I have two door panels off of 1913 Touring/Roadster bodies. The beads are slightly different between the two panels. The bead on the bottom panel in the photo measures about .750" across the bead and protrudes off the panel by about .180". The bead on the top panel measures about .800" across the bead, and protrudes from the panel about .110".
I know there were different manufacturers of the Touring bodies in 1913. Bruce's book does not list who the manufacturers were for that year. I think the bottom panel is off of a Wilson body.
Does anyone know who was making Touring/Roadster bodies in 1913? Also, can anyone with a 1913 Touring/Roadster identify which body manufacturer they have and which bead it used?
Dave S.
Hayes, Wilson, Fisher, and Beaufette, perhaps others, made bodies for Ford in 1913 including touring, torpedo runabout, and town car. Not sure which ones you have but for sure they must be from two different makers.
Quote from Bruce's book in the Letters to Dealers section:
JUL 14 Acc. 575, Letter 434, Ford Archives
Noted that 1913 Touring bodies were made by Herbert, Fisher, Wilson, and Beaudett. Apparently the Beaudett bodies differed in construction from the others. Beaudett bodies with a filler block on the rear door hinge posts apparently did not need the steel reinforcing pieces.
From what I've seen, all the touring bodies had problems. I have new rails in mine, and I still have problems that I've been living with for over 50 years. I just deal with it. It's a nuisance but not that bad.