OT - a few Chicago Model K photos and background.

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2016: OT - a few Chicago Model K photos and background.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Eastern Nebraska on Friday, July 01, 2016 - 11:11 am:

Just recently came across these photos online. They are available through the Chicago History Museum online and the Library of Congress.

The first is a Ford Model K Roadster. The photo lists R. P. Rice as the driver,mand shows the car is a "Pilot."



This Oct 1907 "Motor Way" article reports this was the pilot car for a large (high end) car economy competition held Oct 18, 1907. The article reads "The nine cars which started were among the best made in the United States..."



Another photo in the collection shows a Berliet car stalled at the same intersection the Ford passed through. According to the article, the Berliet used the least fuel of all the competitors. However, weight of the cars was factored into the competition, so the overall winner (total weight divided by fuel used) was a Pierce.



R. P. Rice was in charge of Model K sales for the Ford Chicago branch. Later in 1907 he moved to Seattle as manager of Ford's new Pacific Northwest branch.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Hjortnaes, Men Falls, WI on Friday, July 01, 2016 - 04:22 pm:

In other words, we need to get you some confetti for NL to NB.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Eastern Nebraska on Friday, July 01, 2016 - 04:41 pm:

Dave, you just keep thinking..... I was leaning toward Wisconsin brats, beer and cheese curds.....

I'll get to a few more "K" cars from Chicago in a while. Making some horse fence now.......


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Eastern Nebraska on Friday, July 01, 2016 - 07:22 pm:

W. G. Ribble:



Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Eastern Nebraska on Saturday, July 02, 2016 - 01:19 pm:

Who was W. G. Ribble? As with R. P. Rice, another Ford Chicago Branch employee. The photographs above were taken during a Chicago "sealed bonnet" run. 86 cars participated, with 55 cars receiving perfect scores. W. G. (Walter) Ribble drove the number 19 Model K touring pictured above. His car lost 25 points when it ran out of gas while waiting to cross the finish line (story below):



Several other Fords entered the contest, with good results. Thomas Hay, Ford's Chicago branch manager, drove a Ford Runabout (N or R) to a perfect score.

R. P. Rice, pictured at the beginning of this thread driving the Ford K roadster. Drove a K roadster to a perfect score. The participating cars and their scores:



Below, from the same article, Rice's Ford six-forty is pictured after crossing a bridge. The Model K is easily distinguished by the crank protruding through the radiator among other features:



Below, Walter Ribble was photographed driving a visiting foreign dignitary in this June 1907 Chicago newspaper article:



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