Can anyone identify what year this is?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Can anyone identify what year this is?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Phelps on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 11:39 am:

Anyone know what year this could be?

http://r.ebay.com/pzxBns


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 11:46 am:

About 1919-21.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 12:06 pm:

1917 or possibly 1918.

Reasons:

There is no access for a battery in the trunk deck. Likewise, no corresponding bend in sheet metal in the trunk/turtle deck.

The handles on the turtle deck are the early forged style with brass escutcheons. (These were used at least through the 1917 model year. I'm not sure if 1918 had forged or stamped handles.)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Phelps on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 12:12 pm:

I have a 1917 engine I could put in it. I would love to get that if it was a little cheaper.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 12:20 pm:

Looking at it again and zooming in on the pictures, I see there appears a to be a hole for a starter switch in the sheet metal. Also, the cowl brackets that hold the firewall are not '17 style ('17 used blocks, not angle iron) and there are two additional holes in the cowl like later cars.

Maybe it's a non-starter 1919-21 with an earlier trunk.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 01:22 pm:

How about between 17-21.
It seems the body was lifted off the chassis. The body seems to intact to have been thrown off years ago. Not that it makes any difference but I wonder what happened to the chassis. The body couldn't have been laying out in the pasture for years and years as the wood is still fairly decent. HMMM.
These cars can sometimes be hard to pinpoint what year they are because of the overlapping of parts during that era and how they built them unless you have the original chassis still with it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 02:04 pm:

Doing more studying, I would say 1919-20 for the body. (I have an unrestored '17 roadster.)

If I could see the body in person, I could do a better job of pinpointing.

The firewall is modern plywood - not Ford factory at all. My guess is that 20 to 40 years ago either someone took apart a roadster or started gathering the parts to build a roadster, gave up and let it sit outside. It may have also sat outside prior to the attempt to restore.

The trunk is 1914 through 1917 due to the forged handles.

I would say the body is 1919 -20 due to the starter hole button, angle iron cowl brackets and, assuming they are factory, the two additional holes in the cowl. (There's a third additional hole in the cowl which is not factory - there is a bolt in it in the photo). Because there are no holes in the body for top saddle arms, the body can't be later than the 1920 model year.

You can see the two bolts in the back for the kerosene lamp bracket. This along with the lack of battery access in the trunk deck is also an indication of a non-starter, non-demountable rim car.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 02:05 pm:

Maybe I'm too picky, but there's no way I'd plunk down that kind of money for all that lace.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Henrichs on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 04:00 pm:

I agree totally with Eric's analysis. Early 14-17 turtledeck combined with a 1919 body (for the reasons Eric stated). I also agree with Steve: turtledeck is almost toast. It would need the back panel, corner pieces fabricated and also repair done to the lid edge. Whole back of the body is corroded including cast trim strips and seat frame. The side panels are badly pitted on the lower inside and after bead blasting with probably have holes on the lower portion. Not much of use left. In earlier years I tossed parts that were better than these. It can be fixed but will take skill and a "labor of love".


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 04:25 pm:

You guys wouldn't know a decent body if it rolled up and bit you on the butt. I have started with far less than that and built some really nice bodies. Sure,it takes work,and some metal skills,but this isn't that bad a body.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 05:50 pm:

When I built up my 1919 Runabout ( before this site was in use ) I used Leslie R Henrys Model T restoration handbook.

The body in this thread is pretty decent compared to what I had also. All I had was the body hull and that's it. No wood + nothing after being in a field for no telling how long. The chassis was long gone.
I found the rest here and there and brazed in repair patches as needed and hammered and bumped the body into shape.
I followed the methods used in Henry's book and it came out pretty nice. I also used 3 engines that were correct for the period and built a nice running engine from the three.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Wells on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 10:42 pm:

It also doesn't have the rain gutter above the firewall so it is not a 1919. It has to be a 1917 or 1918.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 11:18 pm:

The rain gutter is never part of the cowl. It is part of the cap or molding that is nailed to the top of the firewall. The firewall on the body is a replacement made from modern plywood and the cap or molding is missing regardless of the molding did or did not include a gutter.

My opinion is that it is most definitely not 1917 because it has angle iron brackets on the cowl. See the photo of below of my unrestored May 1917 roadster - note the block at the firewall bolt. My dad also has a very late 1917 touring (July '17, end of the model year), it also has the same set up. All '17s that I have looked at that are not "put-togethers" are also assembled in this manner.

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Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 11:33 pm:

Below is a photo of an early 1920 cowl (September 1919 serial number) from a non-starter car. Note the angle iron cowl bracket so you can see what I am trying to describe and how it differs from the 1917 model year.

This car has a known history. My dad purchased it in unrestored condition from the original owner in 1952 - see second photo below from July 1952. He subsequently sold it in original condition and restored by the buyer shortly thereafter.

1

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Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Phelps on Thursday, August 15, 2013 - 07:12 am:

Thanks for all the input everyone. The last thing I need is another project. It would take a labor of love to bring that body back, but to me it's a good start. If it was $200-$300 lower I would have to explain to my wife why I brought another car home. Dang ebay.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Thursday, August 15, 2013 - 09:22 am:

Eric: Is that a brass patent plate on your firewall?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Thursday, August 15, 2013 - 09:58 am:

RE: patent plate

It's not brass - just a little rusty.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Thursday, August 15, 2013 - 04:28 pm:

I am glad it sold! But I do wish I had that turtle deck. There are several things on that body that are better than my '15 body. But mostly my '15 is quite restorable and maybe even a little better.
I hope it finds its way onto a restored runabout. There just aren't enough runabouts running about.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Thomas Kuhn on Friday, August 16, 2013 - 05:57 pm:

I noticed the rivet head on the body behind the left side door,I read somewhere that it is an identifier for the two piece left side body panels and helps date the body.I cant remember where I found that info and the years it identifies.Any help with this?My 20 Roadster body has no rivet and the left body panel is one piece on mine.Just curious to pinpoint this body year I guess!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Saturday, August 17, 2013 - 03:34 pm:

Thomas I could be wrong but I seem to have heard some of the body makers in this era used the rivet or carriage bolt in that location. Some cars in the same year had it and some didn't (or so I have heard). I have a 1919 runabout and it doesent have the rivet in it. Or maybe it was the Tourings only? I am building a 21 Touring and have a few panels for the low cowl Tourings I picked up here and there and some have the hole for the rivet or carriage bolt and some don't. Not for sure on that one?!


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