MTFCA Forum

I found a T that is attractive to me. It's totally rust free, complete and running.
It's a touring that has been converted to a roadster pick up. It looks exactly to what I'm after.
Other than the MOD it look all original and correct for the unedudated T guy like me.

I looked at all the availaible parts and would like to finish the job correctly so you can't tell it was a touring by removing the extra side wall portion and refinish the corner panel. The box(bed) is an original steel in good shape too.

Opinions please

If it makes you happy go ahead and buy it and work on it in joy. Life is too short to be overly picky and since the change over has already been done there is no harm in finishing the job. In the future if someone wants to change it back so be it.

Definitely ! If you deem it's worth having for the price asked.
There may have been more touring-to-pickup conversions "in the day" than roadsters with pickup boxes, or factory pickups, so you're in good company. Think it over before modifying the original panels, touring vestiges are nothing to be "ashamed" of !

A cut off touring car is about as period as you can get. If it's a buy at the price, I wouldn't hesitate, and I'd be inclined to leave the sheet metal appearance as-is.

I have a great speedster, nice touring, and hardly need a third T — but a rust-free, running and complete cutdown conversion would be very compelling!

You state, "It looks exactly to what I'm after." Then later, "... would like to finish the job correctly so you can't tell it was a touring..."

So, is it really exactly what you want? If you like it as-is, a cut-off Touring, then go for it. If you don't want your car to look like a cut-off Touring, then consider not buying a cut-off Touring. Folks who know T's, will always be able to tell it was at one time, a Touring. If you want a project, then go for it.

You should embrace the real reason tourings were turned into trucks. Has to do with WW2.

Nothing wrong about having a cut off touring!

New cars, the depresssion, the war, and practical needs of country people all played a part. Ford sold a lot of Model As to farm folk, and I'd guess that a new Ford to haul the family around with got a lot of older T's demoted to truck service in short order. The "installment plan" made trading in the old car less attractive for many, to their eventual regret.

The remainings of WWII era cut off touring. Pulled out of north woods near me. Sheet metal was pretty far gone. Decided to make into a cut down Santa sleigh. Didn’t want to scrap so found this as a good alternative and it’s history lives on in another form.
I like cut off tourings and that each one has their own uniqueness.
Enjoy your new Model T truck.

It seems there is a good appreciation for any modifications, repair or patches that were crafted back in the era. A friend has a stationary engine with a cracked water tank and the most delightful custom fit brass patch on it. There are more than a hundred #10 screws holding it in place. I think this kind of ingenuity adds much to the value. Maybe even more to an unrestored machine than a total restoration.
My thoughts.
Rich

All I know is that I sure like mine...

Not a cut down touring, but something about a well used farm truck makes me smile. You are the only one that has to be happy with it. It may bring others the same joy.

What you buy depends on what you want or desire. If you want a touring, you should buy one intact, and if you want a pickup you can either buy a roadster with a pickup bed on it or if the cut down touring doesn't bother you, go for it. But if you want to convert it back into a touring, it would be easier and less expensive to buy one or at least find an intact body to install on the chassis. The panel behind the seat is different on a roadster than on a touring, and to change it would take a lot of work and money.
Norm

Quite a few T’s were cut into trucks during the war as you could get more gasoline ration for a truck. I have a 26 coupe that was converted into a truck and I totally plan to keep it that way!

Personally I'd be very happy as it is now. But eventually I would try to make it a bit nicer. Try to make the cab rear coner as a real roadster an possibly replace the rear fenders with new ones.

But the owner just removed his ad, so I contacted him and he is now having secknd thoughts about selling.

If you want nicer, just buy a roadster to start with.

I'll chime in with those who are trying to convince you to leave it as a cut-off Touring converted to a pickup. It's a very real part of Model T history that way, as others have mentioned. I certainly wouldn't mind having one in my stable. If you try to make it look like a Roadster body, it'll still look like a patched-up cut-off Touring and will lose its integrity as a part of history.

Cut-off always sounds hinky and negative, as the owner of a modified/converted touring truck I say go for it and let it keep it's converted touring look.
The kits back when the cars were new (ish) most times listed them as conversion kits (as apposed to cut off kits).
Also the use of period accessories would not be out of place and limit some negative comments about staying correct (like speedsters).

How some did it back then http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80 ... 1241302391

Wow that’s neat to find out that the aftermarket folks were selling kits to do this! I’m fairly knowledgeable about Model T’s but certainly not as much as some and didn’t know about it. I would think a lot of purists might not approve of this!
In a way this makes it sort of officially ‘correct’ .

Which makes me wonder if any of those T’s are around that have these aftermarket kits on them.

I know this isn’t a Model T body but it’s a cut off Overland that I’m making into a speedster. I cut out the extra metal, knocked the sides in with a hammer and welded it up. I’ve since smoothed it over with filler and it looks like a roadster body.

Still working on it, converted touring, for looks I should have kept wood wheels , may sell or trade wires out.

I look very closely at more original era photographs than almost anybody. And I have seen enough photos taken in the 1910s and 1920s to know that quite a lot of touring cars were cut down into pickup trucks in those days. the practice continued for a variety of reasons to beyond WW2.
I have also seen more recent attempts to try to make touring bodies look like roadster bodies. That almost never looks good. And they certainly didn't suffer that indignity back in the days. Cutoff touring car bodies were left to look like cutoff touring car bodies. Once in awhile the sides of the box would be worked into the shape left behind of the touring car? Often it was just left there with a practical box behind it.
The one thing that I have seen, and would recommend, is to move the body to top irons in the body to roadster configuration. Mostly, it is just moving the body irons from by the back of the seat to near the front of the seat. This move is necessary to make the top sockets and bows position properly for a roadster top to fit and function properly. I have seen this in era photos, so it was done that way back in the day. The top makes the vehicle more practical for different weather, and a properly fitting roadster top will look better than a badly fitting butchered touring car top.
CudaMan's photos show how great a cutoff touring car with a roadster top can really look!

Some people think that I am a purist. But I do not think I am. At least, not to the extent that I would think everything needs to be returned to absolute factory specifications. I do think that antique automobiles should be maintained or restored to some era correct status. Whether speedsters, custom delivery trucks, or simple cutdown pickups. I like them to appear as they would have at some historic point in their existence. And a lot of model Ts were turned into pickups when they were only a couple years old, simply because a light duty truck was needed. And that is as much a part of model T history as the most flawlessly restored model T ever. No, the cutdown pickup in its "work clothes" is a bigger part of the model T's history than almost any show car. The car was only brand new for a day. It was a workhorse for a decade.

RE; "CudaMan's photos show how great a cutoff touring car with a roadster top can really look!" That is my plans too. I have collected all the body top irons and almost a full set of bows.

Dad and I worked over the last 2.5 years to turn my 1915 cut-off touring body into a nice 'farmers special'. In the process I've gleaned hundreds of photos from here and elsewhere of folks who did the same thing. Lots of precedent out there when you look. Some done with craft. Some thrown together out of necessity.. We really are pleased with how this one turned out, but if course are biased since it was our project. I'm taking it for a spin this morning. As Dallas said, these little RPUs are a blast to drive!

Here's a compilation of my build posts for reference.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17287&p=131129#p130900

Long ago, my dad and I had the chance to buy a 26 Tudor Sedan that was cut down behind the front seats. The rear portion of the body "tub" still remained and then became a pick-up box. The back panel of the body, (what was left of it), hinged down to make a tail gate. Kind of clever... kind of crude... and kind of rusty. It would have been nearly free, but glad we passed on it. Still, it was fun to see. Sorry, never took any pictures of it.

Dan Blayton

when you first posted your plans, and what you were starting with, I was skeptical as to what would come out of the effort. With that preface, I've mentioned before and will mention again: you and your dad did a superb job in putting your car together. Before seeing your final result, I would never have believed that I could be envious of a "put-together", but I am. Bravo, sir!

Scott_Conger wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 19, 2021 10:13 am

Dan Blayton

when you first posted your plans, and what you were starting with, I was skeptical as to what would come out of the effort. With that preface, I've mentioned before and will mention again: you and your dad did a superb job in putting your car together. Before seeing your final result, I would never have believed that I could be envious of a "put-together", but I am. Bravo, sir!

Haha. Thank you Scott! Dad is a great craftsman and I learned alot from him. We also poured over the photos i collected and decided what we liked and what we didn't like and tried to use that to guide us as we worked. I'm very happy with it too. Looks old without (much) fake patina. Just trying to show an example of what can be done with a cut down if you take your time. Makes me proud of our work that you get a kick out of it!

One small correction. I'm Andy... my brother is Dan and has a 23 touring. He's been a poster here for over a decade. (Goes by Dan B). I'm a little newer. Cheers!

Andy

OOPS!

sorry about that Andy. I knew better but my fingers didn't!

This is my barn find 1915 pick up. The minute I came across her I fell in love! It’s like a speedster, some correct some not. Way cool and fun.

Delightful indeed! A '15 has some of my favorite things on it. That has to be a lot of fun.
Rich

Brent Teltow wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 19, 2021 7:03 pm

4157386B-2225-44A9-A4FF-597F4D850CDE.jpeg
This is my barn find 1915 pick up. The minute I came across her I fell in love! It’s like a speedster, some correct some not. Way cool and fun.

That's a great car! I know the feeling.
Andy