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Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 12:12 am
by Matt in California
I got this saddle and thought I would pass it along, but couldn’t figure out what it fit. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Matt
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 12:18 am
by Matt in California
I also got this brass pump with it. The guy who sold it, 87 years old, said this pump was on his grandpas TT.
It has a leg flip down. It is not Ford, but it is working.
Matt
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 12:46 am
by Kerry
I don't know about USA model's but yes, that bow saddle is a Ford part on Canadian overseas T's. part No 10068
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 3:04 am
by Allan
That type of bow saddle is common in Australia. There are many variations of the theme, as the various local body manufacturers sourced them from various sources. They can be cast iron or brass. They may be nickel plated, or as they are on my 24 Tarrant special tourer, solid nickel. Some even had moulded rubber cushions in them to protect the bows.
The one you have is for a tourer top. It is made to accept 4 Bows.
Allan from down under.
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 5:13 am
by Wayne Sheldon
Fords in the USA did not use those from the factory. However after-market sellers offered a wide selection of them to use on Ford Ts. A lot of other cars (probably more than didn't!) did use them as original equipment, some earlier than 1910, on up into the late '20s. Identifying what car may have used a specific one can be problematical, and even finding a match for a specific one can be difficult. Notice, the positioning of the part that clamps onto the body iron is offset one way. That means there is a right, and a left. So to match this one, would require finding its mirror image.
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 6:29 am
by Allan
Wayne makes a good point. Ones like this one are Left and Right, due to the offset mounting. However, which is right and which is left is a moot point.The mounting being offset means that the saddle can be mounted behind or in front of the mounting iron protruding from the body side. Being able to swap the saddles from left to right often means their fitment can be better used to clear joints/rivets/fittings on the folded top.
Others with the mounting hole central in the inner leg do not offer this advantage of being able to offset them, but you do not need to hunt out a left and right.
Further variations occur with the height of the mounting. This greatly effects the lay of the folded top.
Allan from down under.
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 7:18 am
by Kerry
That point of being a left and right in that particular bow clamp, eliminates it being a Ford one then. Parts book shows only the one so must do both sides.
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 8:32 am
by DanTreace
To add, believe Ford Canada used Bair brand bow clamps or separators. Don't know the specific casting # for a Ford.
This adv. in USA catalog lists a Bair for the early Fords.

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All of these separators carry a casting #, and have found that left and rights mate have that same #, so there must be a list somewhere someplace of what casting number for what car? Maybe only the mfg. Bair had such a list. Automarkers, like Ford Canada, didn't mfg these, they just used suppliers like Bair. The styles were many, two, three, four and five bow, and offset, dropped and raised mounting post clamps. Finding a matched pair takes some time.

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Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 6:24 pm
by Matt in California
I didn’t realize that this would be so complicated. Would this work on my 1926 touring? I don’t have a top to check.
Matt
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 8:34 pm
by Allan
Matt, I believe the screw in piece on a 1926 Ford will be too small to fit most of these clamps. You would either have to sleeve the Ford part to make it larger in diameter or sleeve down the clapm hole.
As the Ford mounting is designed to allow the folded top to rest on top of the rod/saddle, it is unlikely that that type of bracket would work without additional work to raise it to the same height as the Ford saddle
Allan from down under.
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 8:59 pm
by Matt in California
Thanks Allan,
This has been a real education. Now the challenge is finding a way to make a set!
Matt
Re: Need help identifying top bow saddle
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 9:56 am
by RajoRacer
I've been attempting to match up this one - anyone ? I need the mirror opposite. Notice this one has all separate placements.