Did You Know Question
The Slip Dress
These new style chemises which were highly decorative, deliberately sensual and often transparent, became the frontrunner of today's fashion slip. They were made of rayon, crepe de Chine or silk picot, so they were smooth, soft to touch and considered to be the height of luxury. From Bikinis, Bell-Bottoms and Little Black Dresses, by Kate Mulvey
Mary Brooks Picken’s Contribution to Fashion
A relatively unknown yet highly influential woman in the Model A era was Mary Brooks Picken. Mary transformed millions of women from clothing vendors to seamstresses capable of improving their lives and making money with their sewing machines. Mary published 96 books on sewing, needlework and textile arts.
Why Did Ford Only Sell Black Cars
Henry Ford once said something of this nature: "A customer may have a car in any color he desires, so long as it's black." Today, many people have taken this quote to mean that every Model T Ford, the car which undoubtedly made the American automobile affordable and "put America on Wheels," was painted black.
One Hundred Years Ago
One hundred years ago, as 1923 ended, Ford had produced 2,011,125 Model T’s that year alone. This is still today the highest figure ever achieved by a single model in a single year. Thanks to these production numbers, Ford was able to sell these cars at a low price. For example, you could buy a Runabout for $260, the equivalent of $4,815 today.
Model A Ignition System
Basically, the points fire the coil, the coil fires the plug, the spark at the plug starts the flame and the ignition systems job is done for that cycle. But of course, now for a few more details.
Georgia O’Keeffe and her Model ‘A’ Ford
O'Keeffe's Model ‘A’ Ford became an integral part of her artistic process, serving as both transportation and a mobile studio. It provided her with the means to venture into the desert and capture the es- sence of the Southwest, which became a significant influence on her art. The car's simplicity and reli-ability allowed her to travel to remote locations, enabling her to create her iconic paintings of the New Mexico landscape.
Questions & Answers
My car has the drum tail light with the cast bracket attached to the rear body subframe, as it's a 1928 model. I'm looking for information about the dimensions and locations of the three holes on the right-hand side to mount the new RH bracket (Bratton's #19340).
I'm preparing to install the wiring on my 1931 Victoria, and I'm looking for reference material that illustrates or describes how and where the wiring should be routed along the frame, including the placement of wire clips. Specifically, I want to know if the clips should be attached to the upper or lower edge of the frame rail, whether they go over or under the frame, and so on.
Experiencing your ammeter becoming hot or warm under these conditions is not typical. This issue is often caused by loose nuts on the back of the ammeter, resulting in increased resistance and heat generation at the connection points. To resolve this problem, follow these steps...
The car starts easily and spins over fast, but I suspect the wiring is still set up for a 6-volt system. Can you convert to a 12-volt system without changing the wiring? If so, do the bulbs need to be 12-volt as well? I'm not confident with electrical work.
I'm looking for information regarding the location dimensions for the three holes on the right-hand side to mount the new RH bracket (Bratton's #19340). Additionally, I would appreciate any details on the clinch nuts required to install in the subframe rail.
In the early 1990s, MAFCA member Jim Parcelluzzi included wiring diagrams on the MAFCA Clip Art disk. You can find copies of these diagrams on the MAFCA website. Here are some specific diagrams available: 1928 Wiring Chart - 1929-1931 Wiring without Cowl Lights - 1929-1931 Wiring with Cowl Lights
It seems like the leads on the Ammeter might be reversed, or they could have been switched at the terminal box posts. Fortunately, it's a simple solution. Remove the instrument panel and reverse the leads on the back side of the ammeter.
Yes, this could be one of the issues causing a car to shimmy. A loose ball in the front wishbone can be one of the causes of front shimmy. The front-end caster (5 degrees) is dependent on the exact position of the front radius ball. Make sure you have all the correct pieces to mount the radius ball to the bottom of the fly-wheel housing.


