Today in 1908, Ford Motor Company changed the automotive game forever with the Model T.
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Morning Musings 🤔
Today is International Coffee Day. I don't know about you, but I love coffee. I have 2-3 cups per day. There's just something special about a hot drink in the morning.
As I down coffee every day, I often wonder -- is coffee good for me? Like most things, it's probably fine in moderation, but am I drinking it in moderation?! After reading many studies, here's what I've gathered:
- Coffee is mostly good for you. It's great for your metabolism, has shown signs of helping to prevent Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, liver diseases, depression and Type 2 Diabetes and can help you live longer!
- Adding sugar to your coffee can mitigate some of its benefits. (This seems obvious).
- Caffeine is addictive and can lead to withdrawal if you quit.
Bottom line? Enjoy your coffee. ☕
- Ken
Morning Dive 🏊
On Oct. 1, 1908 (101 years ago today), Ford rolled out its first Model T, which is considered the first affordable automobile to hit the market.
For the first time, a car was actually within reason for middle-class American families. The Model T had some fun nicknames:
- Tin Lizzie.
- Leaping Lena.
- Flivver.
- Jitney.
The iconic ride sold 16.5 million units, making it the No. 8 most sold car of all time to date.
Before the Model T, cars were a luxury item. Ford kept prices low by sticking to a single product. By building just one model, for example, the company's engineers could develop a system of interchangeable parts that reduced waste, saved time and made it easy for unskilled workers to assemble the cars.
By 1918, half of all the cars in the U.S. were Model Ts. That's incredible.
Birth of the assembly line
The Model T was the first vehicle mass-produced on a moving assembly line. It was the only way, Henry Ford thought, to keep costs down: build cars quicker and more efficiently.
By 1914, the moving assembly line was producing thousands of cars every week and by 1924, workers at the River Rouge Ford plant in Dearborn could cast more than 10,000 Model T cylinder blocks per day.
Change of pace -- and taste
By the 1920s, Americans were tired of sturdy and affordable cars. They wanted more style and speed.
Production on the Model T ended on May 26, 1927. It was the longest production run of any automobile model in history until the Volkswagen Beetle surpassed it in 1972.
Housekeeping 🧹
Hey, if you like this newsletter, let us know. We'd love your feedback. We also offer several other newsletters that probably cater to at least one of your interests -- unless you're only interested in vampires. We don't have one for vampires. Sorry.
- Ken Haddad (Have something to say or a topic idea? Contact me: Email | Twitter)
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