The all-American classic Tin Lizzie is looking pretty good for being 100 years old. Ford Motor Company spent last week celebrating the 100th birthday of the Model T.
The week-long celebration in Richmond, Indiana, hosted by the Ford Model T Club of America, is one of dozens of regional events that are part of "T-Party 2008" scheduled over the next six months.
Over 1,000 Ford Model T owners gathered in Richmond, Indiana to celebrate the 100th anniversary. Photo courtesy: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.
The Model T was introduced by Henry Ford on October 1, 1908 and was the symbol of reliable transportation in an age when other cars (not to mention horse-drawn wagons) were often getting stuck in muddy roads. Nicknamed "Tin Lizzie," the first Model T two-door roadsters cost $825, a bargain compared to other cars of the time.
Over the 19 years that Ford produced the Model T, the company was able to steadily lower the price thanks to manufacturing improvements, including the invention of the moving assembly line, which dramatically increased production times. By 1921, the Model T represented 57 percent of automobile production worldwide. When production ceased on May 26, 1927, over 15 million Ford Model Ts had been sold.
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