Last Wed I moved a few boxes that were on the floor in the garage because it was snowing and I didn't want them to get wet when my wife brought the van in. The boxes contained some books and things that came out of a bookcase at my mom's.
As I was trying to stack the boxes one fell apart so I had to transfer the contents to another and I was so excited I had to sit down.
First a few of the books -
The Model T FORD CAR 1915 EDITION by page
Ford Manual copyrighted 1922
Standard Oil Company Practical Lubrication for the Automobile 1922
Model A Instruction Book copyrighted 1931
A few other automotive books from 1915
and some old Life magazines
But the ting that blew me away was in an envelope with William F. McQuillen 50 c on the outside.
It had the original Mass 1919 registration slip for the car and 1920, 1922 and 1923.
Then a Mass application for Motor vehicle registration showing that the car was transferred to Ernest Alm on May 22, 1924.
The bill of sale from Mr Alm to my dad dated Aug 21, 1954.
A 1957 Mass registration with my Dad's name (probably the first year he registered the car)
All this to go alone with the 1964 Mass registration I already have.
The only thing I don't know about the car is what dealership originally sold it.
I'll post a few pictures!
PS the motor number matches --
1919 registration
1920 Registration
the 1924 application
the 1954 bill of sale
the 1964 registration
Nice find. Do you still have the car ?? If so post a photo of it also, for all of us to enjoy ....
Fred, that's good stuff right there.
You can see a photo of Fred's Suburban bodied Model T in his signature.
On the first registration, the car is referred to as a "Suburban Touring." After that, just a "Suburban."
Any idea what that refers to? Was there something special about this Touring Car's body or equipment which made it a "Suburban"?
Good find more documents the better. One question has this inspired you to look through the rest of the boxes to see what treasures might be lurking there?
So "Suburban Touring Car" and "Suburban Touring Sedan" were other names for a Depot Hack?
Awesome!
Oh, Wow! Christmas done come early!
That is all so fantastic! Even more so given its family history to you.
Mike W, I don't off the top of my head recall what the manufacturer of Fred D's depot hack is. However, I know that some original manufacturers did refer to the depot hacks they built as "suburbans". I have seen copies of the original sales brochures that say so. I am not sure, but I think I recall that Fred D's T was called as such. I do know it is a real original depot hack from a known era manufacturer. That alone makes it special. Its history in his family and his childhood makes it extra special.
Thank you Fred D for sharing your discovery.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Oh no Fred your Model T is from the land of Massholes. I hope you are ok with that, I know how much you can't stand us.
James - I am a recovering Masshole that was saved when I saw the light and moved to NY, Ohio, KY, RI and now New Hampshire.
I have been in therapy for years help me overcome the 22 years I spent in Massachusetts and am still working on it.
It is good to have a wife and friends that are helping me otherwise I would backslide.
We are 95% certain that the body on my 1919 is a Mifflinburg 131 that is called a Country Club or Suburban. The arch at the front, windshield, shape of the side, and rails are the same as the 1923 brochure someone on this site sent to me a few years ago.
Here are a few more pictures.
And the sign on the rear --
Fred-
That is too cool.
How many Ford Agencies were in the area of East Brewster, Mass in 1919?
The oldest registration I have for my 1911 T is 1935, but it is from the original owner.
: ^ )
Brewster Mass (on Cape Cod) was the summer residence of William McQuillen. He lived in Brookline and from what I can find he was an officer of A. Stores & Bement Co in Boston. Ernst Alm (the person my dad bought the car from) was Mr McQuillen's chauffeur.
The Alm grandkids have been helpful in getting info about the family and vehicle. They remember their parents talking about the family riding from Brookline to the Cape in the T.
OK then -- Now I get it. Suburban was Mifflinburg's name for their "Hack" body style. So the local Ford dealer ordered a bare chassis from Ford and installed the Mifflinburg body on it. Since Mr. McQuillen was well-to-do, he would have had the dealer do that for him.
Nice "Suburban" Fred! And very nice that you have all that history to go along with it.
We do not know if the body was put on in Mifflinburgh Pa or in Mass. I am hoping there are records saying where the factory sent the chassis.
The family called it the Beach Wagon.