Turtle Deck

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
Original Smith
Posts: 3284
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:43 am
First Name: Larry
Last Name: Smith
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 13 Touring, 13 Roadster, 17 Coupelet, 25 Roadster P/U
Location: Lomita, California
MTFCA Number: 121
MTFCA Life Member: YES
MTFCI Number: 16310

Turtle Deck

Post by Original Smith » Fri Apr 09, 2021 2:21 pm

I've wondered about this term for years. I have a close friend who is a whiz at digging up information on the internet. Turtle deck is a nautical term applied to automobiles as early as 1911. It doesn't appear that Ford ever adopted that term however.

User avatar

Rich Eagle
Posts: 6793
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:51 am
First Name: Richard
Last Name: Eagle
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909 TR 1914 TR 1915 Rd 1920 Spdstr 1922 Coupe 1925 Tudor
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
MTFCA Number: 1219
Contact:

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by Rich Eagle » Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:38 pm

Great subject Larry. My 1907 Buick specs describe the body as a Turtle back.
07BuickTrtl.jpg
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=88491&t=1
When did I do that?


John kuehn
Posts: 3907
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Kuehn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 19 Roadster, 21 Touring, 24 Coupe
Location: Texas
MTFCA Number: 28924

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by John kuehn » Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:44 pm

According to Word detective.com a broad consensus says the phrase or words Turtle deck was a term that began to be used in the South in the early Automobile era. Somehow it got to be thought of as another way of thinking it was a trunk. If you think about it 4 dr sedans of different brands began using “Trunks” on the back on a trunk rack. I had one that I sold for 75.00 years ago that went on a Model A if I remember.
Even today people use the word trunk when having a 2dr or 4dr sedan modern automobile.
As Smith says Wikipedia on the net says the term Turtle is an early nautical term having to do with the lower section of a ship. Somehow the lower meaning term crossed over to automobiles. Or so they say!! Or ??
As far as Model T’s are concerned the Touring cars had a place under the back seat where it could be used for storage or at least the Black era cars did. The Runabouts had a little space under the backrest which could hold a little but not as much as the Turtle deck could which wound up being used a a small trunk. Or as we T folks usually call the Turtle deck.


TXGOAT2
Posts: 6411
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:08 pm
First Name: Pat
Last Name: McNallen
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926-7 roadster
Location: Graham, Texas
MTFCA Number: 51486
Board Member Since: 2021

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by TXGOAT2 » Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:57 pm

My parents always referred to the "trunk" as the "turtleback."

User avatar

Corey Walker
Posts: 592
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:46 am
First Name: Corey
Last Name: Walker
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 runabout, 1921 homemade truck, 1921 Speedster
Location: Brownsboro, TX
MTFCA Number: 51502
Board Member Since: 2007

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by Corey Walker » Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:52 pm

My grandma always said,”put it in the turtle-hull” which was the hatchback of a Chevette when I was growing up. My grandpa always pronounced coupe with 2 syllables, coupé.
Corey Walker, Brownsboro, Texas


John kuehn
Posts: 3907
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Kuehn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 19 Roadster, 21 Touring, 24 Coupe
Location: Texas
MTFCA Number: 28924

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by John kuehn » Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:01 pm

Hey Cory my Mother referred to the T Coupe I inherited the same way!
John kuehn wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:44 pm
According to Word detective.com a broad consensus says the phrase or words Turtle deck was a term that began to be used in the South in the early Automobile era. Somehow it got to be thought of as another way of thinking it was a trunk. If you think about it 4 dr sedans of different brands began using “Trunks” on the back on a trunk rack. I had one that I sold for 75.00 years ago that went on a Model A if I remember.
Even today people use the word trunk when having a 2dr or 4dr sedan modern automobile.
As Smith says Wikipedia on the net says the term Turtle is an early nautical term having to do with the lower section of a ship. Somehow the lower meaning term crossed over to automobiles. Or so they say!! Or ??
As far as Model T’s are concerned the Touring cars had a place under the back seat where it could be used for storage or at least the Black era cars did. The Runabouts had a little space under the backrest which could hold a little but not as much as the Turtle deck could which wound up being used a a small trunk. Or as we T folks usually call the Turtle deck.


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: Turtle Deck

Post by Allan » Sat Apr 10, 2021 3:46 am

John and Corey, your parents were correct. It is correctly pronounced coop-ay. Another stuff up occurs with Route 66. Correctly pronounced, it is root 66. These days route is often pronounced rout. Then you get the technoheads who refer to a router. This piece of technology is used to route signals. It does not rout them! We all know a router is used to dig grooves in timber.

Allan from down under.


TXGOAT2
Posts: 6411
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:08 pm
First Name: Pat
Last Name: McNallen
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926-7 roadster
Location: Graham, Texas
MTFCA Number: 51486
Board Member Since: 2021

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by TXGOAT2 » Sat Apr 10, 2021 10:19 am

An old guy who owned a junkyard where I studied obsolete cars in my youth always called a coupe a "kewp". Tudors were "coaches". Most people in this area lived on one of three "rurl routs". Many of them drank soda pop, usually Coke or Dr Pepper or K-Orange, though a few clung to Grapette or Big Red, with a few hardshell Pepsi drinkers. Beer was served in "joints", where "Beer Dancing" was the main draw. "Likker" was offered in "likkerjoints" out on the county line, take-out only. Roads were, and many still are, dirt, and the state and federal highways consisted of two lanes. Speed Limit 60 / Night 55.


katy
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 12:37 pm
First Name: Kenneth
Last Name: Todd
Location: Red Deer Alberta

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by katy » Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:37 am

TXGOAT2 wrote:
Sat Apr 10, 2021 10:19 am
Tudors were "coaches".
And 4 doors were called sedans.

User avatar

Susanne
Posts: 1045
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 6:06 pm
First Name: Susanne
Last Name: Rohner
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Late '15 touring, "Angel".
Location: Valfabbrica, (central) Italy
MTFCA Number: 464
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 1999
Contact:

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by Susanne » Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:12 pm

Wow, Goat just brought back a whole passel of memories... That 2 door 2 passenger hardtop was a "Coop" (like he chicken coop). The 4 door with a back sea was a Sedan (pronounced SeeDan). The 2 door ones were a "two door". A roadster was the upscale version of something small, quick, and (when I was a brat) was usually European or British, also known as a "Sports Car". We'd take the "highway" when going out of town, other than 2 of them all the roads attaching it to the outskirts of town were dirt roads... and when you went on a road trip of significance(say 100 miles or more) you would have your car gone over by the local mechanic, and once on your way, you'd stop at a coffee shop or (if it was a fancy occasion) a real restaurant. . When you were out of town you stayed at a motel, and if you valued your reputation you didn't ever go into a roadhouse... Also... the "other side of the tracks" were, literally, on the other side of the tracks. :D


John kuehn
Posts: 3907
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Kuehn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 19 Roadster, 21 Touring, 24 Coupe
Location: Texas
MTFCA Number: 28924

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by John kuehn » Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:39 pm

Getting back to what we call the Turtle deck what did the Ford body parts books call it. I can’t find the one I had and like Smith says I don’t think Ford actually called it ‘Turtle deck’ like we do.


Roz
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2019 7:53 pm
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: P
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 Coupe, 1925 TT, 1927 Speedster, 1931 Model A
Location: Humboldt TN
MTFCA Number: 31449
MTFCI Number: 24373
Board Member Since: 2012

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by Roz » Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:42 pm

When we went to the store in the small town I grew up in, we went “uptown”. The business part of the larger town up the highway was considered “downtown”.


TXGOAT2
Posts: 6411
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:08 pm
First Name: Pat
Last Name: McNallen
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926-7 roadster
Location: Graham, Texas
MTFCA Number: 51486
Board Member Since: 2021

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by TXGOAT2 » Sat Apr 10, 2021 2:31 pm

We used to go "downtown" to buy stuff. "Downtown" was about 7 blocks with mostly old brick or stone front buildiings. Places that were dry goods stores became "department stores" and the food store became a "supermarket" or one of the chain stores, like A&P or Safeway. A&P smelled like fresh ground coffee, and the family owned grocery smelled of BBQ. We didn't have a Piggly Wiggly. It was a different world, and a perfectly adequate one, in my opinion.

User avatar

TRDxB2
Posts: 5409
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Brandi
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
Location: Moline IL
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by TRDxB2 » Sat Apr 10, 2021 2:47 pm

Some other references
https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10 ... 3110317105
The upper deck of a vessel constructed with a pronounced curve from the centreline of the vessel down to the sides. Its purpose is to assist overboard the flow of any sea water shipped over the bows.
Trtl 1.png
https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.la0408.photos/?sp=45
canopy over large turtle deck at stern.
trtl 3.png
https://live.warthunder.com/post/792133 ... nt=3040014
German ''turtleback'' and multi thick layer schemes with great armor all around
trtl 5.png
https://dietzrv12.wordpress.com/2020/01 ... am-shells/
turtle deck skins. These are the curvy parts that join side skins, top skins, and eventually the window at the rear of the cockpit.
trtl 2.png
http://yellowairplane.com/Pitts/Chuck_R ... eDeck.html
trtl 4.png


The coachman was buzzin' down the dual carriageway without a bonnet on his lorry!
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger


DHort
Posts: 2461
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 1:30 pm
First Name: Dave
Last Name: Hjortnaes
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 24 Speedster, 20 touring
Location: Men Falls, WI
MTFCA Number: 28762
MTFCI Number: 22402

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by DHort » Sat Apr 10, 2021 4:03 pm

Suzanne, the other side of the tracks is where the low income people live.

Do you call the Interstate the highway, the freeway, or the expressway? We use all three terms here.

Turtleback makes more sense than turtel deck.


BHarper
Posts: 221
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:15 am
First Name: Bill
Last Name: Harper
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '14 Touring, '20 TT Farm Truck, '24 TT Depot Hack, '24 Coupe, and a 1914 Metz Model 22 Torpedo Runabout
Location: Keene, New Hampshire
MTFCA Number: 5414
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by BHarper » Sat Apr 10, 2021 4:44 pm

The Model T runabout had, from 1909 through 1912, a small tool chest-tool box at the rear of the body which often has a small dickie seat or rumble seat. (Yes, it is often called the Mother-In-Law seat.) The Commercial Runabout had no seat on the box.

The 1913 and later runabouts had nice looking turtle decks. (I haven't made time today to scour the parts books to find out what term Ford used for them.)

I mention the above because in 1914 the Metz Company introduced a turtle back for their Model 22 Torpedo Runabout. Without this enclosure, there would be a storage box the width of the body sub-frame with extensions running forward to the seat support. This created an additional enclosed area in which to place packages and such. The owner could, if desired mount one or two rumble seats (yes, that is what Metz called them) on the box.

The turtle back replaced the tool box and gave the car a very different appearance.


102_3882a.jpg

100_6037a.jpg

User avatar

Susanne
Posts: 1045
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2019 6:06 pm
First Name: Susanne
Last Name: Rohner
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Late '15 touring, "Angel".
Location: Valfabbrica, (central) Italy
MTFCA Number: 464
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 1999
Contact:

Re: Turtle Deck

Post by Susanne » Sat Apr 10, 2021 6:16 pm

DHort wrote:
Sat Apr 10, 2021 4:03 pm
Suzanne, the other side of the tracks is where the low income people live.

Do you call the Interstate the highway, the freeway, or the expressway? We use all three terms here.
The Freeway has on and off ramps, the Highway has streets that intersect with it (not ramps), and the expressway has fewer streets intersecting (with stoplights).

And I've lived on both sides of the tracks... the hard part was not to end up ON the tracks! :lol:

I used to have this recurring bad dream as a kid where I was left abandoned at the one roadhouse in town - and had to find my way home. Strange to think that it's now the "upper class" part of town, when it used to be "out of town" (and somewhat seedy at that)...

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic