Last Model T rolled off Ford assembly line on May 26, 1927

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - The last model of the car that changed the motor vehicle industry rolled off the assembly line on May 26, 1927. Ford built the last Model T, the end of a line that sold more than 15 million cars between 1908 and 1927.

Henry Ford designed the Model T to be affordable, simple to operate, and durable. It was one of the first mass production vehicles. The moving assembly line allowed Ford to offer the vehicle for between $260 and $850.

The Model T had the steering wheel on the left, making it easy for passengers to enter and exit the car. The engine block and crankcase were cast as a single unit. It was made of a lightweight but strong alloy known as vanadium steel.

The car came with a tool kit. Early models offered the windshield as an option, and it had to be cranked from the front of the car to start.

While Henry Ford did say “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it’s black,” early vehicles were offered in colors including blue, red, green,and grey. Ford limited the colors to black for later versions because black paint dried faster, increasing production speed.

The combination of low price, ease of driving, and mass production combined to make the Model T the car that mobilized the American family.