MTFCA Forum

if the engine year and the car year are different, do I refer to it by 'engine year'

The car is technically a 1912 frame with a 1926 engine. Do I register it as a 26 and therefore tell MVA it is a 1926?

What body is it?

TBones12 wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 06, 2022 4:10 pm

if the engine year and the car year are different, do I refer to it by 'engine year'

The car is technically a 1912 frame with a 1926 engine. Do I register it as a 26 and therefore tell MVA it is a 1926?

My T was titled based on the body style, so it's titled 1919, and the engine is 1920. I refer to it as a 1919, in general, to avoid confusion.

It was a torpedo roadster. I sold the tank and trunk and put a buckboard on it.

The body is now a 2 seat pick up.

What was it registered as before or is this a first time registration for an assembled car? If it is a new registration I would call it a '12. If not I would register it as it was last registered to avoid opening up a can of worms at the DMV. The only thing you have to identify the car is the engine number and I would consider that to be the VIN number but I doubt the DMV would know that the number corresponds to a particular year of manufacture. In describing the car to others I would call it a '12 and, if I wanted to be totally up front, add that it has a later engine. By the way, I love the way it looks!

Bob


Really nice, like the bed also!

Your T looks like a the real '12 that it is, IMO, title it as a '12. The DMV doesn't mate the serial# of the motor to the car's date, at least in FL.

My '12 project, got an GA registration for it as a '12, so it will be titled in FL as a '12,{with a '19 motor}.

If a hot rodder dumped a V8 in it, he is still going to call it a 1912 T

Your "engine" is a 1926. Your "car" is a 1912. You are registering/licensing the "car". It is a 1912.

Looks like it should be a really fun car!

TBones12 wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 06, 2022 4:10 pm

if the engine year and the car year are different, do I refer to it by 'engine year'

The car is technically a 1912 frame with a 1926 engine. Do I register it as a 26 and therefore tell MVA it is a 1926?

A car title identifies the Make, Model, Year and owner. So go with the what it looks like (model year) and use the existing number. Don't explain anything to the DMV or you'll just create a mess for yourself.
Numbers have been used as a further means of identification. VIN format numbers identify these things as well but don't identify and the engine just numbers on the new auto.
Yes for the Model T engine numbers were assigned to the cat but often replaced. SO the MTFCA Encyclopedia states "The engine number was also the serial number of the car. Engines were numbered when they were completed, and for the most part went into a chassis within a day or so. However, some engines were assembled and numbered at branch assembly plants. Highland Park would ship a block of engine-number records to an assembly plant and these engines might be made weeks or months afterwards. Consequently, engine numbers can only be used to date the "engine" NOT the car. https://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/sernos.htm

I recently registered my Omnibus project in California. I filled out all the paperwork and was apprehensive about what year to register it as.

The running gear was pieced together by the late Mel Miller. It has lots of interesting parts from various years on there. I had to come up with a year model for the DMV. I looked it over and spotted parts which were identifiable with the help of Bruce’s book. Chose the year I wanted the title to say and pointed out that part to the disinterested DMV employee.


I chose between the real 1912 frame and the real 1925 engine. I now have a titled 1912 Omnibus with various period updated parts. Problem solved! When I eventually sell it it will be easy to identify the vintage of parts and the next owner can call it whatever he/she likes.

IMHO, TH

Another thing to realize with early brass cars such as the 1912 and up to 1914, is that Ford gave the car a ID plate number. As car production increased the car ID plate numbers started to drift off the car engine numbers. So original paper work, like a bill of sale from the Ford Dealership would show a car ID number and may or may not show the car engine number.