Engine numbers

[Ed Saniewski]

Were the Model T engine numbers the same size and shape as the model A? Thanks Ed Saniewski

[Steve Jelf]

I can't tell you about a Model A. I don't know anything about those modern cars. On a T the serial number is on a flat boss directly over the water inlet. A car made after December 1925 will also have it stamped on top of the right frame rail under the floor boards. Occasionally it's on the left rail, but usually it's on the right. Serial numbers vary in style, and being hand stamped they're not always neat.

[Dodge]

For the most part yes. The real early T's had them on the right hand side and the
number looked slightly smaller. The later T's 1912 and later where above the water
inlet and the same as the 28-30 ish Model A's somewhere in 30-31 the stamps changed
to a more modern type number stamp. You can probably find it on the internet.
I didn't look.
Does that answer your question?

[Ed Saniewski]

Thanks, was there a raised pad for the numbers on the right side for the early engines? Wonder why Ford switched sides?

[Steve Jelf]

From Bruce McCalley's encyclopedia:

1909
(Early water-pump engines) Ser. # 1 to 309 calendar year 1908
1 to 2500 model year Model year (Oct. 1908 to May 1909)
S/N (serial number) located between the center exhaust ports.

1909
Ser. # 310 to 14,161 calendar year 1909. 2501 to 8,100 model year
(Model year May 1, 1909 to July 31, 1909.) Note: Ford’s published data shows 1 to 11,100 built between Oct. 1, 1908 and Sept. 30, 1909.
S/N on boss behind cam gear housing on right side of engine.

This was the location of the serial number until about 100,000 when it was moved near the water inlet on the left side [in (February?) 1912.]

[Jack Innes]

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I would guess that the final location was a cost saving & practical change. The area for the number is an extension of the water inlet boss & one machining operation did the water inlet & number boss. The earlier separate boss involved a separate operation & with the thoughts of mounting a generator in a few years it would need to be somewhere else in any case.
The final location would also be easier to stamp as the earlier area is cramped on one side by the timing gear housing.

[Royce P]

The first 500 or so engines had this location:


Later, in 1909 calendar year, the raised pad appeared on the right side of the engine just behind the water pump (serial 916 shown):


After serial 2500, the same location continued for about the next 140,000 engines:

[Ed Saniewski]

Thanks, I am sure you are right about the cost saving. Henry was a business man and it was all about saving time and money.