How were the spark and throttle controlled on the Ford Model T?

Spark and throttle were controlled by hand levers on the Ford Model T’s steering column. The unusual arrangement put engine timing and speed controls within reach of the driver’s hands instead of assigning throttle control to a modern-style accelerator pedal.

One lever adjusted spark timing by advancing or retarding when the ignition fired. Drivers generally retarded the spark for starting, then advanced it as the engine ran. The other lever operated the throttle, regulating the amount of fuel-and-air mixture entering the engine and therefore controlling engine speed.

The controls were mounted on a notched quadrant beneath or behind the steering wheel, which is why descriptions may call them steering-wheel levers or steering-column levers. These terms refer to the same distinctive control arrangement. The Model T’s three floor pedals had different jobs: they operated the planetary transmission and transmission brake rather than functioning like modern clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals.

This layout reflected early automobile engineering, when ignition timing was often manually adjustable. Learning to coordinate the levers, pedals, and hand-operated parking brake was a defining part of driving a Tin Lizzie.