MTFCA Forum

A neat perspective of the era.

Neat photo. Begets the question of "wonder how much training, factory or otherwise" these fellas had in order to perform the task?
Or was it "learn by doing"?

I have a feeling it kind of like this photo and the comment! It was learning by doing and on the fly.

The early body in this view really illustrates the "horseless carriage" perception. These 20 ponies have obviously pulled up lame. I wonder what ails them ? Removing the dash indicates the mechanics plan to pull the engine. It's interesting how far they have stripped the motor. Exploratory surgery perhaps ?

Fun to speculate on the level of training. I don't recall ever reading about any factory programs to train dealers and their staff on the care and feeding of the infernal beasts, but there must have been. I also don't ever recall any mention of earlier issues of the comprehensive "bible" most of us use, which was published in 1924-25 and later with notes on the "improved" '26-'27 cars.

That creeper is the earliest that I've seen. I would certainly like to get my hands on one of those.

Blacksmith shops played a big part in rural America. They were the first place an early car owner would take his auto to try to get a repair done to it. Auto dealers were still few and far between and the next thing to any thing mechanical would be the local Blacksmith.
Here’s an early example of the transition that was happening in the early days of early motoring!

Check out the sign about machining, blacksmithing and horseshoeing! Really neat.These guys did it all!

Herb, Those two guys in the first picture look like Laurel and Hardy! Maybe, just a resemblance?
Norm

That's a great photo John ! Thanks for posting it.

It's worth mentioning that most places if any size had a livery stable where one could "put up" a horse or team while in town, or rent a horse and buggy or a wagon. The photographic record shows how swiftly the country transitioned into the "motor age" as the livery stable adapted and soon became the local garage, offering autos for hire, storage, gasoline, tires and tire repair and mechanical repairs as well.

TWrenn wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 03, 2023 8:41 am

Neat photo. Begets the question of "wonder how much training, factory or otherwise" these fellas had in order to perform the task?
Or was it "learn by doing"?

I believe in the early days it was learn by doing. Look at the Ford service manual, it is written clearly and simply. If you could read, you could fix a Ford.

By 1910-12 Training schools were established. These schools were to train mechanics for general auto repair and nlt just Ford. Ford dealers hired handy men who then trained themselves by doling.

In 1926 when they opened route 66 my grandfather and one uncle drove a Model T from Los Angeles to Plymouth Rock and into southern Canada and then back. I have met in the past some of the people they visited along the way. Many were family members who had settled between Los Angeles and New York when they, or their ancestors had gone west. Somewhere along the way, they broke the crankshaft. The car was towed to the nearest Ford Garage, and the engine was fixed overnight. Likely they got a new or rebuilt engine. I don't know how they could have repaired the same engine that quickly.
Norm

Model T ownewr having his coils repaired.
Circa 1930

Coil Service Circa 1935

Yep! If you could get a coil to “buzz purty good” you were good to go!