History Photos taken before WW2 - history in black and white

The term "mother-in-law's seat" takes on a new meaning! LOL

 

This photo was taken at the Wisconsin State Fair......You can see the end of ramp she landed on on the edge of the photo.

 

Was this done at neck breaking speed?

 

Colorized photo of modified T loaded with kids in California (ahead of their time?).

 

Anyone want to guess what the front axle is from? Spring pearch to king pin is longer than stock T.

 

Good to see the T has shock absorbers, that should help keep the kids in their seats.

 

Elsewhere in the world...

 

The ruts in the roads were wider down South due to the fact that a cotton wagon was wide enough for two bails side by side.

 

Reckon that ain't polish.

 

Hand brake?

 

National, c. 1922.

 

No idea what make, but it's fitted out well. Check the rear seat suspension.

 

Driver is Francis Edwin Birtles:

The following photos are photos courtesy of Ian Duncan Smith.

 

Birtles (with bike) meets "Angelina" (the 1908 Talbot 25hp) near Alice Springs:

 

Birtles near the South Australian and Western Australian borders:





"In 1909 cycled Freemantle to Sydney.
In 1910-11 rode around Australia.
In 1911 rode Sydney to Darwin in just 31 days.
By 1912 Birtles had cycled across Australia 7 times & around it twice!"

 

"Birtles then decided it was time for cars. In 1912 he made the first West-East crossing of Australia by car from Perth to Sydney covering 2,600 miles in 28 days with co-driver Syd Ferguson & “Rex” the dog driving a single cylinder 1910 Brush 10HP."

 

"In 1913 Birtles was sponsored by the state Ford distributors and Barnett Glass Tyres to drive a 1913 Ford 3,500 miles from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Melbourne. The new 1913 Ford was shipped to Darwin for the trip. The trip was another Ford sucess story and he made money selling the story to the newspapers of the day."



"The Ford requires no overhaul!” Local aboriginees in Northern Australia come and see Birtles and his car. Rex is working on his sun tan on the bonnett."

 

"Conditions were sometimes difficult". Conditions in the far north and in the Gulf Country become worse especially during the wet season. Rex was probably off doing things dogs do and is not in the photo. Note the dead goanna tied to the rear hood bracket for a future meal."

 

Not a single puncture - Barnett Glass tyres". A termite mound in gulf country, Northern Australia. Poor Rex never made this photo either, he must of been devestated."

 

"Travelled 3,500 miles in 21 days”. Birtles and Rex at one of their many campsites.

 

“Averaged 25 miles per gallon”. Central Australia is a huge place and Birtles had to carry all of his own supplies and petrol. Supply dumps had been organised prior to his departure. Note his beloved cycle as back up transport. Rex has pride of place on the back seat.

 

Birtles and Rex digging the bogged Ford out of a dry river bed in Central Australia.

 

Little cheap Ford beat the big English £1000 car”. At one station Birtles bet some money on a race and won. Rex looks composed after his race win

 

"Get good oil – the importance of good engine oils is not appreciated by the average owner”. Good advice still relevant today, this is one camp where "fresh" supplies were gathered. Rex resting under the front axle doesn't seem to bothered about some of his future meals.

 

The end of the trip. Great oppurtunity for a publicity photo with Rex at Tarrant Motors Pty. Ltd., the Victorian state Ford Distributor. Photo courtesy of the Model 'T' Ford Club of Victoria

 

Albert Roberts' Stand at the Ipswich(Queensland) Show - 1915:

 

Definitely T. That is one of the classic and fairly common lowering styles from the early days. I think I have the article on how to heat and bend this axle....somewhere in my archive that is

 

A Bucciali:

 

A Tracta E Henri LeMoine (??):