The biggest adventure was getting it to start! Retired couple complete 50,000-mile round-the-world trip in a 100-year-old Model T Ford
- March 18th, 2016
A couple have spent three years driving more than 50,000 miles around the world in a century-old Ford.
Dirk and Trudy Regter bought the iconic Ford Model T in 1997 and, after retiring, decided they wanted an adventure.
So the grandparents got in
the vintage motor, which is famous for being the world's first mass
produced car, and set off on a global road trip.
In 2012, they travelled
through Africa, racking up 15,000 miles in just six months, visiting the
likes of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia before ending up in Cape Town.
Dirk
and Trudy Regter spent three years travelling around the world in their
antique Ford Model T raising almost £30,000 for charity 
Despite
its age, the Model T was able to Ford rivers, and cross deserts during
its trip through Asia, Africa, America, Europe and Australia 
Retired architect Dirk Regter from Holland, bought the iconic Ford Model T in 1997 and decided he wanted an adventure
Despite the tough roads, the Model T proved the perfect car for the epic tour, emerging from it with no problems,
The following year they visited Canada and the USA, home of the Model T, and this time managed to drive the Ford 17,000 miles.
Just like in Africa, the Model T demonstrated its reliability - only suffering a broken alternator and one flat tyre.
In 2014 Dirk and Trudy,
from Holland, decided they would like see South America, driving the
Model T a further 16,000 miles through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia,
Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil.
During this period the
couple have raised almost £30,000 for SOS Children's villages
International, a charity which helps orphans around the world.
The Model T has a three-litre petrol engine which develops around 20bhp, giving it a top speed of around 40mph.
Dirk and Trudy's Model T
is entirely original apart from the tyres, which are slightly larger to
improve the quality of the ride. The spokes on the wheels are wooden.
It was built in Canada and imported to Europe in 1997.
In
2012, they travelled through Africa, racking up 15,000 miles in just
six months, visiting the likes of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia 
In
2014 Dirk and Trudy, from Holland, decided they would like see South
America, driving the Model T a further 16,000 miles through Colombia,
Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil. 
Dirk had previously owned a 1923 Ford Model T and the later 1928 Model A having been inspired by his father and grandfather 
The
ancient car managed to cross the desert to visit Las Vegas in Nevada,
despite not having modern facilities such as air conditioning 
So far, Trudy Regter, pictured, and her husband Dirk have spent three years driving 50,000 miles across the world
Dirk, a retired architect,
previously owned a 1923 Ford Model T and a 1928 Ford Model A,
inheriting his passion for vintage Fords from his father and
grandfather.
He said: 'My wife and me had the idea to make a long trip but couldn't make a decision to we said let's do the whole world.
'A lot of people said you
are crazy, why do you do that? But it gets a lot of attention and we
need the attention to raise money for orphaned children worldwide.
'On the border of South Africa and Botswana we met a farmer who had an old Ford Model T in the shed
'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.'
In 2014 they returned to Europe but they were hit by a truck on the motorway in Belgium, wrecking the Model T.
They took 2015 off and
will set off again this year - continuing their journey through New
Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, and India, crossing the Himalayas to
China, through Mongolia and back to the Netherlands via Central Europe.
The Ford Model T was the world's first mass produced car, with 15 million made around the world between 1908 and 1927.
The Ford Model T was the world's first mass produced car, with 15 million made around the world between 1908 and 1927 
The car managed to make it all the way to the most southern point in South America in Ushauai 
The car managed to cope with thousands of miles of unmetalled roads as it crossed into Peru 
The unbelievable car was able to cross the Andes mountain range which would be a struggle for a modern four-wheel-drive car 
The car was able to cross through rivers in Ethiopia completing a journey that would be a struggle for a more modern vehicle 
While
in Kenya, the car had to struggle under the hot African sun while
crossing the arid countryside during their 50,000-mile-journey 
In Botswana, the Model T encountered a large elephant who fortunately did not see the ancient car as a potential threat 
In the Sudan, a man on a camel stopped to inspect the Model T as it drove through the desert on its adventure 
In Tansania, the Model T, which has a top speed of 40 miles per hour required some urgent work after the front wheel fell off 
Eventually
finding a section road covered in tarmac, the couple were forced to
halt briefly to allow some Sudanese camels to cross 
In
2012, they travelled through Africa, racking up 15,000 miles in just
six months, visiting the likes of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia before
ending up in Cape Town 
Driving a 100-year-old car does have its downsides, especially when it only has a flimsy canvas roof to keep out the elements 
The
car was incredibly reliable during its marathon 50,000-mile trip which
brought it through Africa, Europe, America, Asia and Australia 
While in America, the couple met up with renowned petrol head and former late night talk show host Jay Leno, pictured 
In some parts of Africa, the bridges the couple used to cross rivers were less sturdy than their trusty Ford Model T, pictured 
The car continued across continents, here passing into Colombia on its journey across South America 
The car managed to make its way through the Grand Canyon while on its way across the United States of America 
In
Argentina, the car required some emergency surgery to the engine after
the 3-litre lump developed a fault crossing the continent 
But despite the odd mishap, the car, for most of its 50,000 mile trip was completely unstoppable, here driving through Peru 
Yet, when the Dutch couple were in Belgium, their car was hit by a larger Land Rover from Holland causing it significant damage 
Following the smash, the couple were forced to cancel their trip to Australia in 2015, but hope to travel there this year
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