MTFCA Forum

A recent post detailed some problems fitting a late model apron to an improved car.
My 1925 roadster needs an apron like these, but I have to use an earlier narrow one to clear the accessory shock absorbers.
The khaki one I restored for the roadster. The grey one is for the 26-7 models with the extra hole for the screw below the crank handle. Dimensoinally, they are identical, except that there is mo evidence that the grey one ever had the sleeve around the crank handle hole.
The black one I suspect is new old stock. There is no sign of it ever being bolted on. There is no wear in the mounting stud holes, and no flogging of the handle sleeve flange. I believe this is the correct one for my 25 roadster, as it has the side 'war's which are sandwiched between the frame and fender mounts, just like the one on Henrietta.
From the photo you can see that this apron is narrower, top to bottom, than the other two, by 15mm. Does this reflect the change in arch of the front frame cross member on the lowered 26 -7 frames?
Allan from down under.

To answer your last question - No. Be aware that the wider radiator aprons were used on the TT s and are somewhat rare. I suspect the black apron is correct for your T and the wider on is for a TT.

Because the frame twists, the 1925 aprons most always need repair. I had to have some welding done on mine to bring it back to original.

The apron that was on my 27 is like your gray one, no sign of a thimble ever having been there. I don't understand what the thimble is really for. Maybe on the earlier models without the mounting screw below the crank hole it avoided rattling by pushing the crank spring inward against the front engine support?

The repair manual shows a "spacer" for the improved cars. I would assume that contact with this smooth washer would allow the crank spring to turn more smoothly than against the cast iron front engine support.

Eric Sole wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 04, 2022 7:05 pm

The apron that was on my 27 is like your gray one, no sign of a thimble ever having been there. I don't understand what the thimble is really for. Maybe on the earlier models without the mounting screw below the crank hole it avoided rattling by pushing the crank spring inward against the front engine support?

The repair manual shows a "spacer" for the improved cars. I would assume that contact with this smooth washer would allow the crank spring to turn more smoothly than against the cast iron front engine support.
Screenshot 2022-06-05 at 00.57.28.png

The crank return spring sits in the thimble bottom.