MTFCA Forum

When mounting a Jno Brown carbide generator to the running board (on a 1912), is there a bracket that is used (like the E&J bracket shown in the Lang's picture) or does the carbide generator bolt directly to the running board? If no bracket, is there a pad or something underneath the carbide generator or just bolt straight to the running board?

Prolly shouldn’t reply with a 1913 answer - no clamp, bolt directly to the running board. Maybe ‘12 is different ?

Short answer is no. Longer answer: the assembler placed the generator onto the running board and punched the holes with a drift punch. The resulting flare made under the running board meant that the bolts had to be longer and a washer was used before the nut. Somewhere i have the factory drawings for the bolts. I also have a few examples of the punched running boards. The whole inconsistent mess was eliminated in 1913 when the bolt pattern was standardized and the running board mounting holes were used as the forward mounting holes of the generator.

You may want to check what you have first.....

1) Does your carbide generator have a 3 or 4-hole mounting base?
2) Does your radiator have a cross-over gas tube?
3) Are your running boards and splash shield already punched?

If so.....
The hole pattern is 5" x 5-1/4" on the 4-hole to leave the gas supply
out of the generator facing the splash shield.
If a late 1912 car, after about June 1912, your running boards may
already be punched for the generator with the 4-hole mounting base.

The 5" spacing on the generator fits the front running board support bolts.
About May/June 1912 (#132,000 +/-) Ford began punching the radiator,
splash shield and running boards for the acetylene gas "plumbing".
Makes the gas lamps much easier to set up.

Note on the Ford drawing below: "1912 > AFTER 75000 CARS - 1913 - 1914"

My repro 3 bolt generator was two wide to sit inside the raised rails running lengthwise so I had to make a spacer to raise the generator above the height of the rails. I glued a leather pad beneath the spacer to avoid scratching the paint applied later on.
[attachmentjp=0]20220505_120255.jpg[/attachment]

Richard, the leather will hold water, and that may lead to rust.I would space your mounting plate on some nylon/plastic/brass washers to keep it off the running board. This will allow water to drain away also.
I do the same with any number plate fitted to modern cars. Dealers screw the plates directly onto the panel. I space them off on rubber grommets.

Allan from down under.

Thank you very much for the detailed information! My running board already has 3 holes punched in it which is what my carbide generator requires. It lines up nicely and is in the "right" place. I just didn't know if there was a bracket or pad that went under it. Thanks again!

I installed a red rubber gasket sheet per the base, to protect running board finish. Three bolt Brown generator bosses otherwise contact the board outer raised edges. Im sure this is not original, but you have to go looking for it, so not so butt ugly.
Scott