I've had Model Ts for a few years but I really know very little about them. I'm good at refinishing wheels and things like that but mechanically I need some help. I'd like to build a canopy express from scratch. I have a block and according to the serial number it's a 1919. I bought a bunch of parts from another guy who was building a street rod and I have a 1926 oil pan, transmission, hogshead, crank, pistons, cam. Can I put all these parts on a 1919 block? I don't see any timing marks on the crankshaft gear or the camshaft gear, so how do I know when I have these two gears in time? Also how do I know if the cam is good? Do I measure the height of the lobes or what?
You can put all those parts on a '19 block, but the two ears that stick up on top of the hogshead for bolts will be useless as the blocks '25 and older do not have bolt holes on the rear to match them.
Send the cam to a cam grinder to have him check it out or buy a reground cam or better yet get a new Stipe cam.
I usually pay $60 to have a 4 cylinder cam rebuilt by a good cam grinder. have him resurface the lifters too.
The timing marks look like this.
If you don't already have them, the Model T parts you should get are these:
The Ford Manual and the MTFCA books will save you a lot of grief, hassle, and expense. In this case, you want the Engine book especially.
Joe -- To check for cam wear, measure the smallest and largest dimensions of each lobe and subtract the difference. The cam originally had .250" of lift.
p.s. -- As Aaron said, the lifters should be ground flat on top. They get a dimple in them in use. If you get a reground cam, you will need adjustable lifters, which are taller than the solid ones.
Steve Jeff:
I see you have posted the pictures of the manual again. That is a really good idea for new comers.