What really is the year of my T?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: What really is the year of my T?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glenn Nicodemus on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 09:41 pm:

I have a roadster, that when purchased, was told it was a 1917. The car is mostly there but no hood, head lights,interior, or top irons. The seat springs are present and the gas tank has a gauge in it. The script on the running boars is a singe "ford" running horizontal. The engine serial number indicates a 1924 but as I am aware that could have been changed over time for any number of reasons. The body is solid but no coil box or other interior parts other than the small dash with switch and amp meter and choke. The laminated fire wall wood is still intact but little wiring is present. No head lights or tail lights are present, but the turtle shell is still there. The gentleman I purchased it from has had it for a number of years but he purchased it from another and had never seen the car running. He was told by that person it was a 17 but he was not certain of the year. This is not a major concern to me other than just my curiosity as to the actual year of the car. I know there are some knowledgeable individuals here who know way more than I, and may be able to provide some clues to satisfy my curiosity. To complete this story I am putting a 1922 engine in it when it is completed. I know the only difference from the 1916 on was that 1916 and 1917 didn't have electric start but all models after did, of course none of the brass era had that feature.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 09:44 pm:

Your best bet is to post some pictures of your car. Be aware that pics have to be resized to under 194K to fit on the forum. A resolution of 150 dots per inch and a width of 6 inches works well.

As far as I know there is no limit on the number of pics you can insert into one posting. When you do a "preview" of your posting with pics, don't be alarmed if only two or three of the pics show up in the preview and the rest are only there as small symbols, they will all show up in the final posting.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glenn Nicodemus on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 10:06 pm:

Thanks Mark,
I will post some photos later.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glenn Nicodemus on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 10:28 pm:

I hope these turn out ok


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Clayton Swanson on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 10:34 pm:

nice body! looks straight and rust free. even the back panel is not beat to death. any year you want to call it up to 23. keep in mind, most states will call it what ever the engine number is, if you have no title


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 10:46 pm:

You have a collage of parts and 50% of a car. I wouldn't try to assign a year to it.

The firewall and steering column are 1917.

The body is 1919/20 or later because of the interior angle iron brackets where the body attaches to the firewall and two extra bolts on the firewall near the top of the cowl.

Windshield is 1919 or later starter/generator equipped car due to the lack of sidelight brackets.

Wheels are 1919 and later. The front end has the later style wishbone and perches but a 1915 and earlier tapered spring.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 10:57 pm:

Forgot to mention - look for a date stamped in the wood along the passenger side floor riser.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Georgetown TX on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 11:09 pm:

9,635,748 is a mid 1924 serial number, so the engine does not match the body. The body is 1920 - 1922 model year.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glenn Nicodemus on Friday, October 10, 2014 - 11:25 pm:

WOW...... I didn't expect so much info in such a short amount of time. You guys are great.............thanks for clearing up a lot of my questions.

Eric,
I will check for the number next time I get back to the shop I have the car in.

The engine I am putting in is a 1922 #6422869 and that would match up nicely when it comes time to title it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Saturday, October 11, 2014 - 08:49 am:

I think the body itself was from a non-starter car, since someone added an "instrument panel." But the windshield was from a starter car as Erik said.

Good eye on finding the windshield mounting brackets, Erik. After reading your posts, I had to look through the pics three times to find them. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donnie Brown North Central Arkansas on Saturday, October 11, 2014 - 09:53 am:

We need to see a photo of the seat frame. Open the door and take a photo of the top corner and area that meets the door post of the seat frame. I am seeing a round gas tank, If it is the one for the body, I see a transitional 1922 body. The seat frame is straight at the door post for a round tank and it has rounded corners if it is supposed to have a oval tank. Will also need a good photo showing the wood around the top of the body behind the doors. There could be either a tack strip (aprox 3/4 inch X 3/4 inch) or a belt rail (fits inside body and is made of larger pieces of wood in sections. Mike since the dash is not there it could have been non starter, but it may also be the dash was removed at some point and then the temporary dash was added. I am leaning strongly toward a 1922 transitional body with starter. It depends on the seat frame. :-) :-)

I just noticed the running board bracket may be cast instead of pressed steel (channel iron) A photo of the running board bracket where it attaches to the frame may help, (or a description of the bracket) If it is channel iron, look for 3 extra holes in the side of the frame at the area where the running board bracket attaches. They may, or may not be there. The three holes for the earlier cast bracket were left there for a short time after the change to the channel type of running board brackets came out. All the little details will help narrow it down .... Nice body to work with ...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Wells on Saturday, October 11, 2014 - 12:46 pm:

No rain gutter on top of the firewall, horn button on top of the column, round gas tank. Looks like a '17 or '18 body to me.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Thomas Elliott on Saturday, October 11, 2014 - 01:00 pm:

The car looks to me to be a 1917 or 18 because of the wide arm rest that can be seen.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glenn Nicodemus on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 08:49 am:

I have some added info on my car.

The number on the riser appears to be 80210042



The following images show the seat area and the running board supports along with the tack strip around the cab.











I have some holes in the cab as seen in these photos.
These are on the driver side.



Then there is a single hole here with the bolt broken off. Kind of hard to see but in the same general area as the two on the other side.



Then there is the turtle shell.

Are the two extra locking handle's original or something that has been added on?







I am actually making a pickup using a bed from a 26' but I wanted to show the shell on the car for reference.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Wrenn on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 08:59 am:

I may be seeing wrong, but in the third to last pic, of the turtle deck-which looks just like my '20 btw, it looks like the differential drain plug is on the left side. If that's the case, the rear axle housings are backwards, and therefore who knows about the differential itself. I believe the drain plug is always on the right side when looking from the rear.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 09:57 am:

Glenn -- The seat riser pic shows the hole for the starter button, so that piece is from a 1919 or later car.

The handles on the turtle lid are correct for a 1918 or earlier car. There appears to be a lock at the center between those handles; that lock has been added.

You may add a pickup bed if you wish, but I think those early Runabouts are much cuter with the turtle. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 10:00 am:

Tim -- What you are seeing may be the cast-in boss for a drain plug, rather than an actual plug. (I can't tell from that pic.) Both sides of the pumpkin had that boss, but only the one used for the right side was drilled and threaded for the plug.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Wrenn on Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 10:10 am:

Thanks Mike...I bet you're right! Just went out and checked my '20 and lo and behold...there it is!! Crying out loud, for as many times as I've been under there, cleaning, and even painting the dang thing, I never really noticed that boss...or at least I did and it didn't "sink in". Learn something new every day, and this one now I (hopefully) won't forget! :-)


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