We have here pictured a well accessorized 1927 T Ford coupé taken somewhere in Lexington, Fayette County, KY. 1927 was the first year Kentucky included the county on the tag; the license plate is from 1928 so the coupé is quite new, but the finish seems somewhat dulled. The tires have good tread suggesting limited overall use and abuse on what passed for roadways.
Accessory-wise we see a front bumper; unseen is likely its rear counterpart. The crank handle is missing, but there’s some sort of gadget partially obscured by the bumper. Perhaps it’s some sort of aftermarket starter mechanism in addition to the factory item. The license plate is mounted ala the Model A Ford. The headlights have “eyebrows” which would cut down on glare for oncoming traffic as well as reflecting some much needed illumination on the roadway. Model T originally came with 21-21 candle power bulbs but the daring drivers went to 21-32 cp bulbs. Perhaps there were the then illegal bulbs in the sockets. There is a cast plaque identifying the hometown of the owner. Above and to the left is a AAA badge. It might be interesting to be able to read what is imprinted on it but the quality of the original photo prevents it. The owner was a Shriner, no doubt a member of the Oleika Temple which is active to this day. With all the things blocking cool air flow through the radiator to the engine it’s evident the proud owner had no worries about over heating. Henry’s radiator cap has been replaced with a Boyce MotoMeter to better monitor engine temperature. Beneath it is a Whirligig spinner add-on for the occupants’ amusement. The doors are equipped with mini-awnings. Lastly in the photo the steering wheel with finger grips appears to be an accessory type. Being unable to see the rear of the coupé, we can only ponder what other accessories may be in place. It’s an interesting photo of an interesting Model T.