Can someone tell me how to tell the difference between a 1919 to 1921 Runabout?
The one I just got was registered as a 1919, but has an oval gas tank,was a non-starter car that had the starter added,still has the switch on coil box,(jumped out), has a wooden dashboard, and what else should I look at?
The MTFCA Encyclopedia contains a description of the features for each model year:
http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/index.htm
What's the serial number on the block?
I believe '21 was the first year for the front motor mount/spring clamp with the 2 studs, versus the earlier style with 2 u-bolts.
The '21 would have the oval gas tank but with wood blocks under the mounts to bring the top of the tank and gas cap up to the opening of the sheet metal pan under the seat.
Also, I THINK the '19 would have round handles on the turtle deck lid while in '21 they were flat.
Not sure without looking at my books, but 21 may be when the cast running board brackets changed to pressed steel (channel iron). Jerry, You will have to explain the wood blocks under the tank. Is that a European car type of thing. I have never seen it on US production. The seat frames were lowered on US production. I believe you can put a oval tank in a round tank seat frame but you can not put a round tank into a later oval tank seat frame (they are too tall). If I am correct on this, then that is the "smoking gun" item Mark is looking for. If he has the lower seat frame it has to be a body for a oval tank. Again, Im not near my books but I think the tank change was about 1921.
Donnie,
My '21 has an oval tank and none of the wood blocks I referred to. Therefore, the gas cap sits a good 3" below the hole in the sheet metal pan under the seat. That being inconvenient, my dad made a 3" riser that screws into the gas tank. The cap then screws onto the riser. We were then told, and have seen it on 1921 cars since, that when the initial change to the oval tank was made, wood blocks were added between the frame and gas tank mounts to bring the top of the tank up to the "proper" location. Not a European thing.
1920 was the year they went to stamped running board brackets, oval gas tanks and one piece front engine mount clamps. 1919 was the first year for flat trunk lid handles.