MTFCA Forum

The 6th photo from the top looks like the dealer was selling a wringer washing machine besides Model T’s. It sure looks a wringer washer to me anyway. Maybe they used it in the dealership?

I grew up with a Montgomery Wards machine that looked almost identical to the one that’s shown in the photo. When I saw it I had to look twice.

The washer may have been part of a sales display.... buy a new Ford instead of a new XXXXX, and buy a new washer with the money you save....

When I saw the picture of the new Ford show room and the man next to the wringer washer my thoughts were funny but probably not what was going on . I thought that the poor guy next to the washer
has to get down on his hands and knees and scrub up all those oil spots under those new Fords.

You may be right...!

The second photo is quite interesting (at least to me?). For many years, the entire 1915 to 1916 transition has been discussed, studied, and debated, with numerous out of sync midyear changes being made. There were unusually long crossover times when both earlier and later styles were both still being installed at the factory on many of those changes. One of those things that has been discussed, theorized, and debated numerous times, is whether or not any cars left the factory with some of the lamps black trimmed and others brass trimmed.
I have looked at literally hundreds of 1915/'16 era car photos. Often, lighting, angle of shot, or a couple years of aging discoloration makes it impossible to be sure. However, I cannot recall offhand ever seeing a nice photo clearly showing a mix of lamp trim on a nice enough looking 1915 T to believe it likely could have left the factory that way. But there it is.
Still and all? Something could have been changed, or painted over? But this car looks fairly fresh. And the headlamps certainly appear to be black rims, while the sidelamps clearly appear to be brass trimmed.

Just some minor detail to ponder.

The fifth picture looks like an interesting competition. Notice the nearby Ford with the radiator adorned with the car's number (8) and above that "VIBER".

Vibrate.

Gotta love a warped sense of humor and puns.


Also, the rear tire is missing. I wonder if he just spun it off? One would get good traction on a steel rim in that dirt to push over the small hills.

I think that fenderless touring in the fifth photo invented the first ‘burn out.’ If the next photo (6th) is actually a Ford dealership, I find it odd that an aftermarket wood body TT is there.

John kuehn wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 8:50 am

The 6th photo from the top looks like the dealer was selling a wringer washing machine besides Model T’s. It sure looks a wringer washer to me anyway. Maybe they used it in the dealership?

I grew up with a Montgomery Wards machine that looked almost identical to the one that’s shown in the photo. When I saw it I had to look twice.

Could be but was thinking it might be the washer for doing shop cloths sold by KRW.

George House wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 7:18 pm

I think that fenderless touring in the fifth photo invented the first ‘burn out.’ If the next photo (6th) is actually a Ford dealership, I find it odd that an aftermarket wood body TT is there.

Until 1923 Ford didn't supply a cab and the photo looks to be between 1921 and 1923, so not so odd if they were an agent for that line of cabs.

That’s a mighty big “if” Mark. Any evidence out there of a Ford dealership of the era Also selling aftermarket wood TT cabs ? I believe they only sold TT chassis until Ford offered the C cab.

The TT may have been a service truck or just in to have work done.