Today Larry Smith and I unrolled the side curtains and put them on the car. The fit is not quite as good as i would have thought, but they would keep most of the weather out.

Wow, what a treasure! I'm amazed they didn't just crumble into dust when you unrolled them.

I don't see a flap to allow hand signaling, toll paying, etc.

What are the three fasteners that attach the cowl light straps to the curtains, some kind of rivet?

Kim,

Again .... a pleasure ...

Maybe we can do lunch next time I am in the area
if you know where good bbq is ....


Thank you so very much !


Freighter Jim

Fascinating- thanks for sharing!

Those curtains are in remarkably good condition for their age. Thanks for sharing the pics with us "common folk."

Yes, thank you for sharing the photos. I would say those curtains are in amazing condition considering their age.

You can't find better side curtains, especially for patterns. I've made side curtains for my '25 roadster p/u, and had a lot of fun doing it. Neither Kim or I could figure out how they attached the front part of the side curtain to the windshield area! The upper portion fit nicely to the front bow, but the straps for attaching the center, and lower portion of the curtain were confusing. I didn't note a flap for the lh curtain. My guess is no one did arm signals back then.
As a general note. The binding that is used around the windows on the side curtains, and rear curtain is flat, and is 5/8" wide. As far as I know I'm the only one in the country that is making this binding. I'm using the same top grain material that is available now from Langs, but is much thinner to allow for sewing to the product. Classtique is using our binding on their curtains.

You should mention that the fourth and fifth photos in the original post are of the top boot.

My dad has the original side curtains and top boot for his July '17 touring, which, like the June '17 Rip Van Winkle, is also a Minneapolis assembled car.

He said when he bought it in 1949, the two short straps with buckles had never been attached to the lower seat back - they were just lying in the compartment under the back seat - and the top boot had never been used.

We were still using the original top boot until a few years ago when my dad made another one.

Unfortunately, authentically reproduced top boots are not being manufactured and sold which is a shame because they would not be difficult to reproduce.

Thanks for the detail pictures of this unique car
More, please

Larry,,

Doesn't that lower front strap just go around the side light?

Ken in Texas

It does go around the side light.

Yes, it does go around the light and the strap about it goes around the windshield where the two halves come together. Neither strap will work, probably because of shrinkage in the material.

Kim-
These photographs are fabulous! Thank you. Most people don't know that the little clips on the windshield were added after side lamps were discontinued.

On the strap that goes around the windshield, does it have a snap or a common sense fastener like on the strap that goes around the side lamp?

On the common sense fastener that goes around the side lamp, is it the oval back type with a backing burr held on with rivets, or the two fold-over tabs with a small backing plate?

I'd sure like to see some details of the strap arrangements.

: ^ )

Keith

Here's some more detail on the attachment points for the front side curtains.

What we need now is someone with the know how, to reproduce the original Anzo fasteners they used back then. This is just a guess, but I think they probably haven't been made since WWII. There are also rather large upholstery nails that were used on the earlier T's that aren't available today. Of course, this is only for those who like to get things correct!

I failed to mention that years ago I bought a pile of original Ford script side curtains at a swap meet. In that pile were two NOS roadster top boots, which are just like the RIP, only minus one bow. I was able to use them for a pattern for my '25 pickup. BTW, top boots were not supplied with '22-25 cars, and were an option in '26-7.

It's also very difficult to find the correct 3/8" head decorative upholstery tacks that go on the upholstery binding and the door panel binding.

The tacks that are available today have wider heads and don't look right on the correct width binding.

those are some great pics. I wonder what it was like to ride around in the rain? or snow? fogged up and slapin around? My uncle told me they used a bag full of salt to rub on windshield and heated up bricks on stove for winter driving