Couple drive more than 50,000 miles around the globe... in a 100-year-old Model T Ford Dirk and Trudy Regter from Holland bought the iconic Ford Model T in 1997 and, after retiring, decided they wanted an adventure. So the grandparents set off on a global road trip. The couple have spent three years driving more than 50,000 miles around the world in the 100-year-old Ford. During their travels the couple have raised almost £30,000 for orphan charity SOS Children's villages International. The Ford Model T was the world's first mass produced car, with 15 million made around the world between 1908 and 1927. It has a three-liter petrol engine and a top speed of around 40 mph. Dirk and Trudy's Model T is entirely original, apart from the tires, which are slightly larger to improve the quality of the ride. The spokes on the wheels are wooden.
"Even in the early days, certain rail routes in the UK were uneconomical for full size trains to operate.Thus the light weight, small capacity railcar was considered to be the answer. This outfit comprised two Ford Model T's back to back with an additional carriage between them." Larger Image
Henry Ford worked in one of Edison's factories before his work on automobiles. The two became friends, and later Ford would give this Model T to Edison
Fifteenth Millionth Ford Model T: After 19 years and more than 15 million vehicles, Model T production ended on May 25, 1927.
@Nancy Hart The Model T was truly innovative with it's mechanicals. It's transmission had a Planetary gearset, shown in simplified animation below: The transmission had 2 speeds forward, and 1 reverse. It was controlled by two of three pedals, shown below: The right pedal is the brake pedal. The left pedal, in position shown, is "high" gear; depressing it placed the transmission in "low" gear. The center pedal engaged "reverse" gear. I don't know how you made the car stand still! Perhaps someone knows of a clutch function somewhere? The left pedal being marked "C" suggests clutch, but that isn't how my Dad described the operation to me many, many moons ago. Planetary gears have been the heart of automatic transmissions for nearly 100 years now. Frank
Thanks, @Frank Sanoica. Believe it or not, I really like to try and understand these things, because I don't like mysteries. Mysteries make you feel helpless. Does that make sense? When I was a kid I assumed the axle in a car turned and the wheels were fixed on the axle, because that's the way toy cars are made. My golf carty thing has a CV transmission. I think I finally figured how that works. It seems simpler.
@Nancy Hart Here is a simplified diagram of how the basic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) works: All four wheels can rotate. One pair is driven by the engine, while the other pair is driven by the friction present between the upper and lower curved inner surfaces. Additionally, the upper and lower wheels are vertically separable. The closer together they are, the farther outwards left and right are the smaller wheels forced, all the while turning from friction. Uppers fully close together results in a lesser ratio of speeds between the gold and blue arrows, while separated fully, the ratio of speeds between them is higher: then golds make many turns compared to fewer for the uppers and lowers. Thus there is an infinite number of "ratios" between the minimum and maximum limits. This is one simple means of achieving CV, there are a number of schemes in use. The advantage is complete ratio control, and simplicity (no gears). The disadvantage is difficulty getting acceptable longevity. Now if this video works, it shows how the speeds of the driven members varies between them as the diameters are varied: (skip to 1:35), won't embed where told to.
Do remember about 40 year ago was doing Jury service. Listened to a defence lawyer, thought he's was a Pratt. Can't remember the verdict we brought in. But walking out after the trial saw the lawyer and he could could not get his model T started. So had to give him a push. Interesting under the Hood only an engine >>>>>no battery and nothing else such are with have with modern day cars. But sometimes will still have to give are modern day cars a push to start them.