1915

 

JAN 7 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
Longer intake manifold now standard on sedans.

 

JAN 12 Factory Letter

Gas lamp tube no longer supplied on radiators as all cars now have electric lights. A tube, P/N T-4052X, was supplied for use on the earlier cars when the radiator was replaced.

 

JAN 23 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
Will use 10,000 electric horns. If satisfactory, these horns will be used to replace bulb horns in manufacturing. A note to reduce the stock of bulb horns.

 

JAN 25 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
"New" Runabouts announced for delivery in a week to ten days.

 

JAN 30 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
T-7915 horn wire. T-7916 horn switch wire. T-7917 horn switch wire. T-5018 electric horn mounting bolt. All for use in the 10,000 cars referred to in the letter of January 23. (According to another letter dated April 17, 1915, the bulb horns were still being used on some production at that date.)

 

FEB 6 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
New-style Touring and Runabout bodies shipped to branches for use as models, not for use in production.

 

FEB 8 Factory Letter
Branches asked to submit a list of inventory for 1914 parts left over after the change to the 1915-style cars.

 

FEB 10 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
New type (1915 style) Runabouts and Tourings now being shipped from the Highland Park plant.

 

FEB 13 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
Ford advertising halted. Production listed as 40 to 50,000 behind schedule.

 

FEB 15 Factory Letter

Repeat of letter of Feb. 13. Ford unable to produce enough cars to fill orders, so why advertise. Noted that there were plenty of closed cars still available, however.

 

FEB 20 Letter to Houston branch
Letter concerning poor sales of closed cars; notes lack of salesmanship.

 

FEB 26 Letter to Branches
Carloads of new Tourings and Runabouts to be shipped to the branches and used as samples.

 

MAR 22 Acc. 1701. Model T Releases, Ford Archives
"Have removed the grooves from the surface of the foot (pedal) pads, making them smooth, with a fify-five degree bevel 1/16" deep around the edge. Also changed the thickness of pads at edges from 5/32 to 1/8", leaving then 5/32" thick at each side of arm where it joins pad. This change to take place when dies are resunk, all forgings which we have on hand at that time to be used up." (Joseph Galamb)

 

MAR 24 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
Letter concerning leaks between the dash and the cowl. Noted that no felt or rubber was being used at the factory but that dealers should install same if customers complained about leaks at this point.

 

MAR 24 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
Letter requesting opinions as to the desirability of discontinuing the left rear door on the Touring.

 

MAR 31 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
Flanged rings with felt packing supplied for oil side and tail lamps to prevent their being blown out. The problem was noted in a letter of March 27, at which time the factory noted that they were shipping felts only for in-the-field modifications.

 

APR 1 Ford Times
First pictures of the new 1915 Touring and Roadster.

 

APR 3 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
"300,000 sales assured except for a `calamity or catastrophe'."

 

APR 7 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
"New (1915) style rear axle housings in short supply. Use 1914 type for repairs."

 

APR 13 Acc. 509, Letter, Ford Archives
Early E&J T-6511X electric headlamps with 8-5/8-inch lenses discontinued as a replacement part. From this date on, the standard lamps would be supplied as replacements. Note: This is believed to be the lamp which mounted on the gas lamp forks. T-6511X was the number for all the magneto-powered lamps until 1917.

 

APR 29 Factory Letter
"On or after May 1, the use of body numbers will be discontinued (by Ford) and no records will be kept of same."

 

MAY 11 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
T-604. Lug on fan support arm finally eliminated. Note to change the drawing. (This may have occurred earlier.)

 

JUN 17 Factory Letter and engine production records
Welch plug used in tail shaft of the transmission brake drum to prevent oil leaks out through the universal joint.

 

JUN 19 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
Headlight door. Change from brass to black steel specified.

 

JUN 23 Acc. 1701. Model T Releases, Ford Archives
The two-piece tail light/license plate bracket was replaced with a one-piece design. The part number was T-7506 (l/h) and T-8516 (r/h).

 

JUN 26 Factory Letter
"Hereafter when ordering body panels for 1915 cars, please give both the car and body numbers. The body number will be found on the right sill just inside the front door. This number will be preceded by a letter which indicates by whom the body was made.
"The above information is necessary as panels for bodies made by our various suppliers vary somewhat."

 

JUL 17 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
List of chassis parts. Shows change to long rear cross-member was made after 114,000 1913 cars (May 1913).

 

JUL 17 Letter 547, Ford Archives
T-603 Fan Pulley. "Changed material from bronze to malleable iron. These changes to take immediate effect. All pulleys on hand to be used up."

 

OCT 5 Record of change, Ford Archives
Transmission cover material specified to be cast iron instead of aluminum. The actual production of iron covers apparently did not begin until early 1916.

 

OCT 7 Acc. 833, Photo 4847, Ford Archives
Picture of 1916 style Coupelet (port holes) with brass-trimmed lamps.

 

OCT 16 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
Electric horns specified for all 1916 cars. Notes that 10,000 electric horns were used in 1915 but the wording is such that there may have been more.

 

NOV 6 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
New gasoline tank specified for 1916 sedans (now under the driver's seat).

 

NOV 15 Acc. 78, Box 1, Letter, Ford Archives
All steering assemblies being shipped with horn button and wiring.

 

NOV 30 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
New rear brake backing plates (with reinforcing ribs) specified.
T-6432 electric horn, made by K-W and others, specified.

 

DEC 10 Engine production records, Ford Archives
Engine number 1,000,000 assembled at 1:53-1/2 P.M.

 

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© Bruce W. McCalley. Rev. Febrjuary 20, 2007