SOMERSET, N.S. — He’s a vintage auto enthusiast with a particular passion for the Ford Model T.
John Eaton of Somerset is the proud owner of four Model Ts, including a 1923 called the Canopy Express. It’s basically a pick-up truck that has a roof to protect cargo from the elements. Eaton said the Canopy Express is a little fancier than the Express truck, which was just the seat and the box.
“When you bought that vehicle, you would get the black hood and the black fenders and you would sit on the gas tank, which is under the seat now, but you would sit on the gas tank and drive it home,” Eaton said.
Henry Ford built bodies for his cars but not the trucks. Eaton said you would get a local blacksmith or carpenter to build the body, or do it yourself. It wasn’t until 1926 that Ford realized that they should be building bodies for trucks as well.
Eaton said he bought his Canopy Express in the Truro area about six years ago, essentially in the same state that it would have originally come from the manufacturer. He said it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
What was left of the body wasn’t usable. He removed that and designed a new body, which he built with the help of a friend. Eaton said it looks very similar to what you’d see in pictures from the 1920s.
When it comes to what he loves about driving it, Eaton said it’s just a unique experience. There are a lot of things about it much different than a modern vehicle. There is no gas gauge, fuel pump, oil pump or water pump. There’s no gear shift or gas petal on the floor.
Eaton said a lot of people like seeing the Canopy Express, which was obvious from all the smiles and waves as he took this reporter for a drive around Somerset and Berwick. He said a lot of folks in the area are getting used to seeing him driving it around. He enjoys going on tours with other members of the Maritime Pre-War Car Registry but he doesn’t do car shows.
Made in Canada
Eaton said the Model T was designed in 1908 by the Ford Motor Company. At the same time, they began manufacturing them in Canada. The vehicles went out of production in 1927.
“The ones I have are Canadian cars and every piece in the car is stamped made in Canada, which is really neat, they are not American cars,” Eaton said.
He said Ford owned only 47 per cent of the Canadian manufacturer. American Model T enthusiasts would recognize differences between U.S. and Canadian models. Canada could export the vehicles to British Commonwealth countries but the U.S. couldn’t.
“The ones I have are Canadian cars and every piece in the car is stamped made in Canada, which is really neat, they are not American cars." - Model T owner John Eaton
The Canadian versions feature square-holed Robertson screws, which are Canadian. Eaton said many consider the Robertson screw superior. Ford recognized that the cars were being manufactured for less in Canada, largely because of the Robertson screws.
Ford decided he wanted to buy the company producing the screws, as opposed to simply purchasing screws, which resulted in a major argument. Robertson screw inventor P.L. Robertson didn’t want to relinquish ownership. Ford then worked to keep Robertson screws out of the international market.
“The Australians had an awful time with their cars because they didn’t know how to take these screws out,” Eaton said.
Decline of the Model T
The Model T chassis didn’t change from 1908 until 1925 when it was improved with what were considered nicer fenders. The vehicle was lowered by one inch and Eaton said they made what little brakes the car had not that much better.
He said the cars were being sold faster than they could be produced in the early 1920s and the thinking was why improve something that people were willing to buy Eaton said that by the late 1920s, people started realizing they could buy a Chevrolet, which had a sliding gear transmission with three speeds. The Model T has a two speed transmission. Eaton describes the low gear as a little too fast for going slow while the high gear is a little too slow for going fast.
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