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Driving a Model T Ford up Ben Nevis: an amazing albeit inadvisable publicity stunt

Amazing footage of intrepid motorists taking a Model T Ford to the summit of Ben Nevis has been released.

The 1911 movie shows the hardy team driving across some of the most rugged terrain in the UK as they scale the 4,409ft peak.

The crew even show early Jeremy Clarkson tendencies by blowing up a patch of peatland that is blocking their progress.

The startling black-and-white footage shows Edinburgh motorist Henry Alexander Jr. and his team during the week-long expedition in May.

The mission was part of a publicity stunt for Ford, who wanted to prove how rugged and durable the 20bhp vehicle was.

As publicity stunts go, this 1911 ascent up all 1,344 meters of Britain’s highest peak in a Ford Model T takes some beating.

A car would have been a strange enough site in this part of the world in 1911
A car would have been a strange enough site in this part of the world in 1911

 

Crowds followed the American pioneers
Crowds followed the American pioneers

 

The begining of a strange journey
The begining of a strange journey

 

Snow time to get stuck
Snow time to get stuck

 

Getting on with the attempt
Getting on with the attempt

 

One of the many times the team got stuck
One of the many times the team got stuck

 

Stuck again
Stuck again

 

It would have taken a while on foot...maybe not as long as this though
It would have taken a while on foot…maybe not as long as this though

 

Classic American tactics, set off a few explosions to clear the way
Classic American tactics, set off a few explosions to clear the way

 

Obviously using some kind of olde timey science
Obviously using some kind of olde timey science

 

Nearly there
Nearly there

 

This plaque says it all...
This plaque says it all…

The idea was to show that this ‘affordable’ assembly line American car could more than match the hand-crafted British models (note the American flag at the end of the film).

Interestingly, the film starts at the snowy summit and seems to capture the tricky descent rather than the climb.

Behind the wheel was Henry Alexander Jr, the son of Scotland’s first Ford dealer, and between the 9th and the 13th of May, with much planning, the steady ascent was made.

Looking at the churning tyres and the odd spot of dynamite along the way the prevailing thought is perhaps “You did it!… But please don’t do it again.”

You can watch the video by clicking here.