Picture removed at request of owner.
I don't think it is winged script on the radiator, but the headlights look earlier. Both look to be pointing down, I wonder why?
Another really great photo Herb. Looks like the tilt of the headlamps was intentional but not the tilt of the front fender.
Thanks for the pic.
Rich
He probably broad-sided a large animal and is waiting for a tow truck.
A hardtop convertible?
Should there be sidelights?
Great photo - where are the towncar boys?!!! Interesting that it looks like a low neck on a non winged script radiator.
That hunk of glass in the windshield amazes me.
Don't they slide up over head to open? I wonder if one ever shattered over head?
There does not appear to be rails to slide the windscreen up on or side light brackets and the windscreen frame looks like it is fixed with the brackets either side of the number plate under neath the frame.
The glass does not exactly "slide" over one's head. There are brass rails that the windshield clamps to. One can, through the exertion of an hour or more's labor, un - clamp the windshield from its normal upright position and then disassemble all the hardware, and then reassemble all the small and easily lost parts so that the windshield is in a less convenient and useless position over your head.
Why this arrangement is part of Model T town cars is a mystery. No one in his right mind would ever do it more than once.
Gorgeous town car pic. Thanks Royce.
Here's another view of the same car. The windshield has a wood frame around the single pane of glass. The old picture in the first post has tarnished brass on the rails etc but indeed it is the same as Scott R's restored 1912 town car.
Ford advertising for the 1912 Town Car:
What year do you think the first photo is?
It looks like it has one of the pre-state licenses on it. I think that would be 1911 or earlier for Illinois.
Herb
The car is a 1911 -12 town car.
Royce, I'm afraid you are definately wrong on this one.
The windscreen frame does slide from vertical up over your head to horizontal in only a few seconds. All up I would estimate from start of to finish about 30-40 seconds.
As I have a Town Car with the mechanism I can assure you it is designed to do exactly that.
All you need to do is loosen the 4 wing nuts on each corner of the frame to release pressure on the brass rails and the windscreen frame then can be lifted. The clamps around the rails pivot in their brackets and follow the rail as you lift it and slide it back over your head.
Looks 1910-early 1911 to me, based on shielded rear fender. Radiator has the short neck, and front axle looks to be early single piece spindle.
What you said Royce... it's way clumsy for one person to open, to where its more expeditious to unfasten the smaller half of the mounting clamps, slide the sash where you want it, then re-install the clamps. Otherwise all 4 clamps randomly stutter, guaranteeing that the assembly racks and jams whenever you move it.
Regards,
Scott
This one is in a 1912/3 Canadian publication
Only have that problem William if the rail is not polished. I then spray a bit of WD40 and it works even better.
Peter:
I haven't tried the WD-40, but then I'd never drive this car with the windshield up anyhow... this is a scary contraption under the best of circumstances. I question whether this windshield assembly may have been a commercial kit that Beaudette had sourced, as I have seen this same set-up in other earlier autos as well. HCCA had an original photo of a 1904 Oldsmobile truck that had this, for instance.
Regards,
Scott
William, Can not say if the mechanism was used on anything else, but as it is so complicated it seem most likely they would have bought it in rather than actually make it in house.
Herb, There is an account in an early Vintage Ford magazine from a woman who said her father had such a Town Car and the glass pane fell out of the frame onto his head when they hit a bump.
I've driven with the windscreen up but its windy enough without doors so don't know what the advantage is. If it rains it gets wet both sided of the glass but does stop some water from wetting the front seat occupants.
You can see from Kerry's 1912/13 Town Car a two piece windscreen and the side windows on the front were introduced, obviously to improve that situation.