Old photo - Motorized Spanish arquitect

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Old photo - Motorized Spanish arquitect
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Sole - Castelldefels (Spain) on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 10:08 am:

Mr. Martinell, the owner of this Model T was a student of Antoni Gaudí, the famous modernist architect. He produced quite a few modernist buildings in the wine producing region around Tarragona, Spain which can still be seen today.

He was a forward thinker and elected to move about by motorized transport, not a common thing in Spain at that time. His grandson tells me that he used a driver who is at the wheel in these pictures.

The eight spoke demountable rim wheels and the acetylene spot lamp stand out as curious accessories.

The license plate number would identify the year it was registered but unfortunately they are not visible. It looks to be a 1917 to 1919 model. Can anyone put an exact year to it?





Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 11:41 am:

If it were a 1917, the horn button would be on the top of the steering column.

It looks like it has the combo horn button/light switch which would make it 1918 or later.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Herb Iffrig on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 09:28 pm:

Eight spoke wheels are unusual.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 09:47 pm:

Those neat wheels are Parker brand.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Sole - Castelldefels (Spain) on Thursday, September 25, 2014 - 02:24 am:

Thanks Dan. Lighter weight plus demountable rims. That was a pretty good selling point to keep the show on the road and stay out of the mud while repairing a burst tube.

The driver probably pitched in and bought them himself since he would have been the one who'd have to get out and get under! :D

(Message edited by esole on September 25, 2014)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Thursday, September 25, 2014 - 08:11 am:

Model T Fords offer a wide variety of possible answers when it comes to what year car. In this case, I do not know where the car was produced or assembled. In 1926 Ford has a Branch Assembly Plant at Barcelona, Spain as depicted in the diagram from the 1926 Ford Industries booklet.





I don’t know when that assembly plant opened. I.e. for a later 1917, 1918, or up to mid 1919 Model T Ford touring sold in Spain, where was it assembled? The reason that is helpful, is the changes for the USA produced cars are better documented than when the changes were accomplished at other Branch Assembly Plants in other parts of the world. In some cases something may have been done sooner or later than the USA change. In other cases something may have been done in an overseas plant that was not done in the USA production (the Canadian horn button mounted on top of the steering wheel for example).

So for a USA produced car I believe the photo above would be typical of a later 1917 to mid 1919 Model T Ford. Why? I believe the enlargement of the photo shows an above the axle wishbone:



For Eric Sole – if you have a chance please take a look at a higher resolution copy and see if you can confirm the wishbone is above the axle or correct that observation if I’ve missed it again.

For a USA produced car the below the axle wishbone is noted on Apr 14, 1919 as only being used on the Ton Truck production. Ref: http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/doc19.htm

APR 14, 1919 Acc. 235, Box 39, #385, Ford Archives
"From this date two distinct designs of front radius rods, together with front spring perches, right and left, one on the Model T and the other on Model TT.
"The Model TT design will be assembled beneath the axle, instead of above the axle through the spring perch as heretofore.
"Although it would be possible to use the Model T design on the Model TT, we request this be resorted to only in case of a shortage serious enough to threaten loss of production."

I did not find a nice reference for when it was implemented on the cars. But the MTFCI Judging Guidelines 6th Edition (available from the vendors as well as the Chief Judge ) states in the 1919 section page 7 that a 1919 would have a below the axle wishbone. So I have one more item that I am adding to my – “is there a nice answer for a USA car?”

For the 1917 cars the MTFCI Judging Guidelines 6th edition indicate that the combination horn light switch was introduced during late (ref page 3 1917 section).

So it would be safe to say “if it has the above the axle wishbone” and since it has the combination light switch it is a 1918 model year touring. But I like the late 1917 into mid 1919 year range myself – and again for a USA produced car.

But, where were the Model T tourings sold in Spain generally produced during this time? And did they generally follow the USA changes or lag a few weeks, months or longer ahead or behind USA changes?

It is a great photo of a teens touring. Thank you for sharing it. And if anyone has additional information on where the cars were assembled for sell in Spain during the 1917-1920s please let us know. Or if someone sees additional details or corrections.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary Schreiber- Santa Isabel Ecuador on Thursday, September 25, 2014 - 08:18 am:

Just curious about this in Eric Sole's post

"(Message edited by esole on September 25, 2014)"

We can now edit posts?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Sole - Castelldefels (Spain) on Thursday, September 25, 2014 - 03:20 pm:

Hap, Ford assembled Model T's in Cádiz starting in 1920. In 1923 the production was moved to Barcelona where it ended in 1927.

The wishbone looks to be above the axle to me too.

Gary, I opened my profile and looked at the latest posts. The last one showed that it could be edited so I tried it and added some text. It leaves the "stamp" of the date this was done.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Monday, October 20, 2014 - 08:26 am:

Eric,

Sorry for the late response -- but I'm just getting back to it today. Thank you for posting the additional information about Cadiz. Bruce McCalley's (R.I.P.) book "Model T Ford" has a listing of production starting in Calendar year 1921 on page 463. There he shows that 1,375 cars /chassis were assembled in Cadiz in Calendar year 1921. With 5,331 assembled the next year. They show the transition to Barcelona in 1923 also but they did not show when production started at Cadiz in 1920. (Bruce's book is available in a reprinted SOFTBOUND cover from the vendors as well as the club at: http://modeltstore.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/model-t-ford-the -car-that-changed-the-world and also an updated version on CDs is available from: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/331880/333725.html?1357665853 )

So if it is a 1918ish car, it would have been assembled at some other location than Spain.

Again thank you to everyone for adding additional bits and pieces to the puzzle. I'm still filing stuff and hopefully will be able to make it available to others in the future in a summary form. It is already available in many different locations including different threads on the forum, published books, etc. But I think it would be nice if we could somehow consolidate it a little more in one place.

Again, thank you for the additional information.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By brass car guy on Monday, October 20, 2014 - 11:13 am:

It appears to have a carbide spot light. If you look carefully under the light there is a gas hose running from the underside down to the carbide generator mounted on the running board.
Interesting to have a carbide light on an electric
light car.

just sayin,

brasscarguy


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