A few pictures of my '24 Touring Car

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: A few pictures of my '24 Touring Car
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 03:53 pm:

For those of you who don't know (which I imagine is most of you), I'm a 23 year-old college student with a passion for Ts. I was finally able to cough up $4,000 for a non-running '24 Touring Car. I got it running the day I bought it and got about half-a-mile down the road before the low band disintegrated. After some engine and transmission work, I got it back on the road. After I'm finished with school, I'm going to give the car a full restoration. For now, I'm just trying to keep it running.

1st Successful Road Trip
My first successful road trip. I topped out at 30mph! Perhaps it's time to do a basic engine/transmission rebuild?

Lots of parts
Lots of parts everywhere!

Engine Apart
Lots of junk
Look at all that junk in the bottom of that oil pan!

Shot valve
Here's a valve that I pulled out of the engine (all the exhaust valves looked pretty similar). Maybe that was causing my lack of power? A new set of valves later, along with a lot of lapping compound and even more elbow grease and the T ran like a top!

Taking some people for a ride
Just taking some people for a ride.

At the local burger joint
Here I am at the local burger joint.

My brother picking me up from class
My brother picking me up from college after classes were over.

Rebuilding the Differential
Rebuilding the differential in the parking lot of my apartment. No more pesky babbitt thrust washers!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 04:04 pm:

That's a pretty solid looking car for $4,000. It even comes with a top!

Congratulations & welcome!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino in Modesto, CA on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 04:26 pm:

It sure looks like you got your feet wet! Good Luck and keep us posted on your restoration progress once you get going with it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 04:34 pm:

Good for you! I love it! That's just like the old days, rebuilding the rear axle in the parking lot.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 04:37 pm:

Thanks, you all!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Orlando Ortega Jr. on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 04:55 pm:

Cameron,

Congratulations on your car and efforts! With your enthusiasm, you'll have that baby running great and looking shiny before too long.


I also have a '24 Touring and love it. In fact that's the one you and others helped me with when I had a loose electrical connection a couple weeks ago. I appreciate your input.

Wish you the best!

Orlando


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 04:58 pm:

Nice going Cameron!
It's still true that necessity is the mother of invention.......glad you're keeping that true...... :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan B on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 04:59 pm:

Awesome man! That appears to be pretty solid. Any idea how original the body is? Do you know the history behind the car? Looks like you got a deal.

I'm about your age and have a '23 Touring. I see your plate...too bad you don't live closer! We could start a T gang!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dexter Doucet on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 05:11 pm:

I like your touring car. The skinny front tires, faded red wheels, and the strap between fenders. Much character.
I also admire your diligence in rebuilding the engine and rear old school like, on a budget working where you can.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 05:13 pm:

Dan,

As far as I can tell, the body is almost entirely original. In fact, almost all of the car is original! Nothing looks to have been changed or altered at any point. The body is in great shape for sure. The wood is pretty tired, but there is little rust on any metal, and there are hardly any dings or dents to be found!

I know that the radiator is not original, as it is a flat-tube radiator, but that seems to be it, except for the front fender braces and rear luggage rack, of course!

Unfortunately, I don't know any history of this car.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Mays on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 05:18 pm:

Gig'um Cameron. Our first T was a '24 Touring. We've been to see Ross in College Station many times. The Texas Touring Ts meet the second Thursday each month at IHOP. Hope to see you there. John Mays, A&M, class of '59


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Gruber- Spanaway, Wash. on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 05:49 pm:

Congratulations!
Nice to see your enthusiasm.
That T looks like it'll be in good hands for many years to come.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Gruber- Spanaway, Wash. on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 05:55 pm:

Another bit of free advice you didn't ask for....
That's a nice original T that I would not restore.
It has nice patina and they're only original once.
I would work it over mechanically to make it dependable and that's it!
This advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
Have fun.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Don Booth@ Bay City, Mi on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 05:55 pm:

You must have a degree in Model T's, you seem to know your stuff already....I need that course badly~~~Congrad's and you came to the right place if you need help. The forum guys are a wealth of information and are eager to share...can't ask for better than that!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 06:04 pm:

Cameron,

Welcome aboard! Keep on doing what you are doing! Great looking T.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike conrad on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 06:10 pm:

WELCOME Cameron, Nice to see a young guy who's excited about driving a T! Drove my T to high school and college. I also remember trying to fix my T at my apt. one time. management did not like that mess at all.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 08:23 pm:

You mentioned going 30 MPH. That is about average for a good running stock T with no engine modifications. Welcome to the world of Model T's! Just remember to drive safely and remember its almost a 100 year old car and always be careful of the other folks on the road!
They can stop and go a lot quicker than you can.
Have fun.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 11:10 pm:

John, and everyone else,

Thanks for all your support!

I must confess that I've been working on Ts for some years now. It was only recently that I was actually able to own one! I could already tell that my T was seriously lacking power the first time I drove it!

I must have read the Model T Bible cover to cover at least 6 times...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Noel D. Chicoine, MD, Pierre, SD on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 11:44 pm:

You have a very nice T, Cameron. I second the motion not to restore it. Clean it up, keep the steering and brakes tight, lube the springs, and drive it. I put a Z head in mine which made it much easier to drive in traffic. Oh, and turn signals and brake lights so the other people know what I am doing and don't try to pass me while I'm turning, or rear end me when I'm braking. Most important of all.....Have fun with it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 11:56 pm:

Noel,

That's pretty much what I've been leaning towards. I've already rebuilt the steering and installed new bushings, installed new lined shoes for the rear brakes, and countless other things. There's no reason why a T can't appear original but be ship-shape under the hood!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bernard Paulsen, San Buenaventura, Calif on Thursday, June 07, 2012 - 12:53 am:

The car survived 88 years in admirable condition, which is worthy of celebration, yet you feel the urge to kill its originality, make it purdy, "restore" it 'til the last bit of character and dignity has vanished?

I'll give you the benefit of youth, Cameron, and to be fair, it's not only you; it's a country-wide phenomenon that something hat has survived almost a century is overdue for some serious makeover. It takes only one person to destroy what only time and mother nature combined can create, and I hope that while you approach graduation, you'll reconsider.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Thursday, June 07, 2012 - 01:23 am:

Bernard,

As I told Noel earlier, that's the direction I'm leaning towards. I certainly plan to do a full restoration mechanically, but maybe not cosmetically.

However, the car was "restored" back in the '60s, according to the few records I have of it.

The paint is certainly not original. In fact, in some places, the owner applied a few coats of primer but never actually painted it. He has redone the upholstery and made new floorboards.

As much as I would love to keep this car looking original, unfortunately the originality of it was destroyed long ago.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Thursday, June 07, 2012 - 03:25 am:

Forget about that word 'Original', it gets used a lot around here. What you have there is what we call a 'Survivor'. A Model T that's been well used and repaired accordingly. It might not be 'all original' but it still has that poor but honest, 'Used Car' look.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Thursday, June 07, 2012 - 09:22 am:

Dennis,

That's pretty much always the stand I've taken.

Take a look at the Wrecker at the museum I do volunteer work for (bottom of the page). Many people have called it all original and unrestored, but there's hardly anything "original" about it! I would definitely call it a survivor!

http://pioneerflightmuseum.org/vehicles/modelT.shtml


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Noel D. Chicoine, MD, Pierre, SD on Thursday, June 07, 2012 - 09:39 am:

One nice thing I find about having a "survivor" is that I'm not afraid to let people crawl in it, go for rides and spill their ice cream, or take it down a rough, possibly weed infested road. One more scratch won't hurt anything! The rear passenger door is shimmed forward because the center between the doors is too far forward. the lower wood was replaced with 2x4's in the 60's that are only 3.5x1.5 inches. Original appears to be true 2.0x4.0. I wouldn't have near as much fun if I worried about getting a scratch or dent in the car. I look at the 100 point cars at the shows, then go back to my flivver.
Noel


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Thursday, June 07, 2012 - 10:01 am:

it's a shame you're in Texas and I'm in Florida. You wouldn't be able to get rid of me. :-) I work here.
www.freedomisntfree.org


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary Schreiber- Aiken, SC on Thursday, June 07, 2012 - 10:15 am:

I'd drive the crap out of it :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 10:25 am:

That's a good looking car. I would go along with the others and add that you should not "restore" it, but maintain it in good running condition. I have one like that. It was restored in the 1960's and got very little use after that. I put on new tires and worked on the engine and transmission, but keep the body and upholstery as I received it. Two others I restored.

The car in stock condition should go about 45 MPH top speed, but it will self destruct if you drive it that fast all the time. 30-35 is a good cruising speed.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Stitt-Southern Oregon on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 11:01 am:

I wouldn't restore it either. You'll find people are fascinated with survivor cars. Sweet ride.
If you do restore look at the bright side, when you are 110 years old this car could look this again.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 01:50 pm:

So many people love to see my T as it is! I believe that some people become too scrutinizing when looking at a restored T. Plus, I feel that a lot of people over-restore them.

Oh, and for the record, I typically cruise at 30 to 35 mph. It just shouldn't have to be at full throttle and full advance to go that speed!

And yes, I had already ruled out the other suspects for the lack power, ignition, timing, mixture, throttle and spark advance linkages, etc..


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 02:34 pm:

I'm thinking since your T appears to have non-demountable wheels, that it started off it's life as a non-starter car. Are the front wheels 30x3? If it has been converted, and most have, if you look at the battery carrier, it will be attached to the frame with all bolts, whereas the factory used two rivets and one bolt.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 03:05 pm:

About 34 years ago, a soon-to-be good friend of mine paid a little too much for a 1919 T touring car. It had an older cosmetic restoration. The paint shined nice, but had more than a few scratches and other flaws. The upholstery was good looking, and the engine ran well.
When I first saw the car, I told him it was the perfect model T. It looked nice enough to be parked next to the nicest cars on any tour. But it was just rough enough to enjoy to the fullest and not have to worry about a picnic basket putting a scratch in a fender.
Today, he and his wife of 33 years still own that T. He has a curious habit of keeping the car clean with Windex and paper towels. They tour with the car often. It still shines nice. And they are still as happy with it as anyone I know with a T.
The perfect T!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike conrad on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 04:32 pm:

To restore or not to restore, The easy answer is to own one of each. They both have their qualities. My first T was a unrestored car. Fun but always a car that need a hour of work for every hour of drive. The wood was also shot, and this was always a problem that got worst the more T drove. That car had it's place on short drives but long tours was always alot of work. A long time later I restored my second T. Not a over resto but I did not shortcut anything. I was really surprised how this car drove It was whisper quiet with no vibrations or body noises I could not believe a T could ever be so nice to drive. I guess what am saying both of the cars have their places and you should own one of each. But than again why only 2, I have 8 T's now and looking for more. You sure have a nice start with that touring of yours. Good Luck


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Monday, June 11, 2012 - 02:08 am:

Let's see if I can address everyone's comments since the last time I posted anything:

Larry,

My front wheels are 30x3 for sure. And I don't intend to ever switch over to demountables, just in principle. My car does have a starter at this point (although it doesn't work). I will look at that battery carrier to see if it's held on with bolts.

Mike,

I do agree with what you're saying. I really just want a reliable T to enjoy. It would be nice to have a top that isn't more hole than cover, and doors that don't fall off and actually shut would be a big plus. And a hood that fits right,


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Monday, June 11, 2012 - 10:08 am:

Hey Cameron, congrats. The shots of all the greasy parts and bits sure brings back memories. I never did any major rebuilds out in the open though. Good for you. That gives you a direct connection to what some original T owners had to do. Did you find any signs of "creative" mechanic work from the past. I found large nails bent over holding the spring clips on. Worked great. I nearly redid them that way.

Happy T-ing to you.


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