Mike Vaughn (left), board of directors at Model T Ford Club of America, and Tim Matthews, museum curator of Speedway Motor Museum of American Speed, talk about the 10 millionth Ford Model T earlier this month. The car is back on its way to Lincoln for repairs after blowing a piston in Pennsylvania on its cross-country tour.
The historic 1924 Model T Ford — the 10 millionth to come off Henry Ford’s assembly line 100 years ago — blew a piston in western Pennsylvania on Tuesday, temporarily halting its cross-country trip to San Francisco.
The vehicle, which left New York City on Saturday, is being brought back to the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, where it will be repaired.
“The tour is on pause,” said Kevin Sander, who has been coordinating the trip — all of its stops and appearances — for the Museum of Speed.
After the repairs are made, the remainder of the trip will be reassessed, Sander said.
It had been scheduled to arrive in Lincoln on Sunday before making stops in Grand Island and Kearney on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
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Those appearances are now postponed, Sander said.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, the Model T was inside an automotive repair shop in Greenville, Pennsylvania, about 80 miles from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland, Ohio.
The Model T was expected to be loaded onto a trailer sometime Tuesday and hauled back to Lincoln, where it is expected to arrive on Wednesday night.
This was to be the Model T’s fourth commemorative cross-country trip. The first came in 1924 when it was fresh off the assembly line.
In 1974, the 50th anniversary of No. 10 million was recognized with another New York-to-San Francisco trip. In 1999, the 75th anniversary was recognized with the same trip, on the same route along the historic Lincoln Highway.
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Photos: Henry Ford’s Model T No. 10 Million
Henry Ford with the 10th millionth Ford Model T (left), which came off a Michigan assembly line in 1924, and the first car he made (right).
The hub cap on a 10th millionth Ford Model T.
Mike Vaughn, board of directors at Model T Ford Club of America, drives the 10th millionth Ford Model T, near the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed in early May. “It’s a fun car to drive,” said Vaughn, whose father was a Model T hobbyist.
The back of the 10th millionth Ford Model T.
The hand crank on the 10th millionth Ford Model T.
Mike Vaughn (left), board of directors at Model T Ford Club of America, and Tim Matthews, museum curator of Speedway Motor Museum of American Speed, talk about the 10th millionth Ford Model T. In honor of its 100th anniversary, the car will be taking a 3,000-mile trip across the U.S. in June.
The 10th millionth Ford Model T.
The 10th millionth Ford Model T’s sideboard.
Eventually, there were 15 million Model Ts made. Today, there are about 60,000 still out on the road.
The 10th millionth Ford Model T.
Bill Vocasek, volunteer at Speedway Motor Museum of American Speed, opens the engine hood of the 10 millionth Ford Model T.
Early Model Ts were intended to be fixed by their owners since there were not a lot of automobile mechanics in the early 1900s.
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