Thanks for the link, Mark. The early wishbone looks bowed.
Here is a chance to get that "Barn Fresh" T that everybody seems to talk about.
I think it is a little to far gone to drive as is and with a starting price of 6 bills or more, you could easily end up with a very expensive car.
"I think it is a little to far gone to drive as is..."
But Willie, all it needs is some seat covers, and you're good to go.
How late did Ford install bulb horns? My father and I have a 1915 Touring that appears to have been restored from a very good original. It has an April 1915 serial number and has a bulb horn with original tube and elbow.
Thanks, Chris
Anything could be added, changed, over lapping of run out parts for weeks or months etc, who's to really know? the description states 'all original' but it looks to me to have a high head on it, that would be more of an issue than the horn being model correct to me.
PS still a nice T.
Chris, it seems bulb horns were gradually phased out: http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/doc15.htm
"(According to another letter dated April 17, 1915, the bulb horns were still being used on some production at that date.)"
"OCT 16 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
Electric horns specified for all 1916 cars. Notes that 10,000 electric horns were used in 1915 but the wording is such that there may have been more."
Mine is March 1915. I think it would be more unusual to find a 1915 with an original magneto horn before the start of 1916 model year in June.
Royce...What is that toggle switch on the left side of your firewall?
Mag horns for the 15 are unique & scarce - I have one on my March 1915 Roadster, but have seen few around.
My car had both the wood blocking in the side panel to mount the bulb horn, and the holes in the steering column for the button, but there is no evidence of it ever having the tube down the bottom of the column for the wires. I went with the Mag horn instead of the bulb horn as I kept hitting the bulb with my knee...
The toggle switch is for the battery operated tail lamp.
You should use something more period correct:
According to info in the Archives, all the closed 15's (which included the Sedans and Coupelets, even though the Coupelets had a convertible top) came with magneto horns. There must have been quite a few open cars supplied with them as well, since the closed car production was just over 3,000, far below the 10,000 mag horn number mentioned above. However, out of over 300,000 cars produced during that model year, 10,000 is a drop in the bucket.
Mark -- The early '15 mag horn cars had no tube for the wires. Your March of '15 car is pretty early in the actual production year, which began later than usual.
Mike - From what I understand the 15 Roadster started hitting the dealerships late in February 1915. My car's body number is 315XXXX making it one of the first - it also has a 2-piece drivers side panel - there is a seam down the "door" (fake door that is) similar to 1914 bodies, later in 15 this seam disappears as the whole side becomes one stamping. I'm not sure if this was to use-up the left-over back sections of 14's or an improvement in stamping capabilities.
I pretty new to all this so my ignorance is showing. I don't recall ever seeing a bulb type horn installed under the hood?
That's where they were on most 1915 Model T's. The 1916 model year started in mid summer of calendar year of 1915. All the 1916 models should have electric horns.
Scott - The tooling-up for the 15 cowl took a bit of time as Mike pointed out. Once the cars were getting out it was later than usual and they soon realised that the horn under the hood was not loud enough to be heard. Ford looked into the mag horn making it standard equipment in 1916 model year which started in mid 15 as Royce points out. The horn itself is just slightly different - the 15 mag horn has a bell-mouth flared brass horn where the 16 & up used a steel bell.