Want to restore a historically significant Model T Ford? WWl Brass era? How about an Ambulance or an Ambulance Section support vehicle? There were several types of these Ambulances, some came from Canada, others from the US and many were manufactured by Ford at the Manchester, England factory. Still others were donated by Ford factory personnel from Canada and Australia looking like large white pup tents mounted on the back of a Ford Touring Car. Notice that there was an American Hospital in Paris financed and staffed by Americans although the US was not yet in the war. Their Ambulances were apparently American.

The full details on these wonderful machines may be found on the MTFCA home page by selecting on “Ford Books and Literature” and then selecting on “WWl Canadian Ford Times”. This document is not dated, but based on the cars, it is likely 1914. Only one 1915 Model is shown. Dating could be better established or verified by researching some of the events described. Most of the Model T’s appear to be 1913 or 1914, however some appear to be earlier. Maybe some of you can help date the model year of the vehicles.

Model T Ford Touring cars were apparently the “Jeep” of WWl. The front lines were knee deep in mud and only the Model T Ford could go there. The English used the Model T Ford for a variety of military purposes and even the great “Lawrence of Arabia” had a Section of machine gun mounted Model T Fords.

A few of the Ambulances and Support Vehicles from the Ford Times article.

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The photos came through ok for me.

Fred I'm confused about your post. I don't see a vehicle to restore. Are you talking about ideas to reproduce something? Does the vehicle then "become" a real WWI ambulance? I agree it is a neat idea and would be nice to have an example to view. However once something like that is built, sure as hell it'll become a "real" one someday.

I'm always asked for advice on building the "perfect Thunderbolt replica" by people who will undoubtedly offer it for sale as a real one later on, or will be by later owners. Thankfully I've never helped do this and have steered people clear of purchasing them for many years. Some guys do get taken though, to the tune of over a hundred thousand dollars so that's the reason I don't like replica vehicles unless the replica is easily identified as such. That might not be the case here and could cause errors later when such a vehicle would possibly be used for research by someone not knowing they are seeing a replica.

This is one of those touchy subjects people don't like to talk about until they get ripped off for a bunch of money.

Craig

I should have used the word "Replica".
I've been in the hobby since 1953 and I can assure you that from day one replica's have been passed off as original. If the finest most qualified MTFCI judge or anyone else cannot determine it's not original, is it original? It's not a problem for me.
Many folks in the hobby today are starting with less than a complete car. Many times with a chassis only. Why not duplicate a historically significant vehicle? No doubt many of these WWl vehicles no longer exist. I would be absolutely thrilled is someone would replicate one of these vehicles in great detail. It would no doubt end up in a museum and have great value.

How about Rick Rawlins duplication of Ed Winfield's two up, two down race car? I assure you it has great value.

Peter Kaible made a temporary one with the Austrailian members years ago for a Vintage Ford cover photo. They took the photo and destroyed the home made ambulance when they were done. It made a great cover shot. That one didn't hurt anyone unless they got a splinter building it.
There are a lot of cars that are built up from parts. I would have to say that a great percentage of the really fine or rare cars have some non original parts on them. It would come down to research by the builder and the person who might buy the car from the builder. I know if there was a plaque stating the car was built in 2009 put on the built up car it might not be there in 2019 to tell how the car came to be.
I think this was discussed a while back about an Omnibus that surfaced after being stored for years. It was made in the sixties and forgotten about.

Herb

Hello All,

WGBY-TV, PBS recently produced a documentary on the role of the Model T as ambulances during World War I. The title is:

Model T's to War: American Ambulances on the Western Front

I sure recommend watching the one hour program. Contact your local PBS station to see if they are airing it. If not, you can purchase a copy from WGBY-TV by going to their website.

Orlando

Previous post worth looking at

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/80491.html

This is my 1916 Canadian T with a replica WW1 Army tender body that I built on it.It has British army markings as well as the correct Australian divisional markings. I am a member of a WW1 re-enactment group, the T attracts a lot of attention at shows with 8 to 10 of our members in full WW1 uniform, ANZAC of course.

Peter.

Here is a photo (SLSA B34606) of an ambulance made by Duncan & Fraser Ltd. in Adelaide, South Australia that was paid for by public subscription and donated to the AIF (Australian Imperial Force) by the people of Clare in 1915. This photo shows the ambulance at Keswick Army Barracks, Adelaide prior to shipping to the front. Note the spare tyre is a Stepney rim. Dave C.

Fred , I are you planning such a project ? I also think sometimes if a good replica is made it is the only way to save some history . I would be interested in working on something lick that!!
Rick Nelson

Do you suppose the fellow in the picture got a broken arm cranking the ambulance?

Fred
Have you talked to Don Lang?
He had a WW1 Model T ambulance.
Ron the Coilman

There is a very nice WW1 ambulance replica in the Marine museum at San Diego. We saw it in '08 when my son graduated boot camp. My wife said something to the effect that I could find a T anywhere. Honestly, I didn't know it was there! Dave

The ambulance article in the latest Vintage Ford noted that the man that designed that ambulance had worked for H. H. Babcock. That company built 5,000 WW-I ambulance bodies to bolt on the Model T Ford chassis. They were in the ambulance business very early. Here is an early newspaper article. They also had later ambulance patents.

The Watertown Herald

Saturday, October 8, 1898

The H. H. Babcock Company sent a new and patented ambulance to Buffalo this week. It was an excellent sample of the work done by this company.

I live near the Library of Congress and plan to visit there to obtain copies of these and later patents.

The Ford ambulance body drawings are available at the Benson Archive.

Heres an authentic WWI Model T:

The ambulance that featured on the Front cover of the Vintage Ford (Vol 16 No 1) was only a mock up. It was made up of timber fence palings and bed sheets. We pulled it apart and left the remains for the Airfield members to use as firewood as it was so poorly built it wouldn't stand the return trip home on the trailer.

There would have been no way it would be mistaken for an original but both my cars are replicas. The Town Car was built 35 years ago when Town Cars were neally unheard of. Before I started the build I wrote to Bruce Mc Calley and he had no information that he could give me to help with the build.

Such a vehicle is impossible to find here in Australia. So is the Lamsteed Kampcar but if you want a different vehicle you have no choise but the recreate one. Maybe someone could present them in the future as originals but even with the greatest of care building such vehicles they would be seen by a trained eye for what they are.

Often people purchase such vehicles and pay top price believing they are originals but you can't stop a fool being parted with his money. i know of several examples and I would think most of you know of others but anyone who takes the word of a seller is at risk of being had. I have just purchased a speedster that was restored by an old friend years ago. It was sold last year at auction, the buyer saw the ad for the auction in the paper the morning of the sale bid over the phone sight unseen and only realised it was speedster when he went to pick it up and pay for it, he throught it was a Touring car ideal for his family ????

Like most, my cars have been the subject of one or more articles in magazines. This should help make sure that their true provenence can be found in the future to stop deception.

Fred I saw an original WW1 ambulance ( well I hope it was) in a private collection in New York State in Schenectady.

Peter Martin! You were in that cover shot, thats him on the right hand side next to his dad. Did that day spark your interest in your re-enactment group?

Peter,

I don't know if that was the day that caused the spark but it started pretty early, I've always been interested in WW1. The running gear under that cover car is my 1912 tourer, see my profile photo.

Here is a replica built in New Zealand to celebrate AFS (I am not sure why or what the story behind it was). Drives a little tail heavy but goes well. Built to original plans I belive:



Cheers

Adrian