"new" '15 Body

[MWalker]

I picked up a '15 Runabout body over the weekend, which will evolve into my next Model T driver. I have pretty much everything else to build the car.

It turns out to be a real '15 or '16, so I'm happy about that. Something I haven't noticed before is the solid trim pieces which cover the joint between the seat back and the sides. I haven't had a real '15 Runabout before, just later similar ones, and they haven't had those trim strips. Were those year-specific, or did that feature vary by body builders? Thanks.

[HornsRus]

mike all roadsters had that trim from 13 to 22. some years went all the way to the back.any more ??? call me.charley

[RajoRacer]

Nice project, Mike - I believe I have a set of those trim pieces out in the container.

[KWTownsend]

Mike-
I believe the screw-on trim is 1915 specific, maybe into '16?
-Keith

[DJPeterson]

The 15/16 runabout I am currently working on also has that screw on trim, leaded over the screw heads. I have a good turtle deck if you have a need.

[Scott_Conger]

My '19 roadster has those same ones...one screw has come loose and it is a leaded over flat head (maybe oval) wood screw

that is an exceptionally nice looking body...good find!

[MWalker]

Thanks for the input, Guys. So we have opinions from '15 only (or maybe '16 as well) through '19, and maybe thru '22. Not exactly a consensus, but I'm not surprised. None of us was alive when these cars were new, so the best we can do at this point is make an educated guess. I don't suppose it matters anyway; I just was curious to learn more about it since it's something I'm not familiar with.

I haven't gotten into working on the body yet, but I am pleased with it so far. It's not rusted out along the bottom like most of them, so that is a major plus. There is some bondo under the door, but it appears to be solid metal underneath that, so it's certainly workable. Much nicer than most of them I've brought back to life. I'll need to build a seat frame, but that's no biggie.

It wasn't cheap, but after looking for one for 2 or 3 years and not finding ANYTHING workable, when you find a nice one you pay the price and get on down the road. It won't matter in the overall scheme of things anyway, and I can build a nice car using this body.

Dale -- Thanks, but no need for a turtle. I have a nice one in stock, but I intend to build a RPU with this. I have a '21 RPU which I recently made a deal to sell, and I like the RPU configuration better than any other body style T I've had. So I'll build another.

[John kuehn]

For what it’s worth the remains of what I thought at the time was a 1919 Roadster had the screw on solid trim pieces. I bought it from a guy over 40 years ago to build my first T. An older friend had a 22 Roadster. He told me at the time the Roadster bodies from 17-22 were alike. I guess he was almost right but not quite from what I’ve learned over the years.
Their also is an idea that the 15 thru late 21 Roadster bodies can be built different years depending which parts you use. I think that’s right but not 100% for sure. That idea I have heard depending on who you talk to.