MTFCA Forum

Cleaning up in the shop I came across one of those spurious parts Henry warned us about.

I didn't cut the bag open and take out this top clamp screw but I think you can see it pretty well. I wonder if anybody can post a picture of an original to show how close this reproduction comes. I'm guessing not very.

Pretty sure this one is.

If it is....then the answer to your question is....not even close.

Two versions, the '23-'25 are stamped flat looking. The '26-'27 pronounced hump at the junction.


Photo posted on the forum, later version on the left.

'23-'25

Thanks Don and Dan, I was wondering myself!

Hank

DanTreace wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 4:48 pm

Two versions, the '23-'25 are stamped flat looking. The '26-'27 pronounced hump at the junction.

Interesting.

I've got one of each on my soon-to-be-installed top bows.

I guess in desperation you could use a file to smooth out the weld on the repop and make it look decent if that’s all you had and not an original.
Those nuts have been looked over in junk boxes at swap meets like a lot of the small T pieces. Probably more than a few have been thrown out in old parts boxes at old farm auctions also.

I’ve had great success with William Bender when it comes to finding OEM versions of little bits like this. It’s been a big help as I’ve obsessively tried to avoid new/repro/shiny bits on my 24 Touring.

I've bought small piles of genuine Ford fasteners (including a steering wheel nut, windshield wing nuts and more) from him at Chickasha for the last couple years and have done business with him through the mail a couple other times.

I made my repro ones look pretty close to the '23 - '25 OEM ones with a little work with a grinder, stripping the plating, and laying on some paint.

I disagree with Dan's conclusion. I believe the above part with the hump is earlier. Why? Because Ford was always looking for ways to cut costs. I have a pair of NOS top to windshield clamps, and they have the flat wing. Doesn't the '26-7 open cars use the same one as the 23-5?

This sort of part likely came from a 3rd party manufacturer and therefore wasn’t made in the actual Ford factory, so there were probably several minor variations. These types of items were widely used “general hardware” items and were likely sourced from whoever had the best price and was reasonably close to the Ford print. Doing some rough math, the number of these needed to outfit every roadster and touring car during Fords busiest production month would fit into a 2’x2’x2’ container.

About the only way to tell design is to get print of the part or the assembly from the Benson Ford Library.

The top clamping assembly is Fac. No. 3588X, and according to B. Macalley CD parts listing the Top Clamping Wing Screw is Fac. No. 3540 (with date noted as 8/12/22) in the alphabetical with under the line for the Top Bracket Clamping Assembly . However in the numerical listing that same Fac No. 3540 is an earlier brass era part.

My review has been observing original '26-'27s and some have this bump out style, the flat ones being earlier. IMO.

Check it out on EBAY. Its a Make Offer - asking $49 + $7.99 ship. Bet they could be had for $35 + ship
Model T Ford Top Clamp Touring Windshield Stantion Thumb Screw Wing 12 13 14 15

I don't believe those are Ford parts - those year tops don't clamp to the w.s. - they utilize a strap & hook to the w.s. hinge !

Was only thinking about the thumb screw. Now in comparing to the others they are NOT the same.

My 24 has the style shown in Frank’s picture on the left. I can’t say it’s “correct for the year”, but I believe it’s an original.