Diferences between 26and27

Discuss all things Model T related.
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules

Topic author
MdDWS
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 1:50 am
First Name: Donald
Last Name: Shanabrook
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: ‘17&1909S/N916
Location: Tiffin, OH
MTFCA Number: 9971

Diferences between 26and27

Post by MdDWS » Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:14 am

What are the the differences between 26 and 27

User avatar

A Whiteman
Posts: 992
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:36 pm
First Name: Adrian
Last Name: Whiteman
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 TT, 1924 Colonial Roadster, 1924 'Bullnose' Morris, 1925 'Bullnose' Morris, 1936 JD AR
Location: South Island, New Zealand

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by A Whiteman » Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:30 am

Ummm, +1 ?

User avatar

Matt in California
Posts: 726
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:42 pm
First Name: Matt
Last Name: G
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring, 1926 Fordor Project, TT C-cab flatbed farm field find, TT dump truck project
Location: California
MTFCA Number: 30697

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Matt in California » Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:38 am

Donald,
Somethings are better documented than others.

But in general at the start of 1926 model year there were even some cars that came with wood wheels and black paint. But for the most part you saw wire wheels and color cars in 1926. Then in 1927 evidently you could choose any model in any color. See the discussion here:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8061&p=66970#p66970

Matt


Kerry
Posts: 1297
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:42 pm
First Name: Frank
Last Name: van Ekeren
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1916 touring, 1916 pick-up, 1924 coupe, 1926 touring, 1927 touring
Location: Rosedale Vic Australia

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Kerry » Sun Apr 19, 2020 3:20 am

At a quick glance to tell, the 27 had a head light bar and usually steel spoke wheels.

User avatar

FundyTides
Posts: 190
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 6:29 pm
First Name: David
Last Name: Wilson
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Canadian Touring
Location: Saint John, NB, Canada
MTFCA Number: 51596
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by FundyTides » Sun Apr 19, 2020 7:50 am

Canadian made had different rules. Mostly black I think and wire wheels were an option. Rear seat cushion (bottom) was also shaped differently on 27. Not sure about 26


GG Gregory
Posts: 295
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:05 pm
First Name: GG
Last Name: Gregory
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 27 Roadster
Location: Maryville Tn

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by GG Gregory » Sun Apr 19, 2020 8:52 am

Get this book, you’ll love it !
Attachments
B902B690-A33D-40EF-958F-92D71A09396B.jpeg

User avatar

Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Mark Gregush » Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:43 am

On the open cars the early 26's up to(?) had a straight line where the door met the cowl the later cars there was a small swept area in the cowl were the door met it. Early on, the lights were mounted on stems with no cross bar and later the mounts on the headlights were different and bar added. There was differences in door construction and lots of other little changes. Might be easier to post photos of what you are asking about or add more information about what body style.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup


Mikes 1912
Posts: 118
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 6:05 pm
First Name: Lester
Last Name: Husted
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 20
Location: Idaho Falls, ID

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Mikes 1912 » Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:50 am

26 roadster doors had small holes, 27 roadster doors had big holes.


Gonenorth
Posts: 130
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:04 pm
First Name: Kevin
Last Name: Whelihan
Location: Danbury, WI
MTFCA Number: 30688
Board Member Since: 2008

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Gonenorth » Sun Apr 19, 2020 10:37 am

Probably need to have Donnie Brown weigh in here. He has done some research on the Improved Car models and has a pretty good handle on the various changes. His handle is "Dobro" on the forum. Contact him and see what he says.

User avatar

Steve Jelf
Posts: 6463
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Jelf
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
MTFCA Number: 16175
MTFCI Number: 14758
Board Member Since: 2007
Contact:

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Steve Jelf » Sun Apr 19, 2020 10:44 am

There are several differences. Look here: https://www.mtfca.com/encyclopedia/.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


Norman Kling
Posts: 4068
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 1:39 pm
First Name: Norman
Last Name: Kling
Location: Alpine California

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Norman Kling » Sun Apr 19, 2020 4:18 pm

Mark,
You got it backward The 26 had the Indentation at the top of the front door post at the cowl. The 27 was straight. Also the door sills on the 26 open cars were aluminum with Ford stamped in and screwed on. The 27 were steel sills fastened right in with rivets. Also the front windshield posts on the 26 had an indentation on the side toward the cab, but the 27 went more straight on the back as on the front. There were several changes in headlights. The early ones had lights bolted on to the fenders. Later some had a bar which went across between the fenders but the lights were still bolted onto the fenders. And still later ones had the lights bolted onto the bar. There were also changes in the 27 front axle which dipped down farther in the center and a lower spring on the front. But both years looked so similar it is hard to tell apart unless one is aware of those subtle changes.
Norm

User avatar

dobro1956
Posts: 1285
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:13 pm
First Name: Donnie
Last Name: Brown
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Sport Touring, 1919 Speedster, 1914 Speedster, Wards tractor conversion, non starter 1926 Improved Touring
Location: Hills of Arkansas
MTFCA Number: 49575

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by dobro1956 » Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:24 pm

Most of the details above are correct. Norman is correct about the cowl area at the top front of the doors.
BUT. The 26 27 Improved models is probably the most misunderstood of all the Ts. So many people just say "they are all alike" but those same people will get anal about the rivets in their brass era T rear ends, does their 1915 windshield frames have rivets or bolts. And on and on and on. Almost every single part of the Improved models was changed. Sometimes the part changed 3 or 4 times during the 26-27 model years.
The early 26 is different than the late 26. The early 27 is also different than the late 27 .
If you are wanting to know what time frame your particular car fits. I will need to ask several questions about it. Send me a e-mail to dobro@artelco.com. Let me know the engine number and body style and we can start from there.
Just for an example Ill list just a very, very, few of the differences of just the touring and roadsters
There are 4 different doors
2 different windshield posts
At least 4 different headlight and bar assemblies
3 different coil box's
3 different torque tubes
2 different radius rods
At least four different wheel choices
At least three different radiators.
Everything I mentioned above are distinctly different and I did not even scratch the surface.
So for the folks who still say they are "all alike" there are many, many , many differences


John Codman
Posts: 1181
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:27 am
First Name: John
Last Name: Codman
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Youring
Location: Naples, FL 34120

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by John Codman » Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:41 pm

My '27 was built about 60 days from the end of production. Norman is correct - the headlights bolt to the bar. Mine came with black painted wood wheels.
Last edited by John Codman on Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.


Allan
Posts: 5201
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Allan » Sun Apr 19, 2020 10:50 pm

And then there are Australian built cars produced in the Geelong Ford factory. These have a full wooden subframe, and this means very different construction details. Towards the end of production, they were even offered with two tone paintwork.

Allan from down under.


Altair
Posts: 365
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:52 am
First Name: David
Last Name: Menzies
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring and 1915 Touring both Canadian models
Location: British Columbia
MTFCA Number: 27825
Board Member Since: 2012

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Altair » Mon Apr 20, 2020 3:18 am

I think that the different body manufacturers may account for some of the subtile differences as opposed to a manufactured difference in the years. There are 1925 models with light bars and pedestal lights, the same with 1926. My 1926 has a light bar, however I have seen 1926 models with pedestal lights. There does not seem to be a year pattern. In the day if you wanted to order a body part you had to know the body maker, there were many subtile differences in the manufacturing. The sill plates on my 26 are steel and held with a combination of rivets and screws, four rivets along the face and two screws one at the front and one at the rear. Both front and rear sill plates have the FORD script. Mine is a Canadian model therefore the screws are Robertson (square).


Wayne Sheldon
Posts: 3637
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:13 pm
First Name: Wayne
Last Name: Sheldon
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 Runabout 1913 Speedster
Location: Grass Valley California, USA
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: Diferences between 26and27

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Mon Apr 20, 2020 3:21 am

I am certainly no expert when it comes to the "improved" model Ts, never owned one, and not very many parts for them. One significant change you will not see in a photograph of an assembled car is the rear cross-member of the frame. The first few months of production had the long-ear cross-member, but it was a simple "U" shape. Most of production had a beefed up "U" with flare-outs nearly the full length.
I also do know that there were a lot of changes made in that less than two years.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic