MTFCA Forum

I'd been quite taken with the photograph Gerrit commented on in this thread: https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic. ... 92#p282492 and set out to try and see if I could find out where and when it was set.

Unfortunately I've not been especially successful, however a reasonably extensive search for 'Boulangerie' images revealed this (source is www.vintage.es):


I've cleaned up the image a little from the original, but once again there was no identifying data as to location etc, and the number plate is sufficiently obscured that I can't determine it's origin either. However it's interesting to see the similarities between the two Model T's, presumably both used for delivery of shop products.

As an aside, a Boulangerie is more or less a bakery, however it must bake their [bread] product on site. As you'll see the shop in this photo is also a Pâtisserie and will sell pastries + sweets, so it's perhaps a little advanced on the previous place

Luke.

You may find this interesting if you haven't seen it in your search:
https://www.vintag.es/2021/04/boulangerie.html

Thanks Rich,

Yes, that's the site I referenced and from which the above photo came from, fascinating isn't it? There were one or two other early transports, and a kid in a vintage pedal car, but the only identifiable véhicule automobile was the T. It'd be interesting to know how many were imported into France, and from where they came (ie. Canada via UK perhaps, or direct from the U.S.?).

Otherwise I was also a little amused how lovingly some of the people in the photographs were cradling their baguettes!

Luke.

One thing leads to another and at the end of my 'rabbit hole' I found an early French Military Ambulance (not in the slightest T related but it is French and Luke started off with a French theme to this thread so ...

Bédélia!

https://www.retromobile.com/Archives/Ev ... etromobile

John G.
When I look at the cars in the Bedelia site you posted the link for most of them look like a bathtub on wheels.

Was it not Mark Twain that described HELL as a place where
The French were the engineers,
The English were the chefs, &
The Germans were the lovers?

All this talk about France. Well, since someone was brave enough to introduce a non Model T into the discussion, I'll use this opportunity to showcase the French car that's on my wish list. It's the iconic Citroën 2 CV. Not exactly the Model T of France, but pretty close. I had the chance to drive one when a friend in France lent me his very well-used 2CV to make the drive from his little village to the bigger town of Avignon, about 150 KM. With liberal application of the gas pedal, and maybe a downhill run behind you, it was possibly to coax the car up to 60 mph, or 100 KM/hr which sounds faster. If everything was screwed together right, it was actually pretty stable at that speed. Maybe a little noisy, but stable. With an opposed 2 cylinder air-cooled engine displacing about 650 cc depending on the model, these cars won't win any races. They've gotten a following among collectors of the esoteric and strange, and the price of this normally unprepossessing car has jumped considerably. A good example with a proper restoration will cost more than a Model T in similar shape. And it makes sense to spend that money on one that's been redone, since the unibody construction means the whole car will need to come apart with new floor pan welded in and the various mechanical components addressed if you come across one rusting away in someone's backyard. Yes, I've looked at the situation from all angles. In any case, I'm glad I had the chance to take one on a road trip in France, and will keep an eye on the market. I doubt any bargains will come along, however. I'll go even farther on a tangent and say the ultra-collectible version is the little camionette or truck version built on the same chassis. It was the vehicle of many tradesmen for many years in France. I'll stop there. You really don't want to hear about the Renault 4L or "Quatrelle," do you?

Luke, thanks for starting the discussion about French bakeries and Model Tees. Oddly enough, there is a nice bakery in Iceland that I go to and they have a vintage car from the Model T era out front in nice weather. I don't think it's an actual Model T, however. Will have to check next time. Might actually be a Chevrolet.

Gerrit

Gamla Bakaríið in Ísafjörður? I think that's one of those UK built Model Ts. I'm not sure if the front disc brakes were a factory option.

That does indeed look very much like a typical English delivery van body.

John E. Guitar wrote: ↑

Thu May 18, 2023 10:41 pm

Gamla Bakaríið in Ísafjörður? I think that's one of those UK built Model Ts. I'm not sure if the front disc brakes were a factory option.


2871139169_efb5335c37_b.jpg

Yes, that's it! You know the place? It's your photo? Excellent kleinur and hot coffee with free refill but only if you ask. They won't tell you. This is the "old bakery." There's another one in town that's newer and they're also very good. Nice ready-made sandwiches and a good view of the post office across the street. Thanks for the photo, I know I have one but it's likely hidden on a hard drive somewhere amongst about a thousand other photos from Iceland. I tend to gravitate towards old rusty machines of which there are many.
Gerrit

Gerrit - the Citroen 2CV may not be a Model T, but the 1923 5CV comes close… check out the front axle.

Chuck Regan wrote: ↑

Fri May 19, 2023 11:10 am

Gerrit - the Citroen 2CV may not be a Model T, but the 1923 5CV comes close… check out the front axle.

Chuck--

Beautiful car. Yours? I see the similarity in the front end, had to look at my '23 Touring for comparison. Citroën made some very classy cars prior to and after the 2CV. The deux chevaux wasn't one of them, but it got the job done--which was primarily to get farmers and other producers from the countryside to farmer's markets in the village. That's how it started anyway in Post WW2 Europe. Front seats were akin to lawn chairs in the early models. Then they caught on with the general public, probably because they were so cheap and had a reputation as being dependable and easy to work on. Three-lug wheels, they spared no expense!

Seeing the current prices, previous owners are probably ruing the day they sent their 2CVs to the crusher. On a long-ago student trip to Paris, I remember helping one of the French organizers push her clapped-out 2CV down the street to get it started. It wasn't happy about it, but it fired up and got her home. Thanks for the photo!

Gerrit

(I realize this discussion has gone "off the rails" where Model Tees are concerned. If anyone can think of something T-related to rope it back in....)

Gerrit - not mine, but I was surprised by the similar front axle to my ‘26 RPU. A little research showed a photo of Andre Citroen with Henry Ford at Highland Park. Interesting that Citroen 5CV had cowl fuel tank and more fully louvered hood sides in 1923 -changes the T wouldn’t have till 1926.