TTM web

AUTOMOBILE COLLECTION

Texas Transportation Museum
11731 Wetmore Road, San Antonio TX 78247
(210) 490-3554

(See bottom of page for a link to T.T.M.'s home page)

Click on images to enlarge

1924 Ford Model TT C Cab truck

This vehicle was donated to the museum in the early 1980s. It was only driven for a short while before being placed on permanent display. It has a 20 HP 4 Cylinder 177 cubic inch (2.892 liter) engine driving the rear wheels through the normal 2 speed planetary transmission and a heavy duty 2 speed rear axle, an extra on this truck, designed to enable the small engine to move heavy loads. It's top speed is a creditable 35 MPH. The TT has a longer wheelbase than the regular T, 124 inches compared with 100. When introduced in 1917 as a rolling chassis only, the TT cost around $600.00 with another $100 or so for a custom made body by a local builder. ($100.00 in 1917 is the equivalent of $1,620.00 today.) By 1924, the cost of a new TT had fallen to around $400.00. Ford also introduced its first factory built bed for the rear of the truck. This was quite small and many people, including the folks who owned this vehicle, declined to buy them or removed them immediately for something bigger. The bed on this truck looks as if it could have come straight off an old horse drawn wagon, which was quite common. Today, what ever else you can say about it, it certainly has the patina of age.

The TT was a one ton truck with a longer, beefed up frame and rear end. It was introduced in 1917 just as the USA entered World War One. Some 39,000 Ford Model TT trucks were used by Allied forces during the conflict. The TT was the company's formal acknowledgement of the long standing use of regular Model T chassis for commercial uses. The classic C cab on this truck was introduced in 1924 and mass produced by Ford itself. Until this time the company had simple sold the underpinnings complete with engine, transmission, pedals and a steering wheel, which accounts for the incredibly varied cab styles to be found on many surviving TTs today. This practice also continued after the C cab was produced. The rear wheels had shorter spokes and a wider rim to accommodate stronger tires than the high narrow tires on the front.

Wonderful News

On 9/22/07 this vehicle, with the generous assistance of the local San Antonio Model T club, the "T Fords of Texas" has returned to active duty. Beginning in September 2007, work began to get it running again. It took a lot of time, money and effort but by June 2008 the truck was ready for prime time. It was driven to and from the Folklife Festival at the Institute of Texan Culture on Durango without incident. Click on the following link for pictures of this project.

Click the image below for more pictures of the 1924 Ford Model TT including its restoration:

Click the image below for information about the "T Ford of Texas," San Antonio's Ford Model T club:

Click the image below for pictures of other Ford Model Ts and the 2007 Model T Show at TTM:

Click the image below for pictures of 2008 Model T show at TTM:

Click the image below for pictures of 2009 Model T show at TTM:

1928 Durant Star Coupe.

20 HP inline four cylinder engine. 107 inch wheelbase. Mechanical brakes. Electric starter. 3 Speed transmission. Wooden spoke wheels. Windshield hinged at the top for ventilation. Cost $595.00. Built by the Durant Motor Company, formed by William C. Durant after falling from grace as the founder of General Motors in 1920.

For more information about this and other Durants, click •1928 Durant•

GREAT NEWS FOR 2007!

Museum volunteers have returned the 1928 Durant to active service!

For snaps of the car in 2007 click •Durant 2007•

1929 REO Flying Cloud Coupe with Rumble Seat.

Inline 6 cylinder engine. 3 speed transmission. Hydraulic brakes. Cigarette lighter. Tilting font window for ventilation and opening rear window for communication with passengers. Golf bag door on side of vehicle to facilitate carrying them without having to open the rumble seat area and contort them in. REO was formed by Ransom Eli Olds after he left Oldsmobile.

Good News, May 2009

Following an inordinate amount of effort, museum volunteers, principally Ben Bennett, have restored the 1929 REO to running condition. It's original Schebler carburetor, a nightmare of a design, has been overhauled piece by piece and is now working. One of this car's claims to fame is that the 1929 REo was the first large scale production vehicle to be fitted with hydraulic brakes as standard. As such they were also very difficult to work on. However, thanks to heroic, very patient, very painstaking effort, the vehicle is almost ready to return to active service. Stay posted for more news.

1929 REO Flying Cloud coupe, May 2009

1929 Ford Model A Flatbed 3/4 ton truck

The 1929 Ford model A is on permanent loan to the museum. It is one of our most popular and versatile vehicles. It can be used to provide rides to visitors at the museum and is also an excellent parade vehicle. It has been in the Battle of Flowers and the Fiesta Flambeau so many times it could probably make its own way along the route. It has its original simple but reliable 40 BHP 4 cylinder engine with a three speed transmission, all around safety glass and four wheel mechanical brakes. Unlike regular Model A's this truck was designed for hard work. With its special low ratio rear axle, it can haul 3/4 of a ton. It has a top speed of around 45 MPH.

In 2007 a significant amount of work was done on this vehicle courtesy of it's owner, Mrs. Pat Monfrey. In march 2008 new tires, flaps and inner tubes were fitted on the truck for over $1,100.00, thanks again to the generosity of Mrs. Monfrey. It is now ready to continue work for another 80 years.

For details and images of all the work done, click •1929 Ford Model AA truck under repair•

For more pictures of this truck click•1929 Ford Model AA truck out and about•

For pictures of the 2008 Alamo As Model A show at Jordan Ford click•2008 Ford Model A show•

For more pictures of this truck in many parades click•TTM in San Antonio parades•

1936 Chevrolet Sedan.

This was the 25th Anniversary of Chevrolet, and, with sales 70% up from 1935, Chevrolet regained the #1 spot from Ford. TTM's vehicle is the standard sized car, with a 109 inch wheelbase. The Master DeLuxe series was longer. The Chevy featured a number of significant developments, including the low priced makes first use of hydraulic brakes. They also had all metal "turret" roofs, finally abandoning wood altogether. The Fisher made bodies introduced "No Draught" ventilation as well. The car has a 79 HP 6 cylinder engine with a five speed transmission.

1938 'Master Deluxe' Chevrolet sedan.

As the nation climbed out of the depression in 1938, Chevrolet promoted touted their vehicles as "The Car That Is Complete." There were six different models in the Master Deluxe range, which sold almost twice as many as the shorter wheel base Master series. Both ranges included coupes, sport coupes, coaches, sedans, sport sedans and town sedans. (The town sedan was a two door sedan.) In all, 302,840 Master DeLuxe were produced and sold for between $714.00 and $817.00. TTM's car is one of 16,323 sedans made in 1938. It features the popular built in trunk which cost a little extra, taking the price to $877.00. It weighs 2,940 lbs and seats five. It has an 85 HP 6 cylinder 'L' head engine with a 6.25 : 1 compression ratio riding on a 112.3 inch wheel base.

1958 Imperial Southampton

392 V8 Hemi, with 345 BHP. 10 to 1 compression ratio. Twin exhausts. 3 speed Torque-Flite automatic transmission. 129 inch wheel base. Overall length - 225.7 inches. Width - 81.2 inches. Height - 56.7 inches. Torsion bar suspension. Weight - 4950 lbs. Quad head lamps. Front & Rear A/C. Power windows, seats, antenna. AM radio.

For more pictures and information about this car, click •1958 Imperial•

Click image above to see the Online Imperial Club logo and to access a link to its web site

1963 Lincoln Continental 4 door convertible.

The 1963 Lincolns had a 320 HP, 430 cubic inch, V8. with a 10.1 to 1 compression ratio. 123 inch wheel base, 213 inch length. 78.6 inches wide. 9.5 X 14 inch wheels. Power brakes. Recirculating ball & nut steering. Three speed automatic. Weight - 5,528 lbs. A/C. Power windows, door locks and roof. AM / FM radio. Power seats, windows. Price - $6,916.00. In 1963 the most expensive new Fords were $2,513.00. Only 3,138 of these convertibles were sold in 1963, compared with 28,095 sedans, which sold for $6,270.00. Ironically, the value of the convertibles today is far, far higher than the sedans. There were no Lincoln coupes during the run of this body style, which began in 1961.

To visit the home page of the Texas Transportation Museum web site, click •T.T.M.•

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