My 13 Touring turns 100 this Wednesday (the 26th). Her engine was poured on the 19th so 100 years ago, construction was well under way. I've only had this car for 18 months and in that time have learned quite a bit about it. It is an original New England car from what I know, spending most of it's life in Cape Cod area - Until I moved it to the sunny South.
Although it looks freshly restored in these pictures, it never has been restored. Actually, all that has really been done to it (prior to me making it road-worthy) is a cosmetic amateur paint job, new seat covers and top. These were applied back in the 70's some time. The running gear, including engine, frame, transmission and differential all sport the original ford Paint. Interestingly enough, items like the hood former, under side of hood, steering column, windshield and top moldings (arm rests) also have the original paint. What makes these interesting is the amount of shine that exists. I cannot tell if the original paint that is there is black or the darkest blue I've ever seen...
The speedometer still works fine and from what I can tell by the lack of wear on the original components, the 20,277 miles listed on the odometer is correct... or at least close.
Most of the original Dodge Brothers parts are still intact on the car. I don't think the engine has ever been out of the car either from the condition and placement of the nuts and bolts and the original engine pans are still in place. Not long after the car rolled out the Ford factory, the owner electrified the lighting. I'm guessing this was done in the Teens or 20's based on the age of the wiring. They did a great job and it adds to the character of the car so I have chosen to leave it intact.
Some Features of this 13 are:
-Holley Model S carb
-Two-Piece drive shaft
-Pipe plugs in the block
-Original Cast Iron intake (same casting mold marks as the Aluminum ones.
-1914 style frame with bolt on extra frame support
-The factory connectors spanning the rear seat tub to the front seat tub were never added
-Wood KW coil box
On Wednesday, I think the wife, daughter and I are going to hop in and take her to town for some ice-cream to celebrate...
Well, Happy Birthday West Virginia touring!! Thanks for sharing the pics of your original '13 touring James. And thanks for deciding to keep her original. I have a question on two of your Features: I thought the aluminum intake was discontinued in mid '14 production and I don't know what a "14 style frame with bolt on extra frame support" is. I was aware of the '09-'13 frame rear two body mounting "ears" being detachable but what is your 'extra frame support'? Anyway, she looks like she has a well-shaded rural home and is being much appreciated
George - All I know about the '13 frame is what I have learned from this forum, however, as I understand, the '13 had a design flaw the made the rear of the body sag. One poster on the forum commented not long ago that he had to "train" his back seat passengers in his '13 touring to hold the doors closed when they'd occasionally pop open while driving. Because of this "weakness" on the '13's, I believe the factory authorized an "add-on" support to stiffen the frames. My own personal opinion is that the frames were probably okay, but that "13 design touring body with the doors that extended all the way to the bottom were weak and required more support from the otherwise rigid enough frame. James '13 touring must have one of those dealer installed extra supports for the frame. Others will certainly know more about it than me,...........harold
George - Thanks for the kind words. Harold did a great job answering the question about the early frame add-on. And he is correct. I'm including a photo here to show you the extra frame "angle" that was added. As you can see, they were bolted on. When the 14 model year came out, these were discontinued as far as I know. I do know that my 15 touring, which is an early model, does not have this piece. In any event, it was bolted to the frame, and a single carriage bolt was run through the wooden body rail to hold the body to the angle brace. I agree with Harold that the frame wasn't the problem... it was the sectional body, which was fixed with the introduction of the 14 body style.
Regarding intake manifolds, you are correct that the aluminum version was indeed used to at least the beginning of the 14 model year. However, it is reported in Bruce's book that some early cast iron manifolds have been reported. This is confirmed by Larry Smith, who is the go-to guy on 13 model year characteristics. But as a convincer (to me anyway) is the fact that if you take a 1913 Aluminum intake and place it side-by-side with my cast iron intake on my car, you would see that they both have the same exact casting molds / tooling features. This was enough to convince me that there is some validity to the theory.
James, I do not own a 13, but I thought the reinforcing was visible from the inside and extended across the rear door opening. (not under the door, but on the inside of the body)
Willie ... they did both but not always to the same car.
James,
My block was poured on the same day in June and into an engine July 17th. It is a '14 style touring.
The long rear cross member was already being used this late in 1913 and is sometimes called a "'14" frame. The ends are almost smooth.
Ken
Here's hoping it doesn't have original babbit washers in the rearend. Hope youse have a nice birthday cake planned for the occasion James.
Garnet
happy birthday from your cousin 1913 touring vin 231071
your car looks a lot better than mine.what is your number?
Ludo
Antwerp
Garnet ... I replaced the babbit washers last fall along with a bad axle and some bearings.
Ken.... Yes mine has the long rear cross member too.
I had a friend who taught me much in my early days of T's. His car was a July car, and had a cast iron intake manifold exactly like the aluminum one.
Here are two photo's... one of the Aluminum intake of 1913 thru early 1914 (ignore the vacuum nipple which is an owner added item), and one of the cast iron intake of 1913. Notice the markings are the same. In Gail Rodda's column "All The Same, Huh!!", the different intakes are discussed and shown. In that column, the cast iron intake with the same markings as the aluminum version is not shown or discussed. Actually, I think this topic deserves a thread of it's own so lets do that..
OK . . so I learned a few things. Guess thats what its all about. Would the iron intake have the same internal 'high volume' flow rate as the aluminum? That would be a stark difference between it and it's later iron intakes. Thanks for the lesson
George... That is yet to be answered!
Sorry to rain on your parade but your T is not 100 years old!
It is only 99 this year.
It was born 100 years ago but will not be 100 years old until next year.
Try again Fred....
James. Why try again? Think about it!
On the day you were born you were 0 years old. On your first birthday a year later you were 1 year old
So if you were born in 1913 you would be 0 in 1913, 1 in 1914, 2 in 1915, 5 in 1918, 10 in 1924, 20 in 1934, 30 in 1944, 50 in 1964, 70 in 1984, 90 in 2004, and 100 years old in 2014.
You can say that you were BORN 100 years AGO in 2013 but you are not 100 years old until 2014
Fred, You should one more time. I think you logic failed at "10 in 1924". If you were born in 1913, you would turn 11 on your birthday in 1924. It should be:
...if (day < birth date) THEN age = (current_year - 1) - birth_year
...if (day >= birth date) THEN age = (current_year - birth_year)
So, James'es 1913 Model T is 99 years old today, but on Wednesday it will be 100.
James,
The car looks great!
Rick - I was educated in some of the finest schools America had to offer and later re-educated when my kids went to school.
When I was re-educated I learned that any answer was OK and long as you repeated it enough times and you were loud.
As I said the 1913 T will be 100 years old in 2013.
The answer on my teleprompter is very clear.