Amesbuilt 1916

I like it, I'll have one please!

that's for guys that really liked their mother-in law.

Ugh...not for me...

Below is a 1918 four passenger Ames Cloverleaf body. I believe this is the car a Ford dealer constructed. I don’t remember if it was his daughter or son – but one of them was getting married. Things were back logged and he could not order a new Ford in time for it to arrive. And he didn't want to offend his customer base by "snagging" one that one of his customers had ordered. So he built up a car out of the parts in his parts room. And he ordered the Ames body. He solved both problems. And if it is the same car -- there was a good article including the cost of all the individual parts to build the car. From: http://mtfctulsa.com/images_cars/TrippetAmes.jpg Rob and Winnie Trippet's 1918 Ames Cloverleaf bodied Model T



Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

If that is the same car I'm surprised to see a Ford dealer use a rival's (Maxwell) radiator shell!


Howard Dennis

Its a aftermarket shell as I too have one laid back for a project

The encyclopedia should have a section for other bodymakers than the standard Ford. Wehave seen a lot of them lately and all that info should be gathered in one place.

That's not an after market shell, it comes from a 1916-18 Maxwell model 25. I've got four of them for my Maxwell in my garage right now. The picture shows a small panel on the bottom that is different from a stock Maxwell but everything else about the shell is pure Maxwell.

Howard Dennis

Howard,

There is so much for all of us to learn or for most of us to relearn. The average Ford Dealer back in 1915 had so many examples of what came on the cars and which accessories were offered by which company etc. What was common knowledge to them is often new to me.

Below is the advertisement for an accessory radiator and hood from page 154 of Philip Van Doren Stern's "Tin Lizzie" -- a great book -- some of the details have since been discovered to be inaccurate but still one of the books I love about the Ts.




And below is a different version from a different company from page 200 of Clymer's "Henry's Wonderful Model T Ford" another great read but many of the details have been corrected since it was published in 1955.



And thank you for sharing your photos of the Maxwell radiator. It looks very similar and perhaps might have even been made by the same company. Note the 1903 Ford and the 1903 Cadillac bodies were both made by Wilson. While they look very similar they are not exactly the same as far as dimensions.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

How many 1918 Ames Cloverleaf tourings could there be? I still do not know for sure if the one belonging to Rob and Winnie Trippet is or is not the one discussed in the article – but it looks like it. If anyone knows for sure one way or the other please let us know. Below is an excerpt from the Jul –Aug 1990 “Vintage Ford” page 9 and 10 [available on DVD from the club at: http://modeltstore.myshopify.com/products/vintage-ford-on-cd and also from the vendors. Used by permission to promote the club and our hobby.]


By Pete Reinthaler

Don Lasater’s Ames-bodied Cloverleaf touring
has quite a history! It was 1918, the world was still
at war, and Bert Myer of Rockville, Missouri, was
more interested in love than war. Bert was getting
married, and for the occasion, he wanted a new
car. There was no question what make of car he
would choose as Bert’s father, J. S. Myer, was the
local Ford dealer. Father, however, was faced with
a dilemma. Ford was shifting much of its production
to the war effort, and there was a waiting list
for new cars. The senior Myer knew just how successful
he would be in the small community of
Rockville if son Bert jumped the waiting line;
there was to be no new car for Sonny. Bert, however,
had an idea.

Starting with a bare frame, a pad of paper, a
pencil, and access to his father’s parts department,
Bert built a car, carefully noting the price of each
nut, bolt, and washer that went into it. Local
dealers at the time stocked enough mechanical
parts to build a complete chassis, although body
parts were not so plentiful. That, in itself,
presented no major difficulty-by 1918, there were
a myriad of manufacturers that produced complete
bodies as well as accessories to dress up the
Ford Model Ts. The “Ames-bilt” four passenger
Cloverleaf Chummy Clubster touring car body was
being produced in Owensboro, Kentucky, and was
Bert’s first choice. After locating such a body in
Kansas City, Bert is reported to have driven his
completed chassis there to have the body installed.
The parts list remains intact and is reprinted
in this issue. Imagine buying a new “cylinder”
(block) for $21.00 or new valves for 15˘ each! The
1917 advertisement for the Ames-bilt Cloverleaf
lists a price of $215.00, with an additional charge
of $4.60 for freight from Owensboro, Kentucky, to
Kansas City, Missouri. The cost of Bert’s new car
was a grand total of $577.98, and it was completed
in time for his wedding. He got his new car and did
not jump the waiting line at his father’s dealership.





Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

Howard D., I lost the same argument to Wayne Sheldon in January http://www.mtfca.com/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=257047&post=398197#POST398197 After hours of sanding on my Maxwell shell I thought I knew it but Wayne was right. If you look at the holes under the top of the shell you will see that they are bigger and more of them. It may be that Lawco copied Maxwell or visa versa. Wayne and Hap really know their stuff.

By the way, did UPS find your place yesterday?
Rich

Michael,

I agree with you that adding information about the different accessory bodies would be a good potential addition to Bruce’s “Model T Comprehensive Encyclopedia.” Perhaps as an appendix or something similar. If you or someone else is interested in helping to compile that information – I believe we can have it added. In some cases it will be easy to document some bodies – i.e. the 1918 Cloverleaf has some additional photos from as early as 1921 of the 1918 car. And more importantly a 1918 Cloverleaf still exists to add additional information.

Dan Treace’s Autowa touring is another body/car that we would have access to details that are normally hidden behind the upholstery etc.

And of course the Speedsters were also made by many different companies. And in the case of Ames as well as some of the other companies sometimes they also produced other styles of bodies in addition to a speedster. And we do not need to try and add all the different body makers in one fell swoop. (Disclaimer – a lot of the details still need to be worked out concerning who, what, and how etc. Bruce’s “Model T Comprehensive Encyclopedia” will be updated. But I believe it will be worked out and the material will be available to help enthusiasts and researchers well into the future.)

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

Well Rich I guess we all learned something new. I just can't believe Maxwell didn't stop this exact copy unless they thought it helped their sales! UPS found me today, thanks a million, parts look great.

Howard Dennis

Hap and Richard

Just to add to the thread, here is the adv for the 'Lawco' radiator shell and hood to dress up the Ford. Pat. 1915 and claims to be the original design of its type.

Note the 'holes' under the shell lip.


FordOwner magazine, June 1919.

Close up of holes in lip.

Thanks Dan! One more data point to add to the "streamlined" radiator & hood data.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off