MTFCA Forum

Here's a question for Torpedo owners. My 1911 Torpedo has a hole under the driver's seat with a wooden box hanging down from it. It is about 6 inches square and 8 deep. The former owner had a small "power sports" battery in it to provide power to the coils. Is this "battery box" original or was it added later?
Thanks.

I don't have a 1911 model T, let alone a torpedo roadster. However.
From the beginning, Ford supplied a battery connection and a switch to use a battery for ignition. However, before 1919, Ford did not supply a battery or even a specific place to carry a battery on any model T car. A torpedo with the gasoline tank behind the seat had a tool box storage area under the seat. Any battery wiring or placements on a brass era model T were added at some point after the car left the factory.
Back in the model T's days, a lot of owners did add batteries for a variety of reasons. It can sometimes be hard to tell if battery connections were added early on or later? Some times it is easy to tell?

The battery ignition was stipulated by Ford for workshop use only, even into the early 20's starting procedure with electric start was to turn the key to magneto. USA instructions may differ from our Canadian in Oz.

tom_strickling wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:59 pm

Here's a question for Torpedo owners. My 1911 Torpedo has a hole under the driver's seat with a wooden box hanging down from it. It is about 6 inches square and 8 deep. The former owner had a small "power sports" battery in it to provide power to the coils. Is this "battery box" original or was it added later?
Thanks.

If the dimensions are he same as the box then for sure that box was added later. Also does the car need to run on the battery?
Back in the day, dry cell batteries were often used to power coils - no starter, generator or even an affordable away to charge a lead acid battery.

The 1911 Torpedo did have a common storage compartment under the full area of the front seats with a single lid over each area. It was not a very deep compartment and did not really have room for a modern storage battery. If your battery compartment hangs below the seat base area, it is most likely an add on to accommodate a decent size battery.

The US made 1911 Enclosed Runabout (Torpedo) did not have a separate battery box under the seat or elsewhere, though it certainly would be nice if it had one. Under seat storage space is very limited on these cars, but small motorcycle battles will generally fit.

Respectfully Submitted,

Trent Boggess

FWIW here's the battery arrangement in my '11 Torpedo. And yeh there isn't crap for room to store anything under the seat! Thankfully mine came with a real nice wood tool box behind the gas tank.

Thanks for all the input. That answered my question.