Man Tries To Fire Up 1924 Ford Model T Sitting Parked for 74 Years, It Catches Fire

This 1924 Ford Model T hasn't moved an inch on its own power for 74 years. Parked in 1950, it now has the chance to stretch her legs again on the highway. But will it run?

1950. That was the last time it was registered in Minnesota and driven. Thirty years later, it took a trip, on a trailer, to Indiana, where it was stored in a barn. And that is when it was parked, never to be driven again. Back then, the engine was still running. But then, it was the victim of time and oblivion.

Ford came up with the Model T in 1908 and marketed it as an automobile for the middle class in America. The model started at $825 in the first year of production, which would translate into approximately $28,000 in today’s money.

It was sold for only $360 in the mid-1920s, which would be the equivalent of around $4,500 now. Tell us a single car that you would buy for $5,000 right now. That's right, there isn't any.

The Model T became an instant hit and Ford hit the jackpot, with a gazillion orders pouring in. A total of 14,689,525 cars rolled off the production line between 1909 and 1927. In 1999, it was named the most influential car of the 20th century in the Car of the Century competition.

But this one here can only try to live up to its reputation. However, if you pop the door open, it might fall off. The rest of the wood isn't half that bad, though, and the black paint held up well. After all, Henry Ford reportedly told his management in 1909: "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black."

The interior of the 1924 Model smells bad because the elements have made everything in there rotten over the years. The seats are in pieces. The pedals have kept their ground, but the remaining wires are mixed up like spaghetti.

The vehicle is powered by the good old front-mounted four-cylinder 177-cubic-inch (2.9-liter) engine, mated to – what they called back then – a three-speed transmission, with the third one being the reverse.

That engine delivered 20 horsepower and made the car drive at a top speed of 42 mph (68 kph). It may not sound like much by today's standards, but it was back then.

There is no sign this engine is going to spin on this T Model. Rusty water leaks out of the drain and there is also pitch-black oil in the oil tank. It is, after all, a good sign that the oil is not clogged up in there. Meanwhile, the valvetrain must have been a very comfortable home for rodents.

The spark plugs don't look too good either, as they have been eaten up by rust, while there is water in the cylinders, which means that corrosion must have attacked them as well. Muriatic acid and acetone should fix part of the issue.

The next morning, those cylinders are alive and go up and down as in the good old times so trying to start it is next up. Ford used an unusual ignition system for the Model T. It featured a low-voltage magneto integrated into the flywheel. It supplied alternating current to the trembler coils, which drove the spark plugs.

However, with all the parts missing, it's going to be started with the help of an external battery. But while trying to get it running, smoke comes out before turning into flames. But a bit of water puts the fire out and there is no harm done.

Smoke comes out again and fills the entire yard, but it is just junk burning. The rear wheels keep spinning – the Model T is a rear-wheel drive – because the transmission is stuck in gear. Once it finally goes into neutral, the engine dies. Water must have caused some damage to the transmission. The radiator is leaking in several places, which is a sign that it once took one for the team.

The Ford Model T should move on its own power soon. But it needs new tires that are already on their way and the owner of the Jennings Motor sports YouTube channel needs to figure out what is wrong with the transmission before he puts it back on the road. "And endanger everyone around," as he says. Nope. He is not going to do it. Not with those brakes, anyway!