1909 FORD MODEL T RACER

Details

This 1909 Ford Model T racer replica was driven from New York City to Seattle, WA, in the summer of 1984 in recognition of a similar race that took place 75 years earlier in 1909. At the time of the first race, Henry Ford's Model T had been in production for only one year and Ford needed publicity to spur sales. Fortuitously, the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition sponsored a cross-country automobile race in 1909, and Ford saw it as a perfect opportunity for his Model T to shine. The race attracted

over 20 entries, including two factory-sponsored Model Ts with the numbers 1 and 2 painted on their hoods. The number 2 car ended up winning the event with a cross-country time of 20 days and 52 minutes and was preserved for display in the Henry Ford Museum. Without access to the museum car, Model T enthusiast Bill Barth and a team of helpers built this replica back in 1984 in celebration of the Model T's 75th anniversary. The entire saga is outlined in the Jan-Feb 1985 issue of the Model T Times (included with car). Barth and his team gained access to the Ford photography archives to ensure every detail was reproduced faithfully. On July 19, 1984, Bill Barth and co-driver Tom Bowers departed from New York City in this car and 17 days later arrived in Seattle, a full three days sooner than their 1909 counterparts, thanks to improved roads. It's been 30 years since this pristine Model T traversed the nation, earning itself a chapter in Model T history.