Everyone has heard the horror stories from parents and children about their experiences learning to drive, and sometimes they are funny, sometimes sad, and sometimes traumatic. But I bet if you asked a bunch of 16 year olds if they would rather have a current Formula 1 driver as their instructor, or their mom and dad, they’d be excited for the F1 driver. The same could be said about lots of other race drivers, celebrities, and influencers. But what if you were being taught to drive a very specific car?
If you were being taught to drive a drift car, you’d want Vaugh Gittin Jr. If you were driving a Pro Mod, you’d want Lyle Barnett. If you were driving an autocross car you might want Chris Smith. But lets say you were going to learn to drive something really old and finnicky, like a Model T Ford? Wouldn’t Jay Leno have to be at the top of your list of driving instructors? He would be for me, that’s for sure!
Check out the video below where he takes on his producers to school and teaches him how to drive a Model T Ford, on the streets of Southern California.
Video Description:
Jay Leno takes a break from modern supercars to teach his producer and director, David Swift, how to drive a 1925 Ford Model T. For anyone under 40, this is a fascinating look at the counterintuitive controls of a true antique, a car that Jay calls “the iPhone of its day.”
This “mennonite” model T was originally sold for just $260 and features a simple, splash-lubricated engine with no oil or water pump. The car runs on a magneto, meaning you don’t even need a battery to start it.
Jay walks David through the complicated process of starting and driving the car, from setting the advance and retard for the spark to using the unique three-pedal system. David discovers firsthand why “if you start to panic, you’re in trouble” in a car with rear-wheel-only brakes and no standard clutch.
This episode is a must-watch for anyone who’s ever wondered what came before modern cars. Jay also shares surprising historical tidbits, including Henry Ford’s connection to Thomas Edison, and the rumor that John D. Rockefeller helped fund the Temperance movement to protect the oil business from Henry Ford’s desire for cars to run on alcohol.