Need driving lessons? Well, a Michigan museum will teach you to drive … a Ford Model T

By Stephen Edelstein December 30, 2013

michigan museum offers ford model t driving lessons at gilmore car — Image used with permission by copyright holder

What better way to appreciate modern, high-tech cars than to drive one that’s about 100 years old?

The Gilmore Car Museum of Hickory Corners, Michigan is offering Ford Model T driving lessons, according to Hemmings.

Students learn how to start and drive the world’s first mass-produced car, with help from museum docents and a handful of Model Ts from the museum’s collection.

Each class lasts about two and a half hours and is open to just 18 students. The Gilmore Museum plans to offer 10 classes in 2014, two per day on May 3, June 22, July 22, August 23, and September 14. The tuition fee is $95 for non-members, and $85 for members.

Some might question the need for Model T driving lessons. After all, it’s still a car, right? How hard can it be?

As it turns out, very. A Model T requires copious lubrication of various parts and a stout turn of the crank handle (no electric starter here) before it can even move, and the controls are completely alien to any 21st century driver.

Sure, there’s a steering wheel and some seats. But that’s where the familiarity ends.

To get moving, the driver has to push the hand brake lever forward and depress the leftmost pedal. As long as he or she keeps that pedal pressed to the floor, they’ll be good for about 20 mph.

Releasing the pedal and moving the hand lever all the way forward puts the car in high gear; other than that engine speed is controlled by advancing the spark with a lever on the steering wheel. The other two pedals are for reverse and braking.

Good thing that didn’t catch on.

Ask most car enthusiasts which vintage car they’d most like to drive, and the answer will probably involve the words “Hemi” or “Ferrari 250GTO.” However, the Ford Model T could be the most enlightening vintage drive of all.

The Model T was most people’s first motoring experience, and the fact that it’s so different from today’s cars shows just how much both automotive technology, and our perception of it, have evolved.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Volkswagen and Ford confirm partnership on electric cars, autonomous driving

An Argo AI autonomous car on the road.

Volkswagen and Ford previously established an alliance focused on commercial vehicles, but the two automakers will also work together on electric cars, according to a new report. Following reports of an expanded partnership, Ford and VW confirmed that they will work together in these two areas of technology.

Cars

Will Detroit be the ultimate test for Argo A.I.’s self-driving Ford?

An Argo AI autonomous car on the road.

Pennsylvania-based self-driving car startup Argo A.I. revealed its third-generation autonomous car prototype on the streets of Detroit. The company, which received a $1 billion investment from Ford in 2017, explained it made comprehensive upgrades to the technology that helps its experimental sedan safely and reliably drive itself without any human input.

Argo A.I.'s test mule is based on the Fusion Hybrid; Ford invested a fortune in the company, so using a Volvo V60 presumably wouldn't fly. It looks a lot like the previous prototypes, but Argo A.I. published a lengthy Medium post to explain the car is fitted with new technology that is one step closer to production. The updates included an upgraded sensor suite with new radars and cameras that detect objects further away than previously possible. That means if you cross the street in front of the car, its camera will generate a digital image of you using about a dozen pixels instead of one or two in Argo's last-generation technology. In turn, the car has a better chance of knowing you're a pedestrian, not a fire hydrant.

Cars

Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more

Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.