Lot 152

Hershey 2012

1912 Ford Model T Delivery Car

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$52,800 USD | Sold

United States | Hershey, Pennsylvania

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Engine No.
98705

20 bhp, 176.7 cu. in. four-cylinder inline L-head engine, two-speed planetary transmission, solid front axle and live rear axle with transverse semi-elliptic leaf springs, transmission brake, and two-wheel mechanical drum brakes. Wheelbase: 100 in.

• Thorough and accurate recent restoration

• Just 50 miles since completion

• One of the best examples of a short-lived model

It was 1912 before the Delivery Car reappeared in the Ford lineup, this time on the robust and proven Model T chassis. Priced at $700, it was fully equipped with an “automatic” brass windshield, a speedometer, six-inch gas headlamps, a gas generator, an oil side and tail lamps, a horn, and tools.

This 1912 Delivery Car was discovered in the northeastern United States in the 1960s by the late Ron Fawcett, a well-known Whitby, Ontario, restorer and collector. There was very little left of the body, so an accurate reconstruction was done by Eric Edwards’ Edwards Antique Auto International, of Baxter, Ontario, in 1975. The vehicle was later sold to renowned Model T specialist Bill Hardy, who undertook a meticulous mechanical restoration and completed most of the re-assembly.

It was never really completed, however, so in 2011, Eric Edwards and his son Chris resumed work on the restoration, thoroughly vetting the drivetrain and completing the unfinished tasks. The body was painted in urethane Midnight Blue with black fenders, the correct hue for 1912. The upholstery was installed, diamond-tufted black leather over horsehair, and new natural rubber tires were mounted. Upon completion, the car started easily, and it has flawlessly completed some 50 test miles.

The result is a faithfully correct Model T Delivery Car with E&J number 666 brass headlamps, a Prest-O-Lite tank, and a finely-varnished natural wood interior. The sole instrumentation is a brass Stewart speedometer. The Ford Sales, Service, and Parts logos are applied in vinyl, easily removable if the new owner prefers another motif. The Ford-built Delivery Car disappeared after 1913, not to return until 1921. Just 1,825 were built, making this a rare example of the genuine Ford C-Cab truck from the Brass Era.