1915 San Francisco Panama Pacific Model T

[dgunnarson]

I would like to know if there is a surviving photo or image of the special badge affixed to 1915 Model T's assembled at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition in San Francisco? According to the information contained in Sorenson's Ford Fairs book (pages 30 and 31), 4,338 1915 Model T's were assembled at the exhibition. Some were delivered to Ford Dealers, some sold to fair patrons and the remainder exported to the Orient. Each had a brass plate installed on the wood dash commemorating it's birthplace. By any chance did any of these survive with the brass tag intact or did someone ever capture an image of the tag?

[Original Smith]

I've always wondered about this subject too. Where did you get the information these cars had a brass tag? Interesting topic! If there were 4,338 cars assembled there, certainly there should be more information available. Perhaps Ford Motor Co., or possibly the Benson Ford Archives might have some data.

[Wayne Sheldon]

When I was just getting started in this hobby (about 50 years ago), there was a fellow in the San Francisco Bay Area that had one of the cars from there. Ed Archer introduced me to him once at a car show, but since I was just a kid, I never really did get to know the man. He had a display board at the show with some documentation for the car. However, I don't recall if the car had any special brass tag on it or not (I really didn't look that closely). I saw the man I think twice more after that, but have no idea what became of him, or the car.

[DanTreace]

Found this on the web

[Hap_Tucker]

Larry,

You may have missed it, but David gave Sorenson's Ford Fairs book (pages 30 and 31) the number of 4,338 1915 Model T's that were assembled at the exhibition. Also the statement that "Each had a brass plate installed on the wood dash commemorating it's birthplace."

Note I believe the actual title of the book maybe "The Ford Shows" from the Fordiana series. I have access to a reprint and that same information is listed on page 30.

Several of us have been looking for additional information the cars that were assembled at the exhibition. So far all I have found is "hearsay" although I will follow up on "hearsay" leads as you never know until you check. Note in addition to the touring cars, they also assembled a few taxicabs/town cars (ref the same "The Ford Shows" page 30 by Sorenson).

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off off

[dgunnarson]

Thank you for the replies.

I apologize for the abbreviated book title. I'm borrowing a copy of The Ford Shows of the Fordiana series by Lorin Soriensen as a reference to help me develop a presentation for a future meeting of our Northern Virginia Regional Group of the Early Ford V8 Club about the Ford Fairs through 1953.

Model T's are out of my knowledge base as my old Ford is a 1935 1-1/2 ton Model 51 BB truck, so I figured it would be an interesting tidbit to add to the presentation if there was an image of the brass plaque mentioned in the text otherwise I'll just repeat teh information Lorin provided in the book. I've attached an image of the paragraphs which mention the assembly and fate of the model T's from the exhibition and is the sole source of my information. I'm not sure of how Lorin Sorensen acquired his information, but I suspect it's valid as he has a lot of connections with Ford and the Benson Ford Archives.

[Original Smith]

I met Loren several times. He was the real thing, but his interests as I recall were V-8's. The other thing I wonder about is why Ford would have shipped some of the cars to the Orient, when he could sell all he could make right here? I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon at Loren's place in St. Helena back in the '70s, was even invited to spend the night at his house. He was a real Ford enthusiast.

[Jay In Northern Ca.]

Here's a mint condition 1915 Panama-Pacific California Exposition Souvenir Penny I picked up years ago to go with our 1915 Roadster Pickup.

[Erik Barrett]

Roy Brister had one he used to show at the Bakersfield swap meet. I didn't get a look at the dash plate.