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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: MacGrigor on Saturday 01 September 18 19:35 BST (UK)
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Hello,
I’ve come across this lovely photo of my 2x great-grandad, Verdant Goddard, from the Great War. It’s him in a car that belonged to the owners of Spains Hall, Finchingfield; he was a driver. Does anyone know what car it is?
Thanks,
Adam
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Hi Adam:
While it isn't identical to your car, the best image that I can find is a 1911 Ford Model T Town Car. Various images can be found on the internet by doing a search using "1911 Ford Model T Town Car".
This is one site that has a few images:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/326734.html?1355178412
It includes a drawing of a car from a "1912/3 Canadian publication".
Note: I do not know if the site is "safe". I don't like to suggest sites if I've never used them. ;)
Could your car be a later model, or one that had different options (spare tire)? Or, could it be a 1911 Touring Car or a different model year? One more suggestion: could a European manufacturer have copied the design and it is actually a European car? (Apologies for my lack of knowledge regarding cars.)
PS You are very fortunate to have such a lovely photograph.
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Lisa,
It does look very similar! It was during World War I for certain, so it would make sense to be a Ford. It is a lovely photo, I agree :)
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Only just seen this post and can confirm this is a Ford Model T Town Car with seemingly a UK numberplate. Unfortunately the letters/numbers cannot be seen clearly which would otherwise date the car relatively accurately. Dating therefore has to be from features such as pre rounded bonnet so pre 1916, gas lights so pre 1915, has front door so post 1911, has the line across lower section of the rad so post 1912 etc etc. Most noticeable is that the front mudguards have no peak on the front, a feature only on 1913 cars; so this therefore has to be a 1913 Ford Model T Town Car. What is also quite fascinating is that all Model Ts had six wheel bolts on each wheel as standard. The photo shows all wheels with only three nuts. Very unusual feature which advises that this car was fitted with non-Ford non-standard wheels/fittings. The wheel has three of the six holes which fix to one side of a circular plate of two sides of the centre so as to be able to change a wheel as we do today. Practice of the day was that to change a tyre normally, the wheel would remain on the car.
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Thank you very much! That's perfect.
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Found this photo of an American LHD version
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Seemingly a very rare model only 1415 were made in 1913
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Wow! Thanks.
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Quick tweak...
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That looks lovely! Thanks.