Here is one of many reasons I became interested in Model T's!
What about you?



Regards,

Steve

She appears to know what she's doing... Just posed, or do you think she does?

Sorry, Steve, I realized I didn't answer your question. This was a car that the boys next door to my grandparents owned in the forties. I think it's what first whetted my interest. I'm the one on the left.

My grandpa was working for a auto repair, my uncle is working in the car scene and i work there too. So we all and i from being "little" hav to do with cars. I allways wnt to have a Ferrari, but then my wife worked in Detroit and she visited Dearborn :-) The next year we travelled to Dearborn and then i know "We need a Model T". Found a good one nearby and now driving with a smile :-)

I grew up around my fathers 1914 Buick Tourer, which is now in my care. We did lot's of rallies with Model T's.

I always had an admiration for the Model T's because they seemed so good, yet were not a million dollars to buy. My Grandfather used to work on many T's as a mechanic, so when one came up at a reasonable price, I went for it.

I was not disappointed.

My folks & relatives told so many stories about Model Ts that I couldn't see going through life without one.

My earliest encounter with a Model T occurred at Bob Knowles (formerly C.E. Johnson)Ford in "Nordeast" Minneapolis. I was 4 or 5 years old at the time. My dad took his car there for regular oil changes and lube jobs. They had a couple of Ts in their "choice" used car showroom and we'd sit in them while Dad told us about driving them. A salesman offered to sell him one for $250.00. Dad wouldn't bite. Guess he'd has his fill. When us kids got in the hobby, he wouldn't try driving them either.

Soon after that, I discovered that my Mom's cousin Mable's husband Ray owned a '14 touring car and he showed it to us kids. After that, every time we were down in Worthington, MN visiting he had to take us out to the garage to look at the car which kept getting buried deeper under lumber and accumulated stuff. Ray left the car to his son and his son sold the car to me as a basket case. Still working on getting it back together.

My Grandfather (Fred Long) bought his first Model T in 1950 while working his beat as a D.C. Policeman. It was a 1925 coupe. The following year he restored it and he and my grandmother attended shows in the MD, VA, WVA area. In 1953, he bought a 1915 Hudson Touring and for a while, the Model T saw less action.

I was born in 1964 and when I turned 4, I started travelling quite a bit with them as a regular fixture in the back seat of the Hudson. My uncle (Fred Jr.)who was a teenager by then, would drive the coupe and we would caravan to different shows with the coupe out front and my grandparents and I following behind in the Hudson.

When I turned 16 in 1980, I was still tagging along with them. By this time, my Grandmother had passed, and my Grandfather had remarried a wonderful woman who became a fill-in Grandmother to me. Still, the fun continued. This was also the year my uncle put me in the drivers seat of the Model T and taught me how to drive it.

There were many great weekends I had a with my Grandparents and am blessed that I was so fortunate to have been born into such a life. The cars were a catalyst for the golden era of my youth. It was awesome.

They are all gone now. But I am proud to say I have my Granddads coupe in my shop. It still retains the same restoration he gave it in 1951. The beautiful gray wool interior was custom sewn by my grandmother and is still in great condition. The car see's regular service and my wife and I take it out regularly with our 8 year old daughter stuffed in the middle. Each time we take it for a drive, old memories come flooding back. The sounds, the smells....Each trip is a sweet visit with my grandparents......It's golden.

The minute he looks down she's gonna drop that advance on him! That'll learn him to complain about her meatloaf!

Garnet

I remember quite well my Aunt, Lila, telling me "your Grandfather had the first Model T in Richmond, Va. and the serial number was 839".
Oh yea, and then there was that neat wooden box I found on a shelf in my Grandmother's basement. It was real pretty and had funny bolts sticking out the backside. It held water pretty good and worked well for making mudpies. Wonder what ever happened to that thing?
Lee

My grandfather used to tell me about his model T,never did know if it was a touring,pickup or what.He would tell me about haveing 2 fuel tanks,1 for gas 1 for kerosene.at the time he was a teen and dateing and trying to get lucky,gas was being rationed,and for whatever reason,the girl he was dateing at the time wanted to go to the beach.That was the only way he could get the things he wanted was to take her to the beach.So he would get a gallon of gas and some kerosene and take her to the beach on kerosene..
As a young fellow hearing about that got me interested in them.Truthfully,I wanted a chaindrive Mack,but could not,cant and probably never will be able to afford 1.So I decided to work on a model T truck.Kind of a compremise.
Once I drove it on that cold december day I decided I liked it but wanted to go a bit faster.So the second 1 started.After I drove it for a while I decided I wanted lower and faster,so the third has begun.Mercy,Why couldnt I have stuck with stamp collecting???????

I heard stories of the old days, but didn't get seriously interested in the T until a few years after I stumbled into and bought the 1939 Packard in 1978. When I started looking for something older, the plentitude of T parts and cars made it the obvious choice.

Long long time ago, my father told me that my grandfather, who passed away in 1935, once had a truck that he did not remember the year, but one that you can see the firewall that was made of wood and you drove it without your feet!.
He was a child and he did not remember anything else, many many years later I deducted it was a TT.

I always fancied antique machinery and being born and raised in Venezuela it was dificult for me to get a hand on them, there were not much of a preservation mentality around.

Now I live in Spain for almost 10 years and here we preserve a lot, but taking in account that during the civil war much of the automobiles were destroyed or dismantled and after that they were sold to other countries there are a lot of antique cars but not as many model Tīs

Then, 5 years ago the oportunity presented itself for me to choose for buying a Ford A, a 1925 Studebaker and a T, all of them where in Argentina, whitout hesitation I decided for the T; Car of the Century, 15MM+ produced, and some stories aboout the fun of owning one.

What they told me about owning it is not as much fun as the real thing.

Initially I planned for buyin another antique car, and now I decided that when the times come it would be another T, preferably a pre 1912 model!

Regards,

What year is that Popular Science?

My whole family was basically non-Ford. And for reasons that cannot be explained, I have been passionate about early antique automobiles at least since I was two. But I had no interest in any Ford. Until I met some friends, while I was in high school, that were into model Ts. Soon, my first speedster followed. Then another. Then a TT. Then another speedster. Eventually the centerdoor. Then another speedster.
There have been Studebakers, a REO, a Sayers, and other things, but always at least one T.
I think I have had more model Ts than all my ancestors combined.
W2

Found it. August 1952. Full issue available free (like all past issues) via Google Books.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/03/popular-science-puts-entire-scanned-archi ve-online-free/

I grew up around a multitude of Model A's as a kid and one orphan TT truck in the lot. LOL

The TT was sold before I was old enough to work on it tho.

Fast forward to 'modern times', I've worked on a few T's for customers and got hooked on them. Now I want one for myself and shall have one before the year is out!

6 words: " Henry Ford museum's old car festival!"

This is what did it for me. Road & Track magazine article that I first saw when I was in Jr. high school. I started building my first car before I had a driver's license and entered my first Montana 500 when I was 16 years old.

http://www.antiqueautoranch.com/montana500/yearinfo/1970/r&t1970.html

For the average joe that wants to experience early automobile technology the T is the way to go. As we all know buzz coils and planetary transamissions
are some of the earliest forms of ignition and drive. I often tell people that owning a T is not for the "feint of heart" of the auto enthusiast. Most people around here have model A's.

Why because you can not get parts for a 490

I've never liked modern technology. I also like Henry Ford's way of thinking when it comes to the design of the T, among other things. Also, and one of the most important things, is the parts availability.
I have never owned a car with power steering, fuel injection or automatic transmission, and never intend to.

I guess you did not get the new iPhone then

You can get parts for a 490. Yea not easy and they ain't always cheap, but they can be found.

I never thought about the T because I wanted a 53 chevy for most of my life. My best friend had an old T in the garage that his dad started to work but died and left it collecting dust. It was neat, but kinda boring. The years passed and one day my friend took me to the antique auto ranch in Spokane on a meeting night. I got to see a living, breathing, model T. It suddenly hit me that these cars were right up my alley. I have always loved mechanical things. I have done so much work on mine, and loved every minute of it. The T does have a personality that other cars just don't have.

My car has a starter, but I hardly use it now because hand cranking is so much fun.

It is a machine with personality. What could be better?

I had been looking for a nice model A for over a year, when I happened to tune in to Jay Leno's Garage and caught hie conversation on the Model T
He described it as trrue geniius...No water pump or oil pump and great reliability...Designed to run on ethanol so farmers could run them cheaply...He even drives his Model T to work in LA on a daily basis....I was sold there and then on owning and restoring one to drive often and tinker with forever....Bought it on E-Bay in Nov. '09 and got it registered and on the road on first day of summer, '10...complete engine removal and found to be wonderfully rebult with a Model A crankshaft and pistons....replaced rings and spark plugs and drums in tranny and runs like a dream....Much thanks to Steve Ellis and his bottomless pit of knowledge on the T,s...Also, the great help from you on the Forum...Your discussions really make a scenario for those of us new to the T....
Jack, '25 Roadster

Fourth Gen T' Owner here...

Pic is Great Grandad behind the wheel (grandpa is in passenger seat) He owned T's later in the late 20's. Dad bought one in 76 - and I still have it!

Grandad on the far right - around 1980 (my uncle also had one back in the 80s

It's easy to see why I like Model Ts.

Here are my folks with the '15 in 1956:



Here's me and Dad in the 1925 roadster pickup with the president of Braniff in 1959:



Here we are earlier this year with the '12 touring:

Royce, is that Braniff Airlines?
I have an old suitcase, with a Braniff sticker on it. I had forgotten all about it.

I wish I had more family connections to T's.

Yes, Dad worked for Mid Continent Airlines which was purchased by Braniff in the 1950's. The picture is at the Braniff hangar at MSP airport.

Royce: Do you have anymore pictures of that '25?

Steve: I think that Popular Science issue is the one with the article on Herb Singe's early years with old cars. Herb is still with us, and has been attending Hershey for over 50 years now.

Yes Larry,the article includes quite a lot about Herb Singe and his T's.
If you ever get a chance,please thank him for me.
Reading that article was one of the life experiences that got me interested in T's.
There was also a small farm just down the road with a '26 Tudor in a lean-to next to the Barn, as well as stories of my grandparents polishing the brass on their T before heading off to church, and of course Laurel and Hardy shorts on Saturday afternoons on TV.
Lots of memories.
Bye for now.

Regards,

Steve

Not smart enough for those modern cars with the intergrated chips and sensors to tell the intergrated chips that the air is moving. How are you supposed to tell the intergrated chip it is making too many mistakes? If you take it apart all the wires are too small to see even with a magnifying glass. There is the fact the modern cars are made from metal foil that gets bent out of shape far too easily for my liking and they are too close to the ground and get stranded on small obstacles like traffic barriers. And then there is the brakes that work using liquifyed pressure, Who thought that up? What a stupid idea! When they leak you get oily stuff on the brakes and they don't work! i hate that i had to replace a wheel cylinder last time that happened. Then there is all the blinking lights and beeping noises if you leave the lights on or the keys in it, i don't need a beeping noise to tell me that was where i left the keys, i left them there so i would not lose them. And why do i need to have windows with buttons to make them work? i just wanted to slide the window down and i have to go to the drama of finding the keys, turning on the car, pressing a button until the window is where i wanted it and then turning the car back off again. It is like modern cars were designed for children with learning disablities or something.

Rather have a car that makes sence and works even if it is kinda old

I grew up around old airplanes (my dad's business was aviation related), and stories of my dad's first car - a Model T chassis and engine with a porch chair seat over the gas tank. Later, my wife's family was very into Model A's and Model T's and one of the expectations of new in-laws was they had to be cockpit qualified on the family Model T - a 1926 Coupe. That set the bug pretty firmly and we now have 2 Model T's and 5 Model A's.

My 25 year old son likes the cars, but they aren't his thing. My 21 year old daughter on the other hand is really into it, cars, fashion, history, the whole 9-yards.

In my case, it's kind of like the punchline of the joke where there's one guy in the non-henpecked husbands line in heaven. "My wife told me to stand here."

There was a '31 Slant Window Town Sedan that I just had to have. The owner was reluctant to sell it because no one wanted to buy the derelict 1925 coupe parked next to it. My wife made him an offer on both cars and she asked me to restore her car first.

Thirty some years later and every once in a while I get to work on my Town Sedan. The rest of the time, I'm working on our family's five Ts.

In my case, I first encountered a T (actually, a TT) as an infant. My grandfather had the old truck on his ranch in Santa Clara, CA and used it as an orchard truck until he retired in 1963. In the eveneings during the fruit season the whole family would climb on the back and the old man would drive out to the peach trees for a treat. It was as good as a trip to the ice cream parlor.

Anyway, I was a slow learner, I guess. They tell me that when I was about 3 or 4 years old I'd trot along behind the truck yelling to them all that, "I'm NOT gonna ride in that ol' junk!" Of course later I learned to love the ol junk. It was the first vehicle I ever drove and I'm still driving it.

Henry, thanks for the story, that truck is indeed a keeper.

Henry, I thought that was Joey's truck! Used to see one very much like it at Cal Poly in the early '70's driven by Joey Petrino. - John

It was love at first sight when my former neighbor,Jim Zordich and his dad drove out to see us in his newly acquired "1915" touring. That was 1958. Turned out the car was a cobbled together 20's something with a brass radiator added.

Next year my parents bought a 160 acre ranch in Templeton, Ca. where I discovered bits and pieces of a 1918 touring buried in a gully. (T's used to make great land fill!)

Jim and I spent the summer digging it out so he could get the top irons and other bits...to make his '15 more authentic. Meanwhile my Dad and I found a '22 TT with a '25 cab at a junk yard in Wellsona, Ca.

I was 11 when I started, finished that truck when I was 25.

My T love has never gone away.

Sorry Henry it was Joey Turrito who had a truck just like yours!

I know how it is, John. Hard to distinguish names all ending with vowels....

Yuk, yuk.

My youngest son is Joe and my brother graduated Cal Poly, so you weren't so far off after all.

When I was very young my Dad and my Uncle would get together and share stories about their great western adventure. When they were 17 and 27 repectivly(sp)on the Indiana farm they bought a '26 Model T roadster and headed for California. Whenever they ran out of money they just stopped where ever that placed them and worked until they had enough money to go on. They especially enjoyed recounting their excursion up Pikes Peak wherein they wore out the low band and therefore backed up the last two miles to the top. They made it to LA but I was not allowed in the room when they discussed their California adventures. Apparently there were a few risque interludes (after all it was California). They made it back to Indiana and my Dad was forever a FORD man. When I got over my hot rod years followed by my trailer queen years, I thoughtfully migrated to Model T's. Absolutely the most car fun for the money (or regardless of the money). If you have a Model T you don't need any other collector cars IMHO.
Bill R. '25 Fordor

I heard stories about my grandparents, my dad, and uncles and their adventures with Model T's. And they indeed had adventures such as driving from coast to coast and back, and driving from Los Angeles to Vancouver Island and back etc.

When I learned to drive I wanted one, but my dad thought a Model A would be better, so I got one and eventually had 13 of them.

I finally got my first T when I was 53 and now have 3 of them.
Norm

I love your stories, more please.

Speaking of Cal Poly (Pomona, though) I heard about a dorm student who had an old car for sale. My brother and I drove on campus to locate him. No go, was not even on campus. Discouraged, we headed home. Traveling east bound on I-10 we passed under I-210. There he was coming back to school. We took the next off ramp on two wheels and caught up with him at his dorm entrance. It was a 26 Fordor. He wanted $550. We offered 500 and a case of ice cold beer. We had that T Model in our garage that evening. The year was 1962.

Delores -

I've posted this story before, but since you asked for stories, here's a true family T story:

My maternal grandfather, until this incident, drove nothing other than Model T's and a team of mules in his whole life. In about 1941 or '42 my mother's older sister bought a used '37 Chevrolet coupe. It was the first sliding gear vehicle in the family, with a 3 speed on the floor. She arrived home and jumped out, excited to show her family her "new" car. It seems in doing so she left the drivers door open and the engine running.

Well, Grandpa slid into the drivers seat to look it over. My aunt said something like, "Wait a minute, Dad, and I'll show you how the gears work." Now grandpa, if nothing else, was a bonehead (I loved him, but a bonehead nontheless). He responded with something like, "I've been driving since 1912. You ain't showin' me anything." Meanwhile, my uncle, 12 years old at the time, had slid into the passengers seat. So, with my uncle along side, my aunt standing there horrified, and my grandmother looking on from a short distance away, Grandpa managed to get it in a forward gear and drove it straight into the livingroom. I imagine that he tried to stop it by pressing down the gas pedal, since that's were the brake is on a T.

So, once a T guy always a T guy. He never drove on a public street again after that day and lived another 23 or 24 years. He used the mules for another 3 or 4 years, moved to a new place that had an old Holt tracklayer orchard tractor which he used, and the TT pictured in my previous post in this thread. All travel away from home was by bus, friend, or family.

I just wish I had been there.