MTFCA Forum

Good one Tom! (Double entendre?)

Number twelve is an unusual one. While the 1920ish runabout is certainly interesting enough, what I really see interesting is the non-Ford speedster behind it! Looks like a wonderful open wheel beast!
What really makes this photo special, is that speedsters (by many a name?) were built by the thousands during the real "speedster era". Not all of them were Fords. And while thousands of era photos still exist of literally thousands of different speedsters, most of them do not show the speedsters in "normal" use among other regular cars. People often took photos of their or a friend's speedster. Settings could be almost anywhere, but rarely were they in regular traffic or parking areas. A lot of people in those days actually drove their speedsters as their regular car. We just don't get to see that very often in era photos.

The runabout could be anywhere from 1917 through 1921, however, based upon the lack of oil sidelamps, offset windshield hinges, and forged running board brackets, I would guess it is either a later 1919 or 1920. Without oil sidelamps, it most likely has a starter and generator "electrics package", but has non-demountable rim wheels. That actually was a common combination for someone wanting (or needing?) to save a few dollars. I have speculated many times that the inconvenience of cranking the car a few times a day was considered more of a bother than the threat of having to fix a flat tire along the road. The car also appears to have a speedometer. Seems and odd choice for someone that decided against demountable rim wheels?

I sure wish I could get a better look at that speedster.

Thanks Tom for the wonderful pictures. Paul

In picture #4 (DNA)....that sure looks like John Boy Walton to me! Also, I realize I don't know everything about these cars, but I didn't know they had 'Suicide Doors'. Was this a custom job?

When comparing the centerdoor in the last photo with the houses in the background, it is apparent that the car is parked on quite an incline. Hence, the front wheels are turned toward, and touching the curb. To make the parked car more secure on the incline, the car is parked at an angle to the curb, as shown by the distance that the passenger side rear wheel is from the curb.

Here is photo adjusted for the correct incline:

And that accordion style luggage rack precludes use of the car door.

I find that with my Centerdoor it’s easier to get in and out on the passenger side. Easier but not easy!

Russ T Fender wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 01, 2025 1:03 pm

I find that with my Centerdoor it’s easier to get in and out on the passenger side. Easier but not easy!

I did the same with the center-door sedan I had years ago.

Number 9 must either be a right wheel drive or the negative was reversed. Note the door has hinges on the left side!
Norm

Number nine caught my eye first time through. If it is Canadian production? That might throw a wrench in the works as far as production details are concerned. Canadian cars do have minor differences from USA built Ts, and those differences were not consistent for very long.
The runabout appears to be a 1917. It looks to be even folding windshield hinges, on USA cars that would put it likely before May of 1917 production date. Canadian timeline is likely somewhat different.
The other key detail, is the horn button. It appears to show up rather clearly in the photo as being on top of the steering column! Only a few years later than this and Canadian built model Ts were using an almost the same small horn button mounted onto a special nut holding the steering wheel onto the shaft into the gear case. What the Canadian timeline was for those transitions? I don't know. The Canadian standard horn button for several years was very similar to the Apco (and others) after-market accessory horn buttons in the US.
What is important about this car's horn button is that it looks to be on the left hand side of the standard Ford steering column, as USA production was. The importance of that detail is, that it "indicates" that the photo has not been flipped. Now, that is not absolute. Maybe some Canadian cars had the horn button on the right side of the column? (Grasping at straws here!) Maybe that isn't the horn button there? The photo isn't THAT sharp to be absolutely certain of it.
However, the indication is that the photo likely is the proper orientation. That would mean the left side of the car is towards us. That in turn would mean that the left side door has hinges, and opens. So, the car could be a USA production car, with an after-market driver's door? (I have seen a few original of those over the years!) Or, more likely, the runabout is a Canadian production.

Any of our British Empire friends see anything more definitive about the car's origin? 1917 is I think slightly before Canadian production began using the top socket clamps instead of the simple saddles.