Switching Gears : Motoring Monday

Let's take a break from Mystery Photos for a while and switch gears to enjoy a little gem I found in the Wallace B. Dixon Collection [a.k.a. Grandpa's Stuff]. As part of my new archival enthusiasm I decided to try out my shiny new micro spatula and remove some photos and ephemera from one of those awful "magnetic albums" that my grandfather put together. I found some treasures there! Gramps had saved nearly every automobile registration for every car he owned, as well as most of his driver's licenses. Neat.

For the next several weeks we'll be enjoying Motoring Monday as we explore Wally Dixon's automotive history. 

Buckle up!

Motoring Monday : The 1920 Model T Ford Sport Racer

Wallace B. Dixon's first car. This is a blue 1920 Model T Ford "Sport Racer."
At the wheel is Wally Dixon's nephew, Milton "Derby" Moore.
Privately held by E. Ackermann, 2016.

Wallace B. Dixon
in the early-mid 1920's

First, let's just marvel at the wonderfulness that is my grandfather's first car.  Pretty awesome, isn't it? According to a handwritten note (1) that I found in the album along with the car registrations, Wallace B. "Wally" Dixon owned this car from 1922 to 1925. He must have purchased the car when he was 17 years old.

Wally Dixon married my grandmother, Sophie Karvoius, in 1925 (2). This must have been the car he drove when they were courting. Did he have to sell it when they married? Did my grandmother ever ride in it? Did my grandfather actually race this car? So many things we may never know!

The young man pictured behind the wheel is Milton "Derby" Moore, my grandfather's nephew. Derby was only two years younger than his uncle, due to the age gap between Wally Dixon and his oldest sister, Derby's mother, Minerva (Dixon) Moore. [You can read more about the Moore family in this post.]

My grandfather gave the particulars of this vehicle in a note taped to the back of a framed copy of the picture.

He refers to the car as "The Original Green Hornet."
[No doubt he was making a joke,
as the car was blue when he owned it -
if the Vehicle Registration card is correct.]
Privately held by E. Ackermann, 2016. 

In this note that Wally Dixon wrote he calls the car a Ford "Hot Rod." The 1924 and 25 Vehicle Registration cards call it a 1920 Ford Model T Sport Racer. Interestingly, I've found very little on the internet about this type of Model T. I have to wonder if the body of the car was a later addition to the original chassis. It doesn't appear to be a standard production model. At least not that I've been able to find.

The Model T was first introduced by Ford in 1908. It was remarkable for the many "firsts":

• first car affordable for the middle class
• first mass produced on moving assembly lines
• first car with completely interchangeable parts

You can find a nice summary of the history and specifications of the Model T at Wikipedia.

License and Registration, Please

 

1924 Vehicle Registration for the
Ford Model T Sport Racer owned by Wallace B. Dixon.
Privately held, E. Ackermann, 2016.

It was pretty remarkable to find these New Jersey Passenger Vehicle Registration cards for the Model T from 1924 and 1925.  There is some good automotive information here.

The "Green Hornet" was actually blue. It was a 1920 model with 4 cylinders and a screaming 23 horsepower engine. Zippy! Remarkably, the cost of registering this passenger vehicle went from $4.60 in 1924 to $9.20 in 1925. Highway robbery!

1925 Vehicle Registration for the
Ford Model T Sport Racer owned by Wallace B. Dixon.
Privately held, E. Ackermann, 2016.

Notice that the street address for the 1925 registration is on West Grand Street. Interestingly, no Dixons are listed at that address in the 1923, 1924, 1925, or 1926 Elizabeth City Directories. The address on the 1924 registration, Julian Place, was previously unknown to me and I believe requires further investigation. A quick look at the Elizabeth City Directory for 1923 and 1925 don't show my grandfather as a resident at that address, although I suppose it's possible that he boarded with someone in the building.

Wallace B. Dixon's Auto Driver's License, 1925.
Privately held, E. Ackermann, 2016.

Finally, we have Wallace B. Dixon's 1925 Auto Driver's License. Here we get a great physical description of my grandfather at age 20 : 5'4" tall, 135 pounds, light hair, blue eyes. His signature is there as well.

I hope you've enjoyed this first installment of Motoring Monday! See you next week.







Citations
(1) Photograph of Wallace B. Dixon's first car, scanned image of original, note taped to back. Owned 2016 by Elizabeth Ackermann, granddaughter of Wallace B. Dixon.

(2) Certificate of Marriage for Wallace B. Dixon and Sophia Karvojius, 26 October 1925, No. 2368 (issued 1984), Registrar of Vital Statistics, City of Elizabeth, New Jersey; Office of Registrar of Vital Statistics, City Hall, Elizabeth, New Jersey.

(3) "Ford Model T." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 July 2016. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Model_T : accessed 02 Aug. 2016). 

Sources

Photograph of Wallace B. Dixon's first car, scanned image of original, note taped to back "The Original Green Hornet, Date - 1922, Make - Ford "Hot Rod," Enlarged cylinders, special gears under slung springs, etc., Owner - Wallace B. Dixon, Milton (Derby) Moore at the wheel." Owned 2016 by Elizabeth Ackermann, granddaughter of Wallace B. Dixon.

New Jersey Passenger Vehicle Registration issued to Wallace B. Dixon, 1924, replacing original No. 397464. Owned 2016 by Elizabeth Ackermann, granddaughter of Wallace B. Dixon.

New Jersey Passenger Vehicle Registration issued to Wallace B. Dixon, 1924, No. 117471. Owned 2016 by Elizabeth Ackermann, granddaughter of Wallace B. Dixon.

New Jersey Auto Driver's License issued to Wallace B. Dixon, 1925, No. 378299. Owned 2016 by Elizabeth Ackermann, granddaughter of Wallace B. Dixon.