MTFCA Forum

The only similar thing about these running boards is the direction the Ford script goes. I'm pretty sure the dies for these wore out quickly, but I have no knowledge how often they were replaced. If you buy a set of these from a supplier, you may not be getting the correct running boards for your car. Do some research of known original cars to find out. The teens running boards have a larger Ford script than the later ones. If someone knows the exact dates from the large script to the smaller one, please share.

All I could find in the Encyclopedia.

The earlier ones used 1/4" bolts for the fender attachments, so the end square holes were smaller. I do not know when all the holes were made the same size.

On later Canadian running boards a small clamping piece was added at the front to clamp the splash panel to the inner edge of the boards. This was held in place by two 5/16" hex bolts and nuts, so the board edge had to be drilled. This means there is now a left and right board, although for our restorations this can be worked around with drilling/welding.

Allan from down under.

When scrounging for running boards for my 1915 runabout, I found several minor differences in the depth and sharpness of the diamond stampings which seemed to accompany the change in fender bolt hole size. Those changes were subtle, and hard to describe. There was also a slight change in the angle of the end edge slope on the front of the running board which may or may not have had something to do with the fender's change for 1917.

1913 and 1914 running boards, some of them at least, were drilled with three small holes for the headlamp gas generator. However I did not have any running boards with those holes in them. (Just a bunch of miscellaneous odd holes for various accessories which I welded up!)

Past discussions on this subject had offered a number of opinions on the timeline for the smaller to larger hole size changes. But I don't recall ever seeing a definitive answer to that question. I do know that the front and rear fender hole size did not change all at once. I have had a couple running boards with the later/larger holes for the front fenders while the rear fenders still had the smaller/earlier bolt size. I suspect that did not last for very long.

Interesting minutia I believe. I would like to know just when those minor changes were made, just so I could know whether my running boards were actually the right year? Or are they simply close? Regardless, I at least know my 1915's running boards are somewhat over a hundred years old, and have been for several years now.

I have a friend with an early 1915. His car has never been restored. It has the carbide tank holes on the running boards just like a 1913-14, on BOTH SIDES.

Maybe the running board bolt holes change came around the time the riveted on pressed steel running board brackets were being introduced.

Late 1912, June near #132,000 and on, would have had their running boards punched for the carbide generators too. Anyone have a photo of those?
Someone commented years ago about having one of the 1912 examples.

The larger fender mounting square bolt holes came well before the the forged running board supports were changed in 1921, perhaps with the crowned fenders in 1917.

Allan from down under.