“I own it but I bought it from the doctor’s wife. She bought a newer car.”
“I am interested but I have no money.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m the teacher in the Rosenburg School north of Arborg. I have a steady salary.”
“OK. Do you have $5.00? You can pay me $5.00 today and $15.00 a month.”
“Good, let’s sign the papers.” With that Gerhard owns a car.
“Now you have to show me how to drive.”
“OK. Just take a seat in the passenger side and I’ll give you a lesson.”
“I’m ready.”
“This Model T was built in 1926. It already has a starter. But first you push this gas lever up for starting and this spark lever down to retard the timing. There she goes.”
Gerhard watches closely.
“This pedal is the brake which you must always press down while you start the car. To go ahead you slowly push this left pedal down and release the brake. Like this.”
“Looks good,” Gerhard replies.
“As we get going let the left pedal out and then it automatically slips into second gear. That’s all there is to it.”
“OK. I’m ready to try it myself.” With that Gerhard switches places and takes off.
The garage-man waves good-bye and takes his time getting back to work in the garage.
Gerhard immigrated into Canada in 1927, successfully finished Grade XI at the Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna, Manitoba, completed Normal School in Manitou, Manitoba and married my mother Bertha Epp on July 26, 1931. I was born on May 23, in 1932 in Manitou while my father, Gerhard Nicholai Janzen taught school in Arborg, Manitoba.
Another 1926 or 1927 Model T Ford in the coupe style with the optional wire spoke wheels. The photo was taken on Roger’s Classics’ car lot on Highway 28 around Marquette, Michigan, USA. According to recent conversations with restored Ford Model T owners, the 1927 had a support bar connecting the two front fenders to which the headlights were attached. The 1926 did not.
