MTFCA Forum

Numbers nine and ten both appear to be that rare few month's mid 1917 production when the earlier even folding windshield hinges were used on top of the later bolted together windshield frame and cowling brackets.

Number nine is some sort of a studio shot, maybe a traveling studio, maybe at a local fair or carnival. Traveling photographers often used their own car as a photo prop to take people's photos sitting in an automobile. Many people that did not yet have a car would buy the photos to share with friends and family and joke about "themselves and their car".

I’m perplexed by photo #12. The coupe with fancy wire wheels that has rope woven through the wheels and tires. The rear wheel has a greater amount of rope and the runningboard baggage implies the T is on a trip. But is it for winter traction ? Thanks for the most interesting photos Tom.

The trees have foliage and there are crops? in the field. Methinks #12, the "trip" is actually a traveling sales person and selling Mott Wheel Works, probably for mud more than for snow. The ropes may be an accessory.

#3 is a VERY impressive racer! I'd like to know the owner of that, and the history behind the car! I wonder who's family that is in the shot. Could it be Cannonball Baker's family? or some other very prominent early race car driver"s family? But WHO? That is NOT a farm-made vehicle, by any means. I have never seen a kit advertisement for such a car, either. Usually, kit cars are pretty obvious in what they DON'T supply, to keep the price down.

#9 looks like just a photo salon "dummy" of a car. If you look at the windshield stanchions, you only see ONE, and it appears to be a painted on version, just visible for photographs, and from a SPECIFIC ANGLE. Examine the picture carefully and you begin to see that this was a studio dummy vehicle. At least, that is what it appears to be to me.

#15 - flat belt attachment has an additional cooling fan. Appears to be ser up on a TT, but what is it powering ? Looks like an electric motor, maybe a generator ? No power leads visible. ?!?

#15 - Looks to be travelling business (carnival, circus, revival, etc.), the colorful tent and tent ropes are a clue, as are the photos of "satisfied customers" at the corner of the tent. The generator is mounted on a "litter" with handholds at the ends for a two man carry. That unit can be placed anywhere that can be braced against the pull of the belt and the truck positioned accordingly. The power cables are to the lower right of the generator, but I can't really see which direction that they run off through the grass. The "safety" cage around the external cooling fan does look like an afterthought, perhaps suggested by a Fire Marshall or some other local official, but still a good idea for the wandering public or the staff.

Keep crankin',
Eric

#15 reminded me of something I saw a couple of years ago at OCF. I dug up the pic, not the same, but similar, and it is on a 4WD vehicle.