In 1911, Henry Alexander, a motor dealer from Edinburgh, stunned the public by driving a Ford Model T to the summit of Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest mountain. It was a stunt that defied logic, physics, and, some might argue, common sense. But Alexander was a man on a mission - he aimed to prove that the mass-produced American Model T was not just a car for the common man but a rugged machine capable of outshining Britain’s hand-built vehicles.

Now, more than a century later, the silent black-and-white footage of this astonishing journey has resurfaced, which has been restored and placed online for the World to see.

The Ultimate Publicity Stunt
 

The challenge was as treacherous as it was ambitious. The climb alone took ten days, with an additional six required for the descent. The route, spanning more than 4,409 feet (1,344m) from sea level to summit, was anything but car-friendly - boggy moor land, jagged rocks, deep snow, and treacherous scree fields stood in the way.

A BFI spokesperson remarked, “As publicity stunts go, this one takes some beating. The idea was to show that this affordable assembly-line car could more than match the hand-crafted British models.”

The film, titled Motoring Over Ben Nevis, captures Alexander’s journey in stark, grainy detail. It shows him maneuvering his Model T through punishing terrain, cheered on by a crowd of tweed-clad onlookers who had gathered to witness the spectacle. The car’s slender wheels were wrapped in chains to provide extra grip, but even with this precaution, the climb was anything but smooth.
 

Engineering Ingenuity Meets Raw Determination
 

The attempt required six weeks of grueling preparation. A team of laborers carved a makeshift route up the mountain, reinforcing particularly treacherous sections with wooden planks. Despite their efforts, the Model T frequently sank axle-deep into boggy ground and had to be hauled out by teams of Highland ponies, which strained against the weight of the vehicle as they dragged it forward inch by inch.

In what would be a conservationist’s nightmare today, the film captures one of the more dramatic moments of the climb - a peat bog being blasted with dynamite to clear a path for the Model T. The explosion, meant to ease the car’s passage, speaks to the wild, no-holds-barred approach taken to ensure success.

The final stretch to the summit was particularly grueling. Snowdrifts several feet deep made progress nearly impossible, and Alexander’s team had to dig out sections of the path just to keep the car moving. Finally, after days of relentless effort, the Model T crawled onto the peak of Ben Nevis - a sight never before seen and never repeated.

A Triumphant Descent
 

If the climb was slow and grueling, the descent was fast and hair-raising. The footage shows Alexander setting off from the summit, his car bouncing wildly over the rough terrain. In one particularly nerve-wracking moment, the Model T is seen crossing a mountain burn on two wooden planks, the boards bending dangerously under its weight.

Flying both the Scottish Lion Rampant and the American Stars and Stripes, Alexander finally rolled back into Fort William as a hero. The stunt had worked - Ford’s Model T had proven its resilience, and the spectacle had cemented its place in motoring legend.

A Modern-Day Tribute
 

In 2011, to commemorate the centenary of the feat, a team of volunteers sought to recreate the spirit of Alexander’s journey. While modern environmental regulations prevented them from driving a car up Ben Nevis, they devised a workaround - dismantling a Model T into 77 pieces and carrying it to the summit by hand.

Around 60 volunteers took part in the effort, each carrying different components of the vehicle, including the chassis, wheels, and seats. Battling strong winds, hail, and snow, they reassembled the Model T at the peak, took a commemorative photograph, then carefully dismantled it once more and carried it back down.

Their original plan had been to push the car up a tourist path, but the John Muir Trust, which oversees Ben Nevis, vetoed the idea due to environmental concerns - something that would have been unthinkable in Alexander’s day.

A Legacy That Endures
 

The rediscovery of Motoring Over Ben Nevis has once again ignited fascination with this extraordinary chapter in motoring history. What started as a publicity stunt became an enduring tale of perseverance and ingenuity, immortalized on film and now preserved for future generations.

More than a century later, Henry Alexander’s bold climb remains one of the most daring and unusual automotive adventures ever attempted - a reminder that sometimes, the most impossible challenges are the ones worth taking.