Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

http://theoldmotor.com/wp-content/up...4/04/Tank1.jpg

This is off topic here in the Model A Forum, I meant to post it in the "T" Forum, but put it here by mistake. Sorry but I hope that you will find it interesting.

World War I had recently ended when this photo was taken and in that conflict the British and French tank designs for traveling over all types of terrain were proven. An example of the Mark VIII Tank, an Anglo-American effort produced near the end of the conflict can be seen above in the background.

The Model “T” Ford Roadster equipped with endless tracks featured here, appears to have been demonstrated to high-ranking Army officers by a pair of business men trying to sell their design. It is wearing a 1920 New York license plate that is mounted backwards and crudely lettered U.S. Army Ord-Dept.

Another photo of the scene above exists, but just recently an excellent pair of images has been discovered by Shorpy. Erich Bruckner has posted other photos of this design in the past on the MTFCA Forum. Because of the new photographs being discovered we decided to revisit this story and see if we could find any more details about its construction and history.

On The Old Motor we have the other new photo posted along with one that Erich Bruckner found and links to another Model "T" with tracks and full info about it. Other neat photos and info on the 1908 Hornsby Chain Track Tractor, along with an excellent video you will enjoy, demonstrating it in use are all at The Old Motor.

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

T-Head...You have a fantastic site...Thanks for sharing.

Pluck

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

Thanks for Posting T Head Very interesting!!

I wonder How they steered the thing?? Maybe a independant brake on each rear wheel .

John Cochran

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

John: The photos show larger brakes that have been mounted on the rear that appear to be the means of steering the unit by slowing down or stopping one track at a time. It would be interesting to see if we could find out more about how they actuated them.

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

Hi T Head...thanks for sharing...It is curious thought as to how the driver kept so clean with the flying mud from the tracks...they had yet to discover that the tracked Ford units could also have fenders. "high-ranking army officers" might be an understatement for this gathering...the couple at far left look like a very young Lt (at the time?) and Mrs. George S. Patton who were (yes both since she was a military daughter and supported her husband in his ideas about the use of Armor in the field and formation of what would become the Armored Division), then the next figure looks like General John Pershing hisself...and if those two are there, then Young Lieutenant George C. Marshall, Pershing's personal assistant, is most likely behind one of the other faces or figures. The fellow in the Black Stetson looks like Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War.

Finally, the bridge in the background appears to be the Connecticut Avenue Bridge over Rock Creek in NW DC. which at that time would have been a great proving ground site...I believe it is or might have been a stock pile place for building parts left over from Interior projects...

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

Hi T Head...thanks for sharing...It is curious thought as to how the driver kept so clean with the flying mud from the tracks...they had yet to discover that the tracked Ford units could also have fenders. "high-ranking army officers" might be an understatement for this gathering...the couple at far left look like a very young Lt (at the time?) and Mrs. George S. Patton who were (yes both since she was a military daughter and supported her husband in his ideas about the use of Armor in the field and formation of what would become the Armored Division), then the next figure looks like General John Pershing hisself...and if those two are there, then Young Lieutenant George C. Marshall, Pershing's personal assistant, is most likely behind one of the other faces or figures. The fellow in the Black Stetson looks like Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War.

Finally, the bridge in the background appears to be the Connecticut Avenue Bridge over Rock Creek in NW DC. which at that time would have been a great proving ground site...I believe it is or might have been a stock pile place for building parts left over from Interior projects...

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

Thank you swo4rd! I've said it before, there are more historians on the HAMB than any other site I visit. Bob

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

Years ago i bought a reprint article about putting full tracks on a model a. You were supposed to unhook the steering and then hook up a cable system from the brakes to the steering column. When you turned the steering wheel it would set the brake on just one side and then turn like a bulldozer. It also used a homemade double rim setup with no tires on them on all four hubs. I will try to find the article if anyone is interested in it.

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

Re: Henry Ford Called His Automobile the Universal Car - This Proves It
 

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!