MTFCA Forum

Here’s a T center door going down a San Francisco hill around 21-22. It looks like the gas lever is all the way up. Was he coasting and using any braking or?? It looks like the T is new or close to it.

Hard to say but probly is coasting and using the brake, I hope judiciously. He coulda also retarded the timing fully, acting a wee bit like a Jake-brake. It also looks like it may have Rockies..but the pic isn't clear enough. Those would do the trick, even then up to a point. All depends on how hot they get.

I suggest the vehicle isn't necessarily in motion. It's quite a clear photo which, for the time and the various angles involved, would be difficult to obtain were they travelling downhill at any speed.

The social commentary is interesting .. the hats are of course a giveaway, not sure the cues would be that obvious in a similar situation today?

Also, for the nerds amongst us, I've measured the inclination of the road using the building lines and the axle centres; it's 16 degrees...

Luke.

If the throttle is not closed that model T will soon be stacked up in an ugly pile at the bottom of the hill.

It very well could be a staged photo just looking at it. If it was staged would a wheel or two have a block or chock under it? I think the hand brake would hold it. If it were me getting in that T in 1920 and all that was keeping it stopped was the hand brake I still would be kind of careful!

But looking at it again is that some kind of block or something under the drivers side wheel?

Maybe he's backing uphill!

"A Ford Model T is descending a hill in San Francisco, circa 1921."
Underwood Archives/Getty Images. They called it a "Tudor" elsewhere.
"The building in the background of this very steep street appears to be a jail house. Wonder where it was?"
Model T Ford Fix.

John, this time I looked at the pic from the computer which gives better resolution than my phone. Doesn't look like any sort of block as I expand the pic. I just see the unevenness of the bricks and resulting shadows as well as "daylight". It does now look a lot more like there's RM's on them there rear wheels tho! And yep, it coulda been staged, but remember the car had to GET THERE in the first place as well as stop!!

Whether or not it's "staged", is kind of pointless. The fact is/was, the car is on a hill which it apparently was driven to, and at some point, was driven down the hill, (since it's probably not still sitting there ).

I would use low gear, while intermittently applying the brake. (If anyone is thinking of using reverse, I'd only do it to save a life.)

If that is San Francisco, most of the hills are one block with a cross street which is level, so I think the car would go down the hill in low gear and pump the brake while going. It would go very slowly so as not to use too much brake. we have hills about that steep which I go down in Ruckstell and low pedal. Hardly need the brake at all.
Norm

Not Lombard St. No flowers.

Hard to tell, but there is a lot of extra hardware and possibly 2 rods or cables on the front axle. Advert for 4 wheel brakes?

Right front wheel looks like a speedometer cable. It is too crooked for a brake rod and no evidence of drums on the front wheels.
Norm

I see brakes on the rear and a speedometer on the front along with the extra linkage mentioned. Anybody recognize it?

I looked more closely at the drivers hands. You can clearly see his fingers and knuckles are WHITE with fear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder if an area Ford dealer staged that to demonstrate the safety of Ford's dual brake system.

The natural slope of Lombard street is about 16 degrees. The curves were added in 1922 to decrease the effective slope. This was because most cars at that time could not handle that steep of slope.

This picture could have been taken on Lombad street before the street was modified. My estimate of the slope in the photo is 16 degrees, which correlates with Luke.

Art Mirtes

To me it looks to be a right hand drive vehicle< Drivers hands, speedo drive on RHS front wheel or could the photo be reversed???.....n

That is the correct position for the speedometer. Look very closely. The driver is on the left.
Norm

Odd that the rear wheels have the 6 hub bolts installed with the nuts on the outside.

Perhaps the bolts or nuts were scraping something on the inside so they were turned outside? This is not the usual position of the bolts and nuts on either front or rear wheels with stock wheels.
Norm

Looks like he has a Clymer or Fyrac through the windshield spotlight. Jim Patrick

That's a Silver Beam Jr. spotlight.

Here its reversed. Now it looks like a different driver. Discuss
Bryant

Bryant wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:01 am

7CDA84F2-9970-4E62-BEDA-F43D6E615C47.jpeg
Here its reversed. Now it looks like a different driver. Discuss
Bryant

Wow! His route is downhill both ways!

"Wow! His route is downhill both ways!"
Yes, I passed him each morning going the other way on my way to school.

Rich Eagle wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 28, 2023 1:43 pm

"Wow! His route is downhill both ways!"
Yes, I passed him each morning going the other way on my way to school.

OMG, that's awesome!

Actually, the road was level but the building tilted. Remember San Francisco is noted for earthquakes!
Norm

After the quake

Lombard street runs pne way from west to east starting at the high end. Looking at the shadow, I think the photo was taken in the morning, which makes sense for taking a picture of a black car.

Art Mirtes