MTFCA Forum

Can someone help finding the manufacturing date of my wife's car:
1925 FORD MODEL T TOURING
VIN: 8657820
Thanks!
Bill

600wt wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 8:55 am

Can someone help finding the manufacturing date of my wife's car:
1925 FORD MODEL T TOURING
VIN: 8657820
Thanks!
Bill

Oct. 31, 1923! So it's really an early '24

That will only work if you have the original engine. Many engines have been swapped for different date or different year engines and the numbers have been changed on the title to the engine number in the car.
Norm

If it's a late 1925 there may be the "VIN" stamped on the top of the frame, right side, close to where the transmission rests.

The only way to know for sure if that’s the original engine number if it’s a 1 owner car and the original title. After 100 years and maybe different owners things were changed. And possibly the engine. Hopefully it’s the original engine. If you have a good title I wouldn’t worry about it. I have a late year 24 Coupe I inherited and it had the best inspection tickets with some of the paper work. Along the way inspectors would quickly write down 25 Ford Coupe. The 24-25 Coupes look identical from a casual glance. This happens with other T’s that look identical between the year to year changes. My 24 has wooden framework doors which makes it 24.

Go by the photos is Bruce's black book. That engine number doesn't mean much, and don't pay attention to a frame number. A photo would really help.
There are early 25's and there are late 25's. Your car may even be a 1924. Just pay attention and learn what you are doing. It's not hard.

Here's the deal and I hate to admit it, but the car was purchased by her back in 2002. She bought it because all I ever bought were trucks- TT's & T pickups. I've been driving the Touring car since she bought is for thousands of miles in it, attended many tours, national tours, and Covered Bridge Tours, without ever paying attention to the engine date, mainly because after the engine was rebuilt by a rebuilder in Georgia in 2002, there hasn't been a major repair to the engine (many updates by me- yes), therefore I never had a need to investigate the engine's birthdate.
Yesterday I was invited to attend a 100th anniversary event for a local school. I said, "the car is not a hundred years old yet, it's a 1925 Model." Then I got to thinking- what if the car was built in LATE '24? Then, it would be 100. So, I started investigating. That's where I am now.
Mystery solved- THANKS!

Good to have a mystery solved


Here is simple way to i.d. the 1925 model year Ford. Single pane rear window. Equal length hinges on the front door., '24 and earlier have longer length lower door hinge.

Here’s a 25 door hinge to look at closer opened up. You can see that it’s straight as Dan says.

First, there are no numbers stamped on the frame rail.
Second, both upper and lower door hinges on the passenger side measure 1.75". Provided the car is not a "put together", it's a '25. Right?
My goal is not to prove the year the car was manufactured, I have a PA title from the previous owner stating it's a 1925 model. I'm just attempting to find out if it's a '25 that was assembled in the last months of '24, If that is the case- the car is 100 years old, almost.

I may be mistaken, but I think the '25 models produced in 1924 also had the equal door hinges?
Another thing most people don't know, is the 1925's used the clipped patent plates just like the 1926's. There are many more features.

On 1925 cars, the hand brake ratchet is attached with only one rivet on each end. All earlier cars have 2 rivets on each end.

: ^ )

It’s Interesting how the “in between” cars of 24 and on into 25 are head scratchers in dating. If your T was actually put together in latter 24 it is 100 years old. My 24 Coupe was a latter 24 car.

They all look the same! LOL So even if it was off by a year, most likely you would be the only one that would know. If anyone ask, just tell them it's a 1924.

600wt wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 5:52 pm

First, there are no numbers stamped on the frame rail.
Second, both upper and lower door hinges on the passenger side measure 1.75". Provided the car is not a "put together", it's a '25. Right?
My goal is not to prove the year the car was manufactured, I have a PA title from the previous owner stating it's a 1925 model. I'm just attempting to find out if it's a '25 that was assembled in the last months of '24, If that is the case- the car is 100 years old, almost.

Let's regroup.
You initially said the VIN was 8657820. So is that the number on the Title, the number above th water inlet of the engine or and do they match?
During its lifetime of 100 years there were many opportunities for an engine(s) to fail and be replaced by another. Its has be said more than once that engine numbers date the engine not the car.
Then again in the last 100 years or so many Model T's have been refurbished, restored or resurrected. Many parts are also upgradable to later years etc.
Titles themselves can also be misleading, mistakes can be made unintentionally or intentionally.
Best to have a few pictures (body, wheels, front axle, dash etc) to have the expert members critique it.