That's a very different "wishbone".
Fords, both of Model T and Model A, used longitudinal "split wishbones", one on each side of the car, with the single-head end attached to the chassis and the double-head end attached to the ("live", i.e solid beam) front axle.
These are nicely illustrated at [link|http://www.zigsstreetrods.com/Pages/suspfrntcomp.html#RadiusRods|Zig's Street Rod - Suspension - Front Components / Radius Rods]; it's the long thing that's attached to the frame far behind the front axle -- that really looks like a chicken wishbone! (They don't work too well, though; for the better alternative, go back up to [link|http://www.zigsstreetrods.com/Pages/suspfrntcomp.html#FrontParallelLinkKits|Zig's Street Rod - Suspension - Front Components / Front Parallel Link Kits].)
Many modern cars (i.e, since about 1950 or so) use "double wishbone" suspensions with two transversal A-shaped arms on each side, one above the other, and with the single-head ends attached to the vertical spindle --or, nowadays, a "virtual" spindle between the top and bottom ball joints at the outer (single) ends of the A-arms or "wishbones".
Go to the [link|http://www.carbibles.com/suspension_bible.html|Suspension Bible] the Other Scott so helpfully found and search in the page for "double wishbone", and you'll see how they're totally different. It has just about NOTHING in common with the Tin Lizzie's "Wishbone" suspension, except the name. Not "an old design" at all.
(Then check [link|http://www.carbibles.com/suspension_bible.html#antiroll|the bit about anti-roll bars] and you'll see how you were kind of right to "go on and on about the torsion bar" after all: The A8 *does* have a torsion bar -- the sway bar *is* a torsion spring, only it springily-connects the wheels not to the chassis but *to each other*. :-)
