Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

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James_Lyons-WV
Posts: 152
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2019 11:30 am
First Name: James
Last Name: Lyons
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1913 Touring, 1915 Touring, 1925 Coupe
Location: West Virginia
MTFCA Number: 10000

Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by James_Lyons-WV » Sun Oct 02, 2022 9:06 pm

Hershey is here and for me, it usually starts on the Saturday before when Larry Smith flys in to Harrisburg, PA, get's his car, and drives 2 hours south, to my place in West Virginia. This has been going on now for that last five years or so - Covid and one botched flight not withstanding. This year was no different, except this time, we spent a considerable amount of time studying the original side curtains to my 13 touring. I've had the car for a decade, and the guy I bought it from almost threw the curtains away. Thankfully, he didn't and I was able to bring them home with me.

The photo's tell the story and Larry thought they were significant enough that they warranted posting on the forum. The most interesting thing about them is the triangular front window. I snapped some detailed photo's of other features as well. Feel free to comment on your original curtains for comparison.
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Topic author
James_Lyons-WV
Posts: 152
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2019 11:30 am
First Name: James
Last Name: Lyons
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1913 Touring, 1915 Touring, 1925 Coupe
Location: West Virginia
MTFCA Number: 10000

Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by James_Lyons-WV » Sun Oct 02, 2022 9:09 pm

Well, so much for posting photos of some of the details... The pixel size isn't right so they were rejected. :(


modeltspaz
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Last Name: Spaziano
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Location: Bellflower, California
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by modeltspaz » Sun Oct 02, 2022 9:51 pm

I have visited Larry several times at his home in Lomita over the past month, or so. He, and Kim Dobbins, have been instrumental to me finding and obtaining the correct tire tube hardware for my '26 Touring Car. I've watched Larry working to recreate a set of authentic side curtains for his Touring Car and I will attest to the fact that his nickname of "Original" Smith is NOT an exaggeration, as many of you know.
Thank you Larry and Kim for your invaluable help with my project. My hat is off to both of you. Enjoy your time at Hershey gentlemen.
Knowledge that isn't shared, is wasted knowledge.

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TWrenn
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by TWrenn » Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:49 pm

Thanks for posting Jim!
Now I gotta dig the curtains outa my '13 and check 'em out! Only had em out once and can't remember how they look. :lol:


DHort
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by DHort » Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:48 pm

Were the original body fasteners removed and discarded?


Topic author
James_Lyons-WV
Posts: 152
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First Name: James
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1913 Touring, 1915 Touring, 1925 Coupe
Location: West Virginia
MTFCA Number: 10000

Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by James_Lyons-WV » Mon Oct 03, 2022 5:10 am

The original fasteners are still with the car. When I got it over 10 years ago, someone had put a horrible vinyl interior in it but had reinstalled the fasteners. I replaced the vinyl with the correct leather interior and was waiting to reinstall the fasteners when I got new side curtains. But to the point of your question, there's no telling how many interiors the car has had which no doubt accounts for the extra holes in the curtains.

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Bob McDaniel
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by Bob McDaniel » Wed Oct 05, 2022 12:07 am

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From the uunrestored January 13 touring I have. All fasteners match between the car and the curtains. They show some repairs to the clear window area but fit real nice. Most of the windows are busted out because they are brittle from age.
Give an old car guy a barn and he won't throw anything away.

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jmc
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by jmc » Thu Oct 06, 2022 7:15 pm

Thank you for posting these pictures. It is very helpful.


Original Smith
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by Original Smith » Sun Oct 09, 2022 10:26 am

I've been trying to make a correct set of side curtains for my '13 runabout. I got a set from Russ Furstnow that have been helpful. They were obviously made from originals, but they left out some important details. It makes me wonder, what did they do with the originals they copied them from?? Another thought. Did each body company have their own design for the curtains. So far, I've seen two different designs. I got some photos of a set of curtains that was included in an auction car this year that too were made from originals. What happened to the originals for that car? I also have a print that was send to me by Randall Anderson, which was supposed to be for a runabout, but is in fact for a touring. I'm currently making my third pattern for the r.f. curtain. There is really nothing difficult about making these, but it's challenging because the curtains I'm using are not originals!!!


dllr28bl
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by dllr28bl » Mon Oct 10, 2022 7:25 pm

James,

Thanks for posting pictures of your original side curtains. Could you post several pictures of the front curtains where they attach to the windshield and go around the windshield hinges?

Thanks!
Dan


Topic author
James_Lyons-WV
Posts: 152
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2019 11:30 am
First Name: James
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1913 Touring, 1915 Touring, 1925 Coupe
Location: West Virginia
MTFCA Number: 10000

Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by James_Lyons-WV » Thu Oct 13, 2022 3:43 pm

Dan... I only have two others and the curtains are put away in storage. I cant post the pics because I'm getting a pixel size error. Email me at jlyons111@hotmail.com and I'll send them to you.


Original Smith
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by Original Smith » Thu Oct 13, 2022 4:45 pm

They don't attach to the windshield. They go around the hinge. There is a slit for this, and there is a snap strap that holds the slit together.


TrentB
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Re: Me, Larry Smith, and a set of original 1913 side curtains...

Post by TrentB » Thu Oct 13, 2022 5:32 pm

Original Smith wrote:
Sun Oct 09, 2022 10:26 am

Another thought. Did each body company have their own design for the curtains.
Larry, probably so. Until the 1915 model year bodies were supplied to Ford painted and trimmed by the different manufacturers. We know there are subtle differences in the way bodies were made depending on the manufacturer, so it makes sense that there would be some differences in the tops and curtains supplied by the various body manufacturer as well.

Respectfully Submitted,

Trent Boggess

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