India Phaeton

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Dave Mellor NJ

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getting delivered
 

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Hello, I think that former British colonies inherited drive on right side of road , US drives on left supposedly because of all the Model T that were built that way!
 
Before the Model T, and including cars made by Ford, the steering wheel was on the right (starboard) side of the car. People in the US always drove on the right side of the road, even with horse drawn wagons. For the Model T, Ford move the steering wheel to the left (port) side of the car. The rest is history.

Quiz for the day: Can anyone tell me why Ford move the steering wheel to the left? Answer at 11:00.
 
Henry put the driver on the left so his weight would counter the rotation induced by the torque of the engine.
 
My guess is related to the fact that the early Model Ts had no driver-side door, supposedly because Henry didn’t want drivers stepping into the street, believing that the curb side was safer. Putting the wheel on the left allowed the passenger to enter without having to climb over the driver. This is a pure guess, not based on any documentary evidence and without research. It may be that the single door simplified the production process, allowing cars to be built more quickly and at a lower cost.
Henry later added the driver-side door to the T. Some may say it was to try to modernize Lizzy as sales and market share slumped. Others may say it was because he was so fed up with stupid consumers and their stupid “preferences” that he wanted the most foolish of them to step out into traffic. Hard to say.
P.S. Synchro - So when the wheel was moved to the starboard side was the engine rotation, along with the starter, oil pump, generator, and distributor reworked to rotate the other way?If so, it’s no wonder Australian parts are so hard to find.
 
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Ford Model A's that were sold in India were right hand drive.

Here is another example of a Ford Model A in India:

554045


Brad in Maryland





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Dave, I always enjoy seeing these old photographs. Thanks for posting!

These Model "A" cars from India were made in Canada. National Steel Car in Hamilton Ontario Canada made the chassis stamped for both left and right hand drive allowing only one chassis for either hand.

National Steel Car, known for making rail cars also stamped chassis for many of other automobile manufacturers.
 
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