Unusual Ford Wrenches

[pkhammer]

I've been around model T and A Fords for a long time and I've seen a lot of Ford Script wrenches. These two however are new to me. They are about 6 inches long and have a very LARGE script and an unusual shape. Anyone familiar with these?

 

[mercman from oz]

pkhammer asks what model and year are these Ford Script Tools from?
Very interesting.

 

[CHuDWah]

I've been around model T and A Fords for a long time and I've seen a lot of Ford Script wrenches. These two however are new to me. They are about 6 inches long and have a very LARGE script and an unusual shape. Anyone familiar with these?

I've seen similar wrenches with script that size but never with the hole. They could have been owner-drilled but they look good enough to be factory-punched. The bottom one appears to have the ends bent offset - again, could have been factory or owner.

 

[stevests]

I'd venture to say "owner manipulated" for a purpose. I have a larger than normal, script straight wrench and was told it's very early T or even earlier.

 

[pkhammer]

I was thinking maybe very early T era as well. I also wonder if Ford supplied any script tools to models produced prior to the Model T.

 

[G Baese]

Here are three wrenches with variations of the Ford script. The lower one is from about 1911-1914. The next one up is its replacement, it started appearing in mid-late 1913 as the log was changed and the Made In U.S.A. added to the hubcaps and radiator. The top one is about 1917-27.

 

[mercman from oz]

Ford Script Wrenches - G Baese

 

[rotorwrench]

Childe Harold Wills started working for Henry Ford during the first attempt at starting a motor company. They were friends so Henry kept him on after the second and more successful Ford Motor Company was initiated. Mr. Wills had an interest in calligraphy and commercial art so he came up with the particular font style that was adopted as the trademark. The use of that trademark began in 1907. Ford advertisements used the block letters till that year. I'm not sure about tool kits for those early cars before the model T but Ford definitely supplied tools with his products early on. The Ford script likely showed up at the beginning of the model T era or during development of the model T in 1908.

 

[G Baese]

The tools in the 1906 through 1909 parts books don't show a logo, although the Ford logo on the radiators of the 1906-08 Models N, R & S, all had a script that was supposed to imitate Henry's actual signature. Known as the "winged" script, it continued until sometime in 1910.

The block letters used on the hubcaps of the early cars also remained until sometime in 1910.The 1911 cars had the script minus the 'wings'. Here is a 1909 hubcap- If you would like an enlargement click on the thumbnail...

 

[pkhammer]

Thanks for the responses everyone. It sounds like these likely date to very early (1909-1910) T production. I just purchased a 1914 T Runabout project so it'll be nice to have these for "show and tell".

 

[mercman from oz]

1909 Ford Model T Hubcap - G Baese