1915 Model T

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This is a 1915 Model T Speedster I bought from an car auction at the Towe Auto Museum in 1992.
Speedsters were known as the first hot rods. It started out as a 1915 Ford passenger car, and was one of 15 million Model Ts built from 1908-1927. The original body was removed and this lightweight Speedster body was installed - just as they were doing from the very beginning. Cars like this were raced on everything from dirt tracks to coast-coast races.
A similar Ford Model T won the very first race from New York to Seattle in 1909. A Model T Speedster placed fifth at Indianapolis in 1923 with an average speed of 82 mph. One of the least expensive methods of going fast involves reducing weight. The Model T wasn't a heavy car to begin with-in the earlier years, weights for complete cars ran about 1,200 pounds. Bare chassis ran a good 250-300 pounds less.
The Mini Speedster was built for me in Canada. It has a 10 hp. 4- stroke, Briggs and Stratton motor. I sent; Drawings, Paint samples, and photos of the full size car.
Model Ts were known as “The Universal Car or Tin Lizzie” This vehicle made the Ford name forever famous. Henry Ford used the assembly line method of manufacture that revolutionized the automobile industry. Before this, it had taken 12.5 man-hours to assemble a Model T - this was reduced to not more than 1.5 man-hours. For several years the car was only available with black paintwork because the available black paint dried faster than any other known shade.