Interesting photo- car with Ford script on radiator

[Herb Iffrig]

Two-piece spindles,1914 license, the car might be a couple of years old by then. I thought the script was discontinued in 1910. weren't the two-piece spindles continued into early 1911? I know things could have been changed out. Do I have the timeline right?

[Tadpole]

Admittedly I’m not adding anything to this conversation, but according to photos like this a lot of the Model T’s on the road in their heyday would not fair well with modern judging.

[Wayne Sheldon]

Interesting road smoothers, not sure I like the design.

The two-piece spindles were introduced into production early almost mid 1911, With a good clear look under the front fender, I can clearly see that it is not a 1909 or 1910 style, but a 1911 most likely. I am fairly sure that front fender does not have the anti-rattle bead running horizontally across the back middle of the front fender, which makes it 1911 or 1912. I can't be certain, but it appears to not have the fore-doors. I would expect the car to be a 1911 model.
The "Ford" script piece on the radiator is intriguing. A lot of automakers used similar marque scripts on their cars for several years before the model T came out. Henry apparently did not think it necessary for such an extra on the N/R/S cars. But in the beginning of the model T that script was added to the radiator. One speculation is that Henry needed so many radiators so quickly, that no one radiator manufacturing company could supply even half enough. So henry used radiators from a ew different suppliers, and some of those radiators did not have the script pressed into the front of the top tank.
Some historians have speculated that henry had the script routinely added to the 1909s to make certain that all his cars did have their name on the front. Personally, I have doubts about that hypothesis. For one thing, Ford was stockpiling parts for a couple months before production began. The demand and supply problem would have began a couple months into production when additional companies were contracted to make radiators. Yet it appears that the script was on the very early cars.
Regardless, at some point in the early 1910 model year, the decision was made to eliminate the added script from the radiator as a cost cutting measure. the factory continued to use up the scripts on hand, a large portion of 1910s had them the first half of the year. Later in the year became more hit and miss, with more cars without the script than with one.
By the time the 1911 models were being built. The extra script on new model Ts was largely a thing of the past. However, always willing to to step up to any opportunity, the after-market parts and accessories suppliers did make and sell them for Ford owners that wanted a little extra bling on the front.
Most likely, that script is an after-market accessory. Some years ago, I did see a copy of some brass era advertising that had such scripts included.

And speaking of "after-market"? How about that rear view mirror? The license plate says 1914, so a nice big square rear view mirror would be unusually early. But there it is. (Maybe I should be wondering if it is a fake photo?) (I don't think so?)

[DanTreace]

Interesting road smoothers, not sure I like the design.
And speaking of "after-market"? How about that rear view mirror? The license plate says 1914, so a nice big square rear view mirror would be unusually early. But there it is. (Maybe I should be wondering if it is a fake photo?) (I don't think so?)

Wayne

Here are those front accessory springs, actually kind of like these.

Image 8-18-21 at 3.38 PM.jpeg (114.17 KiB) Viewed 1876 times

And 'hind-view' mirrors were found on automobiles i.e. 'machines', as early as 1906 . Many types sold, round, square or rectangular in brass, nickel plate, or black. [/b]

Image 4-16-23 at 12.14 PM.jpeg (21.25 KiB) Viewed 1876 times

[jiminbartow]

Good thing about a Model T…. Your sweetie has to sit close. If she were any closer, she’d be in his lap.

I wouldn’t want to take a chance on those shackles. If they aren’t tempered correctly and one breaks, that’s all she wrote. You’re rolling down a ditch with glass shards flying around.

[Wayne Sheldon]

Thank you Dan T! You are a much better organized researcher than am I. It amazes me how you come up with so many of these unusual accessory advertisements.

I hope all is well with you and yours.

[Wayne Sheldon]

I wouldn’t want to take a chance on those shackles. If they aren’t tempered correctly and one breaks, that’s all she wrote. You’re rolling down a ditch with glass shards flying around.

Yes, that was one of the first thoughts that went through my old engineer's brain when I looked at the photo. They look neat, and probably help a lot if the metallurgy is right. But too hard, too soft, miscut, improperly forged, wrong alloy, a hundred possibilities, and the front axle could be thrown out to the side of the car at speed.

[KWTownsend]

Notice the loops down by the radiator for the top strap are separate pieces. My fore-door 1911 has the loop forged into the fender bracket. However, it looks to me like there are a couple of bolts in the firewall above the side lamps where fore-doors would attach. However, there are also a couple of bolt head below the side lamps too, so there is a possibility of aftermarket fore-doors.

The headlamps look to me like the bezels are more of the size for the 1910 than the 1911 cars.

It also looks like the brass radiator had been painted black. Maybe its a Mennonite T.

: ^ )

Keith