MTFCA Forum

Herb shared this great photo with me. A congenial looking crew. Does anyone recognize the automobile? I think I have the windshield.
Rich

This old photo is a relief.............to me anyway. In all the old pics I've seen, NO ONE SMILES. There is no joy, no gaiety, just posing like it's a mug shot for cryin' out loud! That guy on the right looks like he's having a good day. Maybe the boss just gave him a raise........

Taking or posing for a photo must have been a big deal and serious business back then. Only a few joyous or humorous ones show up.

Aside from the great attitude and wonderful car I noticed the windshield on the car. Some may remember Reed Olson who left me this windshield. Perhaps if we identify the car I can know what it is. I have thought about building a car body around it and some odd parts I have taking up space. I doubt it is worthy of trying to save for a nice restoration. It was painted black but is brass with the side hinge pieces nickle plated.
Rich
Note: it is hanging upside down here. If nothing else it is fun to look at.
P.S. Now I see my lower frame corners are square and the one in the photo has curved corners. Oh Well.

The two guys directly in front of the car look like brothers.

George Andreasen wrote: ↑

Thu May 16, 2019 10:43 am

That guy on the right looks like he's having a good day. Maybe the boss just gave him a raise........

Look closely, no tools in that smiling guy's hands, and he has them against his trousers, so might be clean. Plus, that pocket watch chain hanging free.......bet he IS the boss.

I think the car is a Maxwell, maybe 1913. The radiator shape and cowl look similar as well as the electric lights in the photo below.

DanTreace wrote: ↑

Thu May 16, 2019 6:03 pm

George Andreasen wrote: ↑

Thu May 16, 2019 10:43 am

That guy on the right looks like he's having a good day. Maybe the boss just gave him a raise........

Look closely, no tools in that smiling guy's hands, and he has them against his trousers, so might be clean. Plus, that pocket watch chain hanging free.......bet he IS the boss.

Nope, the guy in the center is the boss, he's frowning after giving the smiley guy the raise!

One reason nobody smiles in old photos is that many older films were slow, exposure times were lengthy, and it is easier to hold a frown than a smile for the time needed to get the picture. Subjects in photos were told to frown so that moving facial expression didn't blur the picture. Of course the men in this pix may be frowning because they are working on a Maxwell and not a Ford.

Having a 14 and a 15 Maxwell I should know more about the 13s. They were all transitional years each with their own personalities and not all the same. The gray one looks like a dead ringer but like Quasimodo, looks can be deceiving. The windshield is not the same but they could have varied. I'll do some more looking .
Thanks
Rich

After looking at many pictures I see that 1913 was a year that several car makers were playing with a similar cowl design. Studebaker, Buick, Cadillac and a dozen or more had variations. I think the Chevrolet on the left looks as much like the old photo as a Maxwell. The Oldsmobile defender has a similar windshield but not the side lights or same cowl exactly. I was happy to find that Chalmers Model 18's used the windshield like mine with square bottom corners (both below). Now I know what it probably is. We may never know for sure. Now I'm content to just look at the friendly faces.
Rich

Is it me or are those overalls so greasy that the shine

another thing to look at is the starter ring gear made on the flywheel, most at that time were add ons.charley

There's more than one smile in that picture, and none of them seem really sad to be there...

I know if I had something like that car in MY shop I wouldn't be sad at all!!