Model T Ford - Landaulet & Tourers.
There are a number of Ford Model T photographs featured on this page now - first up is this ancient motoring photograph, which came in a batch that I got from America recently. Dane, who has researched Model Ts in some depth over the years, has sent over some thoughts about the cars shown here, which I thank him for.
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Back to Car & Van Photographs - Page 3.
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Initially I thought that this Model T Ford, registered as HK 674, might be a taxi with its drivers and passengers in attendance, but I'm beginning to think it may be a privately-owned car, with the family chauffeur at the wheel. The driver looks rather smart whatever, with his peaked cap and outfit, although he doesn't look particularly cheerful! I'd guess that the photograph dates to the 1920s. The vehicle itself, with a brass radiator, probably dates to pre-1920. Dane adds: "This photo is of a 1915/16 car. It has electric headlamps, and the rounded style of side lamps, but a brass radiator. That all points to 1915, although the front lenses on the side lamps should have noticeably brass surrounds. Perhaps the dour chauffeur painted them to save the polishing."
The Model T, which introduced assembly-line production to motor car building, first saw light of day in 1908 and carried on up til 1927. Many variations of coachwork would be available over this time. In the photograph above is a rare Model T Landaulet, where the driver and passengers behind were covered by a fixed roof, and the rearmost seating covered by a folding roof (folded down in this view). Just visible on the left is an elderly chap sat out in the exposed section, fortunately it doesn't appear to be raining!
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There are lots of Ford Model T enthusiasts around, with some excellent online reading available. Company sites such as Frontenac and Tuckett Brothers, and club sites like the Model T Ford Register of GB, are well worth a look at.
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Ford Model T Touring car.
Secondly, a photograph showing one of the open-topped Ford Model Ts, this time a touring model from the 1920s with a painted rad (earlier cars are quickly identifiable by their brass radiator which is also a different shape to that on later Ts). This one is a full tourer, with the hood folded down and a full complement of passengers on board. Presumably it was the driver that hopped out to take this snap.
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Model T Taxi.
An interesting old photo-postcard now, showing a Model T Taxi, or "Hackney Carriage" as it says in small writing below the screen. Note how smartly dressed the driver and his female companions are. The registration, painted onto the taxi's radiator, is BW 2955. BW was used in the Oxfordshire area for a long spell of time, from December 1903 right through until June 1926. Also interesting is that none of the Ford's lamps are in place, just empty brackets. The roof rack is identical to that on the vehicle at the top of this page, although the vehicle is a little earlier. A note on the reverse dates the photo to 1915.
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Ford Model T Touring car.
Next, this cracking old photograph, showing a proud owner with his 'tin lizzy' Model T touring car (note the twin rectangular windows let into the rear of the hood). A small pencil note at the top of the photograph says 'Lizzy & me' which I think is great. Again no date is given, although once again the car looks like a 1920s example of the Model T. Look closely and you can see that this Ford has been fitted with a cross brace between the tops of the front wings, probably to stop them shaking about on rough tracks. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version of this photograph.
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Ford Model T Tourer.
Next up, a cracking old photograph that George sent over, found in an old family album, and showing another Model T tourer with a full complement of passengers on board. Dane adds: "Note the square style all brass side lamps. The stays from windscreen to the base of the radiator and the straight tops to the rear mudguards indicate 1912 or before, another feature is the shaped cast aluminium (or is it aluminum?) grip on the crank handle. After 1913 that was simply a sleeve of pressed steel. The firewall and windscreen are in the same vertical plane- i.e no scuttle as on the 1915 car above."
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And finally, a different vintage tourer.
At first glance I'd mistakenly thought this to be a Ford also, although a close look reveals that it obviously isn't! The photo shows a couple celebrating their 42nd wedding anniversary, in March 1917. This tourer has the hood raised, with another similar car alongside, and a car from a different manufacturer driving away on the right. Dane took a look and suggests this: "Definitely not a Ford. Radiator is not Ford, it has demountable rims, tyres are too fat, steering wheel is wrong. Suggest a Hudson but I can't be sure." Thanks for the info Dane, I'll leave it on this page just to allow comparison between the Model Ts and this interloper :-)
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To see photographs of the Model T vans in action, visit this page, and if you prefer the 2dr Coupes, you'll find some vintage images on this Model T page.
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