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 Back
to Year-by-Year 1908-1927 Ford Model T Reference Guide
ENGINE SERIAL NUMBERS: 3,659,972
to 4,698,419 calendar year. 3,277,852 to 4,233,351
fiscal year (August 1, 1919 to July 31, 1920).
MODEL YEAR DATES: August
1919 to August 1920.
BODY TYPES: Touring,
Runabout, Sedan, Coupe, Chassis and Truck.
MAJOR MODEL YEAR FEATURES: Continued
in the styles of previous years with but minor changes.
Wooden seat frames of the 1918-1919 cars were replaced
with metal ones as used in 1915-1917. A new body was
announced in June 1920, with parts specified for
production, but apparently the new type was not standard
until 1921. (See notes under 1921.)
Oil lamps discontinued on cars supplied with electrical
equipment.
The frame was modified in mid-year and now used the
channel type running board brackets, replacing the
forged brackets and truss rod assembly used since 1909.
The oval gas tank became standard during the year,
except in the closed cars.
New rear axle pinion bearing spool (forged, exposed
bolts) was a running change in 1920.
COLORS: All
cars were painted black, with black fenders.
UPHOLSTERY: Imitation
leather in the open cars. The pattern was a stitched
vertical pleat design on both seat bottoms and backs.
Closed car upholstery was same as 1919.
FENDERS: Front:
Curved and crowned as in 1919.
SPLASH APRON: Same
as 1919.
RUNNING BOARDS: Same
as 1919.
HOOD: Steel.
Hold-down clamps had two ?ears? and were of forged
steel. Handles were pressed steel but were now made in
such a way that they can be fastened to the hood without
a separate rivet. (A ?hole? appears where the rivet
was.)
DASHBOARD (Firewall):
Wood, fitted outside the front cowl, hidden by the metal
cowl weather strip.
CHASSIS: Same
as 1919. Painted black.
STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY: Pressed
steel, black painted, quadrant, Zinc-plated spark and
throttle levers, with flattened metal ends. Gear case
was brass but zinc plated, one-piece assembly. Wheel was
16? outside diameter, made of ?Fordite? (synthetic
material), and painted black. The wheel spider was now
pressed steel and painted black. Horn button was on the
left side of column but light switch was now on the
instrument panel on starter cars. Non-starter cars used
the combination horn/light switch used previously.
FRONT AXLE: Same
as the 1919 cars.
REAR AXLE: Same
as 1919.
DRIVESHAFT HOUSING: Pinion
bearing spool was changed to the forged type with the
exposed bolts. Integral front housing for universal
joint assembly. Both the old and the new types were used
until about June 1921.
REAR RADIUS AND BRAKE RODS: Brake
rods now were split at the ends, eliminating the forged
forks. Brake rod support brackets rattlers were of the
type which go out and wrap down around the rods but were
of the reinforced (stronger) design, which continued
until the end of Model T production in 1927. Radius rods
were of pressed steel with split ends.
WHEELS: Used
30 by 3 tires in front; 30 by 3-1/2 in the rear. Front
wheels used taper-roller (Timken) bearings except in the
non-starter, non-demountable open cars. Hub caps had
?Ford? in script letters. ?Made in USA? on all caps.
Demountable-rim wheels were standard on closed cars, and
optional on the open models; and used 30 by 3-1/2 tires
all around.
SPRINGS: Non-tapered,
front and rear. ?L? shaped shackles of the forged type.
Oilers were pressed into the springs and none were used
on the shackles.
RADIATOR: Same
as 1919.
ENGINE: Same
as 1919. Lighter rods and pistons were introduced during
the year. Starter was still optional on the open cars.
Front fan belt pulley was now larger.
ENGINE PAN: ?Three
dip? with wider front ?snout? which will accommodate the
larger fan pulley that finally appeared this year.
OIL FILLER CAP: The
mushroom-shaped cap, made of steel, with three flutes.
ENGINE CRANK: The
plain steel sleeve type as used since 1914.
ENGINE FAN: Driven
by a leather belt from a pulley at the front of the
engine. During the year the fan was changed; the hub was
now aluminum with a welded blade assembly bolted to the
hub. The pulley was larger to match the larger crank
pulley, introduced at the same time. Adjustment was by
means of a bolt/nut arrangement located on the right
side of the front plate and bearing against a boss on
the mounting end of the fan bracket as in the earlier
design.
MANIFOLDS: Exhaust
pipe flared at the manifold and is held in place with
the brass nut but with no packing. Intake was cast iron.
CARBURETORS: Kingston
Model L2 or Holley Model G on early cars, then Kingston
L4, Holley Model NH, or Ford ?F?.
CARBURETOR STOVE: Sheet
metal type which rose vertically at the rear of the
carburetor and mated with the exhaust manifold at the
rear corner, being held by the rear manifold retaining
stud/nut.
MUFFLER: A
new pressed steel type with no tail pipe was introduced.
It had a single mounting bracket on the rear head. This
design continued until the end of Model T production.
FUEL TANK: Cylindrical,
under the front seat. Mounting brackets clamped to the
tank. Outlet was between the center and the right side,
between the frame rails. The oval tank was introduced
during the year and became the standard tank on all
models except for the Coupe and Sedan (which continued
the square tank under the driver?s seat). Some coupes
used this new oval tank under the seat, apparently
experimental, but most used the square tank in the
turtle as in the previous year.
TRANSMISSION: Three
pedal standard-design. Pedals were of the plain type.
Transmission cover was cast iron, and modified to accept
the starter. Tapered inspection door, held with six
screws. The door was of pressed steel with an embossed
pattern.
COIL BOX ASSEMBLY: Ford.
Same as used in 1919. Starter cars no longer had the
ignition switch on the box; it was moved to the
instrument panel.
LAMPS: Magneto
powered electric type on the non-starter cars, and six
volt electric on the starter models. Black steel rims,
with clear lens. Side and tail lamps were similar to
1917 on the non-starter cars. Starter cars had a small
electric tail light and did not have side lights.
HORN: Magneto
powered electric.
WINDSHIELD: Upright,
with top section that folds to the rear. Frame was
bolted to the brackets. Painted black. Starter cars no
longer had the integral mount for the oil side lights.
TOP: (Open
cars). Top color was black on all open cars. Same as
that used since 1918.
SPEEDOMETER: No
longer standard equipment.
TURTLE DECK (on
Runabout): Similar in style to the 1919. Handles were
pressed steel and painted black.
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1920 Changes
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JAN 5 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #779, Ford Archives |
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T-701
flywheel. Experimental design with teeth cast or
cut in wheel, was discontinued as
unsatisfactory.
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JAN 7 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #779, Ford Archives |
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T-8779 priming knob changed from cold-rolled
Bessemer to an aluminum die casting.
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JAN 12 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #780, Ford Archives |
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Pressed-steel running board brackets, T-336B.
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JAN 22 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #781, Ford Archives |
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Lower
radiator support thimble, T-1114, drawn from
"starfish" rather than solid blank.
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JAN 24 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #782, Ford Archives |
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Ten-tooth pinion to be used with T-12B ring
gear. T-12 48-tooth ring gear obsoleted. Old
T-16, 12-tooth pinion, obsoleted.
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FEB 14 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #785, Ford Archives |
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T-418C piston machined for lighter weight, using
the same piston blank.
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MAR 10 |
Acc.
235, Box 38, #697, Ford Archives |
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"We
enclose herewith sheet #3 of our paint
specifications for Coupe and Sedan bodies. This
sheet gives you the information covering those
portions of the paint operations performed at
the branches.
"We call your attention in particular to
Operation #16, wherein it is noted that all
inside moldings, window jambs, windshield frames
and door jambs be given one coat of Black Satin
Finish F-192."
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APR 6 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #792, Ford Archives |
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Transmission cover: Bendix cover holes moved
back to position prior to change of December 17,
1919. Machining changes in the cover made.
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APR 10 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #793, Ford Archives |
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Bendix cover given slots instead of 17/64" holes
to facilitate installation.
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APR 23 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #795, Ford Archives |
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Pressed-steel muffler, experimental design, 500
per day. P/N T-1200C.
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MAY 1 |
Ford
Archives |
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"Start large fans and pulleys for truck motors."
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MAY 11 |
Ford
Archives |
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Engine #4,000,000 built at 10:15 P.M.
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MAY 11 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #797, Ford Archives |
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Three
types of commutators used. T-4481-A1, brass;
T-4481-A2, aluminum die casting; T-4481-A3,
pressed steel.
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MAY 13 |
Ford
Archives |
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Began
using 24 disks in transmission.
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MAY 20 |
Ford
Archives |
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Began
using 25 disks in transmission.
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MAY 20 |
Acc.
575, Box 12, #798, Ford Archives |
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More
experimental commutators. T-4481-A3, -A4;
T-4446-B1, -B2.
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MAY 20 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #826, Ford Archives |
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Timer
roller assembly made of bronze (T-672-A1).
Roller is of steel.
Aluminum also used (T-672-A2).
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JUN 14 |
Acc.
575, Box 13, #801, Ford Archives |
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1921
Touring bodies shown in letter this date.
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JUN 18 |
Acc.
235, Box 38, Ford Archives |
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Commutator head T-4446B1 (pressed steel),
T-4446B2 (die casting) and T-4483A4 (die
casting) listed. Apparently there were at least
three types being used.
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JUN 20 |
Acc.
235, Box 38, Ford Archives |
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"Please discontinue furnishing T-6881, Top Dust
Hood for Touring Car, T-6939 Top Dust Hood for
Torpedo, and T-1923 Tool Box, as regular
equipment on new cars as soon as your available
stock is exhausted.
"Top hoods may be carried as extra parts in your
service stock and supplied at regular catalog
priced hereafter."
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JUN 22 |
Acc.
575, Box 13, #802, Ford Archives |
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Parts
listed for new Touring body of June 14 letter.
Now listed for production. (Touring body only.)
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JUN 26 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #815, Ford Archives |
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Thickness of metal in front cross-member
increased. Required the moving of several
mounting holes in the frame.
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JUN 30 |
Acc.
575, Box 13, #804, Ford Archives |
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16"
steering wheel OK'd for production. (Removed
from "experimental.")
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JUL |
Acc.
575, Box 13, #808, Ford Archives |
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New
license plate brackets, T-491, at front.
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JUL 17 |
Acc.
235, Box 38, Ford Archives |
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"Supplementing our General Letter No. 793 under
date of June 18th, wherein we mention
the fact that Sedan side curtains T-10300A1, A2,
A3 and T-10300B are to be held for repairs only.
This means that side curtains will not be
included in the standard sedan equipment in the
future." (These are the side window curtains.)
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JUL 19 |
Acc.
235, Box 38, Ford Archives |
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"We
wish to call your attention to the new style
pressed steel running board brackets which has
gone into production and as shipments have been
made to some of the branches we ask that you
kindly note the changes which will go into
effect through the adoption of this new
bracket." (A list of parts followed.)
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JUL 20 |
Acc.
575, Box 13, #807, Ford Archives |
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Hood
and hood handle redesigned to eliminate rivets
at the handle, for production.
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JUL 26 |
Acc.
575, Box 13, #807, Ford Archives |
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1921
Runabout and Touring bodies and parts specified.
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AUG 13 |
Acc.
575, Box 13, #810, Ford Archives |
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Pressed-steel muffler ends to be made of two
pieces of scrap fender stock instead of one, for
use on the 1921 models.
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SEP 7 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #813, Ford Archives |
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Forged brake rods, T-891B, T-1513B obsoleted and
replaced with T-804 for 1921 production.
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SEP 13 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #814, Ford Archives |
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Front
motor mount T-320B (experimental) indicated.
Minor modifications made in construction and
dimensions of T-191C driveshaft bearing housing,
also experimental.
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SEP 20 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #814, 815, Ford Archives |
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Coupe
bodies began to use the elliptical gas tank as
the supply permitted. Specified Coupe bodies
with leather lining. Coupe bodies with cloth
trim use the square tank.
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OCT 11 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #819, Ford Archives |
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T-1201E, T-1202D, T-1200C muffler assembly
adopted as standard for 1921 cars.
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OCT 12 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #819, Ford Archives |
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T-1903 pliers for tool kit had handle shaped for
use as a screwdriver, eliminating the need for a
separate screwdriver in the tool kit supplied
with the cars.
T-1303B (oval) gas tank specified for all
chassis except for the Coupe and Sedan.
T-690C timing gear cover modified to allow more
clearance for the bottom generator mounting
bolt.
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OCT 18 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #819, Ford Archives |
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Pressed-steel commutator case adopted as
standard, eliminating the cast-iron, aluminum
and bronze types they had experimented with.
Apparently experiments continued on the cast
case (noted in a letter #835, April 19, 1921).
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OCT 22 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #820, Ford Archives |
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New
front and rear spring hanger adopted. (This is
the forged "L" shaped, one-piece per half,
type.)
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DEC 30 |
Acc.
575, Box 14, #831, Ford Archives |
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Green-visor headlamp lens adopted, P/N T-6576B.
These were discontinued by June of 1921
(replaced with "H" lens).
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