MTFCA Forum

jiminbartow wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 16, 2025 11:16 am

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i often wondered if there was ever a positive outcome of that disaster.

What's the story with the last color picture?

That picture appeared on the forum on January 31, 2009 with the story. There was a play set in the 1910’s and the call went out for anyone having a period car they could use for the street scenes for the duration of the play. One of our members, Steven Augustinovich, answered the call and delivered his T to the theatre. Unfortunately, the only door big enough was a freight dock about 10 feet above the street. They decided to get 2 forklifts in order to lift the car up to the door and unload it. They thought they could make it until they couldn’t and what you see are the results. Judging by the location of the forklifts, I assume they were trying to lift the trailer with the T on it and once they got the trailer up to the door, they were going to drive the T over the ramps into the building. Apparently the load was too heavy and one side toppled off. I located the picture by doing a search for: Model T being lifted by forklift. Click onto the image and the link containing the story will appear.

Physics experiment testing effects of modern day gravity on nearly century-old iron, gravity worked. It was a bungled attempt to raise a model T to a second floor loft of a theatre for use as a prop. The idea was to use two forklifts to raise trailer with T to the stage door and roll the T into the theatre. Gravity intervened but fortunately, only the T was seriously injured. That's my recollection, others will have details and possibly the link to the original posts. Gravity always wins these contests it seems. jb

Unrelated, but similar situation. Years ago a group of us CA speedster guys shipped our cars to NY for 2 weeks of upstate adventuring. We flew out and found that the nice fella who had offered to hold our cars had somehow loaded them into the 2nd story of an old timber factory building. The best option to unload was thru a 6’ wide double door over an unusually high loading dock, no less than 6’! “Used a couple timbers to get em in” he said as he pointed at some 2”x10”x20’ half rotten planks on the floor. We scrounged up as many pallets and driftwood as we could to reinforce the planks, crossed our fingers, and took em down nice and easy. Whew!!! Easily, the sketchiest 20’ I’ve ever driven…!!!

Four and the enlargement five, looks like one of the nicest brass era speedsters I have ever seen! Nicely painted all over in a sporty light color (or white?). I wish I could see more photos from other angles. Can't tell from this how well or badly the overall proportions of the body styling are. However, from this straight on the front view, it looks great!
After-market horn and electric lamps belying its vintage, it appears to be a 1911. Note the one-piece front spindles coupled with high neck radiator. Of course, the radiator might have been replaced, it could actually be even earlier.

Number seven is an interesting full body speedster. with two 1915/'16 runabout service cars as bookends. The speedster body appears to be well made, maybe an after-market factory offering although I do not recognize it. Wheels appear to be standard Ford non-demountable rim wheels. Radiator shell is a nice looking something after-market. Year of the speedster or the photo are hard to pinpoint.

Number thirteen is another interesting speedster. I can't decide whether it was never finished? Or finished and abused for a few years? No hood, incomplete headlamps, odd painting on the front axle, all curious anomalies. Looks like a nice after-market body.

Fourteen is also a nice after-market boat-tail roadster. Full fender, windshield. It looks a lot like one I used to have. Except mine didn't have the wire wheels or folding top.

Photo fifteen appears to be a nice 1915 T touring car. I think it looks like brass trimmed lamps on there. A canvas water bag hangs from the driver's oil sidelamp.

I've always noted in Toms' pictures that the family pictures are taken with everyone piled into the automobile. It was an exciting time to have a new car and transportation was opening up a whole new world for many folks. My Dad grew up in the 1920-30s and I can still remember all of us having to stand around the latest new car for family pictures.

jiminbartow wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 16, 2025 1:41 pm

That picture appeared on the forum on January 31, 2009 with the story. There was a play set in the 1910’s and the call went out for anyone having a period car they could use for the street scenes for the duration of the play. One of our members, Steven Augustinovich, answered the call and delivered his T to the theatre. Unfortunately, the only door big enough was a freight dock about 10 feet above the street. They decided to get 2 forklifts in order to lift the car up to the door and unload it. They thought they could make it until they couldn’t and what you see are the results. Judging by the location of the forklifts, I assume they were trying to lift the trailer with the T on it and once they got the trailer up to the door, they were going to drive the T over the ramps into the building. Apparently the load was too heavy and one side toppled off. I located the picture by doing a search for: Model T being lifted by forklift. Click onto the image and the link containing the story will appear.

Wow what a shame. Good think nobody was hurt! Hope the car was able to be repaired.

The ladies in 3 could go a little better with some tires and a motor.

Dennis_Brown wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 20, 2025 11:08 pm

The ladies in 3 could go a little better with some tires and a motor.

They had all of that when they began.