Jay Leno, the comedian with a garage full of automotive treasures, recently took his producer, David Swift, for a ride in his 1925 Ford Model T. The episode, filmed for Jay Leno’s Garage on YouTube, provides a glimpse into a time when driving required concentration, muscle, and a bit of guts.
Leno’s Model T is a “Mennonite” version. Built for practicality, not flash, it originally cost $260 – about $4,800 today. Unlike the chrome plated models, this one is dull black and plain. Many Mennonite Ts were modified to look like horse buggies with wooden bodies and no electric starters. They used a hand crank to start the engine. Leno’s has a Ruckstell two speed rear end so it’s like a four speed. He calls it “the iPhone of its day” because it made car ownership available to the masses, just like Henry Ford intended.
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Starting the Model T is a ritual. Swift, a seasoned producer who’s been with Leno since his Tonight Show days, was a blank slate. Leno walked him through it with the patience of a teacher. First you turn on the gas valve under the seat where the fuel tank sits. The fuel feeds the engine by gravity. No push button ignition here, just a crank or in Leno’s case an optional electric starter. The dashboard is bare, no speedometer or oil pressure gauge, just an ammeter to show the generator’s pulse. Swift learned to pull the choke, adjust the spark timing to avoid a backfire and listen for the coil’s buzz.
Leno explained the unconventional controls: three pedals, none of which work like a modern car’s. The left pedal shifts between low and high gear – press it down for low, release it for high. The middle pedal is reverse, you have to throttle the steering column to get it to engage. The right pedal is the brake, but only for the rear wheels, so stopping is a calculated act. The handbrake is also neutral, adding another layer of complexity. Swift, gripping the wheel, quickly realized why Leno said, “If you start to panic you’re in trouble.”
The Model T’s steering has a mind of its own and braking is more of a suggestion than a command. Swift had some experience with antique vehicles – he took a 1927 American LaFrance firetruck to prom – but the Model T still had him stumped. Leno shared historical tidbits, like how Ford’s partner C. Harold Wills designed the planetary transmission and the Ford logo. The 22 horsepower engine has no oil or water pump, it uses splash lubrication and a magneto.
