MTFCA Forum

The picture with the mellons (#13) is exactly about the big change the model T made in rural communities, farmers could get their produce to market quicker and thus in better codition and they made a better buck that way.
Again a great selection of photos, thankss !

Another fantastic selection of era pictures. Many thanks Tom. But my interest is piqued by #5. What am I looking at here? A ‘12 with electric lights, a dog on the hood in a parade with presumably 20-25 PSI in the tires ?.. So, probly sold the carbide generator for a few bucks

#9, I’m always fascinated by repair-shop scenes.
Many thanks, Tom !! These photos are endlessly enjoyable !

It makes me wonder, are any of the cars in these pictures owned by one of us today?...

Its interesting to see how many photos were taken of a model t brack when we didn't all have cameras in our back pocket. And also how many have been digitized.

At least five of the eleven or so pre-15 cars have electric headlights.

Most are inserts that fit into the gaslamp housings, while the decorated car has bullet style replacements. From these and other images, it looks like some forty percent of early brass Fords were electrically lighted.

More great stuff Tom R!

Number four, very interesting. A 1917 runabout with after-market box in place of the turtle deck. Pioneer Tel & Tel Co. (Telephone and telegraph for those young enough to not remember?). One of the interesting details in the photo is that both men appear to be wearing army uniforms, and the car appears to be a couple years old. I wonder if they have just returned from "over-there"?
One of the interesting details of the car is the short-used mid 1917 model year windshield. Note that both the even-folding hinges and the screws instead of rivets holding the lower frame into the brackets can clearly be seen in this photo.

Number eight is deceptively interesting.
At a quick glance, it appears to be a common 1912 touring with electrified headlamps. But look more closely. The passenger side fore door has an outside handle, rarely seen on 1912 touring cars. Look closer yet, it has a two-piece firewall with the spacer board under the windshield, and the fore door panel does not dip down to meet the lower firewall. These clearly are an after-market fore door set on a what year car? Judging by the rear fender, it probably is not a 1910.The apparent taller radiator neck would seem to confirm that. Of course, things may have been changed?
Not done yet. Zoom in as close as the poor quality digitization will allow. Look at the right front hub, and through the spokes. The front spindle is almost certainly an earlier one-piece spindle on a front axle intended for one-piece spindles. The car is most likely an early 1911 with that axle.
Still more, about the two men. Something caught my eye. Having watched dozens and dozens of early silent movies, their faces look a bit odd. So I zoomed in closer again. Both men are wearing makeup, whiting their faces and enhancing their facial features. The slower film types of the early movie era had some trouble catching details at the speeds the film had to run. So facial features were enhanced to make their expressions stand out better on the "big" screen. Looking closely at both of them, one can see the makeup end between their eyes and their ears. This was a common break for the makeup in early movies, and can sometimes be spotted when the actor turns his/her head during the movie. This break in the makeup stands out a bit more on the rear seat passenger. Another item to notice, is that the rear passenger's coat/duster is uncharacteristically bright white. I can only wonder why? But maybe it is also for the movie?

So, another photo that raises more questions than it answers. Was this photo from a movie? Or maybe one of the many photos often taken of actors on the set, or on a break during the day? The quality of the print does not look typical of an enlargement from the movie film. Maybe the photo has nothing whatsoever to do with a movie? Perhaps it is a couple of Vaudevillians on their way to work? Interesting regardless.

#1 has a few mods as well, 15/16 fenders and a fluted hood as well.

And how about the front seat upholstery on #8 Wayne ? First time I’ve ever seen a fitted seat cover on an early era picture.

9 big puller and different blow torch on the floor.

14 VERY TALL HAT ON THE LADY

George House wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 14, 2024 7:57 am

And how about the front seat upholstery on #8 Wayne ? First time I’ve ever seen a fitted seat cover on an early era picture.

Good eye George! I wasn't sure what to think of those seat covers myself. They are a bit unusual. There was a rather nicely made seat cover set that shows up often in 1910s photos. I don't know who made them, or when they were first offered on the market. However, they show up often on late brass era Ts and into the very early 1920s.
This photo of a T touring after some sort of a mishap, shows this style of seat covers fairly well. Often, only a small portion of these seat covers can be seen in era photos. But they are quite distinctive with their light (tan maybe?) color, snaps fitting, and dark beading where the material is stitched together.
Note how nicely they fit!

George House wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 13, 2024 12:31 pm

Another fantastic selection of era pictures. Many thanks Tom. But my interest is piqued by #5. What am I looking at here? A ‘12 with electric lights, a dog on the hood in a parade with presumably 20-25 PSI in the tires ?.. So, probly sold the carbide generator for a few bucks

And, is that some kind of "ghost" or weird alien in the background?

Rich P. Bingham wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 13, 2024 12:57 pm

#9, I’m always fascinated by repair-shop scenes.
Many thanks, Tom !! These photos are endlessly enjoyable !

Me too Rich. And maybe this subject has been broached before, but I always wonder what kind of training, and where from, and IF these guys even got any, other than "learn as ya go"!

#8 down looks like a 1911 with Irvin aftermarket fore-doors.
: ^ )

Keith

The second photo is most peculiar too. See the ‘driver’ seated over the differential holding a steering wheel. The T is most likely < ‘14 but whats going on with those ‘panels’ covering the body ? And a mail carrier’s leather bag hanging over the RR wheel with newspapers and shirt boxes on the ground ? And thats my vivid imagination. Whats yours ??

George House wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 20, 2024 8:09 am

The second photo is most peculiar too. See the ‘driver’ seated over the differential holding a steering wheel. The T is most likely < ‘14 but whats going on with those ‘panels’ covering the body ? And a mail carrier’s leather bag hanging over the RR wheel with newspapers and shirt boxes on the ground ? And thats my vivid imagination. Whats yours ??

Much older than a '14 I think. Look at the short neck on the radiator and the hood with no louvers. Also, the seat, which appears to be from the original body but now located to the rear, is a very early one. Apparently, it's been very poorly converted into some sort of "hauler".

Photo number two also has an early no opening engine pan used for 1909 into early 1911. Those, from a clean side view, had much more pronounced dip troughs.