MTFCA Forum

Last photo: Rare example of all brass painted black. Thank you Tom. These are jewels.

George House wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 04, 2026 4:23 am

Last photo: Rare example of all brass painted black. Thank you Tom. These are jewels.

And in my not so humble opinion, that's a shame. To each his own again. Is it me or does the driver slightly resemble Original Smith? Nice looking '13 otherwise, and too bad the view isn't from the driver side so we can check if the horn is mounted correctly! Great indication of a correct top boot too! And the lady....bet she was a stern school marm!! And ran THEIR house!

While we’re “picking on” the last photo, those square-nose front fenders seem a bit odd. After-market ?

The last photo was taken in 1917 when brass was long out of style. Besides, in 1917 everyone is getting fun paint jobs —

While I agree that it is a shame to paint all that beautiful brass, painting brass was not un-common in the past.
I personally dislike polishing brass myself (even though I have 2 brass cars). Maybe I was tasked with too much polishing as a kid?
For religious reasons, not having to polish it, or just to modernize the car painting brass parts was done back then.
See the 1912 Menonite owned Torpedo in the Encyclopedia for example.
By the teens brass was becoming less and less desirable.
Interesting that they left the crank handle as aluminum and did not paint it!

For the parts manufacturer brass was easier to work (less pressure) and wore out dies and tooling slower than steel.
So as the brass era faded the parts makers were still making parts from brass and painting them to make them "new".
Brass material at the time was not nearly as expensive as it is today.

Tastes change, opinions change, what we like today may not be what people like in the future.
This is an example of a historical sidenote.
Would anyone restore a car today and paint the brass lamps today?
I don't believe it is common but I have seen it before.

The car in question is a 1913 roadster with a 1917 plate.
The front fenders do appear to have a more square front end like a "1912" front and "1913" rear
For 1913 there are 2 documented front fenders possible, maybe there was a 3rd type for a while?
Ford was still buying from multiple sources and the aftermarket was making "spurious" parts also.

My 2 cents worth and my opinion
Mike

I suppose the paint would wear off of the crank handle.

Judging by the matching scuffs on the side and doors of each car, pictures 1 and 3 are of the same car and the same girls.

jiminbartow wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 05, 2026 8:15 pm

Judging by the matching scuffs on the side and doors of each car, pictures 1 and 3 are of the same car and the same girls.


IMG_9564.jpegIMG_9565.jpeg

Mary Pickford fans!

Yes, and fairly unusual windwings