Daniel Bratcher was president of the T Fords of Texas between 2005 and 2015. He was introduced to Model Ts by his godfather, Pete Reinthaler at the age of 11. At 14, he was deemed old enough to visit him in Houston by himself, traveling by Greyhound bus. Pete would take him to swap meets and to the annual "Texas T Party." It was not until his early 30s that he embarked upon having a Model T of his own, when Pete gave him the frame and body - in parts, for a 1926 open tourer. Completing the project actually took eleven years. Daniels's partner in crime in this endeavor was Mike Mackechney. The two had met in the 6th grade. They played in the Lee High School band together and have stayed the best of friends ever since.

When Daniel took over as TFOT president in 2005, the club had dwindled to just a few members. However, armed with an engaging personality that seems to draw people to him, Daniel was able to completely turn around the club, which began to attract a whole generation of new members. The big turning point was holding a Ford Model T Show in the fall of 2007 on the grounds of the Texas Transportation Museum in San Antonio. There were sixteen Ts present, but the show gained a lot of media attention, and the following year, which happened to be the 100th anniversary of the Model T, there were over 40 Ts, of all kinds, in attendance. The club currently has around 70 members, and our registry of remaining Ts in South Texas now lists over 100 vehicles.

Another “secret” to Daniel success as club president is his enthusiasm for activity as opposed to club formalities. “Keep the meetings short so we can drive more,” might be his motto. Probably the big game changer was the first “San Antonio Model T Show,” held at the Texas Transportation Museum in 2007. Although it only attracted sixteen Ts, it got the club into the spotlight and pretty soon TFOT was booming. The list of places we have toured, and other activities we have participated in, is the envy of many other clubs in the area.

Daniel is pretty quick to point out that he is not solely responsible for this dramatic improvement. His skill is in making contact with people who are interested in Model Ts, and inviting them to one of our meetings or events. But it’s up to the club to make them feel welcome. His father, Everett, a noted surgeon, says that while Daniel may have entered many a room as a stranger, he has never left one. Without any seeming effort on his part, Daniel puts people at ease and allows them space to join in at their own pace.

Outside of Model Ts, Daniel earned a degree in horticulture. While working as head grounds keeper at a local golf course, Daniel and his brother, David, decided to take over “Daisy Tours,” the very successful charter bus company founded by their mother, June. They have a simple division of duties: David does the books and Daniel runs the buses. He is a member of a number of other organizations and was able to travel with the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce to China in 2011 for a huge trade fair that also allowed for a certain amount of sightseeing.