MTFCA Forum

I have a friend who has approximately 20 invoices of T's sold through Auto Service Company of Copas, MN. He allowed me to make copies. Hopefully someone will have one of these cars. Most all list the name of the original purchaser of the cars. Some invoices have two or three cars listed on them. Here is a picture of one of the invoices.
Here are the serial numbers of the invoices I have:
4042906 Touring
4021430 Touring
4044107 Roadster
4061694 Coupelet (starter and clincher rims!)
4088349 Coupe
4149749 Coupelet
4136099 Touring
4167055 Runabout
3956061 Runabout
3956071 Touring
3731131 Sedan
3759731 Roadster
3761011 Touring
3755286 Touring
3385132 Touring
3434507 Runabout
3416583 Touring
3361714 Touring
3314863 Runabout
3244780 Touring
3231066 Touring
3376398 Touring
3534732 Coupelet
3832855 Touring
3806237 Touring
3833021 Coupelet
I guess I have 26 all together. All open cars were listed as being equipped with starters. Some state demountable rims. If anyone out there can match one of these numbers with their car I will gladly send a copy of the invoice to you.

Jeff-
It looks like the earliest car is 3244780, a Touring, which would have been July 18, 1919. Maybe considered a 1920 model?
I wonder what is the earliest 1919 open car equipped with a starter?

-Keith

Keith,
I do not know nor am I aware of when the first starter equipped cars were made. I did glean this from McCalley’s book:

“The last of the non starter cylinder castings and transmission covers were made on May 28, 1919 and from then, on all cars, starter or not,used the starter type cylinder castings. Cars without electrical equipment had blanking plates over the holes in the transmission cover, and a different casting for the timing gear cover on. the right front of the engine.” (Pg.258)

The car on my invoice was indeed an early electrical equipped car.
Jeff P.

It would be cool if one of those cars has survived, but chances are slim. Two of the numbers are within 3,000 of my April 1920-non electric touring but that's the best I can do.

My '14's claim to fame is that it was built the same day as Murray Fahnestock's '14, but 108 serial numbers later. That information, plus $1.89, will get me a cuppa joe at Tim Horton's.

RV,
In the course of my Model T ownership years I have had two 1914 Tourings which were 74 #’s apart, motors cast on the same day. One had a Wilson body, other was a Pontiac body.
That and a buck will get me a coffee!

I would be thrilled if I actually found one of these cars!
Jeff P.

Hmmm,....hate to sound "negative", but mathematically, 20 numbers our of 15,000,000 is approximately one chance in 750,000! But then, ya' never know, right?

Well drat, I didn't make the cut.
I do have an engine here that's been in central MN as soon as it got off the train and it's only 7,143 engines newer than the 3,361,714 Touring!
Pretty darned cool pile of invoices.
Better odds than the lottery! And yep, ya just never know.
Thanks for posting these Jeff!

“But then, ya' never know, right?”

Harold....The longer I have populated this planet more coincidental things seem to pop up. You got it....one never knows!