HICKORY CORNERS, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Gilmore Car Museum announced Tuesday that it is offering a unique holiday gift idea for car enthusiasts in the form of Ford Model T driving lessons.
Built between 1908 and 1927, the Ford Model T had over 15 million vehicles produced. Museum officials say it was the best-selling automobile of all time until it was surpassed by the Volkswagen Beetle in 1972.
Driving a Model T is a different experience, in that there are no gas pedals, fuel gauges or speedometers, according to museum officials. Rather, it is controlled by three pedals on the floor, a handle beside the seat and two small levers on the steering wheel.
Officials add that the only fuel gauge was a wood stick placed into the gas tank—located under the driver’s seat. A speedometer was an option and a hand-operated windshield wiper didn’t become standard until 1925. The vehicle also has no key starter or push button on the dash, as motorists had to hand turn a crank out in front of the vehicle, all while adjusting the spark and fuel mixture.
Ford Model T startup demonstration. (Photo courtesy of the Gilmore Car Museum).
The Gilmore Car Museum is now offering driving lessons for the Ford Model T.
“Think of it as going back to driver’s training – old school, that is,” Gilmore Car Museum Curator Jay Follis said in a statement.
The “Old School” driver’s training runs about four hours and each session is taught by long-time Model T owners and enthusiasts. Each class includes practice driving in genuine Model T Fords around the Museum’s three miles of paved roadways. Museum historians provide the backstories of Henry Ford and the early Ford Motor Company, as well as up-close inspections of various Model Ts during the courses’ special guided tours.
The cost of the Model T driver’s training is only $125.00 per student and is open to any licensed drivers or those with a valid learner’s permit. After successfully completing a road test in a genuine Ford Model T, each student will be presented with a Certificate of Completion.
More information on the course can be found at the official Gilmore Car Museum website.
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