Why did they put chains on the front tires? Love it though great picture thanks for posting.
Back then roads were not plowed down to the surface and stayed that way all winter which left a ice surface or very slick one. Those chains made steering safer.
A Google search found this-
Rivard Brothers Ford Dealership History
Loyola "Jake" Rivard and Anthony "Tony" Rivard, Sr. owned the Rivard Brothers Garage, which began business in 1922 as an authorized Ford Sales and Service agency at 20955 Van Dyke in Baseline, Warren Township, Michigan (now Warren, MI). Among their employees was their brother Cecil, who did the bookkeeper for the dealership. The brothers also owned Macomb Ford (photo), a dealership located in a building they built (circa 1930) two miles to the north on Van Dyke at Qualmann Ave. in Center Line. That building became a Dodge-Plymouth dealership when it was sold to Thomas A. Grissom in about 1941. The Rivard brothers sold their original Ford dealership in 1956 to new owners who operated it as Trudell Ford.
Rest of the story, and photos here-
http://grobbel.org/genealogy/rivard/dealership.htm
Back in 1976 I used to ride my bike to dental school in St. Louis. There were 3 kinds of roads:
1. Plowed down to the surface.
2. Unplowed, packed to a rough ice surface.
3. Plowed partway down to a smooth ice surface.
You could bike on 1 & 2, but not on 3. I had to carry my bike and walk on type 3 roads... Usually falling on my butt anyway. I doubt front chains on a T would help much!
Attaboy Cecil.