A retired Dutch couple are preparing for the latest leg of a round the world adventure behind the wheel of their century-old Ford Model T.
Dirk and Trudy Regter are raising awareness of the international children’s aid organisation SOS – Children’s Villages. Since beginning their epic journey four years ago they have covered nearly 50,000 miles, 14,000 in an opening 180 day trip from Edam in the Netherlands to Cape Town in South Africa. The Regter’s followed that up with a 17,000-mile trip across 22 US States in 2013, while 2014 saw them complete another 16,000 miles through South America.
Their Model T was damaged in an accident on its return to Europe, but after a year out the couple plan to complete their most ambitious route yet for 2016/17. They plan to drive through New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, India, across the Himalayas to China, into Mongolia, and then through Central Europe before returning home to the Netherlands.
Dirk has owned Model T’s previously, buying his current 1915 example nearly 20 years ago. Aside from larger tyres for a softer ride, the 3.0-litre petrol-powered Model T remains in its standard factory specification. It was one of 15 million Model T’s produced by the Ford Motor Company between 1908 and 1927, in factories as far flung as the USA, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Spain, and at Trafford Park in the UK.
“On the border of South Africa and Botswana we met a farmer who had an old Ford Model T in the shed”, Dirk said. “He gave us a tyre off it as a gift to help us on our way.
“In Africa we had to weld a broken front wheel at the local blacksmith. “I’m pretty handy, and a screwdriver, hammer, some duct tape, tie wraps and tensioning straps go a long way.”
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