The "Rip Van Winkle" 1916 Model T Ford
The Ford Model T is one of the worlds most historically significant motorcars for multiple reasons, but most importantly for putting the world on wheels. It wasn't the first mass produced car, but the worlds first mass produced car to use the assembly line during production, resulting in an 18 year run and 15,000,000 cars. At the very beginning, in 1909, the Model T was a bit more complicated and much more expensive than at the end of production in 1927. For example, the very first Model T's had an exposed valve L head 4 cylinder engine with a water pump, 2 piece timer, 2 lever 2 pedal planetary transmission, an external water inlet tube on top of the cylinder head, solid one piece front axle spindles, complicated Kingston 5 ball carburetors and the list continues. As time elapsed Ford, found ways to refine the design of the car. This resulted in simpler designs which benefitted not only production costs and time, but making the Model T that much more user friendly and less expensive, also resulting in more cars being produced each year. So the earlier the car, the fewer examples there are. Because of this, and what many people today don't realize, is almost every month of every year the Model T was produced was different and had details that are specific to the time it was built, so not every Model T is the same. Everything from the way bodies were designed and constructed to certain brackets, axles, wheels, switches, coil boxes, lights etc... all changed by the month. That famous saying: "You can have a Model T in any color as long as it's black" is not 100% true. Beginning in 1909, Model T Touring cars were red and roadsters were grey, in 1910 touring cars were dark green with red pinstripes and roadsters were offered in Green and Grey, 1911 through 1912 cars were dark blue and finally in 1913 Ford made the famous decision to make all cars black. Today there are an abundance of Model T parts left and many parts do interchange from year to year, so when looking at a Model T it is very difficult, if you don't know the specific details, to find a very correct original car, especially with the earlier brass era examples.
The 1915 - 1916 cars are all on their own in terms of their design and look. In 1915, the new round cowl and hood former was introduced, and it was also the first year for: electric headlights, louvered hoods, curved rear fenders, new style windshield with riveted base, as well as many other differences. The 1915-16 cars are really the last of the great early Model T's and are really the most iconic two years ever produced. 1916 was also the last year for the brass radiator and very few pure 1916 cars exist today. It should also be noted that the Model T is the most reliable, powerful and enjoyable car to drive of its time for a car its size. Even though there were a lot of Model T's produced, many of the earlier cars either did not survive or were over used as these were not incredibly expensive cars and were very utilitarian, so to find an all original untouched brass Model T is extremely difficult today. Every great car collection has an example of a Model T, but finding one worthy of a great collection is very difficult.
This car, a 1916 Model T touring is one of the most fantastic original examples of an early T we have ever seen. Produced on April 27 of 1916 this touring car was delivered to its dealership in Bristol, Tennessee where it was sold to its first owner. Used very seldom and kept inside, it would stay with its original owner, escaping the scrap drives of the early 1930's and WWII until 1961 when it was sold to George Helms, also of Bristol, Tennessee, where the car would stay in his care until our acquisition a very short time ago. George's transaction with the original owner is documented with a title from 1961. Every little detail on this car is 100% correct and original. Everything from the riveted windshield base, four rivet style rear fender brackets, three fluted Ford script oil filler cap, correct rear axle with no reinforcing ribs on the backing plates, tapered rear spring and non tapered in the front, may west spring shackles with brass oilers, cast iron end straight pipe muffler and the list continues. Incredibly preserved it even has its original top, original upholstery, original side curtains with original protective storage cardboard, original front rubber Ford script floor mat, original Ford script Champion X spark plugs, and it even has its original cocoa rear carpet. It is just incredible.
Upon our acquisition of the car, we put gas in it, checked the fluids and plugs and it started up on the first few cranks on Magneto. It runs and drives great and has lots of power. The engine has great compression as well. This is a fantastically preserved 1916 Model T. The old story of Rip Van Winkle where a man named Rip Van Winkle falls a sleep during the civil war and doesn't wake up for many years describes this car perfectly, this is a true "Rip Van Winkle" Model T Ford. This car should continue to be preserved and should be shown and displayed as one of the best original Model T's in existence today.
