Model F, 1908                                   Period Images    Home
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4 cylinder 60hp engine, 127" wheelbase.
Model F was originally advertised with 5 bodies - runabout, tourabout, touring, landaulet, and limousine.
Note that the "Flyabout" model name did not appear until the 1909 season,
    first mentioned in 1909 season advertising on July 25, 1908.

These factory images appeared in October of 1907.
All are distinguished by a chainbox with a square door.
No existing period photo shows a car with this square door.



Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal, Oct.  1, 1907
This image is not labeled with a model name, but it is undoubtedly the touabout, a 4-passenger roadster.



ALAM Handbook, 1908
The touring car, a better version of the image that appeared in Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal, Oct.  1, 1907.




Colliers, Oct. 26, 1907
The above image, with a windshield added.



Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal, Oct.  1, 1907                             the landaulet


There is no known visual difference between 1908 Model F and 1909 Model F.
The folliwing images are known to be 1908 cars because of the dates of the images.
The 1909 season was announced in July of 1908, and the earliest known delivery was in September.


The Buffalo-Boston car

This car was pulled off the line on about January 29, 1908.
George Schuster drove it through the bitter winter to Boston, with a side trip to NYC,
    to learn about the reliability of the Thomas in harsh condtions,
    and to reconnoiter the route to be used in the upcoming New York-to-Paris race.
(During his return drive from Boston, Schuster got the call to participate in the race itself.)


Timothy Wahl, photo by his great-grandfather Frank Wahl
Jan. 30,  1908, in Rochester



Motor Age, Feb. 13, 1908
Feb. 3, on Jacob's Ladder over Lebanon Mountain.



Automobile Topics, Feb. 29, 1908
Feb. 3, on Jacob's Ladder over Lebanon Mountain.



National Automobile Museum



Hartford Courant, Feb. 5, 1908
Feb. 4, in Hartford.



The Automobile, Mar. 19, 1908



National Automobile Museum



National Automobile Museum



The Automobile, Feb. 27, 1908
The company turned right around and entered the car in the 155-mile Bay State Automobile Association endurance run,
    from Boston to Providence, Worcester, and back to Boston.


The Percy Walker runabout

First, a factory photo of the runabout.
Note the shortened wheelbase, putting the driver right over the rear of the transaxle.
No catalog is known to exist which might provide the wheelbase of this model,
    although it was mentioned in 1908 season advertising.
The 1909 catalog did not include a runabout.


National Automobile Museum


Next, the car purchased by San Francisco contractor Percy J. Walker.

National Automobile Museum
He picked it up at the factory on April 14, 1908, shipped it to Europe, and put 9000 miles on it in the next 5 months.

Here's a picture after he got back from that trip.

Oakland Tribune, Jan. 20, 1909
The scary little back seat has been replaced by a full width seat, with top.
Mr. & Mrs. Walker are in front, and Mr. and Mrs. Monahan of Sacremento are in the back.


The Houpt Paris car

Harry Houpt had a Model F in Paris to welcome the round-the-world racers.
Since the first picture appeared in June of 1908, this car was most likely from the 1908 production run.


The Automobile, Jun. 25, 1908
In front of the Grand  Palais, Paris.
Montague Roberts driving, Houpt in the front seat, Mrs. Houpt and Miss McCartney in the back.



Alan Ballard
Roberts is again at the wheel.


Others


Motor Field, date unknown
Taken in Wright Park, Tacoma, in May, 1908.
L-R:  Thomas dealer J. B. Knight, comedienne/writer/publicist Nellie Revell, Miss Florence Pensse, F. K. Haskell