1913 Model T Ford with BNew Rootlieb Body

[toysanyone]

City

Bozeman

State

MT

Price

11,995

This partially restored 1913 Model T Ford touring car is from the famous Towe Ford Collection that was in both Deer Lodge Montana as well as Sacremento California many years ago. Ed Towe fought in court with the IRS for quite a while before losing in 1997. That was when the cars in both museums were sold to satisfy the IRS. Someone bought this car and donated it to the Montana Auto Museum in Deer Lodge Montana where all and then later about half of Towe's Fords were on display for many years. In January of 2007, I traded a replica of an 1886 Benz for this car and an amateur restored 1927 Moded T Ford roadster pickup.

Lewis Rector was the master restorer for the Towe Ford Collection for over 40 years and this was his last project for Ed Towe. Supposedly, this car was built with no intention of making it more presentable than it already is. The plan for this car was to leave it as you see it here so museum visitors could see much of the complex wood structure inside the wood-framed touring car body.

This car has a new (22-year-old) Rootlieb replica touring car body on a restored chassis. Rootlieb's wood craftsman passed on many years ago so they have not built any more of this particular body for many years. The body is complete with hinged doors but was missing all 3 of the door latches when I acquired it. I have since found one right front or left rear latch so that is included. I am interested in obtaining the 2 latches (right front or left rear and right rear) that are still missing if you happen to have any or know of any available.

The engine has the original serial number of 281,047 stamped on it. This engine was one of 1,040 engines assembled at the Highland Park Michigan plant on May 31, 1913. This engine turns over and has good compression but I have no idea what was or was not done to it since Lou Rector passed away in 2006 and Ed Towe passed away in 2012.

, The four wheels appear to be very nice originals that are still good and tight even in our very dry climate here in semi-arid Montana. All 4 tires were new about 22 years ago, still look nice, have no age cracking or checking and have never set flat.

As you can see in the photo of the left rear axle housing, this car has the correct style of 12 rivet rear axle assembly. In the same photos you can see that the rivetted inner trumpet end must have broken loose from the center housing a long time ago so someone brazed it back together. This is not how we like these housings to be so I found a good left housing that included with this vehicle.

I have 4 good used original Ford front and rear fenders that are in a gray primer that came with this project. Those fenders are more of a driver quality than show quality. I also have a good original hood, radiator, windshield and top assembly that needs a new cover installed. I have most if not all of the seat springs and some of them still have upholstery on them.

A very nice original 1913 to 1914 style of black painted steel windshield is included. It has the proper spacing of the dimples on the hinge plates to make the upper part go straight up when the lower part is sloping ahead. I have seen several restored 1913 to 1914 T's with the later 1915 to 1922 style of windshield cobbled up to make it sort of work so I know what a correct 1913 to 1914 Model T windshield looks like. I will add a photo of this windshield soon.

Please note that this car has the correct steering column with the brass quadrant, the correct transmission cover without the reinforcing ribs and the correct lettered pedals. Please also look at the photo of the frame under the body that shows the 1913 and earlier style of frame that has the short rear cross member and the pair of forged brackets on the outside of the back of the the frame where the rear of the body is fastened (the nut is missing from the rear body mounting bolt in that photo).

This project needs a carburetor, steering wheel, speedometer, 2 door latches, wood coil box & a few lesser parts. All 5 of the correct original brass lamps (2 headlamps, 2 cowl lamps, and 1 taillamp) are included and are in good unrestored condition. These photos do not show any of the top support brackets that fasten to the top of the body at both rear corners and behind the front doors of the body. I have several of these various irons that may or may not be correct but they will be included. Perhaps they can be modified and made to work even if they are not completely authentic.

I presently have no title for this car but have started the process to obtain a good Montana title for it. I just ordered a new combination patent number and serial number plate that has a blank area for the vehicle serial number. That plate is used on 1913 to 1916 Model T Ford cars. It covers the hole on the left side of the firewall where the choke rod goes through the firewall for the left-hand drive cars. I will stamp the engine number on the blank spot on that plate, have that inspected by a Montana peace officer and then apply for a new title. That process costs $12.36 and normally takes 6 to 8 weeks to receive a new title.

I am selling this car and several others to pay for another vehicle I am purchasing. I expect to be paid for this car even though I do not yet have a negotiable title for this car. You can withhold $1,000 of the final payment pending the arrival of the new Montana title if you want to.

I will be gathering the parts together in the next few days and will have a lot more and better photos available soon. I can email them to you if you call me with your email address or send it to me.

I can arrange for delivery anywhere here in the USA for about $ .75 per loaded mile. I can also arrange for delivery to a freight forwarder on the west coast (usually Los Angeles California) for about $800 where this car will be placed as a partial load in a large sea-going container that can be shipped to almost any country in the world.

This vehicle is currently stored in a rental warehouse. I will store it there for free for 3 months if you or a friend are planning a trip to beautiful Montana sometime this spring or early summer. I can store it for you for $60 per month if you want me to store it for a longer period than 3 months.

Thanks a lot, Bob Woodburn - phone 406-799-1847 in Bozeman Montana USA