Ford Model T Depot Hack

While many are familiar with the term Depot Hack, the origin of the term is not so well known. Built for high capacity seating and luggage carrying, this type of vehicle served a specific market. Long distance travel at the time was done by train, and almost everyone traveling by train carried luggage. Depot Hacks were designed to carry passengers and their luggage from the train station, or depot, to their final destination, typically a hotel. Today, we call this type of vehicle a taxi, which is what the word hackney means. Hack is an abbreviated form of hackney. The words Depot Hack would later be replaced by two other similar descriptive words, station wagon (“estate wagon” in U.K. English). The words changed, but the meaning remained the same.

In 1923, a Depot Hack was not part of Ford’s catalog of body styles; rather, independent firms manufactured bodies and purchased chassis from Ford. The bodies were then fitted to the chassis and sold as complete units.