From the Curator: Model T 

This month at KCAM, we’re going back to where it all began — to the car that didn’t just change transportation, but reshaped American life: the Ford Model T.

Launched in 1908, the Model T was Henry Ford’s revolutionary answer to making the automobile accessible to the average American. Built for durability, simplicity, and affordability, it became the first mass-produced vehicle thanks to the moving assembly line. By the time production ended in 1927, over 15 million Model Ts had rolled off the line — and many of them found their way right here to Kansas City.

Kansas City’s ties to the Model T run deep. In 1913, Ford opened one of its earliest branch assembly plants just off the banks of the Missouri River — the Winchester Assembly Plant. At its peak, the plant was building hundreds of cars a day, many of them Model Ts, and played a major role in establishing KC as a regional manufacturing powerhouse.

But the Model T’s influence in Kansas City wasn’t just industrial — it was personal. Families across the metro took their first road trips in a Tin Lizzie, bounced along dirt roads to picnics at Swope Park, or hauled produce from rural farms into the heart of the city. The Model T gave Kansas City residents a newfound freedom to explore, commute, and connect in ways that had never been possible before.

Car clubs began to form, and mechanical know-how spread like wildfire. The Model T became a platform for learning, tinkering, and community building — laying the groundwork for Kansas City’s future in motorsports, customization, and collector culture. You can draw a direct line from the Model T to the Hot Rods of the 1940s, the muscle cars of the 60s, and the thriving car community we celebrate today.

This month’s Drive-In Exhibit features beautifully restored Model Ts from all over the region, showcasing not only the engineering genius of the car itself but the stories of the families who drove them, maintained them, and made memories in them.

Coming next month: We’ll shift gears and honor the brave with a spotlight on Military Vehicles — from vintage transports to battlefield icons. It’s a tribute to the machines that served, the people who drove them, and the legacy they carry. Until then, come see how the Model T helped Kansas City hit the gas on history.

See you soon,
Butch Papon
Curator, Kansas City Automotive Museum