photo courtesy Ford

Most learner drivers these days take their lessons in a bread-and-butter supermini such as a Vauxhall Corsa or, if they’re lucky, a dual-control MINI.

But one enterprising car museum in America is giving visitors the chance to drive one of the very earliest mass-production cars ever built: a Ford Model T.

The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan, has a short course offering drivers of any age the chance to learn how to drive this seminal motor car.

The Model T was the first motor vehicle built on a production line, when eponymous company founder Henry Ford brought mass production to cars. It was built from 1908 to 1927 and is rightly considered one of the most influential cars of all time.

Ford was widely quoted as saying the Model T could be had in any colour so long as it was black, but there is in fact no direct evidence that he said this. Besides, the earliest Model Ts were not actually available in black paint.

photo courtesy Ford

The Gilmore museum will teach willing Edwardian wannabes how to start the Model T using a crank, control the throttle by hand and all the other tricks of driving a vintage car. Expect lurching kangeroo starts and plenty of stalling as members of the public are let loose on this historic car.

Ten sessions are planned during 2014, each lasting two-and-a-half hours and the museum, situated halfway between Detroit and Chicago, says only 18 students will be admitted to each lesson.

The cost of stepping back in time? A cool $95, but that includes a tour of the museum.