The Ford Barn

White halftrack · 05-14-2026, 11:01 AM

Hello everyone. I don’t know much at all about model Ts but have questions about one. This one I will post pictures on is available to me and I will grab it but want to learn what I can about it. Most parts are sitting in the back like hood grill bows etc. It has Johnson seahorse advertising on both sides and back and is a dark blue color. Can anyone tell me year, or oddities or opinions. Just trying to learn.

rotorwrench · 05-14-2026, 11:52 AM

Characteristics are the best way to get close to a date but some of those are in the places you don't directly look at. The engines have serial numbers but engines can easily be replaced. Only the late cars had the serial number stamped on the frame. As far as a model T touring car, they looked about the same from 1917 through early 1925 with some differences in cowl shape and engine hood height. The 1926 & 27 cars did a major change. The real early cars up through 1916 were known as the brass cars having more polished brass and engine hoods that are easy to remove as one piece on some so they stand out more as horseless carriage types with acetylene gas headlamps and such.

I can't see the cowl well from the above photos and I see some bits of model A stuff so I can't nail that one down. The engine hood in the back seat area looks like a late type hood with all those louvers but I'd need to see the cowl from the front to see if it fits in at all. If you look at sheet metal on a site like Lang's or Rootlieb, you can see the shapes of the front and rear fenders and such but you'll also see that Ford used the same parts for several year runs on the Ts. A wild guess of what I see in immediate WWI time frame give or take. Electric starters came along in 1919. If it had the dash in it then that would help some. If it has signs of a flat top hood on the cowl then it's 1916 or earlier.

redmodelt · 05-14-2026, 12:00 PM

The slant windshield started with the low radiator cars. For the USA that would be 1922 or 1923, Canadian built cars were earlier. From what can be seen, guessing the range would be between 1917 and 1922 ish but demountable wheels, after 1919.

White halftrack · 05-14-2026, 05:53 PM

Thanks for the information. I appreciate the knowledge. I will sift through the parts when I can. I was hoping the hood was the right one as it matched color and I want to leave it the way it is. Was there any connection with Johnson seahorse at that time? Or just random and the owner sold boat motors. I will leave it that way.

Dodge · 05-15-2026, 12:58 AM

Looks like a 1917-1920 Body. Notice is still has the seam above the rear fender and the
Bolt head/rivet just ahead of the rear door. These two items were not on 1920 and later cars. So check the engine number and see it it falls with in that range.

redmodelt · 05-15-2026, 09:16 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Dodge

Looks like a 1917-1920 Body. Notice is still has the seam above the rear fender and the
Bolt head/rivet just ahead of the rear door. These two items were not on 1920 and later cars. So check the engine number and see it it falls with in that range.

Missed that, good eyes!

05-14-2026, 11:52 AM	#2
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,006	Re: Model T touring questions. Characteristics are the best way to get close to a date but some of those are in the places you don't directly look at. The engines have serial numbers but engines can easily be replaced. Only the late cars had the serial number stamped on the frame. As far as a model T touring car, they looked about the same from 1917 through early 1925 with some differences in cowl shape and engine hood height. The 1926 & 27 cars did a major change. The real early cars up through 1916 were known as the brass cars having more polished brass and engine hoods that are easy to remove as one piece on some so they stand out more as horseless carriage types with acetylene gas headlamps and such. I can't see the cowl well from the above photos and I see some bits of model A stuff so I can't nail that one down. The engine hood in the back seat area looks like a late type hood with all those louvers but I'd need to see the cowl from the front to see if it fits in at all. If you look at sheet metal on a site like Lang's or Rootlieb, you can see the shapes of the front and rear fenders and such but you'll also see that Ford used the same parts for several year runs on the Ts. A wild guess of what I see in immediate WWI time frame give or take. Electric starters came along in 1919. If it had the dash in it then that would help some. If it has signs of a flat top hood on the cowl then it's 1916 or earlier. Last edited by rotorwrench; 05-14-2026 at 12:27 PM.

05-14-2026, 12:00 PM	#3
redmodelt Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland OR Posts: 6,458	Re: Model T touring questions. The slant windshield started with the low radiator cars. For the USA that would be 1922 or 1923, Canadian built cars were earlier. From what can be seen, guessing the range would be between 1917 and 1922 ish but demountable wheels, after 1919. __________________ I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!

05-14-2026, 05:53 PM	#4
White halftrack Junior Member Join Date: May 2026 Posts: 2	Re: Model T touring questions. Thanks for the information. I appreciate the knowledge. I will sift through the parts when I can. I was hoping the hood was the right one as it matched color and I want to leave it the way it is. Was there any connection with Johnson seahorse at that time? Or just random and the owner sold boat motors. I will leave it that way.

05-15-2026, 12:58 AM	#5
Dodge Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Sonoma, CA. Posts: 1,633	Re: Model T touring questions. Looks like a 1917-1920 Body. Notice is still has the seam above the rear fender and the Bolt head/rivet just ahead of the rear door. These two items were not on 1920 and later cars. So check the engine number and see it it falls with in that range.