MTFCA Forum

From the Horseless Carriage Club of America:

It has a later radiator. Also I see only one lever. What issue of the HCCA was it in?

Also has a later top. Looks like a standard 1909-10 T

It's interesting that it says it has the "lowest registration number of any Model T in the nation". I assume that refers to the serial number, however, the number is not provided in the caption.

And if it was that "old" wouldn't it also have the crank handle stick up in front of the radiator?

This will cause continuing questioning of the very early Model T’s. Old car HCCA writers were probably taking the information as they got it and assumed it was right. Maybe in the time the picture was taken knowledge of the very early T’s was limited.

The picture seems to show just one lever.

I’m thinking as others do that the early T’s were being upgraded or taken back to the dealer for repair and subtle changes began.

But where is the T shown now or just a few years ago. The picture looks like a photo from the 50’s.

According the HCCA website the club was established in 1937. Maybe they have archives of their articles.

The car is a very early 1909; square bill front fenders / rear fenders with the brackets underneath /
covered wood running boards with screwed on brass trim / low mounted rear door handles.
These are common on only the earliest of 1909's, and this car shows these traits.
It would have a serial number below 2,500.
I grew up with an early 1909 in our family.
This was our 1909 we used to own, #714

Speaking of numbers, I wonder if the boys still live at the addresses given for each of them?
How times have changed.

Beautiful car Pete. Interesting how the tires had raised white letters even back then!! And come to think of my earlier post, me thinks now the cars with the crank handle "sticking up" were only up to number 250....I think. LOL...CRS!!

The picture was post on the HCCA Facebook page but if you notice it was from a newspaper press release, so would guess it was from a newspaper story not the club magazine back in the day.

One of the early Model T Times had a photo of a red 1908 #30 on the cover as an early Stynowski winner.

That car had two pedals and two levers.

I have always wondered where it went.

Ive tried to keep track of these early care for many years. I don't have any record of number 30. That being said, the car may certainly exist.Could you possibly be referring to car number 126? that car was restored and owned by John Stynowski. It was sold to Walter Goodman who may have lived in Fresno, CA.
There are pictures of this car in the book "Tin Lizzie" on page 77 and in "Henrys Wonderful Model T" on page 17. Additional info is also in the Vintage Ford, Volume 32 number4, page 16.

The original 1953 article:

#566:

Thanks for digging up the number Rob, Myron Miller is listed in the 1954 and 1961 AACA and HCCA registers and owning 1909 T number 577 . Later purchased by Richard Williams of Gross Point, Michigan. Donated by Mr. Williams to The Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio. I believe it has been sold out of the museum, but I don't its current home.

To be clear, the 2 pedal, 2 lever cars had a water pump. The hand crank will rest in the up or down position as there is a detent which holds the lever in these two positions. #394 is in our MTFCA museum as an example.

The car #577 survives and is in the Crawford Auto & Aviation museum.

Modelttommy wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 5:04 pm

The car #577 survives and is in the Crawford Auto & Aviation museum.

Notice that in the informational photo posted, it says only black was available through "1927". Just a minor error not even pertinent to the discussion at hand.

Otherwise Tommy H, Thank You!

My Mistake!

The article was for # 90, not #30 and the car was owned by Bill Barth, from Troy, Michigan.

A Green1909 was in a Maine museum 15 years ago.

This one has a water pump engine, so it is one of the first 2,500 Ts.

Jim G, That green one appears to be a two lever car, which means it should be one of the first thousand model Ts. I would expect to see a two lever touring car painted red. As I understand it, most of the first thousand touring cars were red. Mid model year 1909 was a mix of touring cars being red or green, with most touring cars being green by mid summer 1909. But by then they were the common three pedal single lever and no water pump cars.
I don't know when the first touring Ts began being painted green?
Just more to wonder about.

The green Model T is in the Seal Cove Museum in Maine. It is definitely a 2 lever car and has serial number 326. The first time I was there, I showed the curator where the serial number is located on the early Ts.