needing to find a firewall for my 1920 car. what other years used this same firewall?
To the best of my knowledge there are actually two firewalls that could be correct for your 1920 T. There is the 1917-21 wood firewall for cars without starters and there is the 1919-22 wood firewall for cars with starters. I believe the only difference between the two is that the one for cars with starters has a choke hole so you can choke it from inside.
umm.... my firewall is metal. is that wrong?
From Bruce McCalley's book Model T Ford, page 323: "The firewall was of wood on all cars until early calendar 1923 when it was changed to a metal stamping."
Are you sure your car is a 1920? Sounds like it could be a later car with a 1920 engine number perhaps?
We could probably narrow down the possibilities a little if we knew if it is a low or high radiator model. Check the hood, if the front edge of one of the side panels is 12" high it's a low radiator, ir it's 13 1/2" high it's a high radiator.
Pictures?
oh wow.... okay. I already have a steel firewall on my 20 speedster. I assumed it was correct as it has the original numbers stamped on the block and chassis with a 1920 front axle and a pre-21 rear end. I am looking for an extra to make a pattern out of for use in making a cowl for the speedster as i dont really want to take everything off the one i have just to trace it on a sheet of paper haha.
Low style firewalls were made in steel for a few months in 1923. They were also sold by Ford as a replacement for wood firewalls on 1917-23 cars.
is there an easy way to ID which one i have?
Check this thread with pictures of both low and high steel firewalls http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/180661.html?1294054892
Nathan
off-topic, but you do not have original numbers stamped into your chassis and motor. Someone stamped the chassis, but it wasn't FORD. That started very late in production, well after 1920...believe '26-'27.
now, back to the original question...
Just a thought, Nathan - While this discussion has probably prompted you to find out more about your "1920" T, it also brings up another question. Since you now know that your "1920" T in not a 1920, is that still the firewall you want to use for your pattern OR do you actually want to use a 1920 firewall?
Stamping the chassis with the engine number started in december 1925, several months into 1926 production. 26/27 chassis are easy to spot due to the wider rear crossmember and the protruding sheet metal brackets at the front crossmember for fender bracket attachment.
oh my! didnt realize that. all i can say is that it was done long enough ago it really looks right haha. i do believe i want to keep the steel firewall. since it is already set up for the lowered bracket used for speedsters.
Ford did not produce a speedster. All speedsters, to one degree or another, are made up from gathered parts. After eighty years, most T's have parts on them from different years. This is especially true for speedsters. You can use the serial number to determine the assembly date and model year of the engine, and use that for registration purposes. Beyond that, you can use whatever parts fit together. That will take some research on what fits. For example, you want a low hood and radiator to go with a low firewall.
steve, i did know that ford never produced a speedster. Im not that dumb haha... although with by dumb comments about my 1920 steel firewall and my vin stamped on my 20 chassis.... who knows mabye i am a fool haha.
Nathan:
If the vehicle has a starter than use the later wood dash since there are more differences than just the choke hole. The 1919-1923 wood dash has the lower portion of the dash trimmed at the inside edges to clear the starter mounting. You won't be able to install the starter on the 1917 version of the dash without modification so why not use the one that has all those details already worked out.
Nathan,
You are not dumb. Just new. We know that.
If someone didn't ask questions, who would we pass on knowledge we've spent decades acquiring?
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Also;
Intelligent people ask questions. Fools think they know.
Over the years in a 17-23 T's life the wood firewalls were changed out to the steel if they were begining to deteoritate due to moisture, wrecks and etc.
It would make since to do it since they would interchange if it was necessary.
This would work with the Tourings and Runabouts but dont know about the closed cars.
What firewall you use for a Speedster project depends on what hood you have. From late '23 on 'til the end of production, the tall radiator was used yet the hoods of 1924/'25 and 1926/'27 are different. Perhaps it would help if you could post a photo of what you have so far or at least give us a bit more information.
Many Speedsters with a steel firewall have a wood "dash" mounted behind it. As Steve already indicated, "correct" becomes a loosely applied term when it comes to a Speedster. Even in period it was used what was available to the builder. The few "high dollar" Speedsters with boat tail and torpedo bodies of the late 1920s that were constructed for racing are the rare exception.