Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

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John kuehn
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Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by John kuehn » Mon Oct 25, 2021 1:46 pm

Anybody out there that has a “correct early 1919 electric start T” with the leather covered wooden instrument panel board in it. It was only available for a short time before the metal instrument panel became standard for starter equipped cars. Would like to see one.

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Rich Eagle
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Re: Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by Rich Eagle » Mon Oct 25, 2021 2:39 pm

I don't know if this is the original dash or some replacement but it is what I could find.
classic1.jpg
classic2.jpg
http://classicvehicleslist.com/ford/205 ... -1919.html
I'm assuming imitation leather was only used on the closed cars that year.
Rich
When did I do that?


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Re: Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by Rich Bingham » Mon Oct 25, 2021 2:51 pm

I'd think the interim wooden panels were probably covered with the same "leatherette" that was used to upholster the open cars; Ford had abandoned even vestigial use of genuine leather by 1914. This is mighty interesting, sparking in me dim "rememberies" from 55+ years back of such a panel in the remains of a coupe body somewhere out in the sagebrush south of Blue Dome.
"Get a horse !"


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Re: Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by Original Smith » Mon Oct 25, 2021 3:42 pm

Here is a photo of one I saved from several years ago of a different car.
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1919 Dashboard.jpg


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Re: Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by Don D » Mon Oct 25, 2021 4:34 pm

John,

The three (3) photos attached are of my 1919 Touring with an engine # 3,612,4XX which according to Bruce McCalley was produced on 12/09/1919. I am the 4th owner of this car and it has always been registered as a 1919. The cover material is stapled to the underside of the wood and screwed on each end to metal tabs that are held into position by the windshield rear bracket bolts. I added the cowel lamps after buying the car to add to the look of the vehicle. Please note the "Period Correct" GPS. :-)

Have a great day,
Dom

IMG_1503.JPG
IMG_1502.JPG
IMG_1504.JPG


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Re: Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by John kuehn » Mon Oct 25, 2021 4:55 pm

Thanks for the update for me at least! I have a 1919 Runabout and I asked the question about the early 1919’s a few days ago about this.
Evidently some of the early 1919’s with leatherette covers have survived. I’ll bet over time the 1919’s that got restored used the later steel dash because of their availability. When I restored mine years ago all I had was the body shell and a frame that didn’t come with the body but one I had picked up somewhere. I bought a garage full of all kind of T parts and there were some steel instrument panels that would fit so I used one of them. I kept the car as correct as I could so I guess it’s OK, It’s 95% percent or so correct for a cobbled together car.
At the time I didn’t know about the leatherette covered instrument panels. I do believe though that the fabric, leatherette or whatever was some type of leatherette that was used for covering the wood and not leather. The encyclopedia uses the word leather for the covering but in reality it probably was leatherette.


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Re: Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by speedytinc » Mon Oct 25, 2021 5:26 pm

Dom Denio wrote:
Mon Oct 25, 2021 4:34 pm
John,

The three (3) photos attached are of my 1919 Touring with an engine # 3,612,4XX which according to Bruce McCalley was produced on 12/09/1919. I am the 4th owner of this car and it has always been registered as a 1919. The cover material is stapled to the underside of the wood and screwed on each end to metal tabs that are held into position by the windshield rear bracket bolts. I added the cowel lamps after buying the car to add to the look of the vehicle. Please note the "Period Correct" GPS. :-)

Have a great day,
Dom


IMG_1503.JPG

IMG_1502.JPG

IMG_1504.JPG
Its interesting that the instrument panel is not centered & has the rectangular mounting plate. Also interesting the separate switch/ammeter
without the plate on pix above. More learned oddities about the 1919 model. Love it.

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Vic_alberta_Canada
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Re: Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by Vic_alberta_Canada » Mon Oct 25, 2021 10:53 pm

January 1920 Canadian Touring, Electric start. There were bits of leatherette under the trim.
Attachments
DCP02873.JPG
DCP02851.JPG


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Re: Early 1919 leather covered instrument panel

Post by Original Smith » Tue Oct 26, 2021 11:49 am

What I would like real information on is when did Ford start offering starters and generators for 1919 open cars. The public isn't stupid, and there must have been a desire to get starters and generators on open cars when the debut was made. Of course, if you had the early style block and hogshead in your car, the change would be time consuming and expensive. Also, when did Ford start offering a genuine dashboard to bolt on, and was it wood, or metal?

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