Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Ford Motor company’s ten millionth Model T rolling off the production line and making a coast-to-coast trip from New York to San Francisco via the Lincoln Highway, the very same car is doing it again, and making a pit stop in Lincoln this Saturday.
The Model T on display at Lincoln’s Museum of American Speed is on loan from the family of the late, Dr. Alan Hathaway. This will be the third time that the Hathaway family has replicated this historic journey, doing so first to celebrate the 50th anniversary in 1974 and again for the 75th anniversary in 1999.
AAA – The Auto Club Group is sponsoring the cross country road trip, and will host the centennial car at the AAA Lincoln Midtown office (4500 S. 70th Street #116, Lincoln, NE 68516) from 11:00am – 12:30pm on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
“It’s an opportunity to get up close to this historic vehicle and learn about their trip along the historic Lincoln highway all the way to San Francisco,” Brian Ortner, Public Affairs Specialist – AAA Nebraska, told KLIN News. “We invite folks to come out, take a picture with the vehicle, ask questions of the volunteers.”
It’s difficult teaching an old car new tricks too… Ortner says the Model T began it’s trip on June 2nd, and unfortunately experienced some engine issues. This forced the car to stop in Greensburg, Pennsylvania where the engine had to be rebuilt.
“The car’s top speed is 40 mph. Imagine going that fast down the highway today…” Ortner laughed.
Likewise, the AAA organization is over 100 years old, being established in 1902, in Chicago, “so it’s a great partnership for us to support their efforts as they cross Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois, across the US on their way to San Francisco,” Ortner said.
For more information, visit museumofamericanspeed.org.
AAA – The Auto Club Group