History Help ID a 1919 hot rod?

I found this photo after my grandfather p***ed. It's his brother Thor in the drivers seat. He took off shortly after this photo and was never seen again. It was taken in Petaluma Ca. about 1919 from the plate. The photo was colorized at some time by on of my great aunts.

 

not sure what it is but its cool is that a 13 on the grill

 

That is awsome, would love to know more about it.

 

Yeah, I think this gives me reason to put on on my 33!

 

Weirdness: Lots of Nonford features showing, but I think there is a Ford somehow tucked in there!
Look at front crossmember...looks like T, with no spring. Blurry truck type springs, but axle may well be T from the look of right end. Radius rods suggest more T lurking in there... My guess is T running gear and quite possibly frame tucked into rails from something else. Pan and rear end are unclear, but seem to have bulges in right places for Ford...

 

cool car

 

Bruce, that's what I'm seeing when I blow the image up. Looks like the rear has two springs per side.
Until I found this photo, I thought I was the first in my blood line to hot rod!Maybe it is genetic!

 

It looks like a 1916 Stutz Bearcat with the fenders removed but the hood is rounded instead of angled.

Dunno

 

I agree a lot of it looks like Model T. You could buy those grille shells ect, even bodies back then aftermarket. True. Just like heads for T's and wheels too. Speedster stuff. Lippy

 

Was a solid mount on the front axle done back then? I don't see how that could work, or what advantage it would be. The original just isn't clear enough to see exactly whats there.

 

Ah HAA! Blow the pic up I see two front springs! The bad spot in the pic is hiding it on the drivers side but you can see behind the front wheel they are there. Still looks like T headlights, front axle, rearend man that crossmember is ON the front axle.

 

looks a lot like a T Speedster to me, here's a link
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=285582&showall=1

 

You really have to look close to see the Model T Ford parts in there. That is a non Ford ch***is with a T front crossmember that you would need to mount a T engine in another ch***is. Thanks for posting the photo. Bob

 

Your right Lippy, I see the springs. The axle looks like it sits right in front of the x member.

 

That's a T frame with the frame horns and shackles bolted on...look just above the shackle and you'll see a large fastener head. Axle is in front of the crossmember - note the T front motor mount still in use. Front frame horns could be early Dodge.

 

I also see T frame with front/horns from something that may have been a parallel front leaf car.

Cool Pic!

One thing though, that's technically not a Hot rod, more like speedster.


jmho


moe


.

 

Bob, it looks like the fornt axle still has the transverse spring- I wonder if those horns aren't more ornamental?

It also looks like you can see where the horns are added on right above the front hub.

 

I blew the orig. scan up and can defiantly see parallel springs in front. Sure do wonder what ever happened to the car, not to mention what ever became of Uncle Thor!

 

I love the pic... and petaluma is just down the road. i wonder if he ever raced it at Cotati?

 

The grille and body says Whippet origins to me. Just an idea.

 

Found this......Indy car

 

Wasn't American Grafitti filmed in Petaluma? Are you sure that's not John Milner's grandfather in the driver's seat?

"I don't like that new Jazz ****. Music's been goin' downhill ever since Stephen Foster died."

 

I still think there's a considerable amount of T frame in there, plated over with rails or pieces of rails from a 4-spring car! I betcha the T frame at least goes back to the bellhousing area to serve as a primitive Hurst conversion mount...

 

found this... frame horns are very similar... maybe uncle thor lucked into a duesenberg indy ch***is?

 

Wouldn't that make me and Milner cousins?

 

I've been looking at a few pictures on the web. I think it's a Crane Simplex from about 1917. Any one have some pictures or info on the Simplex?

 

Crane Simplexes were huge cars. Stop overthinking it. The car is Model T based. The axle, lights, crossmember, radius rods, brake rods and steering wheel all scream "T"

 

Yup, What I Agree With What Bruce L & Carl La Fong

 

Front frame horns like that were used on hundreds of types of car, in fact practically everything that wasn't a Ford, and rear springs like that were used on a lot of makes. The overall proportions suggest that those bits came from a fairly small, light car.
Underneath that stuff there is clearly a lot of Model T, but much more cannot be determined from the available detail.

 

Thanks guys. I have little knowledge of the early cars. To bad the condition of the photo is so poor. I'm going to have it copied & restored. I'm just happy to have it. I knew I couldn't be the first hot rodder in the family.