The Gilmore Car Museum Lets You Drive a Model T for Under $100

The Gilmore Car Museum in rural southwest Michigan is offering a unique chance to drive a Ford Model T for just $99. Unlike private track experiences for supercars that charge $299 to $599 per session, the museum’s Model T Driving Experience lets enthusiasts get behind the wheel of the historic Tin Lizzie on its own three-mile roadway.

While buying and driving a Model T today would cost between $13,400 and $16,300, the museum’s program provides an affordable way to experience the quirks of early automotive engineering. The Model T, produced by Ford between 1909 and 1927, remains one of the best-selling cars in history and the first to bring automobiles to the masses.

Driving one, however, is far from intuitive. The Model T’s controls are a far cry from modern vehicles: it has three pedals, but none is a traditional gas pedal.

The left pedal serves as the clutch or gear selector, the right one operates the brakes, and the middle pedal is for reverse. Throttle control is managed by a stalk on the right behind the steering wheel, while a separate stalk on the left adjusts spark advance.

The museum’s 3.5-hour driving school includes a thorough breakdown of these controls, teaching participants how to use the spark and throttle levers, coordinate hand and foot inputs, shift between low and high gear, and handle the neutral and brake lever. The session also covers the history of Henry Ford and the Model T, and includes a souvenir booklet and a certificate of completion.

Admission to the program grants access to the museum’s 90-acre campus, which features over 500 cars on display, including 100 vintage pedal cars and a 1930 Rolls-Royce gifted by Walt Disney. The campus also includes a historic 1930s Shell gas station, a functional 1941 Silk City Diner serving food and drinks, and seven partner museums, such as the Classic Car Club of America and the Pierce-Arrow Foundation. To enroll, participants need a valid driver’s license and the $99 tuition fee.