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FOR SALE: 1914 Model T roadster pickup *SOLD*


Matt Harwood

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*SOLD*

If it's patina you crave, this wonderful little Model T pickup has it in spades! It's got a neat story behind it, as it was acquired by a friend of mine when some guys working on the bridge near his shop noticed that he works on old cars. One of the workers mentioned that his uncle had this Model T in a barn up in Michigan and would he like to have it? So he drove up with a trailer, pulled it out of the barn, and brought it home, and it is unquestionably highly original. Being a master mechanic (he's the guy that every other shop sends their customer's cars to when they can't figure out the problem), he got it running so well that you just need a gentle tug on the crank to make it spring to life and it drives superbly. In fact, it's so easy to start and drive that his lady friend often takes it to the store up the street. It's the best kind of survivor --totally sorted and mechanically excellent without disturbing the authentic look.

You guys who know Model Ts will spot right away that this isn't a factory pickup, but rather a touring car with a Sears & Roebuck pickup bed on the back, and it's way cool. Dig the curled bed rail and the modified bulkhead that still carries the original robe rail from the touring car's back seat. I don't know anything about Shepp's Fix-It Shop, but since Shepp had a 5-digit phone number, I'm guessing it's been a long, long time since he was in business. There's still some black paint clinging to the body, but it's got a pretty uniform coating of patina but no rot or rust-through, so I wouldn't change a thing and you won't hurt it a bit by taking it out and letting everyone touch it. The brass radiator and lights are in good shape and it's worth noting that the headlights are fitted with modern 12-volt halogen bulbs so it's a bit more effective at night.

The seat and top are newer, and again, if you're going to drive a patina car, you'll probably appreciate the fact that old springs and crumbly leather aren't jammed into your backside. It looks quite authentic and doesn't detract from the overall presentation. The rest is original, right down to the coil box with a set of ultra-rare and valuable early-style coils inside. No gauges, but there are two horns, a set of cowl lights, and pedals that remain in excellent shape. The side panels and door panel have also been replaced and look correct to my eye.

The engine carries serial number 393034, and I'm sure someone will be able to tell me whether it's an actual 1914 engine, but the car is indeed titled as a 1914 Ford pickup. As I said, the owner is a brilliant mechanic and has it running as well as any Model T I've experienced and it feels great going down the road. Get everything set just right and it springs to life without a lot of wrestling and with the upgraded spring dampers on the front suspension, it feels more substantial than most. It tracks well and the brakes are, well, at least it has brakes. The tires are pretty old so if you're going to drive it a lot, maybe you should replace them, but the wood spoke wheels are in good order.

This little trucklet recalls an all-original International Harvester that I had when I was with Vintage, and it attracted more attention than anything else in our warehouse. I'm going to bring this little T into the lobby of my new showroom, so I'm not in any hurry to sell it simply because it's going to be the star of the show. But if you think it looks like fun and you like the patina, then no disappointments here. Most of you know that I'm not much of a fan of Model Ts, but this one is really quite charming.

We're asking $14,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers. Thanks for looking!

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Edited by Matt Harwood
SOLD! (see edit history)
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