That boy should hold on somewhere else. If the door should suddenly pop open, he would be on the ground.
Norm
Norman, that was my first thought but they don't seem to be moving.
Driver seems to have a "bowl cut" haven't seen one of them in years
That boy likely lived to serve in WW2... don't know if he was able to hang on though. Old pictures like this freeze one moment in time... wouldn't it be interesting to know how life worked out for him?
Those ears are a very rare accessory braking system, they create drag to aid in stopping.
John,
I often have that same thought when T pictures with infants or children are posted. In some of the photos from the 'teens an infant would be over 100 now (if still alive). I can't help but wonder how tings turned out for that person and how long he/she lived.
Henry, our old Fords are like time machines. If they only could talk!
Nothing good ever came of anyone associated with a Model T. This crew is living proof of that !
Riding the running board was SOP back in the day. If the door came open, one just hung on and hopefully the driver would slow down quickly and you would come slamming back to home base. Of course Model T's never slowed down quickly unless they hit something.
Running boards reminded me of my Grand Pa's '36 Ford coupe with a sturdy 3' X 6" platform on the back hooked to the bumper brackets upon which he used to haul bags of chicken feed. My cousin and I spent many a trip to and from town sitting on the wooden rear platform. At night we would drag our heels (on our shoes that had heel plates) and make sparks. Don't need no stinkin seatbelts.
Appears to be an early to mid-ish 1917 model year car based on the equal length windshield hinges and the black radiator & crowned fenders. [Ref: http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/doc17.htm
APR 19, 1917 Acc. 78, Ford Archives
Windshield hinge (with the unequal length arms) noted.
While probably not acceptable today, I rode many a trip on the running board. And with our 1918, with the 30 wt oil in the engine, you could set it up for a free start. Parked on the concrete --level or just a hint of down hill. Or even on low cut grass. Emergency brake -- off (or for many years it didn't work anyway). Hit the fender hard. The spark lever would move just enough to start the engine and the car would start to roll forward. Jump on the running board as it went by. Don't trip -- it can get away from you if you let it go too far.
Fondly remembered,
Hap l9l5 cut off
Hap, fitted with accessory 6 bolt demountable wheels too.
Allan from down under.