Early Model T photo

[Herb Iffrig]

Early but how early?

[Mark Nunn]

The short radiator neck and buggy rail on the back point to 1909-1910. Two-tier side lamp chimneys, I believe, are 1910. I think there was a change in the location of rear door handles between years, but I don't recall details. It's a great photo, though.

[Wayne Sheldon]

Certainly a wonderful photo Herb, unfortunately, not clear enough detail to help much with research.
The angle of the shot obscures several details that would help with dating. I zoomed in, but could not tell if the rear fender "butterfly" irons were inside (under) the rear fenders as most 1909s had, or outside (behind) the rear fender as the 1910 models did. The front body mount is hidden be the front fender, so cannot tell if is a two or three bolt bracket. That change was made late calendar 1909 or early model 1910. Also due to messy detail (age?) of the photo, cannot see the middle body mount, whether three or four bolt.
Front fender bills were absent, came, then went, then came back again a couple times through 1909 and 1910. So they do not help much. The one thing they do tell, is that the car is not a very early 1909 which had blunt squared no bill front fenders.
Headlamps, windshield, and top, were all optional 1909 and most of 1910, and were often added later as after-market. So they don't always help wit dating the early Ts.
I would say it is likely a mid 1909 to mid or later 1910 model. So I am not a lot of help.

[Rich P. Bingham]

I can never remember all the earmarks, so thanks much, Wayne, for the refresher. One detail I think I see, is the radiator script appears to have the long “wings”. What is the chronology of that ? Also, I’ve seen photos of the earliest Ts sans windshield that don’t appear to have the “spacer board” as this one does, although that’s not an ‘09-‘10 difference.