The Ford Motor Company is one of the largest, oldest, and most successful car companies on the world. With roots dating back to the turn of the 20th century, Henry Ford pioneered many business practices…though it was R.E. Olds, not Ford, who came up with the concept of an assembly line, Ford just happened to perfect it. Regardless, Ford is possibly the best-known automaker on the planet, and their cars span the breadth and width of automotive history.

Next month, a truly remarkable car will hit the auction block; one of just three 1903 Ford Model A automobiles built by Henry Ford himself. Hemmings Auto Blog reports that this unique survivor could fetch as much as a half-million dollars at auction.

Though not Henry Ford’s first car (that title belongs to the 1896 Quadricycle), the 1903 Ford Model A is the first vehicle to carry the Ford Motor Company name. It is also the car that helped Ford get his start in the automotive business, as the two-cylinder car is the first large order (all of three cars) Ford received.

The 8-horsepower opposed-cylinder engine displaced 100 cubic-inches and drove the glorified carriage around on huge carriage wheels and a 72-inch wheelbase. The car has had an interesting history, and originally retailed for around $850, though bidding has gone as high as $325,000 at recent auctions.

The other two 1903 Model A Fords remain unfound, and could be destroyed for all we know, making this the oldest Ford motor vehicle in existence. Now that is a car worth collecting…though we think it’d make a pretty sweet hot rod too, don’t you agree?