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Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 11:50 am
by CatGuy
I was just thinking about this. It's not the question you would think. What I've been wondering is this: how long was the T considered a viable, sought after piece of transportation back in the day? When did they disappear from being seen regularly on city streets, parking lots, Used Car Dealers lots? Was it because they were an old used car or antiquated? Or both?
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 12:34 pm
by Wayne Sheldon
They were still pretty much transportation all through the 1930s depression years, and even beyond into the 1940s through the war years. Parts and tires were readily available in most small towns and all major cities. During the war years, many middle class high schoolers coming of age got a used model T as their first car because anything newer was too much in demand and expensive for the average kid. New cars were still scarce through 1946/'47, with them becoming readily available basically around 1949.
Many of the late prewar cars were pretty much done-in by the late 1940s, having served beyond their originally expected lifetime. By 1950, most model Ts that had remained on the road had by then been retired. Some went almost straight to hobby cars as people seeking normalcy sought to honor the cars that had put America on wheels. Others quickly found themselves on the scrap piles.
When I was really little, in the mid to late 1950s, in our middle class neighborhood in San Jose California, there was an old man that made a few dollars buying and selling junk. He was still driving his early 1920s model T Ford pickup. Whether it was a runabout or a cut-off touring car, with a wooden box behind, I never knew. I would see his model T often driving all around the local area, even right down our street many times. The car fascinated me, and I can remember it clearly from before I was four years old. I occasionally saw him stop to buy or sell junk to neighbors, and often got to watch him crank the car to start it.
We moved out of that neighborhood in 1959, and I never saw the man or his model T again.
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 12:35 pm
by Norman Kling
I grew from the late 1930's in the Los Angeles area. Due to the great depression of the early 30's which really didn't end until WW2 people could not afford a new car so they were seen regularly driving up and down the streets. Ocasionly a horse and wagon would be seen as well as TT trucks. I remember two which went by my house. Both tourings. One had a raggy top flapping in the breeze and the other had a good top. Sometimes a center door would be seen or a tudor sedan. Coupes were also seen as well as roadsters and pickups. During the war, new civilian vehicles were not being made, so the T's as well as Model A's and other oldl cars were regularly seen. We didn't have any air conditioning and I slept upstairs with windows open. There was a stop sign about two blocks from the house and the street went uphill. I could tell what make car was coming by the sound of the engine. Each had it's own sound. The T would sound like roar Tut tut tut. the Plymouth and Chevrolet had their own sound. My hearing has always been very good. I could even hear the Steam engine trains letting off steam or starting out from the station about 6 miles away!
So anyway, the T's were very common until the 1950's because after new cars for civilians were being built, there was a waiting list to get a new one.Most of the cars from 1946 to 1948 were the same as about 1941 except the trim and colors might be a bit different. I knew Walt Rosenthal who was our first president. He lived about a mile from me. Helped organize our club and the Model A Ford of America.
Norm
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 12:53 pm
by John Codman
I'll go along with those who have said that the late '40s and early '50s were about the end of the Model T as transportation. What has not been mentioned (or I missed it) was that a significant number of Model T bodies found their way into hot rods - particularly on the west coast.
Someone mentioned that even after WW2 you might se an occasional Horse as transportation. When I was a child in the early '50s there was a guy who would show up in our neighborhood with his horse and wagon; he sharpened knives. Apparently he did a great job, because just about every housewife in the 'hood would descend on the guy with a box of knives. He was an older man, and eventually he stopped coming around. I think he must have had health issues or just couldn't do it anymore. At least in our middle-class neighborhood it sure wasn't due to lack of business.
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 12:59 pm
by jsaylor
My 27 Tudor was used by the original owner until early 1950's. They drove to church every Sunday and other errands.
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 1:10 pm
by Rich P. Bingham
I have a feeling the length of service of Ts as regular transportation had a lot to do with what part of the country they were from. Our family’s experience was likely typical. My granddad bought a used Model T pickup in 1929, his very first automobile. He was 38 at the time. By 1931 he had traded for a ‘28 Model A sedan. The family was most appreciative of the comfort of a closed car in Idaho winters. My Dad, (b. 1920) recalled that in our part of southeastern Idaho, Model Ts disappeared rapidly from view during the 30s. Likely long distances to travel and harsh winters had a lot to do with that.
Nationally, I’d wager the long availability of Model T items through merchandisers such as Montgomery-Ward is a good indication of just how long Ts were in general use throughout the country. When I rescued my derelict Model T as an idealistic 14 year old in 1962, I was able to purchase Scandinavia band lining, tires and tubes, an engine gasket set, and four brand new (wood box) KW coil units from MW, although they were “special order” items.
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 2:31 pm
by Bryant
Wayne Sheldon wrote: ↑Wed Jul 16, 2025 12:34 pm
They were still pretty much transportation all through the 1930s depression years, and even beyond into the 1940s through the war years. Parts and tires were readily available in most small towns and all major cities. During the war years, many middle class high schoolers coming of age got a used model T as their first car because anything newer was too much in demand and expensive for the average kid. New cars were still scarce through 1946/'47, with them becoming readily available basically around 1949.
Many of the late prewar cars were pretty much done-in by the late 1940s, having served beyond their originally expected lifetime. By 1950, most model Ts that had remained on the road had by then been retired. Some went almost straight to hobby cars as people seeking normalcy sought to honor the cars that had put America on wheels. Others quickly found themselves on the scrap piles.
When I was really little, in the mid to late 1950s, in our middle class neighborhood in San Jose California, there was an old man that made a few dollars buying and selling junk. He was still driving his early 1920s model T Ford pickup. Whether it was a runabout or a cut-off touring car, with a wooden box behind, I never knew. I would see his model T often driving all around the local area, even right down our street many times. The car fascinated me, and I can remember it clearly from before I was four years old. I occasionally saw him stop to buy or sell junk to neighbors, and often got to watch him crank the car to start it.
We moved out of that neighborhood in 1959, and I never saw the man or his model T again.
I think I saw him on Waltons mountain!
Bryant
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 4:54 pm
by JohnM
My 27 Tudor had a gas ration sticker on the windshield, so somebody depended on it for transportation during WW2.
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 6:18 pm
by Erik Johnson
The original owner of my 1917 roadster drove it until 1947 when he sold it. He was a Swedish bachelor farmer in Cokato, MN and raised ginseng.
My father was born in 1931 and is a lifelong Minneapolis resident. He said that he would see the occasional Model T used for regular transportation well into the 1940s. He also said that seeing Model Ts being driven city streets was one of the reasons he wanted to own one himself. He bought his first one at age 16 in 1948, a 1927 Sedan.
I had a neighbor who was born in 1908 and died in 2009 at age 101. The first time he saw my '17 roadster, he told me the only person dumber than me was his nephew who had a purple pick-up truck. (Who on earth would want to own a PURPLE pick-up truck?) I asked him if he every owned or drove Model Ts in his younger days. He confessed that he and his friends bought and drove Model Ts in the early 1930s because they could be had cheap.
Re: Daily Driver
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 7:39 pm
by RajoRacer
My Gramps delivered groceries around Seattle through the Depression & WWII - bought the TT new in 1924 & drove it until the late 50's - I still own it !