This 1915 Ford Model T may appear modest beside some of the rarer and more exotic vehicles in the Southward collection, but few cars in the museum have a more important connection to its history.

In 1955, Len Southward purchased this car for just £40. It became the first vehicle in what would eventually develop into the Southward collection and, ultimately, Southward Car Museum.

For that reason, it is known as “The Car That Started It All.”

The Beginning of the Collection

When Len Southward bought the Model T, he was not purchasing a pristine museum piece.

The car was already around 40 years old and showed the effects of a long working life. Like many old vehicles that remained in use, it had been repaired and altered over the years using whatever suitable parts were available.

Some components from later Model Ts had been fitted to the car before Len acquired it. Rather than making it less interesting, these changes tell an important part of its story.

Preserved Rather Than Restored

This Model T has deliberately not been restored to an as-new condition.

Instead, it has been preserved largely as Len Southward acquired it in 1955. Its worn upholstery, aged bodywork and mixture of components remain visible.

That decision gives the car a very different character from a fully restored historic vehicle. Rather than showing how a Model T might have looked when it left the factory, it shows what can happen to a working car after decades of use, repair and adaptation.

Every mark, worn surface and replacement component forms part of its history.

The Model T Beneath It All

Mechanically, the car belongs to the famous Ford Model T family.

The Model T used a 2.9-litre four-cylinder engine producing approximately 20 horsepower and a two-speed planetary transmission controlled by pedals and a hand lever.

Its straightforward mechanical design, relatively light construction and generous ground clearance helped make it well suited to the difficult roads encountered by motorists in the early twentieth century.

These qualities helped make the Model T one of the most successful automobiles ever produced.

A Car Built to Be Used

The condition of this particular car is a reminder that Model Ts were not originally regarded as precious historic objects.

They were practical machines built to be driven, repaired and kept working. Owners frequently modified them, reused components and fitted replacement parts as vehicles aged.

The later Model T components fitted to this car are therefore part of an authentic pattern of use rather than simply imperfections to be corrected.

Preserving them helps retain the car's individual history.

From £40 to a Museum

What began with a £40 purchase in 1955 grew into something far larger.

Len Southward continued collecting vehicles, building a collection that eventually included cars, motorcycles and other significant examples of transport history. Over time, the collection became large enough to form the foundation of Southward Car Museum.

This Model T therefore represents much more than the story of Ford's famous mass-produced automobile.

It represents the beginning of the Southward collection itself.

The Car That Started It All

Many Model Ts survive around the world, but this one has a significance that belongs specifically to Southward Car Museum.

It is not valued because it is the most perfect example, nor because it is the rarest. Its importance lies in its history, its unrestored condition and the role it played in beginning Len Southward's collection.

From this weathered 1915 Ford Model T, purchased for £40 in 1955, grew the museum and collection visitors experience today.

That is why it remains, quite literally, “The Car That Started It All.”