Ford Model T & Zink Motor Company
The Ford Model T is the car that put America on wheels and at Zink Motor Company, that story is still being lived in an authentic Ford facility from the Model T’s own era. Guests can walk the original upper-level wood floors where these cars once waited to be delivered to their first owners.
The Story of the Ford Model T
When the Ford Model T debuted in 1908, it was engineered to be simple, strong, and affordable. Its rugged chassis, high ground clearance, and straightforward planetary transmission made it just as comfortable on farm lanes and wagon tracks as on the few paved streets of the day.
In 1913, Henry Ford’s moving assembly line transformed production. Assembly time fell from roughly 12 hours to about 90 minutes, and the cost of a Model T dropped with it. What had started as a remarkable invention became practical transportation for millions of families, farmers, and small businesses across America.
By the close of production in 1927, Ford had built more than 15 million Model Ts. For a time, nearly half of the cars in the world were Model Ts—a level of influence few machines before or since have matched.
Behind that success was a network of local Ford dealers who sold, serviced, and supported these cars. Zink Motor Company was part of that network, operating as an authorized Ford, Lincoln, and Fordson facility during the Model T’s era and helping families in and around Appleton City embrace a new age of mobility.
Key Moments in Model T & Zink History
- 1908: Ford introduces the Model T.
- 1913: Moving assembly line dramatically reduces build time and cost.
- 1913–1918: Zink’s current Ford facility is constructed during the Model T’s heyday.
- Late 1910s: Specialty-bodied cars like the Ames Cloverleaf appear on American roads.
- 1920s: Zink Motor Company continues selling and servicing Model Ts, building local history.
- 1927: Final Model T rolls off the line after more than 15 million produced.
A Genuine Ford Facility From the Model T Era
Zink Motor Company still operates from an authentic Ford Motor Company facility built in 1918. The red-brick façade, tall showroom windows, and upper-level service area reflect Ford’s early 20th-century dealership design.
In this building, new Model T's once sat under fresh signage while customers arrived by horse, wagon, and the earliest automobiles. Today, our original structure remains in daily use. We are blessed to be one of the few Ford dealerships where you can still see historic and modern Fords in the same period-correct space.
When you visit Zink Motor Company, you are not stepping into a recreated set, you are walking into the original building where Model Ts, Model As, and early Ford trucks began their working lives.
The Zink Motor Company Living Museum
Inside this historic facility, Zink Motor Company operates a living museum dedicated to the Ford Model T and early Ford history. Vehicles are displayed on original wood floors, surrounded by period-correct signage, tools, and parts—creating an immersive experience that feels more like 1923 than the present day.
Our rotating collection highlights vehicles and artifacts that connect directly to both Ford Motor Company and Zink’s local story:
- 1918 Ames Cloverleaf – A rare coachbuilt example representing the creativity and style that flourished on early car chassis.
- 1926 Ford Model T Touring sold new at Zink – A car that returned home and is now displayed in the same building where it first greeted its original owner.
- 1926 Original-Paint Ford Model T Coupe – Retaining its factory finish and early Zink Motors history, offering a remarkably honest look at how a Model T has aged across nearly a century.
Because this museum is active and evolving, we occasionally sell select vehicles from the collection to make room for new acquisitions. This allows us to keep the story fresh while giving dedicated enthusiasts the opportunity to own a piece of both Ford and Zink Motor Company history.
From Model T to Today
More than a century after the first Model Ts arrived, Zink Motor Company continues to represent Ford’s latest innovations while honoring its earliest achievements. On any given day, you might see an original Model T displayed near a modern electric Mustang Mach-E, two very different vehicles, connected by the same blue oval and the same historic building.
Whether you’re visiting to explore our living museum, researching early Ford history, or shopping for your next vehicle, you’re stepping into a place where the past and present share the same showroom. The Model T changed the world and at Zink Motor Company, its story continues every day.
