Thread by @iowahawkblog

Happy 136th birthday from #DavesCarIDService to the single greatest invention of all time: the car.

*the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, built by Carl Benz in 1885, patented Jan 29, 1886.

There is quibbling about what was the first car, and even the definition of car; self-propelled road vehicles date back to the 18th century, but Benz's patent car is widely accepted as Car Zero.

other contenders for the title: the Cugnot steam wagon (1769), used to tow artillery for the French army, and the Murdock steam carriage (1788), from England. By the 1830s there were a few dozen road steam carriages operating in England and Scotland.

Not to get too far down a philosophical rabbit hole, one could also argue Henry Ford invented our modern *idea* of the car: mass produced personal transportation affordable to the average Joe. Ford transformed the car from novel technology into a revolutionary world-changer.

Anyhoo, enough of the navel-gazing, onto solving your car mysteries. Again I remind you (1) tag your ID requests with #DavesCarIDService, (2) we prefer old family album photos, and (3) this is a no-politics zone.

Gonna kick off today's batch with a couple of cuties on a car I myself own: 1935 Ford coupe. I've received several ID requests on family souvenir photos taken at the Chandelier Tree, some early as the 1910s, and they're always delightful.

https://twitter.com/msundstr/status/1487497284237545478

And I'm always delighted to pitch in with a car ID assist for my ol' Texas pard @TracesofTexas. Nothing is more photogenic than the dignified oxidation of an old truck, and this one's a 1942-47 Ford.

https://twitter.com/TracesofTexas/status/1487627575895678979

There's something just aesthetically magnetic about patina. The Japanese have a wonderful term that describes it, "Wabi Sabi," roughly translated as the beauty of imperfection, or the beauty of decay.

Oh yah, dem Yoders are workin' out inda field wit' a 1940-48 Oliver 60 Row Crop tractor and 1938-49 International KS or KB series truck dere. An' den dey're goin' ta town in a 1957 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan.

https://twitter.com/celia_hostetler/status/1487424326064349192

Gotta say Oliver 60s are one of the prettiest tractors ever designed, made in good ol' Charles City (aka Chucktown) Iowa USA.

a swell pic featuring a 1939 Ford Deluxe convertible coupe. Kind of melancholy, as it illustrates the Twilight of the Rumble Seat. 1939 was last year you could order an American car with one.

https://twitter.com/fobrg/status/1486440983491395590

*The Triumph 2000 roadster offered a rumble seat until 1949, but in England they were referred to as a "dickey seat."

That there would be a top-of-the-line 1955 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer getting some Dino Juice at the Sinclair. I believe there's a '55 Lancer tailfin on the wall at the original Chuy's in Austin, I wonder if it is from this car?

https://twitter.com/ajwimsatt/status/1485373926012293128

A straightup treasure of a family photo from Old New Mexico, not far removed from the Old West days. The car here is a 1919-22 Studebaker Light Six touring.

https://twitter.com/fredalmighty22/status/1485310183299588100

I'll call it a 1940 Chevy Master Deluxe 2 dr sedan.

https://twitter.com/FullMonty_54/status/1485290710840528902

*although I'm a bit disconcerted by car IDs that are requested like Anton Chigurh.

I can see jusssssst enough of the car under the class clowns to narrow it down to these possibilities: 1929 Oakland/Pontiac, Olds/Viking, or Nash 420 sedan.

https://twitter.com/1_ranger/status/1485264460788875265

*I suppose I should add 1929 Chevy International in there as well; they had a 10-spoke wood wheel option, but were rarely used.

Not sure the exact year, but Eli had a world class mustache at the time. Not 100% certain on Eli & Vida's car, but I suspect a 1923-24 Nash touring.

https://twitter.com/pkfanderson0/status/1484717620586856451

*Eat your heart out, Tom Selleck.

Pretty sure the baby photographer's backdrop was a 1953 Dodge Coronet.

https://twitter.com/breathem_rpl/status/1484385657262805001

Even though Harley WLA is the pat answer to a USA WW2 bike, I struggled with this due to picture blur and size of rider. I'll go with Harley WLA, and that Pops was a BIG dude.

https://twitter.com/lawyergill/status/1482806211070283777

I thought that appeared to be a vertical shock on the front fork, but I believe it is just a utility box.

Henry is flexing with his 1917-23 Ford Model T touring.

https://twitter.com/lawyergill/status/1482803822300962821

A couple of great photos (I suspect #1 was taken in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, originally the Czech part of town). But oh, how mightily I struggled to ID these two cars which I will explain in subsequent tweets.

https://twitter.com/Hackknife/status/1482738585967206405

*License plate on #1 is 1923 IL. Sedans were rare then, especially w/ oval rear windows. Model Ts had 'em but this isn't. #2 touring car is pre-electric lights with beveled cowl.

Long story short, I will venture both are Wisconsin-made Kissel Kars; #1 a 1922ish, #2 1914ish.

Problem is I can't find any solid confirmatory photos, as Kissels were fairly rare. So I'm going to hedge both IDs and open this up for alternative opinions; but I think this is a challenge best left to AACA-level car experts.

Unequivocally a 1917-24 Ford Model T touring; slant windshield says more likely post-1919. (hat tip to several people)

https://twitter.com/petersagal/status/1487620091931992066

Can do, and congrats to the long-time snuggle buddies who are standing next to a 1957-58 Plymouth Savoy sedan.

https://twitter.com/Finfanjeff/status/1487576999510040577

sadly, the remains of a 1957 Ford 4 door.

https://twitter.com/hmfic04/status/1487464109734084608

1931 Ford Model A roadster.

https://twitter.com/stl4444/status/1486587126892351489

Put some Cragar S/S mags on your 1966 Chevy Impala like Carl Dean, and you can land a girl like Dolly Parton.

https://twitter.com/Tribe_XX/status/1486516323576332289

1962 Buick Skylark foreground, and a 65-69 Corvair parked by the theater.

https://twitter.com/sprint955rider/status/1486515151675269120

The DC gossip columns were atwitter after the scandal of the Mellon's daughter leaving in a 3-year old 1922-23 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost town car at her own wedding (ht @Timberati)

https://twitter.com/wikivictorian/status/1485764133110878217

'fraid that's it for today folks, off to celebrate the birthday of the automobile with a joyride out in the sunny Texas Hill Country. Until next time, Happy Motoring!