Interesting!
The first car looks like they are trying to fit a speedster body onto a T chassis.
The next car appears to be about 1920, with an unusually deep cowl.
The radiator of the next one looks like a shallow V radiator. A bit like a Biddle I know. My first impression was that it could be a late '10s REO with the peak on the top of the shell. But this looks like the radiator itself may be V shaped, and REO didn't have that.
There are maybe two more cars beyond that on the left. However, the real treat looks like the one in center-back. It appears to be an underslung chassis! It does not look early enough to be a Regal or American Underslung. It also looks like it may have a vacuum tank on the firewall.It would sure be nice to know what they are doing with that, and get a much closer look.
Thank you Jay!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Wayne, do you suppose it is an early speed shop? The second car has a cowl similar to the first one. I thought REO too at first. The fellow in the last car is sitting very low.
The way they relied on light from those big windows has always intrigued me.
Doesn't Jay always find the greatest pictures?
Rich
The radiator on the nearest car is blocked up to give the hood greater mass. I think Richard is right, it is an early speed shop.
Are they building "Hot Rods"?
It always brightens my day to see your posts Dan H! As much as I looked at this photo, I missed the fact that the radiator was blocked up! Good eye!
Richard E, I miss my old barn/workshop. It had a bench like that under the windows. It felt so right. I always enjoy your artwork. It looks so "fitting". I agree, it must have been some sort of speed shop. Other than the builders of true racing cars, I never really thought about speed shops being around at that time. It looks like an OHV head on the workbench. Don't know if it is for a T or not?
Jay does find some of the most wonderful pictures! Thank you all.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Jay – as always great photograph thank you for sharing it.
I agree with others that it is a is shop that supports the speedster and dirt track racing crowd and may work on other autos to help fund the projects.
The first car is clearly a Model T with what appears to be a 1917 model or later black radiator without the shell. And I had missed that it was elevated – good catch. But note it also appears to maybe have the earlier aluminum crank handle that was phased out during 1914 production. (ref: http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/C-D.htm#crank ) And it looks like the head may be off the engine. As you shared they may be fitting the body or I would also guess it may temporarily be sitting on the chassis just to save space (I do that sometimes – well actually I’m doing that again right now. I have a body sitting on a chassis because the body is rather bulky and both the body and chassis are being stored for a future project).
The second car is also clearly a speedster. But I cannot make out enough about it to say for sure it is a Model T based speedster or not. I would “GUESS” that it likely is one. The front axle does not appear to have any frame horns or springs extending past it which would lead me to think it probably was a Model T front axle or Model T Frame with an aftermarket dropped front axle. Does anyone know of other makes back in the mid-teens that had the front axle at the front of the frame but did not have frame horns or springs perpendicular to the front axle on each side of the frame? [Note several early manufactures had that look – 1902 flat dash Oldsmobile, early steam cars – but I do not remember any teens USA car that did that other than Ford. Does anyone else remember one?] I tried to zoom in on the front axle to look for the spindles etc. but with the resolution of the photo I cannot really make out if the axle is a dropped axle, T axle, or what. But the radiator of the same second car appears to have a flat area across the top. If it really is flat on top, it would not be a standard 1917 or later radiator. But it does not appear to be the Ford brass radiator either. Also the wheel hubs look stouter to me than a standard Ford wheel. But I cannot really see enough to say it is or is not a Ford chassis. Again based on numbers produced and that it does not appear to have frame horns or springs in front of the axle, I would guess Model T.
The car in the far back – I would guess is their “race car” that they campaign and use to promote their business. Or perhaps it is a customer’s car. All speculation – but the steering column looks too low for any sort of regular body.
And on the work bench – I think that looks like a Model T transmission.
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
If that were a stone guard on the front of car 2 I could see a T radiator and filler neck. The hood is from something else as I don't think those fellows spend time making louvers. I'm not seeing T wheels on it tho.
Funny how we can ponder over the fuzzy photos and the clearer ones don't always command the same attention.
Rich