Sweetie, the Model T
~ by Paul Sackmann
There are old cars, and then, there are really old cars. When you think of old, old, cars model T Fords often first come to mind. Model T Fords were first produced in 1909 and were made untill1927. All the Model T cars and trucks produced during those years had one thing in common— a hand crank to start it.
This Model T was made back in the year 1921, but it was produced so late in the year that it is titled as a 1922.
The car was bought new by a Brown County family back in the summer of 1922 and was the pride of the farm for many years. It was also the first car ever owned by the family. Believe it or not, this car was once a shiny black touring car with a well fitting convertible top and full side curtains.
The whole family could ride into Nashville in half the time it took to take the wagon. If the roads permitted, top speed may have been 35 miles per hour— a speed the horse drawn wagon could never match.
By the late 1930s this Model T was considered too old, and not having a heater or any other modern conveniences that the new cars of the day had, it was retired to the barn and almost forgotten.
Then came World War II. Gas, rubber, metal, and any other common goods Americans took for granted were rationed. Pickup trucks during the war were considered work vehicles and had exempt status for the gas rationing. You could buy a full tank of gas without using your ration stamps.
The model T ford was quickly modified from a touring car to a pickup and was put back in service for the duration of the war.
After the war, the T was useful around the farm and made to do all the rough work. It also was considered a big toy for the kids to enjoy and was often driven down the middle of the stream, banged around, put away wet, and just generally abused. One day, back around 1947, it did not start. This was the beginning of a long storage that did not end until the late 1970s when it was discovered and purchased by a collector of model Ts.
The Model T truck was housed in a good, dry environment but was never made to run. Over the years it was more or less a parts donor for other Ts in the collection.
In 2015, the T was sold again. The new owners are now giving the truck a mechanical rebuild, new upholstery, and a new top. The metal body will remain in the current condition. The old Ford now also has a name— Sweetie.
This is a true piece of Brown County auto history that has survived the ages and did not end up in the scrap pile. It will soon be on the road again. •
58 Our Brown County March / April 2016