The Model T: A Terrible Car Which was Terrible for Society

Discover the untold story of the Ford Model T in our latest video. This iconic car not only revolutionized transportation but also had a dark side. Explore its complex legacy of innovation, safety issues, impact on wealth distribution, and even its connection to antisemitism. Join us on a journey through history, where the Model T shaped the world in ways you never imagined.
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[@fenderpicker57]

My grandfather owned a Model T. There was no fuel pump on the engine. The fuel was gravity feed from the tank. He told stories of where there was a steep hill near where he lived. If the tank was low on fuel, he would sometimes have to turn the car around and back up the hill!

[@DrTheRich]

@thepolkster46 the reverse ratio is still lower on basically every car today

[@anvilsvs]

Not entirely true. Quite a few have a first gear ratio lower than reverse. @@DrTheRich

[@DrTheRich]

@@anvilsvs ah interesting. Probably depends on engine type vs car weight

[@paulnicholson1906]

That's mythology in my opinion. I have a T for 30 years or so and have been up tons of steep hills and it never has happened to me. It would have to be a super steep hill (25% grade or something) and you would have to be really on empty. The story is from the Floyd Clymer book.

[@fenderpicker57]

Figured he was a lying basturd. Never liked the old man anyway!@@paulnicholson1906

[@alexius23]

I am a bit of a historian. About 1901 the big cities were worried about fecal waste & urine waste from horses & mules.A single health horse can excrete about 25 a day plus gallons of urine. Each year saw an increase in the number of horses & mules to haul goods, products & use for private/public transportation. I grant that electric subways & steam power was also helping but animals had to haul coal for generators & steam ships & trains. There were City governments conferences held across the US on how this looming problem of animal waste. Yes, the rich were moving toward the automobiles but those were cars were well beyond the financial reach of most Americans. In an amazingly short period of time street photography shows the fairly rapid end of horses & the rise of. Internal combustion power. Henry Ford played a major part in that process.

[@alan6832]

I thought that except for modern times, the peak of wealth disparity in the US was in the Gilded Age, before at least most model T's were built. Did US wealth disparity peak before the first model T? that I don't know, but the introduction is misleading either way.

[@foreverinteriors]

Thanks! That's an interesting piece of info that I definitely overlooked. At least everyone's lawns were a healthy green lol

[@felixwankel3989]

@@alan6832 I am pretty sure peak disparity would have been pre civil war. Not just between the elites and the slaves but also between elites and the working class.

[@bobfg3130]

You forgot about electric cars. Henry Ford is overrated.

[@go4ride]

@@felixwankel3989 Before the industrial revolution, there was no "working class." Everyone seems to forget that most people still lived on farms and in small, agricuturally based towns until pretty much the 1920's.

[@TJ-su6zi]

Another point he misses is how TERRIBLE horses were. Today they are pampered pets, but when you needed one for transportation or work that was a very different situation: they are labor intensive, needing constant care and upkeep. If they got damaged or sick you can not just replace what was broken. And they weren’t safe, still aren’t.

[@jennaphantom7969]

My grandfather took two Model T's and combined them into a tracker because he was tired of driving a team of horses to plow the fields on the farm.

[@JohnDoe-on6ru]

Yeah but horses flex nuts

[@johnwaffleson]

This guy looks into a camera and cuts out the bit where in terms of matter he only makes a shit. Often this guys documentaries are pretty decent, this one is a shit. You can't do something as massive as Ford Motor Company any justice in 20 minutes. It's linkbait coddling and pure hindsight.

[@mikejacob3536]

At least when the horse was irreparable you got dinner...😂

[@m.kriddick2731]

Yep, as bad the model T was it was better than the horse.

[@tedneb3459]

This video fell into the trap of judging history through the lens of today. The Model T came of age in an era which saw gas lighting in homes and businesses alike, factories with next to no safety measures for employees, ships and trains powered and heated with steam, and even Christmas trees with live candles. This wasn't viewed as a problem by most: it was simply daily life in the early 1900s, and it was certainly not a creation of Henry Ford. I'd remind that when most of us were born, 3 point safety harnesses, air bags, telescoping steering columns, GPS accident notification and crumple zones were merely on our "maybe someday" list. Making the case that Model T was "a terrible car which was terrible for society" may be great clickbait, but it's short-sighted, ignorant, and in most ways simply untrue.

[@drsbutler]

A fair objective comprehensive unbiased review of the ford model T and of Henry Ford ,,,,, its refreshing to hear the truth as ugly as it may be . Bravo Simon !

[@helmburgers]

It’s funny you mention gas lighting. My home was built in 1877 in Indiana. 10 years ago when I upgraded my electrical service to 200 amps I found all of the 3/8” black pipe still installed in the walls and attic that carried natural gas to the lamps. It was certainly a very different era back then.

[@drsbutler]

Nevertheless in my opinion it was a fair unbiased review of the model T which I found to be informative. He did not shy away from the unpleasant facts . , concerning the model T and Henry Ford . Henry Ford was an industrial icon who had a phenomenal impact in industrial manufacturing. , which came at a hidden cost , most prefer to ignore…. .

[@grizzlygrizzle]

@@drsbutler -- He tried to draw connections between the car and anti-Semitism, income inequality, and so on, but it wasn't the car that did these things. His arguments are both anachronistic and stretched to the breaking point. -- One can make an argument that the advance of technology has a tendency to result in a diminution of individual's rights and dignity, because science and technology are inherently exploitive and manipulative of one's environment (and in the social scientific framework, the elements of that environment are other human beings). In physical science and technology, though, whatever moral issues arise are more abstract and fewer then in social technology, but they are still there and become more apparent over time. But in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these issues were more potential and hypothetical than they are today. (And the social sciences were in their early development). -- The Model T was only one small part of the massive trend toward widespread technological advances in the later Industrial Revolution. Aside from cars, there were airplanes, skyscrapers, electrification and the proliferation of electrical devices, radios and mass communication, huge public works projects, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Panama Canal, steamships, and so on, and so on. And Ford's assembly line was a refinement of Ransom E. Olds' assembly line, and that innovation was already underway even in the car industry, though there were earlier precedents in other industries. -- And keep in mind that racial superiority and eugenics were progressive ideas at the time, or at least generally acceptable to progressives. Efficiency of political organization was a big idea among progressives, just as it is today for the evil technocrat clowns of Davos, WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

[@iunnox666]

This channel is good at presenting, but they often miss important details and draw ridiculous conclusions.

[@decus9544]

The Model T was exactly the correct product for its time, imo. A cheap, simple, easily maintainable, easily mass producible, mass market car.

[@mikep490]

True and black paint was part of keeping them repairable everywhere. My G-granddad repaired cars of the time. A hammer to bang out a dent, maybe melt in some lead and file it down or use a ping hammer and file. Paint was applied with a brush and sanded smooth with a pumice stone. That practice (minus the paint brush) was still taught into the 70's in community colleges.

[@josephd.5524]

Built by a raging anti-semite who didn't give a single fuck about the conditions of his workers other than they obey him in all aspects of life. DEFINITELY the product of the time.

[@thebigpicture2032]

Plus it was perfect for the bumpy roads at the time and was designed so that farmers could make their own ethanol fuel.

[@sammyjones3500]

Drive one then write about it. Appalling car to drive, a real death trap.

[@thebigpicture2032]

@@sammyjones3500 terrible car by today’s standards. My brother has one that he takes in parades but it simply doesn’t work for today’s roads. A museum piece really.

[@onekoneb]

The safety and mechanical issues you highlight were common of all cars of that age, not just the Model T.

[@go4ride]

And not just of cars, but of all sorts of machinery.

[@jonnunn4196]

When the Model T was first introduced, sure. But this video included some of the safety improvements that other manufacturers added to their vehicles during the 19 years the model T was produced which didn't get added to later model T and had to wait for the new model A.

[@user-pt1ow8hx5l]

Yet Ford gained the means to sort the problems out. OneByOne.....

[@eskamobob8662]

Yah. The title and tone of this video feels massively off. All cars, and honestly, the expensive ones even more so, we're massively dangerous. Saftey standards basicaly didn't even exist until the 70s and didn't actualy do much until the 90s

[@squee222]

The fact people could purchase aftermarket brakes for a vehicle that shipped without brakes proves that statement to be false.

[@jameswilber518]

How do expect Henry and the Ford Motor Company to solve that laceration problem of the flat glass of the Model T when Safety glass wasn't invented until 5 years AFTER the Model T's demise??

[@sjfs231]

this video is extremely flawed

[@PennsyPappas]

I saw the thumbnail and title and as soon as I clicked on it I went straight to the comments section didn't even watch the video. Boy am I glad I did because it probably saved me 20 minutes of my life watching something that is missing more context and understanding than it should.

[@bradsmith9189]

I was the same. The guys an idiot.

[@iunnox666]

All his videos are like this.

[@chrisschneiders6734]

Hmm, still no better informed then..

[@BenScheurer]

You don’t know shit

[@easttaieri2]

Ive had Model Ts for decades, and never ever heard of the crank starter flying off like a javelin. I can't even see how that is possible!

[@od1452]

Yeah.. I've even hand cranked a 50 Ford Pick up a few times . I think the researchers just went with the exaggeration they read by writers with no hands on experience .

[@paulnicholson1906]

I have one too, never happened. It is fastened on permanently.

[@earlt.7573]

I own a 1919 Touring and no, the hand crank will NOT fly off the car, I generally like this fellows videos, but I call bullshit on this one.

[@timnor4803]

This channel is big on content... research, not so much

[@markrenton1093]

I laughed at that also .

[@MikkoRantalainen]

4:34 The Model T was designed to be easy to repair without factory support. Modern cars are designed the other way aroud: you cannot typically fix parts, only replace whole part to a new factory replacement. This is obviously much more profitable for the factory even though it's worse for the consumer.

[@ScotttheCyborg]

No subscription needed to operate any part of it.

[@littlefishy6316]

@@ScotttheCyborg yeah, parts already fitted, unbelievable. Zero, the electric motorcycle company took "unlocking of already fitted parts/technology" to a new level as customer had to pay to "unlock" extended range, meaning customer is riding around with a battery they couldn't make use of until "unlocked" by software......

[@ScotttheCyborg]

@@littlefishy6316 And as long as customers pay for that, they'll get away with it

[@Hyde_Hill]

Yeah right to repair laws are needed in all industries.

[@ScotttheCyborg]

@@Hyde_Hill Most of the issue has to do with revenue generation - new stuff is more profitable. However, liability is also an issue. Making it easier for you to repair your things makes it easier to get sued when you repair it wrong. Yes, such suits almost always would lose, but it would still incur unrecoverable expenses to defend. The lawsuits get filed on a contingency basis because you only have to win big once, in a jury system that is happy to hand over a verdict because, after all, it's a big company and can afford it. Spending $10K to defend a lawsuit over a bad user repair of a $100 widget can be almost entirely avoided by making it almost impossible for users to repair their own stuff.

[@waverider227]

The Model T you mentioned as an Terrible car was not terrible for its time it literally WAS THE CAR that put America on wheels .The model T was exactly what was needed at the exact time. iIT was made to be affordable and easy to repair at home and at one point it was said that there were more model T autos in US buyer's hands than there were bathtubs or indoor plumbing! The only other consumer product that was equal in production numbers at the time (early 1920s) was the radio. Even over 100 years later I still see model Ts being driven to Classic Auto shows here in my town!

[@TheOriginalJphyper]

Some would argue that that's exactly what made it terrible. Cars have had quite the environmental impact.

[@wyguy1212]

Yeah not environmentally even cars push everything apart and make it impossible to walk anywhere

[@LordInter]

you can still see 1920s Rolls Royce, Bentley, Alfa Romeo, dusenberg.....

[@guysumpthin2974]

Model T and 8n tractor = how America grew its prosperity & fed its people

[@guysumpthin2974]

Next video : how germans keep taking credit for things they didn’t invent

[@randb4865]

Hilarious that a story about the Model T has the Model A as its thumbnail.

[@daleeasternbrat816]

I've owned a Model T. Easy to drive, easy to fix, easy to keep running. Built like Industrial equipment.

[@robins.2749]

same reason we loved our old vws. High performance? not on your life. But, I could have the engine block of my 67 bus detached and on a milk crate in under 30 minutes. I literally could fix anything, and have.

[@bbb462cid]

@@robins.2749 Welll....my '70 Buick took three hours. But I took all the front sheetmetal off right down to the frame, all the bracing, supports, hoses, and electrical off before I put the engine on the stand so gimme a break. Actually only eight bolts holds in that engine, and six are for the trans.

[@russellday5003]

I describe mine like this when asked. "It's a piece of agricultural machinery with a fancy shell". Get all sorts of questions, "what do you do when it breaks down? It doesn't, it might run like crab for a bit but if you are smart with it, you can limp it back without walking much. If I could choose a car to drive to hell and back? I would request one with AC. Simple, reliable.

[@selfdo]

Which pretty much it WAS. Making the damned thing comfortable was for the aftermarket.

[@selfdo]

@@robins.2749 That's what Ferdy Porsche had in mind. A couple of kids with only high school auto shop could do an engine swap in about two or three hours. Although they were not that hard to rebuild, the intent was to trade a worn engine in on a factory rebuilt. Doing a valve and ring job was not too hard nor expensive as long as the pistons, cylinder, and valves were all good. This easy engine swap and/or rebuild feature was actually useful to all the Wehrmacht users, as they could get a Kubelwagen back into service with the most primitive of field shops, often enduring the frigid Russian winters.

[@knarf4083]

I am sure you are correct in asserting that life was tough on a Ford Line in that era. But you failed to point out that the alternative jobs available at the time were just as tough if not worse, and paid much less.

[@marguskiis7711]

exactly

[@DrTheRich]

A worker at the ford factory, could afford a ford car within only a half year of working... Try that with a current McDonald salary...

[@AidanPatko]

@@DrTheRichyou show an appalling lack of understanding for economics.

[@DrTheRich]

@@AidanPatko nah, i understand, but also i don't give a shit. I said what i said.

[@knarf4083]

@@AidanPatko You should let my professors at University know since I have an honours degree in economics.

[@acfinney1]

I can't believe that you are bringing up the safety issue. Can you name another entry level car that was safe in 1914? The British and their insecurities. Lol!

[@iunnox666]

This guy is clueless. He often makes ignorant assertions.

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

Says the country that feels vulnerable unless they own a gun! 😊 the best selling cars in the US are from far east manufacturers.

[@xAGiiL3UnTiTL3D]

Funnily enough no could u enlighten me.

[@Isaac-ho8gh]

Just because safety was terrible for most things at the time, it doesn't mean that Ford couldn't improve the Model T's safety after they invented it. They easily could've if that business actually cared about safety.

[@Oddman1980]

The most obvious reason I can think of for making all the cars the same color is that you don't have to stop the line to change colors, and you don't have to build multiple lines for each color. There are paint lines that exist now that can be rapidly changed over, but those systems didn't exist back in 1907! I had the chance to ride in a Model T. It was by a wide margin the most terrifying self-powered vehicle I've ever ridden in. 45 MPH isn't fast in a Camry, but in a Model T it feels like you're flying. The body feels only distantly attached to the axles, and slowing down into a corner was hair raising. It made my Suzuki Samurai feel like a sports car.

[@terminallygray]

It was because having different colors slowed down the line. You can't put a red door on a black car. If ALL of the doors are black......

[@selfdo]

Limiting the color choice to black wasn't a thing until 1914, when the breakout of WWI stopped the flow of IG Farben chemicals, which had been traded to Ford for their "knockdown kits" that assembled Model Ts in Germany. The black color was more or less mandated at first by having to use a coal tar substitute as the paint base, which had to have suitable properties as an automotive finish. America's entry into World War One also brought restrictions. Once the war was over, enough of an aftermarket, including customizing Model Ts (one of the first cars to commonly be adorned with pinstripes), and Ford decided to leave that market be, as its existence was observed to drive sales of new vehicles in the first place.

[@rayceeya8659]

Very few Licenced drivers today could drive a Model T. The control configuration is bizarre. You have three pedals on the floor and none of them are an accelerator pedal. The throttle is on the steering column. In a lot of ways, the T was more like a farm tractor than a car. You also had a hand brake that was half a gear shifter. The other half was the left hand pedal. To start off, Handbrake fully engaged. You can't even start the car without this. Step two, move the handbrake to the middle position. Step three, push the left pedal in. Then you're moving. Move the handbrake all the way forward and let off on the pedal and you are in high gear. Now it's time to tune the engine while driving. The two levers on the steering column are throttle and ignition advance. You want to get them both forward for full speed. Need to stop, wellllll, you could take both hands off the wheel but that's not advisable. Right hand first. Reduce the throttle then pull the ignition advance back. If that sounds like gibberish, I'm sorry I did my best.

[@Dysturbed-00]

Everyone knows how to drive a tractor...

[@artsofthewood5748]

@@Dysturbed-00 their not hard, can you operate a JD synchro?

[@rogerwilco1777]

most people cant even drive stick.., that sounds like directions on how to drive a submarine 😵‍💫

[@rstidman]

I have stolen a few Model T's. It was not easy to get away when the owners were so readily able to run alongside them, but we persevered.

[@rayceeya8659]

@@rstidman Dude, top speed was about 30mph, Usain Bolt isn't that fast.

[@brentgrubbs8146]

My grandfather worked there, was able to have enough cash to start up his business. Not always bad

[@bruceparr1678]

Henry Fords parents came from Cork in Ireland. The townland the family came from was "Fairlane". When Henry got rich he travelled back to Ireland and had the family home dismantled and sent to America where he had it re-assembled.

[@KakashiInWinter]

Oh, is that where the Fairlane model name came from?

[@TheBrainSquared]

Fast forward nearly 9 decades later and Amazon is doing the exact same thing.

[@chrismichael7519]

In other news early planes crashed often, early ships sank easily and early computers didn't have much computing power and were insanely expensive.

[@patrickglaser1560]

Don't get the brits started on their second place complex

[@panzerwolf494]

Good thing this video isn't just focusing on the failures of the model t then. Oh wait, that implies you watched it

[@ljt3084]

@@patrickglaser1560 Ford had to use a British built sports car to win at Lemans. Says it all really. Driven and co designed by a British race driver. Ken Miles. The Lola Mk6 built in Britain. Nothing revolutionary about Ford. Jaguar have won more international race trophies than Ford. As for racing, America invented Nascar. A lesson in turning left for 200 miles..

[@robertp457]

I didn’t watch the entire video did you? The model T was terrible because of cost cutting and not being iterated on. The other vehicles you mentioned were not impacted by cost cutting In spite of safety concerns.

[@ramblerdave1339]

​@@ljt3084 500 miles.

[@mullman]

My grandfather restored Model Ts and VWs of all kinds from the 60s until his death a few years ago and I’ve driven plenty. Both were genius engineered vehicles for their respective times.

[@hebneh]

One important fact not discussed in this video was that, while there were numerous people who couldn't afford a new Model T, that car's huge effect on auto production in the USA in general meant that immense numbers of new cars meant a concurrent increase in the amount of used cars - and those were cheap enough for even quite poor people to be able to become mobile.

[@ckl8a]

I heard a story as a kid how my great grandfather "bought" an old car in the mid 30's for a few dozen eggs....and they drove that car for years and years!

[@Jamie-zs8ok]

Personal mobility? ah.. Socialist Urbanists hates that we all must ride bikes to work.. muh Walkable City rheeee , Kars Bad!!

[@snowrocket]

And that economic idea still works today. I personally have never made much money and have bought just one new car which I kept only one year. Most lower income people, and many very astute wealthy people buy used cars. I pay about 1/3 of what others pay to get a car of the same size, and I repair it myself as much as I can. My overall ownership cost is much lower than theirs.

[@shaun5552]

@@Jamie-zs8ok There's a lot more reasons to travel than just going to work and that's why cars won out over public transport that tends to go only to places of business.

[@somedudenamedzack]

Video about model T Model A in thumbnail 💀

[@geodkyt]

Many of the safety issues with the Model T were not a shortcoming of Ford ignoring them when designing the car. They were issues that were common beforehand, but until the Model T became so ubiquitous as to bring the issues to public awareness because the increased volume of users meant an equal increase in the numbers of accidents - from being something that rarely happened (and only to wealthier thrill seekers you barely cared about even if you were vaguely aware of the accidents), these accidents became something that happened to someone in your town, possibly someone you knew personally. In some cases, the solutions were not even readily available, as no one had worked out the necessary bugs. Ford didn't include a lot of these items for the same reasons that early aircraft manufacturers didn't include provisions for electrical starting, bail out parachutes, and instruments like altimeters, airspeed indicators, etc. For example, while laminated glass was technically discovered in 1903 (the French patent wasn't even filed until 1909), it wasn't until 1910 that the very first company to actually manufacture any had been opened... and they didn't have a marketable product until 1911. After all, regular plate glass had been used for *decades* in carriages, trains, etc., and people just accepted the risks - why would Henry Ford think about it, two years before it was available, and why would anyone realize the nature of automobiles (higher speeds than carriages, no horse to help avoid collisions, and not rail bound with a carefully coordinated schedule like trains) made windshield injuries far more common? And when it first came out, laminated glass was *extremely* expensive (very tricky and manually fiddly to make panes large enough for windshields). Whuch is why it really wasn't a factory option (for *any* mass produced automobile) until the end of the 1920s. Or brakes. Ford (like pretty much *every* early automobile innovator) approached the problem from the paradigm of a "horseless carriage". Carriages relied on the *horses* (i.e., the "engine and transmission") to slow and stop them, with the brakes primarily being a parking brake to stop the last little bit of movement and prevent rolling after stopping. Some folks approached automobiles as "trackless trains", and so looked into wheel brakes... but train brakes scaled down to automobiles tended to wear out and actually damage the automobile when used regularly (as we use them now) - this was the case with the early aftermarket brake kits for Model Ts. Some tried to use bicycle type brakes,, which quite simply, were only suitable (and then just barely) as parking brakes that wouldn't even hold on a moderate slope (the early aftermarket brake kits literally just allowed the driver to apply more force to the outside of the parking brakes, dramatically increasing wear). Disk and drum brakes suitable for autompbiles were first patented (in Britain and France) around the time laminated safety glass was. And early automobile brakes were actually *dangerous* if applied at speed, because synchronizing the brakes so they applied braking force that didn't destabilize the car wasn't developed until *1917* . The first car with four wheel braking was introduced in *1920* (but was still purely mechanical, requiring the driver to produce *all* of the braking force with one foot, meaning you used the transmission to slow down, and the brakes just to stop after getting to about a walking speed.) The hydraulic brake assist system that realky made brakes safe for quick stops from speed wasn't invented until *1928* . Another driver of changes in reliability and safety in automobiles really came about when auto racing events started implementing rules that restricted what was legal on a race car. Things from brake development to as simple as restricting how many gallons of oil a car could use during the entire race drove innovation amongst competitors... which manufacturers then rolled into their own mass production and touted as cutting edge inprovements. We see this over and over again - once something goes from individually crafted toys for the wealthy and adventurous, to something marketed to the masses, safety and reliability hazards that were just accepted as normal suddenly become unacceptable, and the public demands that Something Must Be Done. Likewise, wider implementation at lower costs means more folks tinkering with thubgs on their own, which means more opportunities for new innovation, which manufacturers roll into production after the new concept is both proven and affordable (for example - yes, you could have had a car in the 1940s with fuel injection, automatic transmission, friction lock lap and shoulder seat belts, disk brakes with anti-lock, and electronic ignition timing... but it would have been economically unviable as a mass product because it would be too expensive for almost every customer, and people by and large didn't see the point in the inprovements even if they *could* afford them.)

[@namvet_13e]

This is an excellent description of how the technology of the automobile advanced with market forces. Most of these innovations were developed by a competitive market.

[@dzcav3]

Good comments. This video projects modern technology, values, and perspective back to a time when they didn't exist.

[@13minutestomidnight]

These safety problems were common beforehand, sure. But you're ignoring two incredibly significant points: 1) these problems quickly did become obvious and Ford did nothing to fix them in 19 years of production, even when aftermarket companies were providing solutions (like brakes); and 2) Ford had the enormous capital to spend money on fixing these problems and developing solutions (a lot of these safety issues didn't require big innovations or brand new technology). Automobiles had been around before this, but Ford sold these cars to the masses knowing the problems automobiles, including his, already had, and he accepted the results even as the deaths steadily piled up. When suddenly the cars became ubiquitous, those problems quickly became huge and had a terrible impact, but that was always a risk to his customers that he continued to propagate. Whatever Ford thought of the safety risks himself, that still doesn't change the fact that those problems still existed, and he was responsible for selling these cars to a wider public.

[@geodkyt]

@@13minutestomidnight You clearly didn't read my entire post, as I laid out the timeline of the various improvements. Note, nobody else was seeing an issue at the time, either. Hindsight is 20/20 - and in hindsight it seems *obvious* . In reality, folks *in general* didn't see the danger as being high enough to go to the expense, and *most* of those early safety "inprovements" actually made things *more dangerous* overall, until other improvements were later developed. Hell, look at how long it took for searbelts to even be offered as a factory option, much less be mandated. Or how long after thst to convince people to actually *wear* them even when offered. And we've had "seatbelt technology" since *1885* !

[@chrishoesing5455]

This was also before the nanny state was around. Back when people could choose to be risky if they wanted too, and didn't blame others when they had an accident. Imagine going back in time and telling someone they could blame Henry Ford if they crashed their car and got cut by the glass?

[@sunbeam8866]

A bit of perspective - aside from it's peculiar gearbox, was the Model T significantly more unsafe than many other cars of its' era? At least the model T had a steel frame, while many other American car frames still used wood. As for worker exploitation, that was commonplace in industry at that time. As for exploiting foreign workers, today we have most of our consumer goods made by exploited workers in Asia and other countries. How is that better?

[@martyzielinski1442]

Not to mention nine year olds currently mining the innerds for Tesla batteries.....

[@sunbeam8866]

@@martyzielinski1442 Yes, the EV fan-boys don't like to hear that!

[@kens97sto171]

@@martyzielinski1442 That is MOSTLY nonsense. The only battery sourced in China is the Base Model 3 LFP car. ALL the rest use 2170 or 4680 batteries that are made near Reno Nevada. Raw materials come from Australia and other US trade friendly countries. A HUGE lithium deposit was just found in the US.. and Tesla is also opening a lithium processing plant in Houston Texas. Tesla is the MOST American made car you could own... nearly 100% There is plenty to dislike about EV's.. they are not for everyone. But Tesla is an American company, They employ 127,000 people.. we should be happy they are successful.

[@kylemichaels3373]

@@kens97sto171 Not to mention child labor is and has been illegal in China for a long long time. No U.S. company produces 21700 or 18650 batteries. The battery packs may be assembled in the U.S. but the cells all come from China or other countries.

[@kens97sto171]

@@kylemichaels3373 I don't believe that's the case on the battery production. 2170s not 21700s. Can you tell me what batteries they make in Reno Nevada? That's their battery factory. Regardless they can't qualify for the tax credits unless a certain percentage of the materials and assembly occur in the US. I know there are some loopholes.. I think the LFP packs come from China but are shipped through Canada and then brought in from Canada and therefore qualify. Although I think that ends next year anyway. Regardless. They're still the most american-made vehicle you could own. A lot of other manufacturers get parts and supplies from other places also. I still see it as a American company building cars globally successfully employing a hell of a lot of people and generating a lot of wealth. That's a completely different discussion of whether EVs are a great choice or not. For many people EVs don't work and can't work for their needs. But that's true of anything. I just don't understand the Tesla hate especially from Americans. It seems pretty idiotic but I think most of it comes from a lack of understanding or information. people listen to what they hear on the news they hear a little blurbs on Facebook and take things as fact. When all it would require is a little bit of research to gain more information about the actual topic you're discussing.

[@redluck01]

The greatest car ever. I still drive my 24 T. When a electric car will not even make 150000 miles, my T is about to turn 100 years old. Do you expect seat belts? airbags? backup camera? safety glass? A/C? That is like looking at a wright brothers plane and saying it is not safe.

[@andrewfidel2220]

What planet do you live on? Because on the one i live on there's already a Tesla model S with a million miles on it, 7x the distance you say an EV won't make, LOL.

[@redluck01]

with the same battery? no way give me a link.@@andrewfidel2220

[@deathtrooper2048]

​@@andrewfidel2220Most Teslas wouldn't even last that long, 1 million mile ICE cars are not that rare.

[@gordocarbo]

@@andrewfidel2220 Tons of ice cars have done that, with carbs too. No tesla or late model anything will be on the road in 100 yrs bet on it

[@andrewfidel2220]

@@gordocarbo outside of semi trucks million miles ICE vehicles are exceedingly rare. But that wasn't my point my point was that people assuming that EVs are going to break down after 100k miles are simply wrong, unless it's Nissan Leaf which lacks thermal management the batteries aren't going to be the thing that limits the life of the vehicle, it'll be a mechanical part and EVs have way fewer of them then ICE vehicles and so should tend to last longer.

[@Modeltnick]

The T was the marvel of its time. It was made out of Vanadium steel and would stand up to the unpaved roads of that time. The service brake in the transmission was sufficient for the relatively slower speeds and light weight of the vehicle. The planetary transmission was easy to drive especially since most cars had crash box transmissions at that time. At one time half the cars in the world were Model Ts. Henry was far from an Angel but his car was and many people benefited from it.

[@missyd0g2]

My grandfather worked for Ford Motor at the Rouge complex in the 1920’s casting molten steel into engine blocks. Eventually all the men in the family worked for Ford.

[@willstikken5619]

I can say without any doubt that your grandfather did not work at ford casting engine blocks form molten steel. Engine blocks were made from cast iron, not steel. When you retell your story in the future maybe fix that detail...

[@I_like_turtles_67]

​@@willstikken5619Why are you gay?

[@user-yf1fe7ei7n]

@@willstikken5619 senantics

[@willstikken5619]

@@user-yf1fe7ei7n you mean semantics... And no, it is not a simple matter of semantics. Iron and Steel are not he same so it is a matter of correct or incorrect. Describing something incorrectly just makes the person seem ignorant. Intentionally doing so instead makes them stupid.

[@willstikken5619]

@@AdamsOlympia Between you and I do don't think I am the pompous a-h here...

[@cool386vintagetechnology6]

"The crank handle to explode off the front of the car like a javelin", LOL. First I've heard of this, having being around Model T's for over 20 years. The myths abound...

[@earlt.7573]

This video is a fountain of misinformation, the guy has no idea what in the hell he's talking about.

[@straybullitt]

The Model A in the thumbnail was my first indication that there would be absolutely nothing to learn about the Model T here. I just came straight to the comments to see everyone else's opinions. 🤠

[@earlt.7573]

@@straybullitt LMAO, yep it looks like a 1928 or 29 Model A to me, good catch

[@billdurant3560]

one broke my dad's jaw. so what drugs are you using?

[@earlt.7573]

@@billdurant3560 Yes, the crank can kick back and hurt you, break a jaw if your head is down that low while bent over. Some folks had broken arms due to the same thing. Nobody here said that didn't happen, the point is that the crank will NOT fly off the car or truck, it can kick back and hurt you but it will STILL be fastened to the car afterward. The crank is mounted in a bearing in the front motor mount permanently bolted to the frame. Hurt you ? It can happen.......fly OFF the car ? No.

[@oldhick9047]

Different time, different place. That's a problem some folks have, they don't get the concept.

[@TheLarinator]

My grandmother's father bought a Model T new but never learned to drive so my grandmother learned to drive it when she was 14 and drove her parents around. There were no driver's licenses yet.

[@wintersbattleofbands1144]

The numbers of them that survive 100 years on sort of say otherwise for how awful they supposedly are.

[@Redmenace96]

bingo. They are still on the road, in numbers that would astound you.

[@elultimo102]

​@@Redmenace96 ---Did anyone else notice that all the VW bugs seemed to disappear overnight, when they ceased production in Mexico?? Are they all being stored as investments

[@mercurycyclone]

Not to mention how much of the Model T attrition was due to the big WWII scrap drives. I'd bet most of those T's still had useful life in them at the time of their scrapping.

[@guysumpthin2974]

@@elultimo102they (vw) were garbage , exhaust fumes in the dashboard heaters , main seal leak causes engine to lock up before getting to destination, cant get the fuel mileage of a 65 mustang, barely makes it up a hill with 4 occupants , roll the window down before you slam the door, or your eardrums will suffer… fuel injection leaks all over the engine . They made nice dune buggies

[@markvincent9098]

Dad had one of these when he was trainee aircrew in 1944. He had a rhyme: "There was a little man and his name was Ford, he took a bit of wire and a little bit of board- a little drop of petrol, an old tin can, he put it all together and the damn thing ran."

[@stefanmarraccini8646]

Great history! That saying is rich in character. Thnx.

[@jgranger3532]

0

[@Mygg_Jeager]

​@@jgranger3532?

[@aaronbeaupre909]

I don't know, the transmission in my E350 work van that seems to always want to pull away in third when I need the punch of first. Or maybe the 6.2 in it is a wet towel after all, but my money's on the transmission.

[@betterwithrum]

The parallel between the Model T and Amazon Prime is shocking. Henry and Jeff would be good friends.

[@jesseberg3271]

Ford also thought he could just hop on a ship over to Europe and explain to everyone why they should stop fighting WWI. To me, that has shades of Musk trying to tell Ukraine to give up territory for peace.

[@sprezzatura8755]

What did those factory workers do before Henry Ford gave them jobs? What might have become of them had there been no Industrial Revolution? Henry Ford was a failure and an outcast in Detroit before an adventurous investor took a chance on him. I'd say it worked out. Superficial research on Simon's part.

[@timnor4803]

Simon is just a presenter...

[@sprezzatura8755]

@@timnor4803 Untold millions have and continue to have benefited greatly from capitalism. That's what undergirds all of this.

[@barackobama9343]

Simon has a way of glossing over the parts that don't fit HIS narrative... OH, and shoehorning the Nazis into at least 60% of his videos. EVERYTIME he calls himself "fact boi" I vomit a little.

[@GDTRFB]

I’m fairly certain my 6.0 Powerstroke was the worst thing to come from Henry’s company 😂😂

[@Iamthestig42069]

Wasn’t that a Navistar engine?

[@jacobrzeszewski6527]

There was also the carbureted 2.3 Lima. Only the iron Duke could outcrap that thing.

[@Australiaisupsidedown]

​@MrShawnbat yeah, you can google it

[@danielwthomasjr]

Nah bruh the 4.0 gas burner

[@matthewgood1873]

Man the 6.0 sucks bad unless ya pay to bullet proof it. I tell everyone get an old 7.3 you will be happy

[@wcg19891]

Carnegie steel in the 1880s had two shifts. The “easy “ shift was six days a week 12 hours a day. Sunday was off. The hard shift was at night and was 12 hours a day for six days. Then on Sunday they worked 24 hours and switched shifts to the day after that. A whopping 96 hour week. The workers at ford a couple decades later had it easy.

[@johnrichardziegler]

this is why Monopolies, Duopolies, and Oligopolies are evil.

[@davidrussell8834]

My grandfather learned to drive a Ford and at 38 years old served in the Royal Medical Corps in 1914/1918 as an ambulance driver, I have his medals.

[@3ftsteamrwy12]

My grandfather (born 1907) referred to the "ford fracture" where you would break your thumb cranking the car incorrectly...there was a trick, you "cupped " the crank, not grasping it but wrapping your fingers under the crank with your thumb held back and pulled up...if the car backfired, it would only slap your fingers (painfully) but not break your thumb.

[@266sonic]

In case anyone is wondering, the first car with the modern control layout was the 1916 Cadillac Type 53.

[@thomashayhurst6547]

The first one you could call a car of the people with that layout was the Austin 7

[@docholiday5682]

I saw that on an episode of top gear.

[@jwalster9412]

The first electric car was not from Tesla. (The motor company, not the genius) the ev was back around the same time as the first ICE cars, but due to a lack of range they didn't last as competition to ice. However, it only took 100 years, a very attention desperate person, and a good charging network to be feasible.

[@bobhill3941]

Very interesting, in 1912 Cadillac had the first electric start and in 1915 came out with the first mass produced automotive V8.

[@larryscott3982]

McDonald’s was the most successful‘restaurant’ by some metrics. Timex watches were cheap enough that everyone could have one, even if only good enough, not a better watch technically but like McDonald’s not better but dominant.

[@johnpallatto1896]

All automobiles from this period were death traps in the all too frequent accidents. It wasn't just the Model T. It was dangerous just to get a flat tire because you had to cut the blown out tire from the wheel rim to install the new one. You could argue that all industry at this time was dehumanizing, it wasn't just the phenomenal growth of Ford Motor Co. I suppose you would argue that automobiles should have remained expensive and hard to afford by working people. Or America would have been better off without a middle class who could afford to buy any manufacturers' cars. Oh yes the world would have been better if automobile ownership was restricted to the wealthy elites. This Megaprojects video is twaddle.

[@JohnSmith-ct5jd]

We need to send Simon a copy of Ralph Nader's book, "Unsafe at any Speed."

[@billdurant3560]

ford was a true nazi and hated people

[@JamesAnderson-dp1dt]

It is indeed twaddle. I expected better from Simon and his writers.

[@billdurant3560]

fords were the very worst back then so get over it

[@JamesAnderson-dp1dt]

@@billdurant3560 worse than what? Worse than all the cars that regular people couldn't afford? Pretty sure my own cars are worse than the things billionaires drive, too.

[@galerae947]

I have a 100 year old model T truck that still runs and drives today without ever undergoing restoration. I would say that makes the T a pretty decent dependable vehicle.

[@daehr9399]

In 1929, when my grandfather was barely a year old, he went flying through the windshield of a Model T. I don't know how he survived. When asked, he would laugh and say it was "just one of those things!"

[@brucelytle1144]

My grandmother used to tell a story about "borrowing" her fathers Model T to 'go out in the country' with her boyfriend and getting her arm broken trying to start it😅! She seemed to have a little sparkle in her eye remembering!

[@user-pt1ow8hx5l]

Lovely comment. Indeed, the model T liberated american youth, didn't it?,.... Sure many americans of your parents generation owned their existence to the model T. Come to think of it, the term shotgun marriage became quite common in the interwar years too,.....

[@brucelytle1144]

@@user-pt1ow8hx5l My grandparents were all born 1900-1907. I think of the marvel of their life. In rural Kansas, still harvesting grain with horses, getting to town in wagons, to (almost simultaneously) airplanes and cars to later, men on the moon! In one generation!

[@tim3172]

Grandma got some.

[@davidkrueger3966]

Henry Ford bought his wife a new Detroit Electric car because his wife couldn't hand crank a Model T.

[@user-pt1ow8hx5l]

Then they invented the electric starter engine, whatever the correct term is in English, and that spelled the death of the electric car....@@davidkrueger3966

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

This film is balls; the Model T is quite a clever design. Beardychops should stick to subjects he knows about 😂

[@earlt.7573]

I just put my beer down so I could applaude your comment.

[@DarkShadowCustoms]

He just reads scripts that writers hand to him.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@DarkShadowCustoms He is irritating and the beard is ghastly.

[@MrJayrock620]

He also looked for ways to profit off the waste from manufacturing too. Kings-Ford charcoal was made from the sawdust and scraps of making the wooden wheels, and was actually sold in ford dealerships

[@skidmark316]

It wasn't just the wheels, the entire body was a wood skeleton, overlaid with sheet metal.

[@danwebb1170]

Missing some points, Ford set Minimum Wages , 40 hour work week, line assembly, revolutionized banking, oil, mining, steel and oil refinery and ROADS , Technology of day for safety such as balancing, glass , gas injuries had to catch up/ safety glass did not exist or way to expensive to make

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

Okay, let's get a few things straight here. Ford DID NOT invent the assembly line and Ford wasn't the first auto maker to use an assembly line, and Ford wasn't the first auto maker to use interchangeable parts. Oldsmobile was the first in all 3 of these categories!! When comparing the Model T to other cars of the period when considering safety, they were on par EXCEPT for the extremely expensive stuff, so it's disingenuous at best to say otherwise. Exploitation of assembly line workers was rampant in all industries at the time, and in some industries was much worse. The clothing industry comes to mind. So it's unfair to single out Ford. Lastly, yes Henry was an antisemite. But to his credit, Ford put in maximum effort to build military supplies during WW2 and help defeat Germany, so there's that. By the way, this is coming from someone who doesn't like Ford products at all. I'm a Chevy guy, always have been.

[@robertp457]

Why are you arguing about things not said in this video? Oh and !!!!!!! Exploitation of workers isn’t okay if others are doing it, ever. I’m pretty sure others didn’t hold half of their paychecks over their heads if they didn’t live the “right way”.

[@robertp457]

You excused antisemitism just because Ford did some good things? Hitler had a hand is building the modern highway system in German, too, does that make genocide okay? Of course it doesn’t. If a person murders someone else there is no good they can do to undo what they did.

[@andrewmacgregor8717]

Well said! This is just another example of WOKE stupidity judging the past while enjoying the results. As for exploitation, I see very little difference between what Ford did to what the current leftist movement is doing except I don't believe we're going to see a net improvement in the quality of life a hundred years from now.

[@geoffjones5421]

The moving assembly line with interchangeable parts was widely used during ship building and the steam engine in the UK very early on in the Industrial Revolution.

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

@@geoffjones5421 -- True, but specific to the auto industry, Oldsmobile was the first. It's curious though why American, British, French, and German auto makers didn't implement the assembly line earlier than they did. Oldsmobile implemented the assembly line concept right away after making their first car. Although they still didn't make very many at the beginning, perhaps because of lacking sales. I'll have to look that up. I will say though that Ford took the assembly line concept to another, and much higher, level.

[@Iamthestig42069]

Calling it unsafe is a bit unfair. We didn’t start getting real safety equipment until computers started being relevant. This was a time when racecar drivers preferred not having seat belts and hoped to be thrown from the wreck instead of being trapped in a burning wreck.

[@Mygg_Jeager]

Tell that to Volvo.

[@ultrablue2]

@@Mygg_Jeager: Volvo wasn’t making cars till 1927, the year the last model T was built. Even then, their car weren’t any more safer than other cars of the day.

[@carguy3028]

I don’t think computers were relevant in the auto industry of the 1960s but a lot of safety features started getting adopted. I was looking at a car that had some holes in the hood underneath, in the next model there were pins in that location designed to keep the hood from sheering off and coming in the car. The late 1950s early 1960s is when you see safety equipment being adopted. You are correct in that prior to the 1950s cars were notoriously unsafe, even normal drivers didn’t want seat belts, seatbelts gave the impression the car was unsafe. Computers weren’t installed in cars until the late 1970s, but by that time they had already come a long way, no where near safe as we think today but a whole lot safer than what came before.

[@HerbertTowers]

Perhaps you could back up that statement with some facts?@@Mygg_Jeager

[@deimosian]

Volvo made 3 point seatbelts standard in 1959

[@philliprobinson7724]

Hi. The model T brought rural neighbours within visiting distance of each other and created a real sense of community among country folk all over the US. It was an agricultural type of machine because often there were no roads. It was the Model T that forced the government to make new roads. I'm surprised and disappointed by this video. Simon has driven off a cliff with this one. Cheers, P.R.

[@mazdamaniac4643]

Some years ago when I worked at Ford, I found out to my surprise that you can still actually buy a Model T, brand new. They have a catalogue for it. Ford have this division called SVT (some of you may know of this, they do quite a bit) and they can build a Model T from the old drawings either exactly as it was or with modern materials. Price...I have no idea, but I found it fascinating that Ford can and do still make all of their historic vehicles and all of the parts for them, brand new, for the general public. I don't know of any other manufacturer that does that. Generally speaking, once they're discontinued, they're gone forever. I'm glad that Ford still does this. To be honest, I think it would be amazing that someone is able to go into any dealership, order a brand new historic that has been modernised, then some weeks later have it delivered with fuel injection, disc brakes with ABS, full 12v electrical system and interior air conditioning etc...but it's still a genuine Model T from the factory.

[@WHDRWN]

Ferrari does the thing where they rebuild any car no matter how burnt mangled and crushed so long as you bring them the vin plate

[@kaiden572]

I don't understand how you can say exploited people more than any other company did at the time when Henry Ford created the standardized 40-hour five-day work week. This was a time when owners were working there people 6 days a week 13 hours a day

[@ateam8083]

What the hell do you think modern factory work is like hahaha

[@Jkush463]

Simon lives in a fantasy

[@Mygg_Jeager]

That's a depressing realization lol.

[@atodaso1668]

Same thing but no children, well in north america anyway. I wonder what he thinks factory life was like before the production line?

[@joshstephens6574]

Modern Staffing and Temp Agencies are equivalent to legalized pimping and should be outlawed

[@robertp457]

You have no idea what you are taking about if you think it’s the same thing today. No one holds half a persons paycheck over their heads while ensuring they are living the lifestyle the owner of the company thinks you should have. A worker also isn’t fired as soon as they get injured or are sick. Additionally while the work is more dangerous than sitting at a desk typing on a computer it’s a lot more safe today than it was back then. It’s like you think you know what factory work is like now or back then without having any experience with either.

[@herculesrockefeller8969]

The Model T was great! Society benefited greatly!

[@Secretlyanothername]

And you're right. The man just hates cars.

[@Jamie-zs8ok]

Mostlikely an edgy Urbanist who wants to tax car owners to death. Because, muh Walkable shittyyy

[@53kenner]

Sigh, the Model T came out in 1908. It was one of the most advanced cars in existence in that year. It had a monobloc engine while most cars had separate cylinders that were bolted on. It used vanadium steel which made it tougher than much more expensive competitors. The thermosyphon cooling system was actually preferred because water pumps leaked. The seemingly bizarre transmission arrangements meant that you could rock the car back and forth by stomping adjacent pedals -- which was a huge advantage if you had to get out of a muddy pothole. It won a transcontinental race even though it was the least powerful car entered, until people realized that it had the highest power-to-weight ratio.

[@kamilegier4730]

I absolutely loathe when modern standards and sensitivities are applied to the past. People, places, and things must be judged with the standards of the time in which they existed. So complaining that a company 100 years ago didn’t have a HR department and chief equity officer is ridiculous. Also just because something is new and modern doesn’t automatically make it better than what our previous generations had and used. In fact, many things we have currently are inferior to what we had in the past.

[@noldo3837]

Does this apply also to antisemitism and support of Hitler?

[@RustOnWheels]

@@noldo3837 Yes, antisemitism was de facto in Christianity. It took a Second World War to wake up people to the sheer banality and insanity of that all. The outcome of WW2 also sped up the decline of Christianity for that and more reasons. You just have to read up on history in Christian countries to see how Jews were always hated, left out and treated like human waste.

[@delftfietser]

​@@noldo3837Are you presuming we are morally better people today than those in the past?

[@noldo3837]

@@delftfietser If you want to say that there was nothing wrong on antisemitism, white supremacy and fascism, and that it is better than being liberal, say it openly, and dont hide behind curls. Lets be clear.

[@delftfietser]

@noldo3837 Why is it wrong forJews to have their own culture and nation? What are words on this, and why should faith be placed in you that you with your judgements are right and good?

[@baronvonjo1929]

Its really sad how unaffordable cars are nowadays. Even a Toyota Corolla is a luxury item with how much it costs versus how much most people make.

[@joshuakhaos4451]

Blame a never ending increase of regulations, peoples glutonous and spoiled demands of what should be standard. The perfection of the car was actually in the 90s-late 2000s. They were not completely computerized, didnt cost an arm and a leg to buy or repair after just a few years, parts are readily available today, you could see out of most of them, they got roughly the same gas mileage as today and are still pretty safe by todays standards. Everything now is just over kill and decadence for the most part.

[@dchardin1]

"...while rendering their expertise irrelevant in a world where every assembly line worker made the same wage regardless of how many years of study they've already devoted to their craft." Suddenly, I don't want to be a software engineer anymore.

[@davidcantwell2489]

You forgot to mention that Hitler kept an 8X10 of Henery on the wall of his office. He also denied having anything to do with the content of that magazine.

[@blacksmokin]

The minute I read the title I instantly knew what it was going after.

[@chucknorris277]

Love watching car videos from a man who cannot change a tire or clean a carburator

[@1978garfield]

Does he even drive?

[@terminallygray]

Simon is a good M.C. but his personal life is something different. just like all KZbin celeberties.

[@bradsmith9189]

He’s clearly a whiny little man that has never turned a wrench in his life. Pathetic.

[@jamesodell3064]

I worked for Ford during my summer break in 1969. I earned $3.65 an hour which was more then double what I could have earned working elsewhere. It was more then enough to pay a full year of tuition, room and board at Michigan State Univ. It was a great experience and I gained a lot of respect for the people working there.

[@TheEsseboy]

And where you a wHite straight male?

[@Telthar]

I love the Model T story. The fact that a vehicle with such horrible controls and several major safety issues was still so popular it sold like crazy... really speaks to the importance of the automobile to the mind of the average person. It'd be like if you needed 3 hands and got shocked every time you used the original iPhone but it still sold like mad.

[@MKahn84]

It is horrible by modern standards, not by the standards of the day. Too many people look back at history through modern eyes and don't even try to understand the standards of the times.

[@Telthar]

@@MKahn84 It just didn't have well designed controls and I think optimally you want 3 arms and 1 foot. When people are willing to push through controls that just weren't optimal (a more familiar layout came later, I can't recall the car now). I don't think a lack of other available products takes away from the fact that the controls just weren't well thought out. If I were to use modern standards, the controls were complete trash designed by a moron. But I don't, the controls just were pretty horrible, but the freedom was worth it. I don't think anyone was ever singing the praises of the controls of the Model T, they focused on what mattered, the work it could do, the freedom it offered and it being a bit of a status symbol, a must have.

[@cdjhyoung]

@@Telthar What is wrong with the Model T controls? And what are you comparing them too from the same time period? The Model T was a small vehicle designed to be operated by a single person. Before 1910, what was it compared to? Teams of horses? Steam tractors that required crews of men to operate? Steam locomotives that also required groups of people to operate? The Model T controls were unique but rational in their use. A steering wheel was different than the tillers used on other machine, or the slow acting cranks from steam tractors. The gear engagement was bad, why? Other maker had single gear set ups with an in-out clutch to get under way (think Mack Bull Dog truck as an example). The throttle and spark advance were not dissimilar to other cars of the time, just nothing like what they developed into.

[@Neon-Puritan]

It was just about the only affordable car for years, and certainly the most affordable for nearly its whole lifespan.

[@Telthar]

@@cdjhyoung Something can be bad and still better than other options. To see why they're bad, try operating one sometime. Or watch someone who doesn't work with them all the time try and drive one. Your premise would have early refrigerators that kill people less than their competitors not being bad.

[@Iamthestig42069]

The model T was not the end of hand crafted cars in America. Cadillac made some of the finest cars they ever made in the 1930s. Some had v-16 engines. Duesenberg were even fancier and faster with supercharger engines. It wasn’t until after WW2 that even luxury cars started being mass produced.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

My understanding is dusenburg never factory supercharged though?

[@robertp457]

That point was never made. Before Ford all cars were made by craftsmen after Ford there weren’t enough jobs for all of those craftsmen who lost their jobs due to Ford.

[@robertgallagher7734]

If you are rich enough there are still custom coach builders out there. People like Chip Foose will design & build some incredible custom autos.

[@selfdo]

Still a NICHE market. Chrysler got going as of 1926, and "made its bones" during the lean years of the Great Depression. Along with Ford and GM, MASS PRODUCTION was the key. Snotty auto journalists excel at writing about the wondrous "toys" that most folks don't want, need, and can't afford anyway.

[@Iamthestig42069]

@@selfdo profit margin tho. During the Great Depression there was a market for the working poor and the ultra wealthy, no middle ground. If you build for the ultra wealthy you can charge whatever you want and make tons of profit.

[@Stop.Honchotime]

"From 1917 to 1979, the model T's heyday" That's a helluva run

[@RERM001]

The VW sedan was made from 1939 all tbe way to 2003. The original CJ Jeep is still made to this day in india.

[@kerriwilson7732]

May include the T-Bird?

[@MrG9002]

I think he said 1929

[@paulcochran1721]

@@MrG9002 Nope. Even the caption says 1979. But I think it was SUPPOSED to be 1929. That would make sense.

[@MrG9002]

@@paulcochran1721 Fair enough, I stand corrected.

[@van_demonium]

During the great depression there were so many amassed in old age, that many folks made tractors and other early heavy equipment out of them. In a time where buying new was impossible. The doodle bug is an example.

[@petes3011]

This guy obviously lives in a big metropolis with a comprehensive public transport network which he never leaves. What a pseud

[@jamesmooney8933]

The Model T was like by many people. One man wrote Henry Ford a letter, saying that he wanted to be buried with his Model T, because there was never hole that his Model T could get him.out of. I started driving in the 60's, those cars weren't safe. The many safety feature was shatter proof glass. Brakes could go out, and the only thing stopping was an emergency brake. In the 60's car companies came out with twin brake master cylinders, that way you had half brakes My first car was a VW, and it was just above a Model T. My point is people know the limitations of their cars and drove according. My family didn't own a car until 1956, but we had good bus and street car system. Also every city was a 15 minute city. My parents had 4 super markets within 3 miles. Today, I have to travel 30 minutes to get to a supermarket

[@rosewood1]

The model T with its epicycle gearbox could be shifted from forward into reverse on the move. Essentially another form of braking. To be used with care.

[@robertp457]

Yep that’s terrible city planning for you. Where I’ve lived in Europe and the UK I always had less than a miles walk to shopping.

[@jamesmedina2062]

@@robertp457Pedestrians and cyclists are absolutely loathed in the USA. Petroleum is the biggest business and the most critical national security priority. From my perspective this legacy disregarding (clean) water or even air will continue to prove problematic for the whole world.

[@bobfg3130]

​@@jamesmedina2062 Relax. The Arabs have solved the problem. They've been lying about their oil reserves for decades. They will gradually reduce oil exports and the prices for fuel will go up. People will have to use their cars less.

[@jonnunn4196]

@@robertp457 It's not so much that city planning employees did a bad job but more that the suburbs don't have a city planning department at all ...

[@rndullrobinson3076]

My grandfather worked for and retired from ford. until I was corrected by my fourth grade teacher I referred to henry ford as "that son of a bitch henry ford" as my grandfather called him.

[@Hyde_Hill]

Also while not directly responsible it did kind of start the US's over addiction to the care. Resulting in over car centric city planning. Which has led to terribly designed cities.

[@michaelfasher]

I live in West Auckland New Zealand and there is a place just up the road that sells Model T parts over hundred an ten years after the start of production.

[@skn9895]

I’m slowly building a Model T out of parts I find.

[@m1t2a1]

One Piece at a Time. Johnny Cash

[@brentboswell1294]

The Model T was the vehicle that was responsible for mobilizing everyone in America. His vision in designing it was a car that his own workers could afford. When it was designed, lots corners were cut to make sure that it was affordable for the masses. Henry Ford wanted to keep making it as long as it was profitable. The story how the Model A was approved is astounding-it was practically snuck behind Henry Ford's back until it was ready for production, and Edsel Ford (Henry's son) had to intervene to get final approval. It (the Model T) should have been discontinued by 1916 when technology moved on, but the Ford Motor Company kept making the production of the vehicle more profitable, rather than investing in major changes that would have kept up with the competition.

[@terminallygray]

And there goes the catch to this story. Everybody likes cheap things !! The model T was really cheap to buy !! Sure, Henry Ford COULD have made a better product ....BUT..... it wouldn't be as cheap to buy as a model T. If they stopped making them they might as well hang an "Out of Business" sign on their doors and people would complain and cry about how good it used to be having an "affordable" car. Now you should know that in those days..." they didn't care for that kind of nonsense" Capitolists NEVER say NO to making a quick buck, no matter how it gets done or who gets hurt in the process. ~~ Economics 101 from the: School of Hard Knocks ~~

[@selfdo]

Model T's sold like proverbial hotcakes well into the 1920s, so why WOULD Ford come out with a newer model? The price dropped to nearly $300 by 1926, a 70 percent reduction from its retail price in 1908. Cheaper AND better. Only when GM's offerings, and the Dodge Brothers broke away from Ford and became competitors, made the "T" irrelevant, regardless of price, did Ford have to upgrade to the Model A, and later the "Tudor" with that famous flathead V8.

[@brentboswell1294]

@@selfdo because the Model T was a rolling anachronism by 1916! Henry Ford didn't want to build the Model A. But fortunately his son Edsel knew that the Ford Motor Company was headed for oblivion if they didn't come up with a more modern replacement...they timed it just right, in retrospect, as the Model A went on sale just before the stock market crash of 1929, and had a year and a half to cement itself as a good product in the public's eye.

[@selfdo]

@@brentboswell1294 IDK about the Model T being a "rolling anachronism" by 1916...its sales were even STRONGER in the 1920s, with over ELEVEN MILLION "Ts" sold of the overall FIFTEEN MILLION units produced during its twenty-year production run, and it was still the biggest selling car of its last full year of production, 1926. What doomed it, aside from its competitors at Dodge and Chevrolet coming out with vehicles that were far better and, low ENOUGH in price to be perceived as better valued-products, was that BETTER ROADS, which enabled FASTER speeds, had been built. The Model T was simply TOO SLOW for a modern highway. Edsel et al were correct to have the Model A already developed; it just took convincing the old boy that the "T" had a good, LONG, run, but it was OVER.

[@orangecatfarm7194]

in 1922, half of all automobiles in the world were Model T Fords. I own a 1926 model, and while it is not a safe car by today's standards, it was the right car for its time---more predictable and faster than horses, and could really go anywhere. Speeds were slower then, and while my sedan can go 32mph on a paved road, when it was new most roads were muddy tracks. Just slogging along at 15 or 20mph was a huge improvement for people back then. Henry Ford once said, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have told me faster horses".

[@toonbat]

I wish the equivalent of a Model T came out, but for electric cars. Super inexpensive, highly modifiable, and with the option to take the battery and motor and turn them to other purposes.

[@selfdo]

It won't happen. Not because it's technically impossible, though nearly it is. The GRIFTERS that are pushing EVs don't WANT the "masses' on the road...they want them HEREDED into those 15-minute (on foot) cities, living in little crackbox apartments, eating the bugs for dinner.

[@joelb8653]

He also created ford credit so you could buy a car "on time". Do with that what you wish.

[@SirBoden]

He also had a huge influence on the formation of the public school system. And not in a good way.

[@nils9853]

Buying "tools" on credit actually can be beneficial. For example if the new car enables you to drive to a new job which pays significantly more money, the credit is a chance to change your life. Whereas buying the new PlayStation credit is just stupid.

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

That could be a good or bad thing, depending upon the situation.

[@billdurant3560]

heinrich ford did not believe in credit.

[@LegendStormcrow]

Still less than modern car credit. He also paid his employees well, which got him sued by the Dodge Brothers.

[@angrydoggy9170]

I’ve driven several cars from that era and the T is definitely one of the worst. That being said, it was the most affordable one. Edit. And probably the most versatile and easiest to maintain.

[@tombearclaw]

I’m pretty sure the wright flyer was pretty awful too. Looking at historical inventions by today’s standards and making judgements on them is a pretty glaring example of privilege. So yes they may have been dangerous for their operators and passengers, but they also enabled the creation of ambulances fire trucks and other vehicles that could help save lives or bring help from greater distances at greater speeds

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

So it more like those car form teg Soviet Union

[@kalrandom7387]

You have never drove anything that old.

[@captainjohnh9405]

Some of the years the T was built.... Coca Cola had cocaine Radium was rotting out the mouths of the gals paining watch faces Laudanum (a tincture of opium) was available over the counter "Medical" devices such as the electric prostrate warmer and other quackery were common. One skyscraper building firm expected an ironworker death every 33 hours And no one wore masks except bank robbers.

[@amosbackstrom5366]

​@@kalrandom7387"Drove" 😂

[@uprebel5150]

My wife's grandmother at age 19 drove from Pasadena, California to Chicago in a Model T with a friend her age. It took them 6 weeks.

[@lyonsson6480]

The safety issues including but not limited to plate glass and ineffective brakes were quite common in the era of the model T. Cars were literally just improved horse drawn carriages until all steel bodies began becoming commonplace in the 1930s. Life was dangerous back then, plain and simple.

[@NightMotorcyclist]

Safety was pretty normal for those days as is the black paint. Almost every vehicle was painted black due to it being easier to deal with, even NYC subways that no longer had any soot to deal with were painted in the same color the model T was.

[@allangibson8494]

As for soot - what do you think is the black pigment in the black paint…

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

Cost. Black paint was cheap!

[@jonnunn4196]

For those that had a gravel road or worse as part of their commute, as was common back then, the black paint does a better job hiding the dirt. But black paint was cheaper.

[@DrTheRich]

People keep spreading that myth about the black paint. it's getting tiring. No the black paint wasn't cheaper. It simply dried the fastest, which sped up the production process. But it was only for a few years that the car was only available in black. Most years you could get it in a variety of colors.

[@Metallica8589]

I'm curious as to the conspicuous lack of historical context other commenters have pointed out... in regards, for the era the Model T and its production was a huge boon to making cars more affordable for the masses as well as a huge improvement in the quality of life for workers at the time. It seems silly to view much of this through some sort of modern lens, let alone without any of the context regarding working conditions and automobiles of the time.

[@skidmark316]

Right, the poster using presentism to fuel his arguments.

[@straybullitt]

The British chap couldn't even be bothered to use the correct model of vehicle in the thumbnail. I didn't waste my time watching the video. There is nothing at all that I could possibly learn about the Model T from this video... 🤷‍♂️

[@selfdo]

Deriding the Model T for what would NOW be its technological shortcomings, or for Henry Ford's personal "failings" or how, by modern standards, he wouldn't be considered a benevolent boss, are the flimsy arguments of the self-righteous piss ants that fail to understand one thing: NO ONE forced the American public to buy Ford's offerings! He designed and built not only the car but it's rather innovative production methods, got the contraption better and MUCH CHEAPER as time went on, and made quite a bit of money not only for the Ford family, but also the many INVESTORS necessary to pull this thing off. Please keep in mind that for many AVERAGE Americans, a whole life insurance policy, and often, what was considered "widows and orphans" stock, were their investment opportunities. JP Morgan was able to get financial backing from insurance companies, and in return finance Ford's capital-intensive production facilities. So EVERYONE made out...The Ford Family, Morgan, the Insurance companies, but mostly, their ANNUITANTS, as many of those companies were mutual associations. About as "democratic" a means of generating prosperity as it ever could get!

[@jackw467]

All the horses were dropping manure, which smelled, attracted flies and also the ubiquitous passer Domesticus (little brown bird) which fed on the seeds in the manure.. etc. The horse feed also attracted rats and mice . It was a whole 'ecosystem' .. also polluted streams and rivers from storm water running off stacks of manure collected from the streets 😷

[@montebrodie4086]

12 years ago I had a new shed delivered. The guy brought it on the back of a 1922 ford model T. Apparently, the sheds fit perfectly on the rear of the truck, and the T wouldn't go fast enough to upset the load too much.

[@MKahn84]

OK, that is awesome!

[@RatPfink66]

The right tool for the job.

[@johnrichardziegler]

Holy Mr. Haney Batman.

[@MostlyIC]

I think another aspect of the the work force that's missing are all the ancillary "tool & die" makers that probably worked independently of Ford (don't really know, just guessing) but were indispensable, this is where the talent, expertise, and experience always were and always will be required. it always takes an ecosystem.

[@billdurant3560]

Dodge Brothers made all the parts for the tin lizzie except the wheels. Dodge made good stuff. ford did not

[@abyss9316]

LOL some of those videos of those cars going through those muddy roads and undeveloped thoroughfares is simply awe-inspiring

[@TalesOfWar]

Especially when you consider how many modern SUV's can't even manage such things lol.

[@ricksmith4736]

@@TalesOfWar Remember, NO woman drivers back then... The roads were much safer with better drivers.....

[@OneShot_G]

​@@ricksmith4736I've meet just as many bad drivers from both genders guy.

[@amosbackstrom5366]

​@@ricksmith4736until you realize men are responsible for the majority of accidents, even adjusted for % how many men are on the road. People with your attitude are objectively the worst drivers on the road

[@nickfrost9771]

3:52-4:00 HOLY 💩!!! The capabilities of that crude barbaric icon outdoes 98% of all vehicles produced 115 years later... Wow😲😲😲😲😲

[@danhurst9048]

Henry ford came up with the 5 day 40 hour work week...how is that exploiting and dehumanizing workers?and the model T was affordable,so not only the rich could enjoy the new freedom of movement

[@skaownz234]

Ford paid his employees enough to afford the product they made. I don't think factory workers get that kind of pay anywhere these days.

[@richardb7977]

Just remember that there were NO safety regs back then.

[@bighoss8793]

Wow! I can't believe the Model T didn't come with ABS brakes, Air bags, cruise control and driver assist computer braking. What a surprise! Thanks Simon for enlightening all of us. Please do a video on how the 1st mass produce computer sucks compared to the I phone 15.

[@gregwddriver]

An arrogant Brit with no grasp of automotive evolution. Ask him why his homeland's cars were catching on fire up into the 1960's because they hadn't figured out basic wiring harnesses yet.

[@Pisti846]

He is an elitist.

[@ghenckel]

@@Pisti846 Elitist moron. Probably never even driven a T, which isn't hard to drive.

[@dyer2cycle]

..and apparently Henry Ford also had ties to the NSDAP?....

[@wolfgangfegelein2450]

@@dyer2cycleHenry Ford sure put in a lot of work to help America defeat the Nazis for someone who was supposedly a secret Nazi 🤔

[@ltcajh]

In the early 70s there was an elderly couple in town whose daily driver was a Model T.

[@moosecat]

Many of the same things that were said about the Model T can also be said about the VW Beetle...although the Eastern and Southern Europeans originally "employed" to make the factory and the cars during WWII weren't exactly "employed".

[@atodaso1668]

Yeah working in factories before the model T was just a glorious time....has the writer not read many history books?

[@SkunkApe407]

No kidding. This whole script is dripping with ignorance. How dare the first mass produced automobile not be a Tesla!

[@atodaso1668]

To be fair they had electric cars back then too, they were marketed for women since they were quiet and lady like! @@SkunkApe407

[@TheKrighter]

My 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Berry told us the story of her family having oil found on their land in Oklahoma when she was a little girl. They had used their Model T and a covered wagon during the Ok land rush. The mineral rights contract didn't allow them any money from the oil but they were allowed to have as much oil as they wanted. Apparently it was sweet light crude that would burn in their Model T, so they never had to buy gas for it again. But it only lasted a few years before it ruined the engine. ;-)

[@RatPfink66]

T engines had to be overhauled every 10,000 miles anyway. But maybe the family didn't know that.

[@TheHenirik]

@@RatPfink66 it probably had a low octane rating leading to knocking in the engine, but that probably weren't that rare at the time anyways, before leaded fuel became common

[@guysumpthin2974]

Great cars , great generosity from ford , great prosperity from the car & tractor

[@guysumpthin2974]

Ford took great care of his workers and his country, supplied each factory with a hospital , a clubhouse (parties & weddings) . Raised wages to an unheard of level, cut the price of the car in half two different times , in an attempt to make it affordable. He was wealthy enough, he didn’t need to do this ,,,,,,

[@guysumpthin2974]

Does the video maker know he’s lying , or did he just use the wrong sources

[@landofstan246]

I wonder how well Megaprojects will review Bill Gates for his work.

[@thetrapboy]

Watching this from the inside of Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant. Saying we've come a long way is an understatement. Great episode.

[@stvnbryan5542]

Simon, I think you missed the mark on this one. Ford's factory procedures were similar to, if not drawn from, Swift and Armour meat packing plants of the 1870's. Factory floors have always been exploitive work places. The Ford model-T wasn't the harbinger of the death of craftsman. It was just another rung in the ladder of progress. Progress will always sweep aside tried and true. Do you mourn the loss of the Walk-Man because of the iPhone?

[@sunbeam8866]

Hey! I still use my WalkMan. Even put a new belt in it!

[@selfdo]

Why we pay attention to some smarmy, stiff-assed Brit escapes me.

[@Taorakis]

16:40 and by noww Amazon perfected this "Treat workers like shit" Strategy, well done!

[@MBergyman]

So the main complaints made against the Ford Model T and the Ford manufacturing methods: 1) If you didn't work to the agreed upon standards you were not guaranteed the wage that was advertised - sounds fair. 2) If someone else comes and offers to do the same work for a lower wage, then you might be out of a job - sounds fair. 3) If the public wants a cheaper product like a Model T rather than some artisan crafted vehicle because that is what the public can afford, then those artisans and craftsmen might be out of a job. - sounds fair. In a world of limited resources, limited consumer demand, and limited labor opportunities, these issues will ALWAYS be issues. As adults, we use are big brains, put on our big boy/big girl panties and deal with it by making ourselves useful enough to warrant the pay we earn, or we live a life devoid of niceties. This is how the real world operates for every living creature. We have no right to make demands on our fellow man or any corporation to pay us more than the market will bear, and we have zero rational arguments for assuming that right. Ford employed thousands of people who would have otherwise been unemployed, or worse. Was it a perfect system? Absolutely not. Let's not pretend any system will ever meet all the demands made of it.

[@robertphillips6296]

There were more Precision Parts in a Ford Model T than in a Rolls Royce of the same time.