extra spare

[Marshall V. Daut]

Photographs usually have a reason for being taken. What do you suppose the reason was for taking this photo alongside the road? Breakdowns on the road were nothing unusual back then. Assuming the owner is the one working under the hood, who took the photo and why? A wife perhaps, documenting her warning to the husband that she didn't want to move somewhere in the first place? SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO unlike a wife to do that.

Does the rear of the body seem to be sitting extra low? Maybe the rumbleseat (this is a 1930 Deluxe Roadster, which came standard with a rumbleseat; note the top irons with wood, which is also a DeLuxe Roadster feature) is full of heavy items? It appears as though the owner is moving all his worldly goods, even strapping boxes on the top. The extra tire may also indicate a long trip with expected tire trouble.

Speaking of which, does the left front tire appear to be shredding apart with a chunk beginning to fall off? I'd worry more about that happening than what's wrong under the hood!

The original Model A horn has been replaced by what appears to be a common Klaxton horn. Odd that a horn would have failed so soon after the car was new. I'd guess this photo was taken in the late 1930's. 'Sure didn't get much time out of the factory horn.
Marshall

[Brad in Germany]

That photo is of a French registered Ford Model A roadster with original Ford Marchal headlights. Note the French license plate.

Starting in May of 1930, Ford Model A's that were assembled in France came from the French Ford assembly plant with those Marchal headlights in order to meet the new French road code for vehicle headlights.

Here is an era advertisement for Marchal which appeared in the French Revue Ford magazine stating that those Marchal headlights were standard on all Ford cars starting in May of 1930:



Decrypting the licence plate on the car in the original photo: the "RL" was issued from May 1937 through August 1938 in the "Seine" department (region of Paris and its suburbs) and the number 1420 with the number 6 after the RL was issued between 10 March 1938 and 23 April 1938.

The Germans invaded France on 10 May 1940 so the photo was most likely taken just before the Germans invaded France (when things like rubber tires were carefully managed) and thus the person in what appears to be a French military uniform and the not-so-new tires. Note that the car owner has hamstered an extra tire as well.

Brad in Maryland




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