*FINISHED* 1915 Ford Model T: Pyro model in 1/32 from 1967!

[tatocorvette]

Chris,

What a beauty! Is it still in the family? The speedster is my favorite Model T! They were initially offered in some colors but they went to "any color as long as it is black" around 1913.
If I build another one it will be the IMC speedster in 1/24.

Thanks,
Ismael

[Chris K. Hale]

Unfortunately my Dad passed away from Dementia/Alzheimer's just over 2 years ago, my sisters sold it ( I have 4 so I dont know who to put the Hit out on ) The nice thing is one he built , a sedan with Mother-in-laws seat, for a Japanese Billionaire was entered it at Pebble Beach Concourse a few years back, but no one had ever entered one before, so the rules there state, if that make or model has never been there the car must be entered in certain Concours around the Country and Globe, the guy did that, put it on tour for a year, it won several, then he went back to Pebble Beach and won best in Class. Quite an Honor. I wish I could find out which museum its in over there but there are many collections and most Private.. Chris

[tatocorvette]

Hello,

  Frame, rear axle/suspension, gas tank, fuel line










Thanks,
Ismael

[sam]

Mar 14, 2023 14:04:10 GMT -8 tatocorvette said:

Hello,

  Got carried away and made a wooden floor for the trunk as it will be visible...  I knew those coffee stirrers would be handy at some point.



Thanks,
Ismael

Ismael,

Those had a wooden firewall as well.

[tatocorvette]

Hi Sam,

 According to my research wooden firewalls were used until around 1914. By 1915 it was steel.

Thanks,
Ismael

[sam]

Mar 17, 2023 19:37:58 GMT -8 tatocorvette said:

Hi Sam,

 According to my research wooden firewalls were used until around 1914. By 1915 it was steel.

Thanks,
Ismael

1915 and 1916 were different from the 1914, but still had a wooden firewall in the configuration that you have on your model. In 1917 the cowl was changed and along with it the firewall which was still wood with a metal one you could purchase later and replace the wooden one. This configuration lasted through early 1923. During 1923 they went from a low hood to a high hood,and from the high hood on was a full steel firewall. Here are photos showing the 1915-16 wooden firewall.

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/115711.html%3F1259898099&ved=2ahUKEwjSguLB7eT9AhU0FzQIHQQuB74QrAIoA3oECCgQBA&usg=AOvVaw2Wc9HP0_RKToVqFfeomeHN

Ismael, your making my brain hurt. I haven't had to think about all this in decades. I am more familiar with the 1917-27 years but we did have a 1915 touring. My dad bought his first model T when he was 13 years old,in 1933. It was a 1920, same year as he was born. He was too young for a license, but would drive through a field and cross the roads to another field to get where he wanted to go. 😃 He taught me how to crank start one when I was 12-13. I much preferred using the starter.

[tatocorvette]

Hi,

   What I meant was that prior to 1915 the firewall/cowl was a bigger flat piece of wood. Like this one:



It seems that in 1915 they changed to steel cowl.


However, the inner firewall where the plug wires connect was most likely still wood but was painted black.

This video is of a 1915 roadster I'm using as reference for the engine. 



I have also found 1915 and later vehicles for commercial applications still using flat wood cowls after 1915 like this beauty.
www.mecum.com/lots/SC0516-243342/1915-ford-model-t-delivery-truck/

and this one that seems to have a wooden cowl but steel firewall? ODD!
www.mecum.com/lots/SC0517-281585/1915-ford-model-t-depot-hack/

Turned out they also sold body-less bare running frames for truck conversions.  

I have found so many differences and variations my brain hurts. It seems not two of the 15 million cars made were exactly alike.

Thanks,
Ismael

[sam]

Yes, what you call the inner firewall is indeed the firewall, not the cowl, and made of wood. I have seen varnished ones as well as painted ones. Also correct is that the commercial vehicles used the 1914 flat wood firewall which they continued to use for a number of years. Both the depot hack and delivery van had the flat wood firewall. Also correct was that Ford sold a running and driving chassis (complete with steering column and wheel"). This gave the purchaser the option of building their own body or purchasing one already built by another manufacturer.

Side note.
Ford never built a "speedster". These were manufactured by a number of other companies and designed for the "T" chassis, or owner built. I like to think of these as the first hot rodders. 😁

Nice to see your usual research in this project. As you can probably tell, the model T has a special place in my heart.

[arcticwolf]

Is it just me, or is "wooden" "firewall" a contradiction in terms?  

[kyledehart5]

Mar 18, 2023 18:58:25 GMT -8 arcticwolf said:

Is it just me, or is "wooden" "firewall" a contradiction in terms?  

Varnished wood at that. What a great idea. Wooden firehelper…

[Joel_W]

Ismael,
In my quest to start catching up as I've been away from modeling for more then 6 months, I'm always amazed at the scope and variety of subjects you decide to model. This little Pyro Gem was produced 2 years after I graduated high school.

As usual, your attention to details and extra details just makes these builds even more special to follow.

joel

[tatocorvette]

Hello,

Thank you guys!

   With the intention of displaying the hood with one side open, I thinned the parts for a better scale appearance.  You can compare to the untouched part on the right.




The kit's muffler (on the left) was removed and replaced.  Don't worry, the tiny gap between the tubes will be addressed.



Finally, added head bolts to the engine. A tiny drop of white glue and a touch of brown paint.  It will eventually be blended and become a bit darker.



Thanks,
Ismael

[nhoj]

Good to see a 1/32scale model car ,that's the only scale I build here the UK ,this my Airfix Morris Bullnose that I made to look well used, the nearside rear door was cut out and then held in place with wire ,lock had failed!!!! broken headlight and dent in fender plus lots of scratch built parts. Can't load photo's sorry about that. 

[tatocorvette]

Hello,

Slowly but surely, the 1/32 chassis is progressing. 

Some models are way too realistic: The muffler and exhaust were a bear to fit interfering with the suspension and chassis. Just like a 1:1 project.    

Too bad pretty much everything is some shade of black here. 











Thanks,
Ismael

[kyledehart5]

Lovely