A Beauty of a 1923 Ford Model T Coupe

The 1923 Ford Model T Coupe featured in this article is a beauty. Total 1923 Ford Model T production was 1,831,000 vehicles of which the coupe model accounted for 313,000 units. Although Ford never produced a coupe with the designation “Doctor’s Coupe” these Model T Coupes were occasionally referred as coupes for the doctor who would travel making house calls.

The Simplicity of the Model T

If there’s one description to place on the Ford Model T it was simplicity. This was a simple yet extremely useful automobile. The engine was cast in one block and the four cylinder engine delivered 22 HP. Three pedals and a hand lever operated the transmission. In a large way, the simplicity of the Ford Model T was something cherished by the elder Ford. History tells us that Henry Ford was a man who generally resisted change. As an example, during the 1930′s when his competitors were adding technical improvement to their cars, such as hydraulic brakes, Henry Ford resisted until the last. Much of the credit for convincing the elder Ford to eventually agree to changes was given to his son Edsel Ford.

The Low Cost Ford Model T

Henry Ford was not responsible for inventing the automobile or the assembly line. What Ford did accomplish was using an assembly line technique to produce cars which could be afforded by everyone. The Model T was Ford’s Universal Car.

The Model T was considered a low priced vehicle by comparison to other early automobiles. A 1923 Ford Model T Coupe was priced new at about $540. The affordability, the cars availability and it’s reputation for dependability, made motoring possible for many people who had initially been priced out of the market. Ford’s use of mass production techniques allowed the company to produce automobiles for the common person at a price they could afford. Ford’s mass production techniques were adopted by it’s chief competitors one after the other.

Times were changing during the 1920′s. Ford’s Model T managed to become the best selling car year after year however their share of the market was shrinking. Competition increased and General Motors made a lot of progress with their assembly line production methods. The car that was first built in 1908 at the Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit Michigan would finally make way for another model in 1927.