The Ford Barn

JimG · 03-27-2018, 08:34 PM

Here are before and after photos of a wrecked car that was repaired by my father's uncle, John Miller, in the 1920's. He was an auto body guy. He is in the middle wearing the newsboy hat. (I just noticed they are all wearing newsboy hats.) How about that for a repair job?

There is another photo of him leaning on the radiator of the truck from the auto body company he worked for at the time. Can anyone identify the car and truck make and year? The truck looks pretty early.

He was a doughboy in WWI - worked on keeping the vehicles running in France in the motor pool.

19Fordy · 03-27-2018, 10:13 PM

Wow, your uncle and his co-workers sure were talented, working with that thick gage metal. Amazing.

RalphM · 03-27-2018, 10:37 PM

Looks like they rolled that one!
I’ve never been great at auto body repair, I can do it, but it takes me ten times longer than those with the talent.

V8ER · 03-28-2018, 05:36 AM

The truck is a '26 or '27 Ford Model TT.

Terry,OH · 03-28-2018, 06:28 AM

The two photos show different cars so there doesn't appear to be an "after" photo.

37 Cab · 03-28-2018, 06:37 AM

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Hood latch is moved and step plates are gone. Also hood has bigger space at rear of louvers to back hood edge.

DavidG · 03-28-2018, 07:25 AM

The hood is entirely different, as is the cowl lamp and the placement of the lower door hinge, etc., all things that likely were unaffected by the collision or roll over.

DD931 · 03-28-2018, 07:40 AM

Why is everyone trying so hard to destroy a happy family story?

JimG · 03-28-2018, 07:59 AM

Thanks everyone for your input. I know you guys have good eyes to pick out small details - that is why I posted the photos. I am going through these family photos and trying to make sense of them, with no one around to ask about the details. I knew John was an auto body guy in the 1920's and in my quick look at the photos last night they appeared to be the same car, parked in the same location and assumed they were demonstrating one of his repair jobs. Now that I know they are different cars, there is another possible story. John's brother-in-law was killed in a car accident in March, 1927 at the age of 26. He died from broken ribs that punctured many other internal organs when he was moved by some people trying to help after the accident. This might be the accident car. The only thing I see that would lead me to believe otherwise is there are leaves on the trees - the photo would have had to have been taken well after the accident. Is the car a pre or post 1927 car? If post 1927, then it could not have been the accident car. Maybe just a random example of bad wreck.

The other thing I found interesting in the truck photo is the cabinet maker that was involved in auto body repair. I guess that reflects the amount of internal wood structure that all the cars from this era had.

JSeery · 03-28-2018, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DD931

Why is everyone trying so hard to destroy a happy family story?

So if there are obvious errors, one should ignore them as long as it's a good story!?

I think it has helped the OPer to sort out some stuff.

cas3 · 03-28-2018, 10:35 AM

the wrecked car has Budd disk wheels, used by dodge and nash for sure, and perhaps others too. could be a 25ish nash. i had a 27 once, but details have left my nogin

DavidG · 03-28-2018, 10:59 AM

Very likely it is pre-1927. My guess would be that it is the 1922-25 range. Typical of the body construction of the period, the structural members appear to be made of hardwood and in a serious collision such as likely the case judging from the photo, the damage to the body is catastrophic.

Tinker · 03-28-2018, 11:52 AM

Looks a little like a 1925 chevy. Cowl light included

DavidG · 03-28-2018, 03:42 PM

The Stovebolt lacks the raised belt molding of the car in the photo and is shorter judging from the length of the running board apron.

cas3 · 03-28-2018, 03:47 PM

wrong wheels too

JimG · 03-28-2018, 04:11 PM

How about a 1927 Nash?

DavidG · 03-28-2018, 05:07 PM

Bingo!

rotorwrench · 03-28-2018, 05:17 PM

Back in those days a guy had to be a jack of all trades to do bodywork. Wood work, trim work, and metal work would all have been involved.

Tinker · 03-28-2018, 06:19 PM

Yep the Nash looks right on the button.

JimG · 03-29-2018, 03:59 PM

As far as the truck goes, it doesn't look like a 1926 or 1927 Ford Model TT. The louvers on the hood are wrong and the running board supports are wrong. Here's a 1926 Fiord Model TT from the internet. It looks more like a 1926 Chevrolet. Here is a B&W photo of a 1926 Chevrolet. What do you think?

rotorwrench · 03-29-2018, 05:32 PM

Most of the wood body on the truck of first posting is custom built. The hood looks to be from a 26 or 27 model T car. The headlamps are Model T or TT. The Chassis is definitely Model TT truck but I don't know them well enough to tell the exact year. This truck was likely built up by the owner or employees as a shop truck for his business. Wrecked or damaged stuff was cheap and body shops always end up with left over parts.

David J · 03-29-2018, 11:28 PM

To repair the damaged body shell and doors would have been the worst choice .

Much easier to just get a used shell assy or buy a parts car and replace it .

That is still the way framed vehicles [ PU's ] that have wrecked shells get fixed .

03-27-2018, 10:13 PM	#2
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,950	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Wow, your uncle and his co-workers sure were talented, working with that thick gage metal. Amazing.

03-27-2018, 10:37 PM	#3
RalphM Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 2,651	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Looks like they rolled that one! I’ve never been great at auto body repair, I can do it, but it takes me ten times longer than those with the talent.

03-28-2018, 05:36 AM	#4
V8ER Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: near Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 403	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle The truck is a '26 or '27 Ford Model TT.

03-28-2018, 06:28 AM	#5
Terry,OH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,751	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle The two photos show different cars so there doesn't appear to be an "after" photo.

03-28-2018, 06:37 AM	#6
37 Cab Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Miami Oklahoma Posts: 535	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Hood latch is moved and step plates are gone. Also hood has bigger space at rear of louvers to back hood edge. __________________ Tommy

03-28-2018, 07:25 AM	#7
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,101	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle The hood is entirely different, as is the cowl lamp and the placement of the lower door hinge, etc., all things that likely were unaffected by the collision or roll over.

03-28-2018, 07:40 AM	#8
DD931 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: PA Poconos Posts: 723	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Why is everyone trying so hard to destroy a happy family story?

03-28-2018, 07:59 AM	#9
JimG Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Hamburg, NY Posts: 244	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Thanks everyone for your input. I know you guys have good eyes to pick out small details - that is why I posted the photos. I am going through these family photos and trying to make sense of them, with no one around to ask about the details. I knew John was an auto body guy in the 1920's and in my quick look at the photos last night they appeared to be the same car, parked in the same location and assumed they were demonstrating one of his repair jobs. Now that I know they are different cars, there is another possible story. John's brother-in-law was killed in a car accident in March, 1927 at the age of 26. He died from broken ribs that punctured many other internal organs when he was moved by some people trying to help after the accident. This might be the accident car. The only thing I see that would lead me to believe otherwise is there are leaves on the trees - the photo would have had to have been taken well after the accident. Is the car a pre or post 1927 car? If post 1927, then it could not have been the accident car. Maybe just a random example of bad wreck. The other thing I found interesting in the truck photo is the cabinet maker that was involved in auto body repair. I guess that reflects the amount of internal wood structure that all the cars from this era had.

03-28-2018, 10:35 AM	#11
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,577	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle the wrecked car has Budd disk wheels, used by dodge and nash for sure, and perhaps others too. could be a 25ish nash. i had a 27 once, but details have left my nogin

03-28-2018, 10:59 AM	#12
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,101	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Very likely it is pre-1927. My guess would be that it is the 1922-25 range. Typical of the body construction of the period, the structural members appear to be made of hardwood and in a serious collision such as likely the case judging from the photo, the damage to the body is catastrophic.

03-28-2018, 03:42 PM	#14
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,101	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle The Stovebolt lacks the raised belt molding of the car in the photo and is shorter judging from the length of the running board apron.

03-28-2018, 03:47 PM	#15
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,577	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle wrong wheels too

03-28-2018, 05:07 PM	#17
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,101	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Bingo!

03-28-2018, 05:17 PM	#18
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Back in those days a guy had to be a jack of all trades to do bodywork. Wood work, trim work, and metal work would all have been involved.

03-28-2018, 06:19 PM	#19
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Yep the Nash looks right on the button.

03-29-2018, 05:32 PM	#21
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle Most of the wood body on the truck of first posting is custom built. The hood looks to be from a 26 or 27 model T car. The headlamps are Model T or TT. The Chassis is definitely Model TT truck but I don't know them well enough to tell the exact year. This truck was likely built up by the owner or employees as a shop truck for his business. Wrecked or damaged stuff was cheap and body shops always end up with left over parts.

03-29-2018, 11:28 PM	#22
David J Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: St Croix Falls WI Posts: 2,080	Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle To repair the damaged body shell and doors would have been the worst choice . Much easier to just get a used shell assy or buy a parts car and replace it . That is still the way framed vehicles [ PU's ] that have wrecked shells get fixed .