Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 2 ¤
1914 Ford Model T Touring Engine no. 396228
Sold for US$13,440 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 2¤
1914 Ford Model T Touring
1914 Ford Model T Touring
Engine no. 396228
Engine no. 396228
176.7ci L-Head Four Cylinder
Single Holley Carburetor
20bhp at 1,600rpm
Two-Speed Planetary with Reverse
Live Axles with Transverse Leaf Springs
Foot-Operated Transmission Contracting Band Brake, Hand-Operated Rear Mechanical Drum Brakes
* The year "any color as long as it's black" became Ford's preferred color
* The dominant Model T body style
* Typically equipped
* Sound older restoration deserving recommissioning
THE CAR OFFERED
The 1914 Model T offered here represents the first year that Ford standardized on black paint. Previously Model Ts from the factory were available in a variety of colors but when 1913 production reached 170,211 and floors of Ford's Highland Park plant and branches were filled by bodies waiting for their paint to dry it became apparent that a production bottleneck needed to be eliminated. Black was easier to apply and dried much more quickly than other colors, a point implied by 1914's production of 202,667.
The statement attributed to Henry Ford that the customer could have any color "as long as it's black" didn't appear until the 1922 autobiography My Life and Work, but it is appropriate to Henry's attitude and helped keep the factory cost of a Model T Touring to $550 in 1914, a $50 reduction (8.3%) from 1913.
The 1914 Model T Touring offered here is a sound but aged older restoration. It has Jno. W. Brown Mfg. acetylene headlights, kerosene sidelights and a Model 115 taillight, all in black painted steel with brass lens housings. It is equipped with a bulb horn, Moto Meter, Holley carburetor, rear view mirror, brass radiator, black wood spoke wheels and 30x3 Firestone tires.
The paint is sound, as are the upholstery and top, but show their age with edge chips. The headlights have no burners. The engine compartment and chassis are dusty but appear to be complete. Its Firestone Non-Skid tires are worn. An honest car that has been drained of fuel and coolant for years, the Model T's simplicity presents an opportunity for straightforward recommissioning and reconditioning and is significant as being the first year where a Ford could be "Any color the customer wants, as long as it's black".
Footnotes
Titled under its engine number.
Saleroom notices
Title in transit.
Additional information
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| ¤ | No Reserve |
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