We Got our Kicks on 66

His name was Henry Ford. Wall Street historians consider him an American captain of industry and a business magnate, one who founded the Ford Motor Company and advanced the assembly line technique of automotive production.


His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry. As the owner of the Ford Motor Company, he became one of the richest and best-known people in the world. 

It was he who persuaded Americans to abandon their horses and buggies out in stable and upgrade to his Model T, which was introduced on October 1, 1908. It had the steering wheel on the left, which every other company soon copied. The entire engine and transmission were enclosed. The four cylinders were cast in a solid block and the suspension used two semi-elliptic springs. 


The car was very simple to drive, and easy and cheap to repair. It was so cheap at $825 in 1908 that by the late 1920’s, a majority of American drivers had learned to drive on the nation’s newly built US Highways.

With his same pioneering spirit in mind, my wife and I rented an automobile at the start of Old US 66 in Chicago and dropped it off Los Angeles. 


We invite our readers to join us on our transcontinental journey by  downloading We Got Our Kicks On Route 66.