The first production Ford Model T car left the factory. It was assembled at the Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan, which had built various earlier models (Models B, D, F, K, N, R, S) in prior four years. The Model T was introduced on 1 Oct 1908. It had a 20-hp 4-cylinder engine, with versions starting at $850. The first 12,000 model Ts were built at this plant, before production was transferred to a new, larger factory at highland Park. It was produced for 19 years, until by 26 May 1927, some 15 million had been manufactured, making a historic impact on society. Refining the process over the years reduced production time by 1913 from 12-hr 8-min to 1-hr 33-min. By the end of Model T era, a vehicle left the assembly line every 24-sec. Black paint was the quickest to dry.

In a new study just published shows the change at your local gas station since the gas crisis in 1973-1974, gone are the days when your windscreen was washed and oil checked while the attendant filled your gas, also the repair bays are disappearing from local gas stations. But now the most controversial of the changes is appearing at more and more gas stations (the self service pump) where you pump your own gas. Many believe that the new self service gas stations will never replace the traditional gas station.