Section A-B
Section C-D
Section E
Section F-H
Section I-O
Section P-R
Section S-T
Section U-Z
Back to Ford Model T Index
AXLES
(See FRONT or REAR AXLE)
BODIES
Note: Early Ford documents refer to a body manufacturer
as ?Pontiac.? Research has shown that there was no body manufacturer
by that name but that in Pontiac, Michigan, it was actually the O. J. Beaudett
Body Company that made these bodies for Ford. Just why Ford documents made this
error is unknown. Perhaps it was just easier to write ?Pontiac? than
?Beaudett.?
1909
Unless noted otherwise, the fenders, aprons, chassis, running
gear and wheels were painted the same color as the body. Striping varied
somewhat from car to car, this being a hand operation done by different painters
and suppliers.
TOURING
COLORS: Red at first, Brewster Green added by March. Both
colors used until June when red was discontinued. A few gray tourings were shown
on early shipping invoices. Beaudett (Pontiac) supplied bodies with both all
wood and wood with aluminum panels. Wilson bodies were all wood only. Open front
compartment. Front-opening rear doors with external handles. Door on rear seat
kick panel for storage of curtains, tools, etc. Beaudett aluminum body
discontinued in September 1909. Separate irons to hold top sockets.
ROADSTER (Runabout)
COLORS: Mostly gray but a few green and red cars were
also indicated. After June, all were Brewster Green. Manufactured by Beaudett
and Wilson, wood panels only. Open front compartment. Rear deck had either a
tool box or a ?mother-in-law? seat on top of the tool box.
?Scalloped? seat back.
COUPE
COLORS: Green. Manufactured by Wilson. generally supplied without head lamps.
TOWN CAR
COLORS: Generally green but a few gray were indicated. Manufactured by Beaudett and Wilson.
Generally supplied without head lamps.
LANDAULET
(Similar to Town car but with open driver's compartment)
COLORS: Green and a few some gray. Manufactured by Beaudett and Wilson.
TOURABOUT
COLOR: Green. Apparently first appeared about July. Similar to Touring except for open front and
rear compartments (no doors). Manufactured by the O. J. Beaudett Body Co. of Pontiac, Michigan.
1910
Same styles as 1909. All body types were painted Brewster Green.
TOURING
Manufactured by Beaudett and KH (Kelsey-Horbert). Wilson apparently did not supply any bodies in 1910.
All-wood panels until 1911 production. Touring bodies had a hinged door on the rear seat kick panel.
ROADSTER (Runabout)
Manufactured by Beaudett. Wood panels only. Open front
compartment. Rear deck had either a tool box or a ?mother-in-law? seat
in place of the tool box. ?Scalloped? seat back.
COUPE
Manufactured by Beaudett and Kelsey-Horbert. Generally
supplied without head lamps. Body was a bit wider than the 1909 Coupe.
TOWN CAR
Manufactured by Beaudett. Generally supplied without head lamps.
LANDAULET
Similar to Town Car but with open driver's compartment.
Manufactured by Beaudett.
TOURABOUT
Similar to Touring except for open front and rear
compartments (no doors). Manufactured by Beaudett.
1911
(Introduced about November 1910)
All cars painted a very dark blue except for a few red Open
Runabouts and green Town Cars built in April 1911, according to factory
invoices. Existing cars seem to indicate black bodies with blue fenders, as well
as all black cars. Striping of fenders and running gear began to be discontinued
in July on some production. The notch in the hood former, needed to clear the
hinge rod of the first production, was eliminated.
Until late 1911 the car serial number (on the patent plate,
not the number stamped into some part of the body) and the engine number were
the same. In October 1911 an internal letter noted that these would no longer
agree.
TOURING
Manufactured by Beaudett, Kelsey-Horbert, and American Body.
Continue open front compartment but body panels were now steel over wood frame.
?Square? rear doors with outside handles, open at the front.
?Step? in side panels under front and rear seats. Door in rear seat kick
panel was discontinued after early production of the new bodies.
RUNABOUT
Beaudett bodies, generally in the style of the 1910 cars.
TORPEDO RUNABOUT
Introduced in December 1910.
Bodies made by Beaudett.
Enclosed front compartment with lower seat, longer steering column, longer hood,
and windshield with sloping lower section. Curved fenders, unique to this body
and the Open Runabout. Gas tank and tool box on rear deck. Early production used
a rectangular gas tank, but most production used a round one. The Torpedo and
Open Runabout used different pedals and a different brake lever than the other
cars..
OPEN RUNABOUT
Bodies by Beaudett and Hayes. Similar to the Torpedo but without doors.
TOWN CAR
Relatively few made. In the same style as the 1910.
1912
All painted blue (see comments under 1911)
TOURING
Made in several styles. All supplied with front door
assemblies which were removable. Early cars had a ?stepped down? fore
door, apparently using the same bodies as the 1911 cars which used the two-piece
dashboard, but the standard production used door assemblies of the same height
as the seat sides. The second style body was similar but with a one-piece dash.
The third ?typical 1912? style had relatively smooth sides (without
the added-on look of the 1911's) and rear-opening doors at the rear, with
outside handles. The fourth style was similar to the third except that the rear
door handles were inside the car. The two last types may have been supplied at
the same time, the variation being perhaps due to differing suppliers.
RUNABOUT
Similar in style to the 1911 Runabout. Early versions may
have used the curved rear fenders of the Torpedo Runabout but later versions
used the same fenders as the Touring. All were supplied with front ?fore
doors.? Early cars had a ?stepped-down? fore door, as on the
Tourings, but the standard production used door assemblies of the same height as
the seat sides.
TORPEDO RUNABOUT
Now based on the standard Runabout, and using standard
chassis components, the Torpedo had front doors, curved rear fenders, and the
round gas tank at the rear as on the 1911's. Early versions used the two-piece
dash and had lower door sections. Later models used the one-piece dash and the
side door panels were the same height as the seat section.
TOWN CAR
Similar to the 1911, the front compartment now had the
?fore doors.?
DELIVERY WAGON
Bodies built by Beaudett, and Milburn. Introduced in late
1911. These were initially painted red, with the standard blue fenders. In
January Ford announced that fenders would be black and the bodies unpainted. A
poor seller, production was discontinued early in the year. The last were sold
in December 1912.
1913
An all-new design, setting the general pattern for all Fords
to come until 1925 (1926 models), was announced in early November 1912 but may
have appeared earlier. Early models (built in 1912) were apparently still blue
and some, if not all, were striped. Striping was discontinued early in
production. Black cars were quite possible but Ford didn't indicate black as a
color. Lamps and horn were now ?black and brass? (brass and steel
construction) instead of all-brass.
TOURING
Doors extended to the splash apron and were somewhat
?square? in shape. The windshield sloped back on the lower section,
with the top section folding forward, and with support straps from the center
hinge to the body. Door handles extended through the upper door. Top surfaces of
body side panels were covered with a separate metal trim strip.
Early production used uncovered lower body sills which tended
to break. During production, these sills were reinforced by adding a one-inch
board across the top of the sill between the front and rear seats, and adding a
reinforcing bracket over the sill between the seats. This was followed with a
formed metal bracket which was attached to the frame extending up to the front
of the rear seat. Bodies were made by Horbert, Fisher, Wilson, and Beaudett. The
Beaudett bodies had heavier wooden sills which required cutting some of the wood
in order to install the steel reinforcements which connected the front and rear
sections together under the rear doors.
The ?1914? style appeared about August 1913.
RUNABOUT
In the same pattern as the Touring. First year for the rear
turtle deck, which was unique in that it had rather sharp rear corners. The
turtle deck door handles were iron castings (or forgings), painted black.
TOWN CAR
Generally in the style of the 1912 Town Cars.
1913 Touring Body Modifications
JAN 24 Acc. 575, Letter 394
T-5403 Touring Car Body. ?Called for reinforcing sills
to be fastened to the top of the regular body sills by #14 x 2? F.H.W.S. (4
screws for each sill) the reinforcing sill to reach from the rear of the front
heel board to the front of rear heel board, the sill to the 1? thick, and
the sides in line with those on the regular body sill. This means of course that
the rear sill plates will have to be put on top of the reinforcing sill. We have
called for a filler between the reinforcing sill and the inside of circular
panel at the rear edge of rear door, the filler to be nailed and glued in
place.? Note continues regarding the use of more nails to hold the body
metal in place.
JAN 28 Acc. 575, Letter 395
T-5637 Body Reinforcing Bracket Bolt. ?Four required, Touring Car, 1913.?
T-5453 Body Reinforcing Bracket. New Drawing. ?Two required, Touring Car, 1913.?
T-5638. Sketch showing location of Body Reinforcing Bracket. ?We have made this sketch for the
purpose of showing customers who are having trouble with the touring car bodies how the trouble
can be overcome. The material has been ordered and we will be able to supply same in the near future.
For your information will state that the construction of the body has been improved upon and undoubtedly
will not need this reinforcement as soon at the change can be brought about. We will therefore order
only enough material of the above parts as shown on sketch to take care of the bodies which have already
been built.?
FEB 12 (Letter from Ford to the Chicago branch)
?We have decided to place an extra body bracket just beneath the tonneau door hinge of the Touring
Car body, extending from the frame of the body sill as you will observe from blue print enclosed.
We have entered order to send you one hundred pair of these brackets and we want you to put them
on every car now in stock. It is also our object to supply larger dealers with a quantity of these
brackets so that they can install them before the cars are put out on the road next spring.
The purpose of this bracket is to stiffen the body sill and prevent too much play in the door when
the top is down, also binding in the door when the top straps are drawn up too tightly.?
Installation instructions followed with hints on how to add or subtract shim washers in order to
align the doors.
MAR 4 (Letter, Ford to the Cincinnati branch)
?In attaching the Touring Car body reinforcing brackets, be sure they are fitted 1/8? to
3/16? from the top of the frame so that when the bolts are put in it will pull the sill down.
Unless the sill is sprung down 1/8? or so when the bracket is attached but little benefit
will be derived by the reinforcement. All bodies coming through from now on will be fitted with
heavier sills so that attachment of extra brackets will be unnecessary.?
MAY 29 Acc. 575, Letter 424
T-5668 and 5669 body reinforcement for 1913 Touring body with 2-1/4? sills. T-5676 and 5677
reinforcements for bodies with 3-1/4? sills.
JUN 6 Acc. 575, Letter 425) ? Location of body reinforcement bolt holes changed.?
JUN 12 (Letter from Ford to all branches)
?In order that all our branches may clearly understand the handling of complaints on present touring
car bodies we submit the following:
?It is expected that you will furnish all Dealers with body sill reinforcements, wood reinforcements
for the rear seat frame and also rear corner brackets as shown in the attached blue print. To make
a satisfactory and permanent repair all of this material should be put in. We have found that the sills
break most frequently within a few inches of the rear end and in such cases the rear corner brackets
will serve to bind the sills together. The wood reinforcements in the rear seat will relieve the
rear ends of the sills from all strain, consequently there is no necessity of replacing the sills on
account of the wood splitting at the end. In applying the steel stamping underneath the tonneau door
you will find it necessary to chisel out the wood at the lower rear corner on all Beaudett bodies and
perhaps shim up other makes of bodies where the bracket spreads out at the rear.
?As this body trouble is going to be more or less general perhaps you had better employ one or
two good body men to do this work. We believe this will be better that to leave the work to the
ordinary shop mechanics to handle. As the season advances you will probably have a great deal of this
work to do and you might as well prepare for it now.?
JUL 1 Acc. 575, Letter 431
Many notes on 1914 Touring body which would seem to indicate that this body was now used or soon to be used
in production.
JUL 14 Acc. 575, Letter 434
Noted that 1913 Touring bodies were made by Horbert, Fisher, Wilson, and Beaudett. Apparently the Beaudett
bodies differed in construction from the others. Beaudett bodies with a filler block on the rear door
hinge posts apparently did not need the steel reinforcing pieces.
NOV 24 (Letter from Ford to the Denver branch)
?Kindly give us by return mail your present inventory of the following:
T-5668 reinforcement, right
T-5669 reinforcement, left
T-5675 rear seat frame reinforcement
T-5678 rear corner bracket.?
These are the 1913 touring body reinforcement parts.?
1914
TOURING
Similar to the 1913 bodies, the doors now were shorter, with
rounded bottom corners, setting the door style used through 1925. Door handles
were inside the car and operate a vertical-moving latch arrangement. This style
was introduced in late summer of 1913 and continued into early 1915 in some
assembly plants. The windshield was similar to the 1913 but the top section now
folded to the rear. The windshield support bracket now had a bend to allow the
folded windshield to clear. Late production had some ?1915? features
such as billed front fenders.
RUNABOUT
As in the Touring, the doors were now rounded. The turtle
deck now had the standard rounded corners.
TOWN CAR
An evolution of the 1913 Town Cars.
CHASSIS
For the first time Ford now offered the bare chassis in
the catalog. Prior to this time Ford said the use of non-Ford bodies would
void their warranty. Production figures indicate that bare chassis were produced
and sold earlier.
1915
TOURING
(Introduced in January 1915 but 1914-style cars were still
produced at the branches, perhaps as late as April.) While initially using the
same body section as the 1914's, a new metal cowl section was added, eliminating
the flat board firewall which had been a feature of Fords since 1909 (and even
earlier). This cowl section on some open car bodies differed from the other
types in that it was made up of four (instead of three) pieces; the front
?lip? being riveted to the cowl. While the rivets were hidden by the
hood former, they can be easily seen from inside the car. This oddity was
apparently seen on bodies made by only one of the Ford suppliers, and it
continued into the 1916, and perhaps later, models. The hood was now louvered,
but still made of aluminum. The windshield was vertical and was riveted to the
support brackets, which also held the oil side lamps. Later production, while
appearing the same, had more metal in the internal seat area and now sported a
?rivet? just ahead of the rear doors. Rear fenders were now curved,
but with no crown, on all body styles.
RUNABOUT
Styled in the pattern of the Tourings. Same turtle deck as
the 1914's, with black-painted, cast handles.
COUPELET
Ford's first ?convertible.? A Coupe with a folding
top. Glass in the doors raised and lowered by a strap. Top was almost blind to
the side since there were no windows in the quarter panels. Turtle deck on early
models had the door at the rear panel but later versions had the door on the
upper surface.
SEDAN (Centerdoor)
Introduced in September 1914, the Sedan (and the Coupe) were
the first ?1915? models. Aluminum body with unique aprons and rear
fenders. Three-piece windshield of elaborate design. Gas tank under the rear
seat. No seams in the rear quarter panels. Door handles were of the bail type.
This Sedan was almost completely unlike those that followed, even though it was
of the same general pattern.
TOWN CAR
Styled in the pattern of the Tourings; an evolution of the earlier Town Cars.
1915-1922
FRONT SEAT LIDS T-7266
(Over the fuel tank)
Two different lids covered the fuel tank in the runabout and
touring bodies; one of wood and the other of steel. The wood covers were used on
bodies manufactured by Wilson, and Kahler. These were used on the touring bodies
only. The metal covers were used on bodies made by Beaudett, Fisher, Kelsey, and
Ford, and was used on touring and runabouts.
Dimensions were 35-7/8 x 16-1/2? (The wood lid was
3/8? thick.) The hole for the gas cap was 4? diameter, located
(center) 6-3/8? from the front of the lid. The wood board was made of slats
nailed together with two 1-1/4 x 34? strips, 1-1/4 from the front edge and
1-3/4? from the rear, centered between the ends of the boards. Twenty-two
#15 x 1? box nails were used to attach the strips. There were two one-inch
holes located 3-1/2? from the rear edge and 9-1/2? either side of the
center line of the cover. A third hole, 1-1/4? diameter was located 1/8?
from the front edge on the center line of the cover. (From blueprints of this
assembly.)
1916
Generally continued the 1915 styles. The Coupelet was given
small port holes in the quarter panels. The Sedan evolved into the standard type
described under the 1917 Sedan. Brass trim on side, tail and head lamps
discontinued. Hood was made of steel instead of aluminum. Door lock assemblies
changed from a vertical latching to a horizontal latching bolt, with many cars
being made with combinations of both types. Door handles on the closed cars were
of the bail type. The turtle deck door handles were changed to a pressed-steel
type which continued until the ?1923? models.
The front body brackets were changed to a pressed steel
design but using the same mounting holes as the earlier forged type in late
January 1916 but these were dropped in favor of the earlier (forged) type in
March.
1917
Revised styling using the same basic bodies of 1915-16. Open
cars now had a small metal cap at the front end of the arm rests, instead of the
rolled leather front covering. The brass radiator and small hood was dropped in
favor of the black shell and larger hood. All fenders were now curved and
crowned on all models. Bail type door handles on the closed cars.
The front body (firewall) brackets were now of pressed steel,
bolting to the side of the frame.
SEDAN
Revised design apparently first used in 1916, the body was
now steel and used standard aprons and rear fenders. The gas tank was now under
the driver's seat. Complicated windshield of 1915 was replaced with a simple
two-piece design. Windows still adjusted with straps. Top was solid panel, not
padded.
COUPELET
Initially a restyled 1916, the convertible coupe was replaced
with a ?hardtop? coupe during the year. This coupe had removable door
posts so that when the windows were lowered the opening extended from the
windshield to the rear quarter panel. The top section was leather covered,
somewhat in the style of the convertible type. The ?1918? metal top
Coupelet replaced it, apparently, before the end of 1917.
1918
Generally a continuation of the 1917 cars. Body construction
on the open cars reverted to the 1914-style wooden seat frames during the War
years 1918-1919.
The Model TT truck chassis (introduced in late 1917) was
added to the line. The Coupelet now had a metal top section instead of the
leather-covered type of mid-1917, but continued the removable door posts.
The gasoline tank was the standard round type but located in
the turtle deck. The Town Car was discontinued in the 1917 catalog but
production records (if correct) indicate they were built during 1918.
1919
Same as 1918. Electric equipment and demountable rims
standard on closed cars. This equipment became optional on the open cars about
June 1919. Oil lamps not supplied on cars with electrical equipment.
COUPE
Removable door posts discontinued but coupe otherwise similar
in style to the earlier model. The gasoline tank was now the same as that in the
sedan (square) but still located in the turtle deck.
1920
Same as 1919. Open cars again constructed using metal seat
frames as in 1915 to 1917. Side window curtains in the sedans discontinued about
1920. Some Coupelets were made with the gasoline tank under the seat but this
apparently did not prove satisfactory; most retaining the turtle deck location.
NOTES:
Between 1915 and 1921 open car bodies seem to have been built
by five different suppliers: Ford, Beaudett, Fisher, Kamler Mfg., and Wilson.
The amount of steel vs wood varied with the manufacturer. Ford, Beaudett and
Fisher seem to have used more steel in the seat frames than the others, and used
a steel cover over the gas tank. Wilson and Kamler used wood covers over the
tank. Beaudett seems to have used steel floorboard risers before the others.
1921-1922
Generally similar to 1919 except as noted.
TOURING
A new body design with lower seats of much more comfortable
design was announced on October 15, 1920, and is properly called a
?1921? model. Rear quarter panel is now one piece instead of the
two-piece design used since 1913. Upholstery tack strips were now inside the
body panels, extending above them for the tacks. Metal cap on arm rests was now
somewhat narrower. Top iron support post now came through the quarter panel
instead of the ?L? bracket used earlier. Instrument panel standard on
all models, starter or not, in 1922. Oval gas tank was standard. The lid over
the gas tank was discontinued.
RUNABOUT
Continued in the style of the 1920 cars until late 1922 (1923 models).
Note: The ?1923? style open cars were
introduced in September (Touring) and October (Runabout) of 1922. While these
were ?1923? models, Ford often refered to them as ?1922? in
the parts books.
SEDAN and COUPE
Door handles changed to the ?T? bar type in 1921,
then to the ?L? type about 1922. Later 1922 cars had a new latch
arrangement for lowering the door windows, although the rear quarter windows
still had the straps. Metal plates cover the door and window sills (which were
painted wood earlier) in later 1922 and 1923 Sedans and Coupes. Brown upholstery
replaced former gray about April, 1922, and this color continued into 1923.
Bodies made by O.J. Beaudett for Ford
(calendar years)
1909-1912 |
unknown |
1913 |
53,794 |
1914 |
101,369 |
1915 |
170,027 |
1916 |
277,621 |
1917 |
361,292 |
1918 |
113,298 |
1919 |
293,067 |
1920 |
290,381 |
1921 |
230,434 |
1922 |
109,913 (until July 20) |
(Ford?s literature referred to this company as ?Pontiac.? The O.J.
Beaudett company was located in Pontiac, Michigan. Beaudett sold out to the Fisher Body
Company. in 1922.)
1923
Similar bodies to the 1921 but restyled as noted. Firewalls
were wood, as in the earlier cars, but were changed to steel in early 1923,
before the appearance of the higher radiator.
TOURING
New sloping windshield (introduced in September 1922) along
with a new ?one-man? top gave the 1923 Ford a new look. Otherwise the
body was the same as before.
RUNABOUT
Restyled with the new windshield, and a new body in the same
general pattern as the Touring, and a turtle deck of much larger size, and with
no handles. (The key served as the handle.)
FORDOR SEDAN
Introduced in late 1922, the new four-door sedan is added to
the line. It did not replace the older centerdoor sedan. The new body was
aluminum. The cowl, still made to match the low radiator, had no ventilator
until early 1923, about the time of the low steel firewall apparently.
SEDAN and COUPE
Similar to the 1922. Upholstery was now brown (instead of the
gray striped material). The centerdoor Sedan and the Coupe with the
forward-opening doors were discontinued in June 1923.
1923-1924 TOURING, RUNABOUT
In mid-1923 the cars were again restyled, and production of
this new style began in August. The radiator was made a bit higher, as was the
cowl area and hood, giving the front of the car a more massive appearance. Front
of fender lip is folded down to mate with a new valence at the bottom of the
radiator, giving the front a more finished look. Other than as noted, the cars
were like the earlier 1923's. During the early part of 1923, a metal firewall
replaced the wooden one. With the mid-year styling (high radiators), all cars
used a new larger metal firewall.
Rotary window regulators were introduced on the door windows
of the closed cars.
COUPE
An all new design. Doors now opened at the rear. Vent in the
cowl. An integral rear deck gave the Coupe a more massive appearance. Door
windows now had regulators.
TUDOR SEDAN
All new but based on the new Coupe design. Doors were at the
front of the body, opening at the rear. All steel panels over a wooden
framework.
FORDOR SEDAN
In the pattern of the earlier 1923 Fordor but with the larger
front cowl as in the Coupe and Tudor, with the adjustable vent. Steel lower body
panels replaced the aluminum, though upper panels remained in aluminum.
TRUCK
On January 9, 1924 a ?C? cab truck body was added
to the line. Also announced on this date was the availability of an
?express? bed with and without stakes and canopy, finally enabled Ford
to offer a complete truck.
1924-1925
A continuation of the 1924 cars. Doors on the Coupe, Tudor
and Fordor Sedan were now all metal instead of the wood-frame construction. Open
cars now had more steel in the body framing, as well as a steel firewall. A
nickel radiator shell was offered as an option in late 1925 production (just
prior to the ?1926? models in July). Fenders were redesigned to have a
wider appearance in late 1924 and during 1925 (depending on the model and
fender). Some, but not all, later production 1925 Sedans had splash aprons of a
?square? design, similar to that used in the 1926 models.
PICKUP
A pickup body (box) for the Roadster chassis was announced in
late 1924 but apparently not available for delivery until March 4, 1925. The box
was all steel except for the flooring. The rear door did not have the Ford
script in early production. Fenders fastened to rods that extended from
reinforcing plates on the side panels.
TRUCK
A platform body for the TT was announced on December 24,
1924. On April 9, the closed cab for the TT chassis was added to the line.
1926-1927
All new bodies in style and construction except for the
Fordor Sedan which continued with minor modifications. New bodies were all steel
except for the floorboards. Closed car bodies available in color after initial
production. Window garnish moldings (inside the car), fenders, splash aprons,
and running boards were black regardless of the body color. 1926 open car sill
plates were aluminum but these were dropped in favor of an embossed steel sill
integral with the body in later (1927 but perhaps late 1926 as well) production.
Sloping windshield on the open cars now could be opened at
either half (the lower half of the 1923-25 cars was fixed, only the top could
open). Fenders were all new, as were the splash aprons and hood. The radiator
shell was the same except that it could now be had with a nickel finish
(standard equipment on the closed cars). Chassis (and car) height was lowered by
several modifications in the frame, springs, and front spindles.
TOURING
Now with four doors, all opening at the rear. Gas tank was in
the cowl (as in all other 1926-27 cars except for the Fordor Sedan and the
truck).
RUNABOUT and PICKUP
All new, in the style of the Touring. Larger turtle deck.
Also available was the Runabout with the pickup bed factory installed. Many
factory-made pickups used a rear seat panel which was not embossed to match the
turtle deck.
The pickup box was a modification of the box introduced in
1925. The major differences were in the side panels, to which the rear fenders
now bolted directly, and in the floor boards. The floor boards differed in that
there was now a metal panel over the rear frame crossmember and the wooden
boards were cut to accommodate this panel. Factory made pickups were painted
Commercial Green in 1927 production but if the pickup box was ordered
separately, it was supplied in black.
COUPE
All new, similar to the 1925 Coupe in general style, but all steel.
TUDOR SEDAN
Again based on the Coupe design but all new steel construction.
FORDOR SEDAN
Basically the same body as the 1925 (using wood framing)
except for the front pillars and cowl area which were redesigned to match the
new hood. Gas tank remained under the seat on the Fordor.
NOTE: Closed cars had aluminum scuff plates at the
doors. These were not painted, and were secured with nickel-plated screws.
TRUCK
Continued in the same styles as the 1924-25 trucks. Ford
Archives photos show a restyled TT, looking similar to the 1926-27 passenger
cars but few, if any, were produced. None are known to exist today.
BRAKE LEVER (and Trim Plates)
1909-1910
Lever was steel, brass-plated. Clutch cam was forged steel.
Trim plates on floorboard were brass, or brass-plated steel.
1911-1915
Lever was steel, painted black but otherwise similar to 1910.
Trim plates black steel after sometime in 1911 or 1912.
1915-1927
Lever was steel, painted black. Clutch cam made of pressed
steel, replaced the earlier forging. Trim plates were black steel.
NOTES By Trent Boggess
An unusual emergency brake controller shaft with the pressed
steel brackets appeared in the early 1920's. Here is the story.
On 9-27-19 the releases indicated that the bracket was
changed from malleable iron to cold-rolled deep drawing steel, 1/8? thick.
The intent was to make the bracket out of sheet steel as soon as the dies were
ready, which Galamb figured would be in two months.
On 2/20/20 a spot weld was added at the neck between the base
and the hole for the controller shaft, and on 5/4/20 a reinforcing rib in the
foot was added. Finally on 2/7/21 the malleable iron design was reinstated,
canceling the pressed steel design.
According to Fishleigh's note the stamped steel design had
been instituted because malleable iron design had become prohibitively
expensive, but by early 1921 the price was again within reason, so the malleable
iron design was reinstated. The stock on hand was to be used up.
BRAKE RODS 1909-1910
Forged fork ends had a built-in bend in the forged clevis to
compensate for the angle of the brake rod.
1911-1920
Forged fork ends now straight; the rod had the bend.
1920-1925
In August 1920 the forged ends were eliminated and the rod
was split to make the fork at the rear end.
1926-1927
Similar to the 1925, rods were shorter and shaped differently
for the new larger brake drums.
BRAKE ROD SUPPORTS 1909
T1367. Used on first 2500 cars. Pressed metal bracket with
hole in end through which the brake rods passed. No reinforcing web on the edges
of the radius rod clamp.
1909
T1367B. 2501-15,000. Similar to T1367 but with reinforcing
web around the radius rod clamp.
1910-1913
T-1367C. After 17,500. Relatively simple pressed
?U? shaped design in which the support arm was folded down and then
out, rolling up and over the brake rods. These came in at least two designs.
One, believed to have been used in 1910, had the extension arm bent out about
1/3 of the way from the top of the clamp, and angling down. The other had the
arm about 2/3 down, angling up. Clamp bolts on the under side.
1913-1915
Similar to the 1913 style but the support arm is not folded
back on the ?U? section but instead extended out and rolled over the
brake rod. Clamp bolt is now on the top side.
1916-1927
Similar to the 1915 but a stronger and reinforced type, with
a shorter support arm which goes over the brake rod and folded under. The date
of the change is not known. The parts books show the same (earlier) bracket
until about 1924. Trucks used a similar but larger part.
BRAKE ROD SUPPORT EVOLUTION
1-21-08
?T1367A adopted. Drawing notes that it was used on the first
2,500 cars. The drawing also shows no reinforcements around the yoke which
goes over the radius rod.?
1-22-09
?T1367B adopted. The drawing notes it was used on 15,000
cars after the first 2,500. This drawing indicates that reinforcement flange
was used on the yoke which goes over the radius rod.?
11-19-09
?T1367C adopted. The drawing notes this was used after the
first 17,500 cars. This design used flanges over the yoke and the arm is
folded over the top and runs part way down the outward side before bending
outward at a right angle. The end is rolled over the top to form the hole for
the brake rod (the ?loop? is above the arm).?
2-15-13
?Removed flanges from the part of the yoke which clamps
around the radius rod. Also the brake rod loop now goes over the brake rod
(the ?loop? is now below the arm). The arm reinforcements were
discontinued.?
2-21-13
?The corners of the open end of the yoke for clamping are
now rounded with a 1/4? radii instead of a 1/2? radii.?
10-17-13
?Redesigned, bringing the drawings up to date with supports
as they were then being made. The arm reinforcements were again used but do
not extend all the way up the arm.?
2-23-14
?The drawing called for flanges on the sides of the arm and
which are connected to the flanges on the yoke. A note reads: ?This means
a change in the blank, the exact shape of which will have to be determined by
experiment.? This design was essentially identical to the design which
continued until the end of Model T production.?
9-6-17
?Changed the hole for the clamping bolt on the side which
carries the head of the clamping bolt from 9/32? round to 9/32?
square. No further changes have been uncovered.?
BRAKE CABLES
Cars built for sale in Germany used brake cables instead of
the usual brake rods. See notes under Worm Steering.
BRAKE SHOES
Early 1909
Made of bronze, used one spring.
1909-1913
Made of cast iron, used one coil spring. The spring was p/n
2570 and about 1-1/4'' long. An additional flat metal spring clip was used
across the anchor point.
center>1913-1925
Cast iron but now used two springs, each about 3-3/8'' long.
The flat spring was discontinued. The brake shoe support bolt was changed from a
fillister head to a hex head in early 1913.
Note: These shoes were cast and machined in one piece but
were supposed to be broken at the anchor point when installed.
1926-1927
Pressed steel, with riveted-in-place lining, to match new
11" drums. Used one coil spring.
BUSHINGS
Running gear bushings (spring perches, spindle arms, hub
brakes) were made of ?X? bronze from 1909 until late 1911. They were
then changed to seamed brass or bronze tubing which was used until about August
1915. At that time these bushings (Except for the brake cam) were changed to
steel and continued until the end of Model T production.
A quarter-inch hole was added to the spring perch bushing
(for the oiler) in the blueprint dated July 16, 1915.
The brake cam bushing was not changed to steel until 1922.
The blueprint date for this change was November 6, 1922.
|