MTFCA Forum

I have a question about 1913-14 fender irons. I read somewhere that the early cars used shorter fender irons. I don’t know where I read it but please look at the attached photos. The pictures show the front fender irons that fit into the fender mounting bracket on the fenders. Note that on some the iron that goes under the fender and through the fender bracket is longer than the others. The short ones have a reach of 3 ½ “and the longer ones have a reach is 4 ½”. I am restoring a 1913/14 roadster and would like to know which ones to use, the long ones or the short ones or maybe the ones in the middle.
Thank you in advance. Craig

Craig E. Luton wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 21, 2023 11:17 pm

I have a question about 1913-14 fender irons. I read somewhere that the early cars used shorter fender irons. I don’t know where I read it but please look at the attached photos. The pictures show the front fender irons that fit into the fender mounting bracket on the fenders. Note that on some the iron that goes under the fender and through the fender bracket is longer than the others. The short ones have a reach of 3 ½ “and the longer ones have a reach is 4 ½”. I am restoring a 1913/14 roadster and would like to know which ones to use, the long ones or the short ones or maybe the ones in the middle.
Thank you in advance. Craig

Here you go
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=25082
by Wayne Sheldon » Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:28 am
A fairly rare front fender bracket is the 1917 bracket with the earlier larger flat area for the headlamps to sit down onto (like all brass era fender brackets) with however the inch longer fender iron for the higher rounded fenders. Over the years, I have only seen a few of those. I see lots of brass era model Ts with flat front fenders that do not fit correctly because people used the taller later fender brackets not understanding the difference. The common later brackets can be altered to fit the earlier square cut post or gas lamp forks, and shortened and re-bent to properly fit the fenders. I did that once, when I was short one proper bracket. However I later got a correct bracket and swapped it onto the car. The altered one is hiding in my junk pile.

Thank you for your reply. The way I interpret it is that I should use the 3 1/2" reach fender bracket for the 13/14 year era. Is that correct? Craig

Craig E. Luton wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 22, 2023 1:30 pm

Thank you for your reply. The way I interpret it is that I should use the 3 1/2" reach fender bracket for the 13/14 year era. Is that correct? Craig

Wayne describes the difference of the irons as "taller". The ones that "fit" best, your 3-1/2" reach is my guess

by Wayne Sheldon » Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:28 am
A fairly rare front fender bracket is the 1917 bracket with the earlier larger flat area for the headlamps to sit down onto (like all brass era fender brackets) with however the inch longer fender iron for the higher rounded fenders. Over the years, I have only seen a few of those. I see lots of brass era model Ts with flat front fenders that do not fit correctly because people used the taller later fender brackets not understanding the difference. The common later brackets can be altered to fit the earlier square cut post or gas lamp forks, and shortened and re-bent to properly fit the fenders. I did that once, when I was short one proper bracket. However I later got a correct bracket and swapped it onto the car. The altered one is hiding in my junk pile.