This is a question about Steve's 1915 touring car.
This number is screwed to the front seat cross brace. Is it a body number or something else? The registration shows a different VIN. The VIN on the registration is the engine serial number. The engine is original.
Neil
Hi, Neil -- It looks like a body number to me. Body numbers diverged from engine numbers over the years as more engines were used for replacements and other purposes. By 1915 they were off by quite a bit.
Hap will be interested in knowing more about that number and the car's engine number. He is compiling data on those things.
It looks identical to the number plate on the body of my 1915 Beaudette made touring's body.
What is the letter imprinted on the seat support "heel panel" panel directly below that? I bet it is a B for OJ Beaudette company located in Pontiac, Michigan. Beaudette was the main supplier of bodies to Ford prior to about 1917 when Ford body production began to outnumber Beaudette and the other outside suppliers.
Regarding the VIN, your car's legal VIN is the engine number.
Ford had the body manufacturers identify each body with a makers number to simplify the ordering of replacement parts for the bodies. There is a Ford factory letter that tells the dealer to use this body number when ordering replacement body parts.
Royce the information about using the body numbers to order replacement body parts is interesting.
That would indicate to use replacement parts that would fit your patcular car.
Maybe thats why some of the reproduction body panels may not be exactly the same for some cars.
They will fit ok but may have a different bend or angle thats a little different.
I would suppose the sheet metal vendors have to compensate a little on the body panels to have them fit correctly.
Unless they use a panel from each body maker to make a panel which I dont think they do.`
Those phillips head screws don't look right to me.
Hi Dave,
The original boards that cover the gas tank and rear seat storage had nails in them. Steve rebuilt the boards and put screws in. Since this is a driver car and not intended to be a show car, he used phillips head screws.
Neil
The first three digits on the plate in the photo refer to the month and year. In this case, May 1915.
Mine has nails holding the number plate to the seat board too.