OLD PHOTO - Brass Era - Posing In A Model T Torpedo

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Jay In Northern Ca.
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OLD PHOTO - Brass Era - Posing In A Model T Torpedo

Post by Jay In Northern Ca. » Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:57 am

torpedo qqqz3.jpg


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: OLD PHOTO - Brass Era - Posing In A Model T Torpedo

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Sat Jun 15, 2019 5:09 pm

Thanks Jay! Now, that is a T I would love to have. A late '12 torpedo with electric headlamps, no carbide/acetylene generator or presto-lite tank. A nice clean looking sporty little roadster.


old_charley
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Re: OLD PHOTO - Brass Era - Posing In A Model T Torpedo

Post by old_charley » Sat Jun 15, 2019 6:03 pm

Very interesting picture Jay. It's interesting that almost all of the brass has apparently been painted black. A number of years ago, sometime during the '80s the Vintage Ford published an article on an unrestored '12 Torpedo that was found on which all of the brass had been painted black. It had been owned originally by a member of the Mennonite faith. The brass had been painted black due to the Mennonites not wishing to appear ostentatious. I remember seeing the T on display at Hershey in 1988. I don't recall if it had electric headlamps. A little research might be in order for the fun of it to see if it is possible that your picture is of that car.

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Hap_Tucker
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Re: OLD PHOTO - Brass Era - Posing In A Model T Torpedo

Post by Hap_Tucker » Sat Jun 15, 2019 8:25 pm

Bryan,

Good thought! The 1912 Torpedo in "The Vintage Ford" is also shown again in Bruce's "Model T Ford" book on pages 120 - 125 as well as his CD version. [The CD version is still available please see: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4439&p=33595&hilit=mccalley#p33595 and the same photos are in color on the CD rather than black and white like the magazine and book.]

But there are several visible differences between "Mennonite" car in the magazine and the one Jay posted.

The one in Bruce's book had acetylene style headlamps. (And from looking at the photos in Bruce's book -- it looked like there may be brackets for a presto-lite tank under the driver's running board.)

The one in the book also had a bulb horn and did not have a hand Klaxon on the driver's door.

The one in the book had a regular Ford style radiator cap and not the accessory style shown in Jay's photo.

And the one in the book had metal brackets for mounting the spare tires located further aft than the strap mounted spare on the photo Jay posted.

Of course any of those items could have been changed out over the years -- but I believe it is much more likely that they are two different Fords.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

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Oldav8tor
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Re: OLD PHOTO - Brass Era - Posing In A Model T Torpedo

Post by Oldav8tor » Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:12 pm

Even today, if you drive by our local mennonite church the parking lot is full of very plain, black cars. I guess you'd need to pay very careful attention to where you parked.
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old_charley
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Re: OLD PHOTO - Brass Era - Posing In A Model T Torpedo

Post by old_charley » Sun Jun 16, 2019 2:36 am

Hap, I dug out the old Vintage Ford and found you are correct. It's a different car. There are too many differences. Certainly the car would not have been converted back to gas headlamps. It's still interesting to me. Two blacked out '12 Torpedos.

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