An old Model R

[hull 433]

Saw this in the Western Washington archive. Not bad for a twenty-plus year old car -

[CatGuy]

The steering wheel looks like it's falling apart. I have to wonder if the owner thought how antiquated it was compared to the T.

[George House]

Fascinating that some might’ve driven intercity at night with only kerosene cowl lamps.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

I'm wondering what this device is. It appears to possibly be some sort of oiler, with two metering valves showing above the firewall. The coil box sits in about that same locale however, so there would little room there for much else.

2.png (111.81 KiB) Viewed 6614 times

[John kuehn]

20 or so years old is about right considering the other cars in the mid to late 20’s seen in the same picture. To me the Touring sitting next to it isnt a Ford. Others might know what it is. The Model R seems to be in good shape considering the age of it. It might have been a “town car” and mostly used in and around a city. In other words it doesn’t look like it was driven hard.

[TrentB]

Another clue that this is a Model R and not a Model S Runabout is the front fenders have two fender irons per fender.

IMG_2865.jpeg (83.47 KiB) Viewed 6519 times

Model S Runabouts used front fenders that resembled those of the Model R, but they only used one fender iron per front fender.

Respectfully submitted,

Trent Boggess

[frontyboy]

You guys all missed the most important part of the photo., the very cute young girl driving!!!!! the Ford is ok but she is a real beautiful young lady.

just sayin'
frontyboy

[Luke]

You guys all missed the most important part of the photo., the very cute young girl driving!!!!! the Ford is ok but she is a real beautiful young lady.

Just for you then, since it's Christmas....

ac2.jpg (38.17 KiB) Viewed 6302 times

[JTT3]

I’m with Howard, she’s the Bee’s Knees

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

She is made up very well and is wearing a very nice dress. I'm wondering what she's doing in a 20 year-old Model R Ford.

She reminds me a bit of the singer, Annette Hanshaw.
("That's all..." )

[Erik Johnson]

She's smiling because she bought the car from a little old lady up the street.

It had been sitting on blocks in the garage for the past 15 years; that's why it is in such great condition.

However, the buyer isn't aware that the reason the car was mothballed is that the aluminum transmission frame is shot. But, she'll find out soon enough.

[Rich P. Bingham]

Fascinating that some might’ve driven intercity at night with only kerosene cowl lamps.

Recall in its day, the majority of traffic was still horse drawn. Carriage lamps were lit by candles - the purpose was not to light the way, but to make the vehicle visible to others sharing the road. Same for this Ford, other than the carriage driver had a big advantage over the motorist in that horses have much better night vision than humid beans do.

[Susanne]

She looks fairly young... wondering if her folks, realizing a modern young woman of 19 years needed transportation, having that old Ford under a tarp in the garage ever since we got that new centerdoor family car years ago... "Honey, it's your 19th birthday, mom and I decided to give you our old car, now you have to take care of it, here's the key. Happy Birthday, Molly!"

[RecklessKelly]

All twenty-somethings look good to me!

[big2bird]

She is smiling because Dad gave her his older car for her birthday. Nothing new.

[Moxie26]

Hubba hubba,.... bee's knees, ....hey cutie pie,.... 23. Ski-Doo..., cats pajamas,.... Charleston bump Charleston !!!!!

[OilyBill]

Susanne:

Yeah, but instead of handing her a key, they handed her a hand crank and a tire patch kit! "Happy Birthday, Sweetie! NO scorching!!"

[jiminbartow]

Does the fact that it is a LHD have any bearing? I thought that the RHD was established long before this.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

Does the fact that it is a LHD have any bearing? I thought that the RHD was established long before this.

It's a RHD.

[Luke]

Does the fact that it is a LHD have any bearing? I thought that the RHD was established long before this.

It's a RHD.

You sure about that?

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

Does the fact that it is a LHD have any bearing? I thought that the RHD was established long before this.

It's a RHD.

You sure about that?


swap.jpeg

A rare Southern Hemisphere Model R!!

[Eric Sole]

It looks like the same young lady later took an automotive shop course, to help keep her own car going no doubt

1927 Grace Wagner-Central High Auto Mechanics class-Washington DC.jpg (40.68 KiB) Viewed 4527 times

[Luke]

For anyone interested, Grace Wagner was the second oldest of four children, born in 1912 so was around 15 when the photo was taken that Eric showed. She graduated from Central High in 1930 and went on to obtain a Master's from George Washington University. Grace became an elementary school teacher and married Rodney McCathran in 1947 when she was ~35 and he was ~26. As far as I could find they had no children, Grace died in 2002, aged 89.

There is at least one other photograph showing Grace and compatriots from Central High, working on vehicles (Model T's and, I believe, a Buick?). One of Grace's classmates, Evelyn Harrison, graduated in engineering at the University of Maryland (where she enrolled in 1928) and went on to become 'the highest ranking woman at the Civil Service Commission'. A little more detail is available here: https://www.shorpy.com/node/2974

To round out the post, here's a photograph of Grace (under the car), with (from left) Grace Hurd, Evelyn Harrison and Corrinna DiJulian. Source is the Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3c11359/) with a little enhancement from me:

[Allan]

In the initial photo posted, the early car is RHD. The 20's something tourer alongside is LHD.
The later photo in Luke's post has been reversed. OK, there were LHD and RHD early cars, but by the 20's LHD was universal, so the first photo is the correct way around, with the 20's tourer showing as LHD.

Allan from down under.