ford himself. All shafts and gears of the gearbox were cast from hardened vanadium steel. In surviving Model Ts, they are usually in excellent condition. The lubrication system was common to the entire power plantincluding engine, clutch and gearbox, and had a capacity of approximately 4 liters engine oil... Ford engineers did not guess to make a dipstick for measuring the level, and the drivers poured oil until it began to flow out of the hole on the top cover of the engine. In the early years of production, Tin Lizzie Ford bought radiators for a water cooling system in France from Briscoe, and then began to make them independently. On the obverse was a large bronze Ford Motor Company emblem. The fuel tank was located under the seats and connected to the frame with steel clamps. Its capacity was 37.5 liters. Not a lot when you consider that the Model T's fuel consumption was highly dependent on the nature of the road and driving speed, and ranged from 11 to 19 liters per 100 km. The maximum speed of Tin Lizzie was about 70 km / h, although the specimens participating in the then fashionable auto races developed up to 150 km / h. It is scary to imagine the sensations of a rider flying on a projectile without normal brakes and on wooden wheels at such a speed.
Brakes are not for cowards
Lizzie's braking system is a special topic. One of the most challenging aspects of driving was the braking process. It was not easy to push the brake pedal and lever to a stop. The fact is that the Model T had two brakes - a steel transmission bandage, which squeezed the main shaft with control from the floor lever, and a drum-type rear brake mechanism in the hub, which responded to pressing the right pedal. The brake linings were cast in bronze. They wore out very quickly, and their replacement was very laborious.
The Model T's suspension was primitive even by Bronze Age automotive standards. Front and rear wheels installed on simple movable spindles riveted to a transverse steel leaf spring. The wheels were turned using unregulated rods, one end attached to the steering column hinge, and the other to the spindle body. Interestingly, this unpretentious design did not have a single lubricated unit. Ford rightly judged that vanadium steel will not wear out soon, and the lubrication system will lead to a rise in the cost of the car. And he was right. Many of the first Lizzies that have survived to this day have the original suspension parts looking like new!
The tires of the car were rubber, with a camera inside. The hub and long spokes were made of special "artillery" wood, reinforced in loaded places with bronze bandages. Paradoxically, the fanatic of simplification and unification Ford used different wheel sizes for the front and rear axles in the Model T! The owners had to carry with them not one, but two spare tires. However, at Ford's Canadian plant in Walkerville, Tin Lizzies were produced with the same wheels. For the southern states of the United States, famous for their egregious off-roading, the track size of the car was made a couple of inches wider.
World Automotive Revolution
Much has been written about the meaning and role of Tin Lizzie in the motorization of mankind. But in 1908, even Henry Ford did not know that she was destined to become a car-legend. Ford was constantly striving to increase productivity and reduce the time it takes to build one car. A revolutionary breakthrough came with the introduction of the world's first assembly line at Ford's new Highland Park plant in 1913. The idea for its creation came to the head of Ford engineer William Clann, who once visited a slaughterhouse in Detroit. Its work was organized as a line with sequential execution of operations at stationary technological posts. At the end of the line, the carcass was completely processed and entered the finished product warehouse. In fact, it was not an assembly line, but a disassembly line. But the idea of \u200b\u200bapplying this assembly principle to the auto industry turned out to be revolutionary.
Of course, the assembly line itself, which dramatically increased productivity at the Ford plant, was not the only factor driving the American car boom. Ford was the first industrial tycoon to decide to raise the wages of its workers to $ 5 a day. At the time, it was a lot of money. They made it possible to keep a family in prosperity and satiety and save it for buying a house or a car. Sly Ford paid his workers money, which soon returned to him in the form of payment for the Tin Lizzie! After that, in America, a process of wage growth began throughout industry. The population began to grow richer, and the number potential buyers has grown from several hundred thousand to several million people. The most affordable offer on the market was precisely the Tin Lizzie, which became cheaper every year of its production. The growth of the car fleet has brought America to a new level of development. The rapid growth of the service industry and the production of spare parts, metallurgy and the chemical industry began. One way or another, the appearance available car and five bucks a day became the main reasons for the technological progress of civilization in the twentieth century.
Ford Model T. Model 1908. Price $ 850 when shipped from the factory
Engine. Four-cylinder in-line with a removable block head and side valves. Displacement 2896 cc. Compression ratio 4.5: 1. Power 22 HP
Ignition. Magneto generator designed by Ford, driven directly from the engine shaft. Spark plug.
Transmission. Ford hardened vanadium steel planetary gearbox with oil sump. Cardan shaft with a Ford design gearbox. Simple bevel gear in oil bath and sealed vanadium steel housing.
Brakes. Ring brake on the transmission shaft, drum brake in the rear hubs.
Dimensions. The wheelbase is 2540 mm, the track width is 1422 mm (for the southern states - 1524 mm).
Selden case
In 1879, a certain George Selden, a lawyer from Rochester, filed a patent application for a mechanical four-wheeled vehicle with a gasoline engine. The Department was in disorder and the application was simply lost. It was discovered only by accident in 1894, and a year later it was satisfied. The funny thing is that cars by this time were already cruising the roads of America with might and main, and Selden himself had long forgotten about his application.
A nostalgic concept car of our day.
Delighted, Selden realized that he could make a lot of money on this and, with the support of some New York financiers, organized the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers of America. Independent entrepreneurs who built cars, under threat of lawsuits, were forced to join it and pay membership fees in the amount of 1.25% of gross annual sales. In 1899, more than 2,500 cars were produced annually in America, and the number of small companies reached 400! Selden and his companions were cutting coupons from the growing car market.
Henry Ford in 1903, when the Ford Motor Company was founded, also applied to join the Association. But he soon recalled him due to the fact that the management tried to start dictating to him the prices at which he would have to sell cars. Independent and stubborn Ford, of course, refused. The association decided to show Ford a lesson and sued him for patent infringement. On the pages of central newspapers, a serious skirmish broke out with mutual accusations of illegal actions. The case came to court only six years later, when the first several thousand Tin Lizzies were already plowing the American off-road. A federal court found Selden's patent valid. But Ford in any business always went to the end. The Association failed to break Ford's grated roll. Ford Motor Company lawyers have filed an appeal with the United States Supreme Court.
In 1911, a higher court partially overturned the previous decision. The final verdict confirmed the legality of Selden's claims, but only in relation to those cars that were made from the drawings of the original 1879 patent. Such in nature did not exist at all! The Association lost the battle outright. Ford won, freeing himself from the dictates of the Association, and, at the same time, freed the entire American auto industry from tribute. He spent a lot of money on litigation, but in the end he returned everything with interest. The Selden case turned out to be the best advertisement for the Ford Motor Company that could be imagined. Ford and his cars have become famous all over the world.
Ford T. History of creation
Definition
Ford T (also known as "Lizzie Tin") was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927. It is seen as the first affordable car, produced in the millions, to set America on wheels. This was made possible, among other things, by Ford innovations, such as the use of an assembly line instead of individual manual processing, as well as the concept of paying high wages and minimizing the cost of the car. The first Model T was built on September 27, 1908 at the Pickett plant in Detroit, Michigan.
Ford T history
1913 Ford Model T Touring equipped with an electric starter instead of a handle and electric headlights instead of acetylene gas
The Ford Model T car was designed by Childe Harold's Wills and Hungarian immigrants, Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas
The Ford T (also known as the "Lizzie Tin") was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927. It is seen as the first affordable car, produced in the millions, to set America on wheels. This was made possible, among other things, by Ford innovations, such as the use of an assembly line instead of individual manual processing, as well as the concept of paying high wages and minimizing the cost of the car. The first Model T was built on September 27, 1908 at the Pickett plant in Detroit, Michigan. Contrary to popular belief, the Model T was not a small and primitive car: despite the design that was really the most simplified for mass production, in terms of comfort, space and equipment it was not inferior to other cars of its time, and in terms of size it belonged to the modern middle class. A specific American school of automobile design originates from the Ford T. In Europe, cars comparable in size to the Ford T subsequently formed only a small part of the car fleet, while in the USA this class of cars is still the main one. The car was equipped with a four-cylinder engine with a working volume of 2.9 liters, a two-stage planetary gearbox. The design features of the car also included innovations such as a separate cylinder head and footswitching gears. When the Model T came along, most cars in the US cost between $ 1,100 and $ 1,700. Ford's "T" initially cost only 825-850 dollars, that is, almost 2 times cheaper than the average car and almost a third less than the cost of the cheapest in 1908-1910. And for those years, the $ 400 difference was a lot of money. The average worker in the United States then earned $ 100 a month. In 1916-1917, 785,432 vehicles were sold at a price reduced to $ 350. Model "T" was also the first "world" car, that is, it was produced in parallel in many countries of the world. In particular, there were Ford branches in Germany, Great Britain, France, Australia and other countries. A total of 15 million 175 thousand 868 Ford models of the "T" model were produced
Features of the car Ford T
The Ford Model T car was designed by Childe Harold Wills and Hungarian immigrants, Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas. Henry Love, CJ Smith, Gus Degner and Peter D. Martin were also part of the team. Model T production began in the third quarter of 1908. Collectors today sometimes classify the Model T by the creation years, and call them "model of the year". The reverse classification scheme, the concept of the model of years, as we understand it today, was not at that time. The nominal model designation is "Model T", although the design has changed over the course of two decades.
Ford T engine
The Model T had a 177 cubic-inch front-end in-line four-cylinder all-flat engine for maximum speed 40-45 mph (64-72 km / h). The Model T valve engine was the first in the world to have a removable head, making service like valve work easier. According to the Ford Motor Company, the Model T saved fuel in the order of 13-21 mpg US. The engine can run on gasoline, kerosene, or ethanol. Flywheel magneto electric generator, which has produced a high voltage, it is necessary to produce a spark to start combustion. This voltage was distributed by timer on one of four trambler coils, one for each cylinder. The coil generates a voltage that is directly connected to the spark plugs in the cylinder. The ignition was adjusted manually using a spark pre-installed lever on the steering column which is turned by a timer. When electric headlights were introduced in 1915, the magneto was upgraded to power the lighting. In keeping with the goal of maximum reliability and simplicity, the ignition coils and magneto breaker were retained even after the vehicle was equipped with an alternator and batteries for electric starting and lighting. Most of the cars sold after 1919 were equipped with an electric start, which was occupied by small round buttons on the floor. A 10 US gallon vehicle fuel tank was mounted on a frame under the front seat, one carburetor option (Holly Model G) modified to run on ethyl alcohol, which would be provided at home by a self-employed farmer. Because Ford relied on gravity to feed fuel to the carburetor instead of the fuel pump, the Model T was unable to climb a steep hill when the fuel level was low. The immediate solution was to climb the steep hills in the opposite direction. In 1926, the fuel tank was moved forward to under the hood on most models. Previously, engine blocks were produced by the Lakeside Foundry at Saint-Jean in Detroit. Ford canceled the deal. The first few hundred C models had a water pump, but this was eliminated early in production. Ford opted for a cheaper and more reliable heat-siphon system. Hot water, being less dense, will rise at the top of the engine and up at the top of the radiator, sinking to the bottom as it cools, and back into the engine. This was the direction of water flow in most cars that still have water pumps, right up to the introduction of a transverse radiator design. Many types of water pumps were available as aftermarket accessories.
Ford T design changes
The 1913 Ford Model T Touring is equipped with an electric starter instead of a handle and electric headlights instead of acetylene gas. Many of the earliest cars were open cars and small cars, which are cheaper than indoor cars. Until the 1911 model year USA - from an open car there was no door opening for the driver. Later models included closed cars (introduced in 1915), sedans, coupes, and trucks. The headlights were originally acetylene lamps made of brass, but the car eventually received electric light after 1910, initially powered by magneto, while the electrical system was upgraded to allow the battery, alternator, and starter motor when the lighting power was switched to the battery source. The Model T production system, the epitome of Fordism, is famous for representing mass-produced systems that have been very successful in achieving efficiency, but which could accommodate product design changes with great difficulty and resistance. There were a few large, visible changes throughout the model's life, but there were many small changes. Most of these were driven by design and technological considerations, but style and new possibilities also played a big role. In fact, one of the concerns for the company regarding the design change was the T's reputation for not changing and being "already right", which Henry Ford loved and which was a selling point for many customers who made it risky to admit any changes were not really was happening. By 1918, half of all cars in the United States were Model T. Ford wrote in his autobiography that he told his management team in 1909 that in the future “Any customer can have cars painted in any color, but he wants the models to be available for now. black. " However, in the early years of production from 1908 to 1914, the Model T was not only available in black, but also in gray, green, blue and red. Green was available for touring cars. Gray was only available in city cars, and red was only available for touring cars. By 1912, all cars were painted dark blue with black fenders. It was only in 1914 that the "any color as long as it is black" policy was finally implemented. He often stated that Ford proposed using black from 1914 to 1926 due to the cheap cost and durability of black paint. production model T, more than 30 different types black paint has been used on various parts of the car. They were formulated to suit different ways of applying paint to different parts, and there were different drying times depending on the part, paint and drying method.
Description Ford T
Ford T (also known as "Tin Lizzie") - a car produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927
The Lizzie Tin, like its Model N predecessor, was built on a heavy duty steel frame with two longitudinal beams and 1/8-inch sheet steel transverse stiffeners. It was made for Ford at the Michigan Stamping Company. Attached to the frame was a 2.9-liter Henry Ford engine along with a primitive but reliable two-stage transmission, leaf spring suspension and bodywork. There were many types of body in those years, and automakers called them each in their own way. Six body styles were originally developed for Tin Lizzie - Touring, Runabout, Landaulet, Town Car and Coupe, but in 1908 the Model T was only available in Touring and Landaulet variants. The bodies were ordered from third-party manufacturers in Detroit. The upholstery of the open modifications was made of thick black genuine leather of a special "diamond" finish. The fabric upper, which was made from tarpaulin painted in gray, dark red or dark green, was an optional extra. The closed Lizzies only had the seats upholstered in black leather, and the interior door trim was made of leatherette. Contrary to popular belief that the Model T was painted only black, in fact, this practice only began in 1913 with the beginning of the assembly line. And until 1913 there were no black Lizzie Tins at all! Buyers could choose from gray, dark green or dark red body color. The windshield was not standard and had to be ordered separately. At the same time, a transverse steel beam for rigidity was installed in a wooden partition between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment, reinforced with bronze stripes. Otherwise, the glass just burst on bumps, because the Model T body began to creak within a few days after purchase. The interior equipment was, to put it mildly, Spartan. A large wooden steering wheel with a diameter of 36 cm with bronze spokes was tightly screwed to the end of the steering shaft. Below it on the right were two short bronze levers with hard rubber knobs. One lever controlled the fuel supply and the other controlled the ignition. The first two thousand cars had two pedals on the floor and two large levers to the left of the driver's seat, then there were three pedals, and only one lever. The left pedal included first gear, the right one - rear wheel brake and reverse. The levers were responsible for reverse gear, transmission brake engagement and neutral gear. The driving process was quite complex and it took quite a long time to learn how to drive the Tin Lizzie. In the instructions of those years, the driver for an emergency stop was recommended to press both pedals simultaneously and pull the transmission brake lever back all the way. The car stopped rooted to the spot. The speedometer was not part of the Model T's standard equipment list; Ford Motor Company purchased these gauges in Detroit from Stewart, National and Jones.
What's in a Ford T name?
Experts say that if this car had been created not by Ford, but by someone else, then time would have erased any memories of it long ago. However, to make a Model T, you have to be born Henry Ford. Why Tin Lizzie? On this score, the historians of the auto industry do not give a clear answer. But there are two main versions. Americans often prefer nicknames to real names. At the beginning of the last century, the villagers usually called their workhorses by the female name Lizzie. Well, the word "tin" does not need additional interpretation. An iron horse, in general. The second version explains everything a little differently. Lizzie - as the Irish called stubborn and wayward beauties. And although it's difficult to call Model T the beauty, if you like her, then this explanation will do. Very often the Americans called the Model T "Flivver", and in total this legendary car had about twenty different nicknames. But in history she remained Tin Lizzie. Practical Ford, in principle, did not create anything new. After all, the main components of market success were well known to him - a solid, reliable frame and transmission made of vanadium steel, a proven 2.9-liter engine and an affordable price. The rest is little things. The more buyers can scrape together money for a car that won't break, the better. Cars, according to Ford, were supposed to be something like a hamburger. Cheap and satisfying, even if gastritis is subsequently provided to you. When automotive historians write about the Model T, they extol its reliability in every way. You can't argue with that. The car was simply unkillable. At the same time, not a word is said about the complete lack of comfort, poor design and inconvenient control system. Tin Lizzie is one of Time Magazine's famous 50 worst cars.
Brakes Ford T
The Ford T (also known as the "Lizzie Tin") was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927. It is seen as the first affordable car with millions of copies to "put America on wheels."
Lizzie's braking system is a special topic. One of the most challenging aspects of driving was the braking process. It was not easy to push the brake pedal and lever to a stop. The fact is that the Model T had two brakes - a steel transmission bandage, which squeezed the main shaft with control from the floor lever, and a drum-type rear brake mechanism in the hub, which responded to pressing the right pedal. The brake linings were cast in bronze. They wore out very quickly, and their replacement was very laborious. The Model T's suspension was primitive even by Bronze Age automotive standards. The front and rear wheels were mounted on simple movable spindles riveted to a transverse steel leaf spring. The turning of the wheels was carried out using unregulated rods, one end attached to the steering column hinge, and the other to the spindle body. Interestingly, this unpretentious design did not have a single lubricated unit. Ford rightly judged that vanadium steel will not wear out soon, and the lubrication system will lead to a rise in the cost of the car. The tires of the car were rubber, with a camera inside. The hub and long spokes were made of special "artillery" wood, reinforced in loaded places with bronze bandages. Paradoxically, the fanatic of simplification and unification Ford used different wheel sizes for the front and rear axles in the Model T! The owners had to carry with them not one, but two spare tires. However, at Ford's Canadian plant in Walkerville, Tin Lizzies were produced with the same wheels. For the southern states of the United States, famous for their egregious off-roading, the track size of the car was made a couple of inches wider.
Mass production Ford T
The knowledge and skills required by workers in the factory have been reduced to 84 areas. When the T was introduced, it used methods typical of the time, assembly by hand, and production was small. Ford's picket plant couldn't keep up with demand for the Model T, and only 11 cars were built in the first full month of production. More and more machines were used to reduce difficulty in 84 specific areas. As a result, Ford vehicles rolled off the line at three-minute intervals, much faster than previous methods, cutting production times by eight times while using less labor. By 1914, the assembly process for the Model T was so streamlined it took just 93 minutes to assemble the car. That same year, Ford produced more cars than all other automakers combined. The Model T was a great commercial success, and by the time Henry made his 10 millionth car, 50 percent of all cars in the world were Fords. This was so successful that Ford bought advertising between 1917 and 1923, more than 15 million C models were manufactured, reaching speeds between 9,000 and 10,000 cars per day in 1925, or 2 million more per year than any other model of its kind. time, priced at just $ 240. Model T production finally surpassed the Volkswagen Beetle on February 17, 1972.
Henry Ford's ideological approach to the design of the Model T was one of getting it right and then keeping it the same, in his opinion, the Model T was all cars would be human, or maybe one day it will be needed. Like other companies offering comfort and style advantages at competitive prices, the Model T lost market share. The constructive changes were not as small as public perception, but the idea of \u200b\u200ban unchanged model was retained. Finally, May 26, 1927 of the year Ford The Motor Company ceased production and began the readjustments required to produce the models. Model T engines continued in production until 4 August 1941. Nearly 170,000 were built after car production stopped, as engine replacements were supposed to service cars already in production. The Model T used some advanced technology, such as its use of vanadium alloy steel. Its durability was phenomenal, and many Ts. Models and parts remain in working order almost a century later. Although Henry Ford resisted some type of change, he has always advocated the advancement of structural materials, and often mechanical engineering and industrial construction. In 2002, Ford built the last batch of six Z models as part of the 2003 centenary celebration. These cars were assembled from the rest of the new components and other parts made from the original drawings. The last of the six has been used for promotional purposes in the UK. A standard 1909 4-seater open Tourer costs $ 850 (equivalent to $ 21,987 today). In 1913, the price dropped to $ 550 (equivalent to $ 12,933 today), and $ 440 in 1915 (equivalent to $ 10,108 today). Sales were 69,762 in 1911, 170,211 in 1912, 202,667 in 1913, 308,162 in 1914. And 501 462 in 1915. In 1914, an assembly line worker can buy a Model T for four months' pay. By 1920, the price had dropped to $ 260 due to improved line assembly technology and volume.
The car scored 742 points in the "Car of the Century" competition and took first place.
- In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, the chronology of the world of the future is based on the creation of the Ford T.
Included in the top ten cars that changed the world according to Forbes magazine, as the first mass-produced car available to the middle class in the world.
- Ford Model T was the first car in Mongolia. It was presented to the ruler of the country, the "Living Buddha" Bogdo Gegen VIII by the Swedish missionary Franz Larson, who writes:
“... When I got him the first car ever seen in Urga - a Ford - he connected the electrical wiring to the body of the car, and called the high lamas and nobles to tea. After tea, he showed them the car, and invited the guests to feel the polishing of its wings. The first one to touch the car recoiled, as if burned. The others laughed at his timidity. Then the second brave man extended his hand and pulled it back. More laughter inspired by the Buddha. He was delighted with this tea party, at which his friends were so shocked that no one expressed a desire to accompany him on a trip in this car - they were all amazed at his ability to sit in it and comfortably drive around the palace. "
- There is a legend that Ford T was painted only in black. In fact, this statement is applicable, and then with reservations, only to cars manufactured in 1914-1926. Before and after that, serial Fords were available in a variety of colors. The transition to exclusively black bodies in 1914 was prompted by the beginning of the assembly line of the car, which left no time to dry any dyes used at the time, with the exception of "Japanese black". While common paints and varnishes at the time could dry for up to two weeks, Japanese black took 48 hours to dry. It should be noted, however, that such a policy was not an invention of "Ford" - for absolutely the same reasons as "Ford", at the same time it was adhered to by the majority in the slightest degree. large manufacturers cars. As a rule, the base color was black, while the rest were available only by special order... With the development of chemistry, it became possible to obtain quick-drying enamels of any color. In 1925, General Motors offered its customers a bright blue Duco nitrocellulose enamel from DuPont. Ford followed suit the following year. Nevertheless, fenders, footpegs and other chassis parts on mass-produced cars were usually made black for a long time to simplify assembly (the body was assembled at a separate production site and mounted on a ready-made chassis - so the need to select the chassis and body of the same color would greatly slow down the assembly - which is why most non-black cars from the 1920s - the first half of the 30s had a characteristic two-tone color with a black bottom).
For fans of Ford Model T, the photos of this collection will be a real godsend. They will allow you to evaluate the external characteristics of the models and their main differences.
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High-quality photos of Ford Model T
This gallery contains several hundred pictures of racing cars, cars with sedan, station wagon, touring, sports versions and other modifications.
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A car is not a luxury, but a means of transportation. It seems that the slogan voiced by Ilf and Petrov was ... a concept by Henry Ford. Model T, produced from 1908 to 1927 in incredible circulation for that time, actually became the world's first mass-produced car. It was with "Tin Lizzie" that the development of modern automotive industry... And not just the industry. This car changed the whole way of life. Moreover, Ford T in a sense influenced the mentality of mankind! ..
In general, the title of "Car of the Century" according to the competition held under the patronage of the Global Automotive Elections Foundation in December 1999, The Ford Model T got it quite rightly. But what was this car like in terms of the driver and passengers? Having asked such a question, we went to the Dmitrovsky proving ground in the company of a bright yellow Ford T, produced more than a hundred years ago ... But no matter what car you prefer at the present time, it doesn't matter where the best body repair is carried out, I still advise you, because you can find yourself in any situation and the solution will always be at your fingertips, so I advise ...
Just imagine how different life was when this car just left the factory. Other people, other streets and other carriages. The car had not even had time to become a luxury: it was rather perceived as an outlandish toy of eccentrics and a newfangled object of complex mechanics. However, Henry Ford thought differently, planning to transfer the entire middle class to cars within a few years. At least both the volume of production of cars and the pricing policy of the company were aimed exactly at this. So, for example, in 1910 (namely in this year the hero of our test was born) the Ford plant produced 18,664 cars. For the beginning of the 20th century, this is a fantastic figure! Understandably, with this approach, the machine was required to be simple in design, manufacturability in production and, if possible, ease of use, so as not to scare off a mass customer with unnecessary difficulties in management.
Over the nineteen years of production, the Ford Model T has repeatedly changed body types, elements external appearance and finishes. We took the very first (now pre-styling) option to the auto-polygon. The traditions, technology and road conditions of those years were such that the creators of the early cars did not take the design of their "motorized creations" too far away from horse-drawn carriages. Simple chopped shapes, a flat vertical engine shield extending from the top with the same windshield, oil marker lamps on the sides, wide footpegs that turn into fenders and narrow high wheels with pneumatic tires and thick wooden spokes. In general, even now, harness ... The "horse-like" resemblance is enhanced by the open doorless, almost completely wooden body of the touring type with a folding awning. In fact, before us is a span. It should be noted that this is one of the most common car body options for the first three years of production. True, part open cars already at that time it was equipped with rear doors, and since 1912, the front row of seats was also closed from the sides. Moreover, the only front door was on the starboard side - because of the narrow opening between the steering wheel and the seat, which was also partially blocked by the floor transmission control lever and the rear brake, it is more convenient to get into the driver's seat from the right side. By the way, the frankly "carriage" appearance of the car creates an unexpected effect - when looking at Ford T is difficult for a modern person to imaginethat this museum piece is able to move independently. It's hard to imagine, but it's not forbidden to try ... I press with my heel on the round floor button of the electric starter, and - a miracle! - the car instantly comes to life, while the sound of the engine resembles the chirping of a gas generator without load. The ride is ready! ..
RETRO-EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY
While we're on the subject of electricity, it's worth noting that the battery, starter motor, and electric headlights installed on our one-hundred-two-year-old are objects from a later time. Initially, an acetylene generator stood on the step of this car, the headlights were equipped with burners, and they were started exclusively with the handle. An electric light and a signal powered by a magneto appeared as an option at Ford only a year after the hero of our test was assembled, and was included in the basic equipment only in 1915. A full-fledged on-board electrical network with rechargeable battery and the generator appeared four years later. But since then, most new ford T were equipped with an electric starter, and the owners of earlier cars also actively equipped them with an electric start (fortunately, it was quite simple). At the same time, the magneto and the crank at Model T persisted throughout production, which means that even a complete discharge of the battery was not terrible for this car. By the way, the hero of our today's test also had a manual launch system in working order, but we preferred to use an advanced electric one.
I must say that the gradual improvement of the factory design while maintaining the basic units, basic dimensions and other important parameters led to the fact that most owners of old cars to a greater or lesser extent over time modernized them on the basis of new original spare parts... But not only. The abundance of mass standardized cars and the desire of owners to give them some kind of individuality has spawned the tuning industry (both decorative and engineering). So do not be surprised that the cars that were in long-term operation could differ in details from each other and from what they were originally. In our case, the most obvious tuning detail (apart from the pump found under the hood) was a convenient "winged" radiator plug with a thermometer indicating to the driver that the engine is overheating. By the way, this is the only indicator in the entire car. In the basic configuration of the early years, there were no devices at all! And the bright yellow color in which the car is now painted is also "tuning". In 1910, he had the right to exist, but only after the car was repainted by the new owner. True, if you just remembered the famous phrase of old Henry that “a buyer can order a Ford of any color, if this color is black,” then you were mistaken. It is valid only for the period from 1914 to 1926, when, to speed up the operation of the conveyor and simplify the selection of parts, all assembled Ford Ts were painted with one black color, but with more than thirty types of paint. But in 1910, when the specimen we tested was released, Ford cars were painted green (only fenders, steps and wheels had the right to be black).
WHAT IS INSIDE?
So, we are done with the external examination - we are moving to the salon, where we take places on comfortable leather sofas. And immediately the first observation - the interior of this car is also literally saturated with a glorious carriage past. Well, let's try to settle in? .. Plump quilted sofa cushions with buttons (they are made according to the canons of ordinary furniture) are quite comfortable. On the go, they quite effectively dampen some of the vertical vibrations transmitted from the road through the body to the riders, and thereby complement the suspension. At the same time, their height, shape and location provide a vertical landing, which, by the way, requires fewer adjustments in the driver's seat depending on the height of the pilot. However, in this case, there are no (adjustments) at all - both sofas are fixed rigidly in the frames that serve as external body elements. Besides, vertical fit saves longitudinal space, which is so scarce in a fairly short car. As a result, there is a striking effect of spaciousness: for a long time and to no avail I tried to remember another economy-class car, where in the back row it would be possible to freely cross your legs during the trip. So, in Ford T this is done elementary! However, the salon is very narrow: a maximum of two people can sit on any of the sofas.
A striking detail: the space under the high seats is used with maximum efficiency, and the cushions are easy to remove. What, in fact, I do without hesitation ... Under the front cushion, a 38-liter gas tank and some free space are found, suitable for placing some driver's accessories. But under the back row is a convenient luggage compartment of a rather impressive volume. And this is very handy, since there is no other trunk in the car (small things with a folded awning can be put directly into it).
SINGLE STOREY AMERICA PRIMERS
Time for manufacturing one Ford T with a conveyor in 1914 at full capacity was reduced to 93 minutes. And is it true that there is a bagpipe to pull? .. The engine is in front, the drive axle is at the rear, and between them is a gearbox and a long cardan shaft in a rigid pipe. The design of the Ford T is as simple as a car can be. There is nothing superfluous here at all. Any detail is functional, which ideologically makes "Lizzy's Tin" related ... with racing cars, consisting only of what is directly related to movement. In general, it is not surprising that the weight we measured was only 729 kg. And this despite the fact that the model Ford T - not at all undersized. In terms of size and proportions, it is quite comparable to modern ... SUVs. Judge for yourself: wheelbase 2540 mm (classic Range Rover), track 1420 (Toyota Land cruiser 70), height with awning generally more than two meters, outer diameter of tires 30 inches! By the way, high wheels in this case are not just a tribute to the carriage tradition, but a necessity caused by the then state of the roads.
Stone pavements, not to mention asphalt, a hundred years ago were common only in very large cities, and the whole one-story America, for which Model T was primarily intended, was connected by a network of primers of the most varied qualities. Liquid mud, ruts, large stones and fords were quite common phenomena that had to be overcome with enviable regularity. All this forced the designers to set the "Tin Lizzie" worthy off-road characteristics. Yes, they saved money on the all-wheel drive exotic in those years, but the geometric cross-country ability is at a height. We did not even begin to measure the angles of entry and exit: the wheels placed at the corners of the body and the complete absence of overhangs speak for themselves. At the same time, the lowest point, limiting the ground clearance at the level of 240 mm, is the bend of a strange thin bar pulling together the steps, and under the crankcase rear axle and quite impressive 262 mm. At the same time, the weight distribution of the car turned out to be almost equal to the ideal - almost equally, with a minimum overweight on the rear axle.
The undercarriage design with only two semi-elliptical transverse springs is not only incredibly simple, but also provides excellent axle articulation. Throughout my practice of tests at the Dmitrovsky proving ground, I do not remember another four-wheel drive car that could overcome the iron gaps of alternating obstacles. Moreover, on these artificial hillocks, laid out in a checkerboard pattern, not everyone is able to get through. modern SUVs... And the yellow veteran rolled over them without the slightest hint of separation of the wheels from the coating! By the way, in the process of this movement it was clearly seen that the possibility of elastic twisting of the frame, which was originally incorporated into the design of this car, plays a significant role in the articulation of the Ford T axles. Its elastic deformations added a fair share to the travel of the springs, despite the fact that the latter are attached to the frame crossbars almost at the center point. Thus, the chassis turned out to be quite suitable for driving on difficult terrain.
