The previous post was getting long and off track, so I hope it will continue with this post.
Rob, what more can you tell us about the history of your car?
Dave,
I'm learning about the roadster generally now as I go. It seems there may have been 200 made (that's the last count I've found, based on news articles). There are nine known remaining, and two that may have began as tourings and were made into roadsters.
Our car may have been built in August or September of 1907, although Ks don't follow a number sequence as well as some of the alphabet Fords.
It appears there were at least two different body and running board configurations, a short and long running board version.
Our car, with a short running board and sweeping rear fender:
Long running board with rounded fender:
It seems they had the battery box on either side of the car.
Left side or no battery box:
Right side (predominate):
There were straight side and button tucked upholstery:
And three variations of seating, three passenger rumble seat:
Traveler trunk in place of the rumble seat:
And tourabout, or four passenger:
I'll get to a few more things later,
Rob
Hi Rob,
Each of the wheels has multiple valve stem looking pieces protruding from the felloe. What are those?
Thanks for your time,
Mike Hanson
Mike,
Many tires, including Firestone, were non-clinchers in the early years. The "stems" you see are a means of securing the tires to the rims. The second car down (below our K's color photo) appears to have clincher, not straight walled tires.
Our Model N has the holes plugged where the fasteners used to pass through the felloe, but you can see the original tire and rims in this 1925 photo of the car:
These were another style of fastener, with holes passing horizontally through the felloe:
Thanks Rob.
Great pictures of a runabout. The one with the elderly couple is priceless.