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The End of the Worldtour Model T?



Last Sunday a dream collapsed when the 100 year old Model T famous from 'Model T Worldtour' was damaged beyond repair (well anything is possible of course, but the damage is dramatic) in a freak accident in Belgium. World travellers Dirk & Trudy Regter and passenger Rick Nicolaas luckily came away without serious injuries which is a miracle.

As reported here regularly Dirk and Trudy Regter travelled the world with their 1915 Model T to raise funds for SOS Children's Villages International. So far they travelled Europe, Africa (top-down), North America (full round including Hershey!), South America (down & up again)... some 55,000 km in total. Preparing the car for the next leg which starts in New Zealand they did a practice weekend in Luxembourg and at the same time were supporting the 'Make a Wish' foundation, an organisation who tries to make come true the dreams of children with a life threatening disease. On their way home from a very succesful weekend, things went terribly wrong.

Easily cruising in Belgium with the Ford safely on the trailer behind the Landrover, a truck driver - nearing from behind at high speed - didn't pay attention. He smashed into the trailer, causing the combination to array with the Landrover (with Dirk, Trudy and Rick in it) ending on its side. Fortunately, they are all doing okay, besides some bruises and myalgia. That cannot be said for the T Ford and Landrover; both total loss. After celebrating its 100 year-anniversary in February 2015, the future of the friendly Model T is very insecure. The car carried them from Beijing to Paris. And more recently halfway round the world. At this point nothing is certain. Not the car. Not the worldtrip. We'll keep you posted.

(Pictures Rick Nicolaas) 

Gepubliceerd:
dinsdag september 1st, 2015
Onbekend
07 September 2015, 18:10
Hopefully they will reecover and hopefully they will rebuilt - another chapter in the book awaits.
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Onbekend
03 September 2015, 21:21
Best Wishes for a complete recovery to all concerned including the Model T. Unfortunately an all too common story on todays roads !
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 21:29
Get well soon all 4 of you
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 18:49
Earlier this week an Artic lorry ran into the back of a caravan being towed by a steam engine on the way to The Great Dorset steam fair, The flashing orange lights being totally ignored by the lorry driver. Is it a case of too much pressure being placed on these drivers meeting deadlines etc, having timed deliveries, a truly traumatic event for both the owners of the lost vehicles.
I do hope the T or remnants of it are rebuilt, there are plenty of chassis around.
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 15:32
Wishing my dear friends Dirk and Trudy the best and soon recovery, and hoping the ford T could be repaired.
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 15:20
i now live in the mayenne France 53 and notice here that truck drivers seem to think they own the road had 1 in the pouring rain overtake my mondeo on a single carriage way road and i was doing 80 kilometres all the best to the occupants
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 14:19
In 1957 I lost both my grand parents in a accident in Belgium when a drunken guy drove his Jeep at high speed into their 4CV Renault. The roads in that country are still not safe. All the best for Dirk, Trudy and Rick.
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 11:36
Some years ago I have seen them departing from the Loumans Museum in The Hague. Ever since following their worldtour.
One might have envisaged incidents/accidents in far away places but this while having the T on the trailer, must have been beyond their imagination.
What a tragedy! Hopefully recovery is within reach.
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 09:47
A speedy recovery for Dirk, Trudy and Rick. Belgium is so dangerous compared to the rest of the world ...
This is a very tragic end.
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 08:01
Very sad to hear this, but there's no doubt that this phoenix will rise from the ashes!
Ironic that the majority of vintage cars damaged or written off on the road today were being trailered at the time. Speedy recovery to the driver an passengers...
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 04:27
Wishing Dirk & Trudy and Rick all the best with their personal recovery. And hoping repair of the T will prove more feasible than it may seem now.
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 02:46
This is so upsetting. I just hope that somehow the Model "T" is saved and repaired as soon as poossible. The car itself may not be worth a lot in monetary terms compared to some others but the sentimental value for Dirk and Trudy must be huge considering what they have done and where they have been with it.
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 01:46
What can anyone say- a curse on all truck drivers!! (or the totally incompetent ones anyway)
So sad.

Tony.
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Onbekend
02 September 2015, 00:38
Sad, but at least they are not badly injured or worse.

The model T can be rebuilt.. hopefully we can find a way that we can help them. Can we donate needed "T" parts?
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