Old Photo - Lots of Space

[Rich Eagle]

A T at home in the wide open spaces.

[Rich Bingham]

Perfect !! Thanks, Rich. Any idea as to the locale ? (I want to live there !)

[perry kete]

That is a great picture but may not be on US soil even though it has a US flag. The other flag that is on the car could be from New Zealand or Australia but it's hard to tell which because you can't make out the details in the blue field.

[Rich Eagle]

I'm not sure of the source. The licence plate looks more like Washington 1918 to me. I'm not familiar with that part of the state. I thought perhaps visitors frome New Zealand.

Wn18.jpg (11.59 KiB) Viewed 4352 times

[Rich Bingham]

Looks like south-eastern Washington to me. Would a New Zealand Ford have been right hand drive ? Rich, you have a good command of identifying license plates, that's mighty helpful and a lot of fun when doing "detective work" on these old photos. Thank you !

[Rich Eagle]

I just have a couple good books on plates and am willing to turn the pages. Goggle is helpful also. My suspicion is they are from New Zealand driving a car they rented or borrowed in Washington. The location could be anywhere within driving distance from WA. Or they are visiting some folks and sitting in their T.
I shouldn't assume the car is always where the plate was from.
At any rate I liked the feeling that nothing urgent was happening there.
Rich

[Oldav8tor]

Couldn't that be a Canadian flag? Until 1965 the Canadian flag was a red ensign with the British Flag in the corner and the Canadian coat of arms in the center. Washington borders Canada so like here in Michigan, you often see Canadian flags displayed as a gesture of neighborliness.

red_ensign.jpg (8.59 KiB) Viewed 4124 times

[Hap_Tucker]

Appears to be an early 1917.

From: http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/doc17.htm

1917

----- Acc. 575, Box 14, #826, Ford Archives
Riveted style windshield frame and brackets were used in 1915 and 1916 and on the first 450,000 1917 cars. (Until about April 1917.)

MAR 14, 1917 Acc. 78, Ford Archives
Mention of new style windshield mounting brackets as having been used, and of the discontinuance of the 1915-16 style for replacement.

JUN 14, 1917 Acc. 1701. Model T Releases, Ford Archives
Drawing of steering gear box changed. "Brought up to date by specifying this case to be nickel plated instead of black enameled." [Hap's comment -- the "brought up to date" indicates they were already using the nickel plated case. The "Record of Change" card for that part would probably say when that change was requested.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

[Rich Eagle]

All good points Tim and Hap. Thanks as always.
Rich

[Oldav8tor]

Thanks Rich.

Hap, my Sept. 1916 built 1917 Touring has the metal end-caps on the armrests. Supporting your estimate of the car's vintage is the clear glass in the headlights.