MTFCA Forum

I have wondered for a good while if the open cars that came with the optional starter in 1919 open cars had a dash with instrument panel. The Encyclopedia says the starter ( electrical equipment) cars came in the closed cars only that year. If I understand it correctly??
I have and restored a 1919 Runabout years ago and still have it and at the time I had the steel instrument panel and installed it. I used a 1919 engine and had it registered as a 1919 not thinking the dash wouldn’t be actually correct for the 1919 cars even if it had the optional starter which I have in my car. I’m not going to change it now if it’s not “correct” but keep it like it is.
My question is did Ford install a starter as optional without the steel dash. It’s not clear to me.

If a car had a starter and generator, it had an instrument panel with ignition switch. If it was a non-starter car, there was no instrument panel and the switch was on the coil box.
On open cars, the starter option was available in late 1919.

: ^ )

Keith

From the Encyclopedia;


1919
Boards were wood with “leather” covering in early closed cars, and wood with metal covering later. Open cars, when equipped with starter, used wooden panels initially.

1919-1922
Metal panel of near uniform width from side to side. The end mounting ears were exposed and were fastened to the rear windshield post support bolt. Instrument panels on open cars only when supplied with electrical equipment.

APR 30, 1919 Acc. 575, Box 11, #732, Ford Archives
T-6604 wood instrument panel for touring and torpedo specified in a letter to the branches.

MAY 1, 1919 Acc. 575, Box 11, #732, Ford Archives
T-6606 instrument board (new).

AUG,1919 Acc. 575, Box 11, #761, Ford Archives
Leather covered instrument panels are indicated on open cars and closed cars in early production. Of wood, they were superseded by metal panels by mid-1919.

NOV 5, 1919 Acc. 575, Box 12, #769, Ford Archives
Wooden instrument panels reinstated due to shortage of the steel type. These were leather covered as before.

Good information and thanks. I was thinking the instrument panel was metal as I had some in my parts in my barn and so I used one. It would be interesting to see one of those leather covered instrument panels. I’ve seen a lot of T’s over the years at swap meets and some shows but never one with the leather covered wood panel. I guess I missed them.

Maybe that’s why when finding T parts over the years in the field and outside in the pasture most were the metal panels and not the wood ones.