British truck

[DocJohn]

Hi, I'm usually over on the Early V8 forum as I have a Pilot V8 Woodie but I'd like your help with this photograph.



It is in a recently compiled archive of images of my home town in Derbyshire, UK. I think that it is an English Model T built at Trafford Park in Manchester before 1927, but that's as far as I can go. Any help in providing more details, or identifying the series or age would be very gratefully received.

Thanks

John

[15max]

In the US the brass radiator and brass rims on the lights would have been 1915 Model year. If the light rims were painted black it would have been 1916. 1917 the radiator changed from what is shown to a painted radiator shell with a different shape.

[J Franklin]

1915-1916 + nice body by craftsmen!

[DocJohn]

Thanks, that's earlier than I thought!

[redmodelt]

1915/1916 It is built on a car chassis. Ford didn't start actual production of the one ton truck (TT) chassis till 1918.

[Geoff Ryall-Harvey]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

My Modified style hot rod is on a UK produced TT Chassis from 1921. The rails are about twice as deep as a standard T chassis. I can see the chassis in your picture and it's definitely a car chassis - so very likely to be predate mine.

The UK expert on home produced T's is Neil Tuckett.

[Bruce Lancaster]

It is closely similar to some versions of the Model T ambulances that served in WWI... my first thought was that it might be a conversion of one. The ambulances had a longer bed, necessary to get the whole patient under cover. Some of the bodies were otherwise very much like the above, others had flat board rear fenders and more wood bracing on the bed. They were made with both brass and covered radiators as the war spanned the changeover.

[DocJohn]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lancaster

It is closely similar to some versions of the Model T ambulances that served in WWI... my first thought was that it might be a conversion of one. The ambulances had a longer bed, necessary to get the whole patient under cover. Some of the bodies were otherwise very much like the above, others had flat board rear fenders and more wood bracing on the bed. They were made with both brass and covered radiators as the war spanned the changeover.

I think that's very likely.

[DocJohn]

I thought you might be interested in some information I received today from Chris Barker of the Model T Ford Register of GB. I've editted it down:

"As you recognised, it is a Model T Ford, and it will have been built in Trafford Park.
The van body is the 'factory' model, designed and only built in the UK.
It was identical to the Model T car mechanically, and had the same front end.
2.9 litre 4 cylinder 20bhp sv engine, 2-speed epicyclic transmission; braking by a band in the gearbox.
......
It was introduced in mid-1914, but the example shown is a little later.
The attached photo shows the 1914 original; you will see that it has acetylene lights, a flat scuttle and a cranked screen.
Your van has a pressed, deeper scuttle, a flat screen and electric lights. This makes it 1916 (or possibly late 1915) - the small brass radiator disappeared in late 1916, replaced by a black more rounded design.
25000 vans were built, 2772 in 1915, and 5422 in 1916."

Regards

John