Some people like NASCAR.
Others like the quarter-mile.
The Greater Akron Model T Club enjoys racing of a different kind. They enjoy racing against the clock to assemble a complete Model T in under four minutes. Actually, they assembled the vehicle in just three minutes and 13 seconds—a record for group, who has performed warp-speed builds on and off since 1969.
“We first started doing the build as a club in 1969,” said Frank Krajcovic, current president of the Greater Akron Model T Club. “We did the competition each year through 1971, and then on and off over the years since then. The last one we did before today was 2002.”
The build started off as a competition. Teams would meet in Dearborn, MI to see who could assemble a running vehicle the fastest.
“You’d have to put a wrench on every bolt, add at least a half-gallon of water, and drive it 100 feet,” Krajcovic said. “The first team to drive 100 feet won.”
Although the Greater Akron Model T Club stopped doing the assembly regularly in 1971, the club continues its dedication to the preservation of the Model T—and the Ford Motor Co. in general—by restoring, maintaining, and driving Model Ts.
“We’ve been around since 1960,” said Marty Gohlke, who has been a member for nearly all 52 years of the club’s existence. “We’re like a family; we have over 40 families that make up the group and some are in their third generation.”
Check out video and photos of the three-minute build below.
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