Running board battery box

[Craig Raynor]

Reciently i was search for parts and I found this battery box with Ford script on the top, I would like any information about what them and what years they were made made

[Pep C Strebeck]

That is the earliest iteration of the battery box, 1919 to early 1920. The running board splash apron would have had holes for the battery cables to go through. A sought after piece to be sure, my 1919 could definitely use it (if it doesn't fit your needs and are willing to part with it). I have some pictures of one somewhere (earlier/old forum posts).

[TXGOAT2]

Would those have been used on a TT?

[Humblej]

Not for a TT.

[KWTownsend]

As Jed Clampett would have said,

Weeeeeeeell dogies!

I never knew that Ford had a running board battery box on the early 1919 cars. I've never seen any photos of cars with one. I'd love to see your pictures!

[DanTreace]

In Bruce's CD part listings:

T-8781 Battery Box, T-8790 Battery Box hinge on Box, T-8789 and T-8788, Battery Box hinge on Cover, L and R, T-8787 Hinge screw.

Above noted for 1919, first 11,500 , 6v storage battery electric equipped cars with starter and generator.

[John kuehn]

So eventually the battery was in the car on the left ( drivers side ) with the battery carrier after car no. 11,500. Didn’t know that! I bet that there isn’t many of the Ford script battery boxes that survived. It’s a wonder that one did. Wow,!

And as Pep S noted the battery cables would have run through the splash apron. Makes you wonder again if there were any rubber grommets for insulating the cables! Probably the insulating grommets weren’t listed in the parts books. But I’m guessing on that.

The cables would rub against the metal splash shields and short if the insulating grommets weren’t there.

[Allan]

It would be interesting now to find a splash panel with Factory formed holes. They may well have been flanged like the box to help preserve the insulation on the cables. My D & F wide body roadster has the battery on the running board because the fuel tank is mounted in the turtledeck above where the battery access cover would normally be. I use a short piece of heater hose over the cables where they go through the splash panel. It is thicker and fibre reinforced, much better than a grommet.

Allan from down under.

[Erik Johnson]

Does anyone know if that battery box was used strictly on the enclosed cars, strictly on starter/generator-equipped open cars or both enclosed and open cars?

On sedans, tourings and roadsters, the logical location for the battery box is on the front end of the driver side running board (at that location, it would not interfere with the driver side door of the sedan). Therefore, I presume the location of the battery cable holes on the splash apron are the same for sedans and starter/generator equipped tourings and roadsters.

However, on a coupe, it would need to be on the rear end of the driver side running board so it won't interfere with the door. Therefore, the holes on the splash apron would differ from the above.

[John kuehn]

Looking at the old version of the encyclopedia in the early 1919 information there was a leather covered dash panel, the outside Ford script battery box, splash shields with possible flanged holes for the cables, the ignition switch with the cast switch handle, the switch assembly that’s not Briggs and Stratton among others and maybe a few other things that aren’t mentioned in the encyclopedia or maybe I’ve missed.
I may have gotten some wrong but it would seem the early electric 19 T’s would be fairly difficult to restore with all the above parts and would be correct for judging if your really were a perfectionist and was into building a show car.

My opinion of course but I learn something new all the time from the forum. That’s great!

[RajoRacer]

Early '19 also had the script rectangular cut-out mounted to the wooden dash - later it was moved to the generator position.

[Craig Raynor]

First thanks to all those who responded, I was not sure of what I had here. I found this in a collection locally here in Southampton Long Island. It was part of Henry Austin Clark’s collection at one time who opened the Long island automotive museum in 1947. He collected a huge amount of literature and automobiles of all types, including basket cases most people would’ve passed over. part of his collection included a 1912 American La France city service Ladder truck, which my great grandfather was part of the purchasing committee and my grandfather served on it. After joining the fire department here a few of the guys knew I was into cars and got me involved in the Antique division of the Southampton fire department. Also par the collection was Clark’s 1915 model T roadster which he painted and pinstripe to match the 1912 Ladder truck. I’ll be using this battery box as I’m building a 1915 Model T American, La France combination, hose wagon and chemical truck I’ll try to attach a picture of The 1915 American Lafrance brochure. I’m using to guide me. I’m building the truck to commemorate Henry Austin Clark and his contributions to the collector Car hobby. I realize that now the battery box is very rare which I’ll call attention to when I create the poster board telling his story. It’s because of his efforts we have to this day many great artifacts that would not have lasted unless he took the efforts to preserve them as it is with this battery box and if you look closely in one of the pictures it appears that it never had a battery in it which I would say is a testament to his keen eye for rare items in my opinion. an example of one PC saved was a 1901 Orient that had a bent, connecting rod and broken skirt on the piston that was revealed during the renovation of the basket case car by George King of Conn. antique Engien restorations. my thoughts about the battery box were first to donate it to the Model T museum in Richmond and I have to talk to George. He suggested I put it on the truck and use it to help tell the story I’m trying to put together with the Clark family of one of the great collectors in our hobby. I know it’s a little redundant, but I do wanna thank everyone for the help here and I wanna thank those who run the forum here. It’s a great resource for us all. Craig Raynor

[Craig Raynor]

Off topic the 1901 Orient may be for sale please contact me if you have any interest and I will confirm this with the current owner. He has stated he would like me to own it and it should be back in Southampton, unfortunately at time time I have no place to properly store it. Call me is the best option at 631-905-four six 34

[Original Smith]

I would think that the archives possibly has the prints for the splash shields that had the battery cable holes in them. In addition, where the holes were drilled in the running board for that box. Certainly the ground strap could be similar to the positive cable.