T Radiator Caps on Ebay

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: T Radiator Caps on Ebay
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 09:26 pm:

Every week, there are a minimum of a half dozen original finned T radiator caps of different years that have unusual mascots or adornments (or wherever you want to call them) mounted through a hole drilled in the top center of the cap. Most of these adornments, don't even fit correctly on the cap, because the fins on the top of the cap, prevent the object from mounting squarely to the cap.

Were there that many caps in the period made like these are? It seems like these on Ebay, are someone's attempt to deceive people just to make a buck. I know there were aftermarket caps available in the period, but I'm sure they would be better made than these.

I have know intention of buying one of these caps on Ebay, but the attempts some sellers make to deceive T owners, bothers me more than disc brakes.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jay - In Northern California on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 09:30 pm:

That guy puts cheap cast iron repop "stuff" that costs a few bucks on Model T caps and asks crazy money for the junk. Buyer beware!!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charles Linsenbarth on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 09:40 pm:

No cheap T disc brakes on eBay!
charley


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donnie Brown on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 10:11 pm:

Terry: Glad you brought this up, I was getting ready to mention it. Like Jay said, "Buyer Beware" They will take anything that looks like it would fit the era and stick it on a used cap. I would venture to say that 95% of the ones on Ebay are homemade "fantasy items" I see no problem with a person making something like that for their own personal use, on their own car, but to make them and try to pass off as original is "wrong" Most of the "correct" stuff will fit the original cap very well or was designed to fit on a "dogbone" style or similar style radiator cap.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 10:11 pm:

Just wait for the opportunity, Charley. Maybe someday a "dyed in the wool" T restorer will buy someone's T with disc brakes and feel the abomination must to changed back to original parts, or maybe someone who has bought Sure Stops will die before he puts them on. Then, you may get your chance at some disc brakes at a discount.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 10:13 pm:

Donnie, I agree with your post. I just didn't go into that much detail.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Benjamin Morgan on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 10:17 pm:

My favorite so far on ebay is the one with the cheap cast iron repop of a toy Zeppelin barely fitted to the top of one. ...(sarcasm)... I do have a cast brass eagle I am going to mount to a spare one I have though. Have to change things up every now and then!

Just wait for the one I have for Halloween! And its a period piece too!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 12:03 am:

The one I liked the best was the original model T era DC3 airplane (misses by about ten years). Many of them are flag toppers, trophy toppers from the '40s and newer, small die cast kid's toys (same eras). A few years ago, several forum regulars tried complaining about it to sellers and ebad, but they continue. I have way too much to boil my blood these days.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 12:40 am:

Jay and Wayne, I've got an idea. Every T guy who is annoyed to any extent by this 'rip off' artist, should send the seller a message on each item he advertises, and tell him that he would give him a penny plus reasonable postage for each cap he advertises on Ebay. I kind of feel that might irritate the seller.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 01:15 pm:

Terry

Its just the good ole American way, someone comes up with an idea to sell junk...but rather savvy to use old T caps you can get for $1- $3 and then add $1-$2 of junk toy parts, and there......you have a $49.95 asking bid radiator cap for a rat rod or other use. Rather not that any thing other than that T cap is real.....but....way to make some money off a sucker..... :-)

Here is that seller's recent listings, and she sells a bunch each month....ah...the Universal Car keeps on giving and giving!




and the ultra-rare....Unicorn Cap!




If buyers want these for $50 each, well, the jackass is laughing out loud!



Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 01:22 pm:

You have to watch out for the heavy ones, I've seen them break the rad. neck off of the car


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Henrichs on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 04:53 pm:

Watch out for the one with the horse so he doesn't "do" something on top of your radiator. After all you have already been "done" when you bought it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary H. White - Sheridan, MI on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 04:54 pm:

So some one takes $10 in oil paint, puts it on a $5 piece of canvas and sells it for a couple thousand. Someone else digs through the dump, nails a couple rusty and bent old kitchen articles on an old board and sells it for $20 - $50 at a flea market. Are they ripping people off just to make a buck or are they artists selling their creations? One man's junk, another man's prize.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 05:01 pm:

I like looking at them, but I don't like them enough to buy one. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 05:33 pm:

It's not the creativity of the seller, it's the wording of the ad's of them being old and rare.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 07:41 pm:

Agree with you Mark. I have no problem with someone being "artsey" or trying to make an HONEST buck. Its the dishonest bucks that bother me, but if everyone in the world were honest, there'd be no crime, and all law enforcement personel would be out of a job.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Wetherbee on Monday, June 02, 2014 - 12:54 pm:

I think you missed the one of the dog squatting - which hints to the category where these belong IMO, but just where do you draw the line?

Most every one of these accessories could be disregarded as they are not "original" to a Ford T.

Sadly all you are doing with this post is free advertising for the person selling...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Wetherbee on Monday, June 02, 2014 - 12:55 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Anthony J Marino on Monday, June 02, 2014 - 03:45 pm:

My chrome winged motor-meter on my T caused my radiator neck to come loose. I think the chrome wings actually lifted it!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Monday, June 02, 2014 - 04:45 pm:

Mark

There "were" some real accessory caps back in the day with aeroplanes, but not like the silly ones on eBay today. :-)



Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Sumner lapeer mi on Monday, June 02, 2014 - 04:51 pm:

My cap is very use full because it is a waterpump.water pump Les


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff Hood on Monday, June 02, 2014 - 05:01 pm:

But Les, waterpumps don't belong on Model T's! Don't get that argument started again!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Monday, June 02, 2014 - 05:46 pm:

There really were hundreds of accessory radiator toppers offered way back in the model T's day. A lot of them were serious. Auto dealers and repair shops, lodge memberships, veteran's groups, insurance companies, and even historic monuments offered such things. Toppers were also made looking like bathing beauties, javelin throwers, and animals of all kinds (running dogs being among the most popular). There were also heads (Henry Ford among many others), busts (knights), and many more sometimes historic figures. Wind driven mechanicals, propellers, spinners and colorful globes continue the list. Airplanes and Zeppelins were among the legitimate offerings, however, they do need to be era correct if they are to be considered an original T accessory (the DC3 doesn't count).
Some of the caps offered on eBad by many sellers are correct original accessories. Unfortunately, too many simply are misrepresented junk.
I see (on cars and in photos here) many things like peeing dogs, water faucets, and pumps, that I know are not "original era", however, they are neat! I like them! I think they add an aspect to the hobby that invites comments and conversation. And some of them, like water faucets, were done back in the day as well. And I see things around that I would consider putting onto a cap myself. I have never done it, but come close a few times. I see some on eBad that I would actually like on one of my cars. But I have too many things I need to spend my limited too-few dollars on to support a seller that I feel misrepresents his offerings. On the other hand, if I could find that Zeppelin (by itself) for a few bucks in an antique store? I might mount it onto a cap myself.
Some of the very collectible toppers are the ones made to mount directly onto the top two or four screws of a Boyce Motometer. A special bracket is needed for them and few eBad sellers would bother. They do show up at swap meets occasionally. I have never had one, but a long time good friend of mine has several.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Scherzer on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 11:51 am:

Wayne, I once reproduced the topper bracket for holding an ornament atop the motormeter. I fabricated mine using an original for a pattern but rather then brass that needed to nickel plated after I made mine out of stainless steel. This required making a jig up to bend it and get the holes drilled in the exact spots for the four screws to match the ones in the motormeter.


ornamentsornaments

I also agree that many T ornaments aren't for the correct time period. For that reason I changed some of the originals to place them in a better related time of the cars they could be used on. This is were I might get called out for making junk ornaments. The original Air Ford toy used by some as a T ornament produced by the Hubley toy company was produced sometime in the very later 20's which had it as a under wing monoplane. I reworked it to be a biplane which placed it in a more likely time period for most T cars.

ornamentsornaments

I again did it to the Faith model plane making it into a biplane as well as reproducing the originally produced monoplane.

ornaments

These might go into the junk ornament category but they were copied from originals loaned to my by collectors to be reproduced and I made the changes. Some are my own redesigns using originals with my changes like this propeller ornament that I made up with a flag holder since I didn't like the flimsy ones out there that just clamped to the radiator neck. Some say they have collected mine as One Off's.

However, my ornament producing days are pretty much behind me now and haven't gone into making any new stuff as I had. Bob

ornaments

ornaments

ornaments


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Deichmann, Blistrup, Denmark on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 04:38 pm:


This Policeman/Firefighter was sitting on my car when I bought it.
The person on the picture is not me but a fellow colleague. ;-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Schedler, Sacramento on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 05:28 pm:

Here's the one that won first place in the radiator cap competition, on the Canyon Lands Tour in 2009.

2009


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Hylen- Central Minnesota on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 10:27 pm:

Some of our local guys make up novelty caps for and give them to each other for fun. One guy has Grumpy, another has a fire truck and yet another has a manure spreader because, well, he talks a lot.


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