Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

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.

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.

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.

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

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

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.

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

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

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.

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

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

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.

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

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.

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

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.

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

Looks a little like a 1925 chevy. Cowl light included

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1522256423

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1522256060

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.

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

wrong wheels too

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

How about a 1927 Nash?

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

Bingo!

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.

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

Yep the Nash looks right on the button.

Re: Wrecked Car fixed by my Father's Uncle
 

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?