2025 |
Amelia Island Auctions1910 Ford Model T Touring
Register to BidEstimate
$30,000 - $40,000| Without Reserve
Engine
20441
Car Highlights
Exceptional Example of the Early Model T
Retained by Its Second Owner Gordon Kirwin from 1957 to 2011
Has Completed 16 Glidden Tours; Ford Prize Winner in 1972
Older Sympathetic Restoration
Eligible for HCCA and AACA Vintage Events
Technical Specs
177 CID L-Head 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Holley Carburetor
22 HP at 1,600 RPM
2-Speed Planetary Transmission
Rear Hand-Operated Mechanical Brakes; Foot-Activated Contracting Bands on Driveshaft
Front and Rear Solid Axle with Transverse Leaf Springs
1910 Model Ts were unchanged from the 1909 sequence, barring some adjustments to the rear axle, the arrival of windshields, and a new standard color for all models – dark green. According to copies of factory records on file, engine 20441 was built in April 1910, and it is believed that the original owner was Mr. Nehr of Wilmington, Delaware.
In 1957, the Model T was acquired from Mr. Nehr by long-term owner Gordon Kirwin of Maryland, after seven years of pursuit. Over the course of 54 years of ownership, Mr. Kirwin restored the car sympathetically twice, completed no fewer than 16 Glidden Tours, and even corresponded directly with Henry Ford II, having won the Ford prize in the 1972 edition.
Of particular note is the fact that its winged radiator script and block-lettered hubs were in place when extracted from Mr. Nehr’s barn, showing the transitional nature of updates to the model during production.
Sold upon Mr. Kirwin’s death in 2011 to Philip Myers of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, the car was acquired by its previous owner in 2023. This Model T is a benchmark example of what Ford referred to as “High Priced Quality in a Low Priced Car.” Its next lucky custodian will not only acquire a great, early Ford, but will be only the fifth owner in 115 years.
*Please note that this vehicle is titled by its engine number.