MTFCA Forum

anyone know of a front of car drivers side license plate mounting available for a 1915 Model T?
The car I purchased had a passenger side mount which I removed because it interferred with the correct choke pull rod. Additionally it doesnt work well on the dirver side.
Ron Patterson

Hey Ron - the Canadian mount works great for bolting to the d.s. head lamp post - I have a photo somewhere.

A bit hard to see but I have one on the Centerdoor - see the yellow plate ? I'll get a better photo of one.

Steve
When I got my 1915 Runabout it had a poorly made aluminium reproduction Canadian style license plate mounted on the passenger side headlamp stancion. This positioned my 1915 Michigan plate too close to the choke pull rod loop and in the way of a clear swing of the hand held crank handle. I tried the repro on the drivers side and because of its odd alignment coiuld not get the plate perpendiculart to the ground or at right angles to the verticel side of the radiator and the plate was angled and looked goofy!
Bob C. helped me find with an original Canadian license plate (drivers side) mounitng bracket and I moved the plate to the drivers side
Looks ok now. Here is a photo.
Thanks for your input.
Ron Patterson

https://www.modeltford.com/item/3664.aspx
https://www.modeltford.com/item/3664E.aspx
Why not just use the factory style brackets?

I did use a factory styoe unit.....from Canada

Canadian Factory

OK, but you have a USA plate on the car and you live in the USA.

Early Fords had no provisions for mounting a license plate, there was no factory bracket front or rear. Ford eventually had a combination tail lamp and license plate bracket, but still no front bracket until well into Model T production. A popular method for displaying a front plate as seen in old photos is a bracket mounted on the radiator neck, or hang below the front axle on straps, or attached directly to the firewall, none of which are practical nor desirable for a collector car today. The Canadian front plate holder fits, keeps the plate away from the swing of the hand crank, off the ground, and off the radiator, it looks good, is of the period, and is practical. I like it. Today, many states no longer issue a license plate for the front, and many cars once again come from the factory without provisions for mounting a front plate. And only recently did my state finally eliminate the slots in the license plates for hanging them by straps.

The license plate bracket referenced above via a link to the Langs catalogue does not fit a 1915 Model T.

The second one does - https://www.modeltford.com/item/3664E.aspx

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2023 10:11 am

The second one does - https://www.modeltford.com/item/3664E.aspx

These are not sized correctly as originals and interfere with the crank.

If you say so - never used them. My anti-theft device has them built in !

VinTin23 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2023 10:32 am

These are not sized correctly as originals and interfere with the crank.

That is what I found also. Below is a picture of a style that have a bend in them and I believe would clear the crank. I found the picture on a forum. Could the new license holder be bent to the same shape?

I have a bracket I took off the left side of a ‘15 touring over twenty years ago. It is cast, and clamps to the vertical mount for the headlight. Looks like it could be used for either side.
If it’s something you could use, it’s yours for the price of shipping from California.

Mark
Sent you an email.
Ron Patterson

I am also looking for a driver's side (left side) front license plate bracket, if anyone has a spare. I posted an ad in the classified section.

Wayne, better be specific and identify ‘left side’ or Allan from down under will jump onto you like a bird on a junebug. He drives on the right side

George House wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 19, 2023 9:42 am

Wayne, better be specific and identify ‘left side’ or Allan from down under will jump onto you like a bird on a junebug. He drives on the right side

Actually left and right are the same down under as here...they just drive upside down!

Now you are being silly. Everyone knows the earth spins on the axis which is straight across and whether right side up or upside down only lasts about a second. It takes 24 hours to turn all the way over
Norm