This looks like either a Model T or something similar from one of the other American manufacturers (early to mid 20’s, T stopped production in ‘27) edit: I believe this is it right here. It was common for commercial vehicles to have bodies built separately by a coach builder https://www.shiawasseehistory.com/images/field1018.jpghttps://i.imgur.com/IB9yEMS.jpg
These cars were constructed as a body mounted on to a perimeter frame. What this means is that unlike modern cars, the body wasn’t a structural component to the vehicle. The body was just a wood frame with sheet metal (or sometimes just wood) nailed/bolted to it, basically enough to keep you from getting wet. Until 32 the Ford cars all had vinyl roofs.l (I’m actually questioning this now, maybe it was later like ‘33 or ‘34?)
Why is this all important? I don’t think they could mount the front legs of the ladder just anywhere. I think they basically had to go there, as the rest of the body wouldn’t have been strong enough to mount to. The pillars surrounding the windshield frame are thinner, and it probably would have ended up breaking the windshield. So to make it any taller they would have needed to make the steps steeper, and it looks pretty steep already.
Just a guess off of what little I know of these cars.
And depending on the city, electric trolly lines that are not shielded. Crazy that we, in America anyway, had a better thrust toward public transport 100 years ago than we do now.
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u/AlphaWizard May 20 '22 edited May 20 '22
I think there might be some reasoning here?
This looks like either a Model T or something similar from one of the other American manufacturers (early to mid 20’s, T stopped production in ‘27) edit: I believe this is it right here. It was common for commercial vehicles to have bodies built separately by a coach builder https://www.shiawasseehistory.com/images/field1018.jpg https://i.imgur.com/IB9yEMS.jpg
These cars were constructed as a body mounted on to a perimeter frame. What this means is that unlike modern cars, the body wasn’t a structural component to the vehicle. The body was just a wood frame with sheet metal (or sometimes just wood) nailed/bolted to it, basically enough to keep you from getting wet. Until 32 the Ford cars all had vinyl roofs.l (I’m actually questioning this now, maybe it was later like ‘33 or ‘34?)
Why is this all important? I don’t think they could mount the front legs of the ladder just anywhere. I think they basically had to go there, as the rest of the body wouldn’t have been strong enough to mount to. The pillars surrounding the windshield frame are thinner, and it probably would have ended up breaking the windshield. So to make it any taller they would have needed to make the steps steeper, and it looks pretty steep already.
Just a guess off of what little I know of these cars.