Here you go again....

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Here you go again....
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Ragan on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 11:16 am:

Newbie, to both T ownership and forum member. Picking up a '19 Depot Hack on Monday. Joined MFTCA and my not so local chapter (2-3 hrs. away) so I will be depending on you guys for help and advice. Retired and living in the Ozark Mtns. of N. Central Arkansas (Mtn.View) and looking forward to working with my new addition. Was a recreational pilot that's trading that in to fly low and slow.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael grady on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 12:16 pm:

Welcome Larry! No need to trade your recreational pilot certificate in!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 12:25 pm:

Howdy and welcome! Sounds like you're off to a good start. I'll be the first with advice. The first Model T parts every new owner should buy are these:


The T is relatively simple, but different from other cars. The Ford manual and the MTFCA books can tell you what you're going to find before you dive in, and that can save you lots of hassle and dough.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 12:45 pm:

Hello Larry I have kin folks in Montain Home, and his daughter and grandson and their families are outside of Mid-way I'm a dealer of used, NOS and reprod. T and TT Ford Parts if you need anything email me danuser88@ktis.net John Danuser Fulton Mo


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 12:50 pm:

We are the parts supplier for the Hill Billy Tour this year out of Springfield Mo Hub, so if you need anything let me know as I don't carry all in my 48 foot liv q. trailer Sept 5-9at the Univ. Plaza hotel


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 01:27 pm:

Welcome to the club. You live in beautiful country. And it is a good place to drive a Model T. Enjoy it.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Doug Money - Braidwood, IL on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 01:33 pm:

Hi, we looked at Fairfield Bay about 1988. We loved it there.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Ragan on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 04:28 pm:

Thanks for the welcome, all. Where do I purchase the manuals shown? I'll order them tonite. The good thing about living here in the mountains is that I'm 35 miles from the closest town with more than one stop light.. The bad thing is that I'm 35 miles from the closest town with more than one stop light. Thank goodness I can order things on-line.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 04:38 pm:

I carry the books also danuser88@ktis.net 573-642-2473


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 05:16 pm:

Hi Larry,
Welcome aboard. If possible, plan on coming down to Petit Jean Mountain, AR, next summer, the week before Father's day. It may already be hard to get reservations at the campground, or any of the motels. Good time is guaranteed! Contact me for more info.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Ragan on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 06:07 pm:

Mike

Are you a member of the local "Tin Lizzie" group? I recently joined and just received my first newsletter today. I did go to Petit Jean in June and had no problem getting a R.V. site at the state park 2 weeks before the event. We plan on going from now on.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 07:54 pm:

I drove my TT there for the first time from Blytheville in 1978--took 2 full days! I now divide my time between Florida and South Carolina, but, try to go to Petit Jean every year. I was the one riding around in the 15 touring this year. Register your T early for the show. Whether you have it judged or not, it gives you transportation from the campground to the parade ground and lets you park there, rather than paying to park every day and walking a mile. Mike Walker is in that club and is usually there with other friends that drive T's. The web site for there is: www.motaa.com We'll talk more as it gets closer, or send me an email to the email address listed in my profile.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Wednesday, August 01, 2012 - 09:35 pm:

Larry,

Welcome aboard! If you are picking up your new 1919 Depot Hack on Monday there are several items for you to consider. Recommend you find someone and get them to walk you through some of this -- what takes 30 minutes to learn when someone is showing you can take hours of trial and error. And some of the errors get expensive – like forgetting to retard the spark which can break your arm when hand cranking or break the starter bendix if using the starter.

1. Call your insurance company (or if you are going to go with one of the antique auto insurance companies contact them) to make sure it is insured ([or confirm it is still insured by the other owner and drive it while it is still insured by them).

2. If at all possible have the seller show you how to drive it “IF” they know how. Sometimes they will have inherited the car and not have clue and other times they are reducing their collection and have lots of experience driving the T.

3. If you are planning to get checked out on how to drive the car – recommend you read the postings on how to drive the T at: http://www.mtfca.com/books/bookmenu.htm and scroll down and click on the 1921 instruction manual at: http://www.mtfca.com/books/21manual.htm they share more than you may need at first -- but it was given to new Ford owners -- along with a how to drive lesson from the dealer.

See also:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/8538.html

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/6815.html

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/6/1662.html

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/15776.html

4. Some safety items (a Model T does NOT meet current OSHA standards).

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/13483.html

4.a. Be sure to ask and have the previous owner let you know if the rear axle babbitt thrust bearings/washers were replaced and if so with what were they replaced? That can cause the rear axle to longer work properly which means the car is not powered by the engine and the normal transmission brake no longer works (not good). See the thread titles Windshield glass help and hello! at:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/295678.html?1339633408 and it quickly turns into good information about failed babbitt thrust bearings/washers. Example of loss of brakes caused by drive shaft failure: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/47804.html -- note anything that causes the drive line to fail will also cause the main service brake to fail.

4.b. Safety Glass is nice: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50893/72116.html

4.c. Use safety wire and not lock washers or cotter pins on the two studs holding the wishbone to the underside of the engine – the lock washers can prevent the nuts from backing of the studs but the studs have been known to back out and it causes the front end to become lose initially and if not corrected it gets worse and worse and can cause an accident. Types of safety wire: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/41859.html pick one to use if you need it.

4.d. Lots of safety items http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50893/69429.html

4.e. Over center steering – shouldn’t happen on later Ts – but if someone replaced items with the wrong parts etc it can happen see: Different length drag links and steering going over center – By Royce
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/300409.html also: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/86345.html

4.f. Top T tips – many of them are safety related also: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/85208.html

4.g. Tour safety check list: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/44331.html

4.h. And if you have a gas hot water heater in the garage – be very very careful. The float in a Model T Carb will sometimes stick (or trash in the valve) and the carb will leak gasoline. Not too bad if there are no sparks – several homes, garages and cars have been lost when a gas hot water heater was near by and someone started the dishwasher other item that caused it to turn on the burner at the wrong time. Note gas fumes tend to be heavier than regular air …. so they tend to hug the floor. If you adjust your garage door to let the mice in and the air out – that is a temp work around. But replacing the gas fired hot water heater with an electric heater or having the gas one relocated away from the garage is the best thing.

4.i. Do NOT back up quickly – the T is very unstable backing up. One of those safety threads above gives an example of that. But it is similar to backing up the grocery cart. The front wheels on the cart have a caster and when you back up the spin around. Except in the case of the T they can only go hard over left or hard over right as you back up. That can give you a really really tight turn – but normally that is not what you are looking for. You mentioned this is your fist T. With the T not running grab one of the front tires about halfway up from the ground (level with the hub cap) and pull on it. See how easy the front wheel can be turned by a small force? Now go to any car made after 1928 and pull on the front wheel. If you find one that turns that easily – please let me know and I change the directions to any Ford produced after 1928. The T has squirrely steering compared to more modern cars. When properly maintained it is safe – but it is not for high speeds and not forgiving when adjusted improperly.

5. How do you plan to get the car home? If you are using an enclosed trailer – be sure it is tall enough before you drive over to pickup the Depot Hack. If you are using an open trailer follow the tips at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/296138.html?1339928042 and do a search on trailer tie down etc. on the forum.

6. Where do you plan to park the Depot Hack? A normal garage door especially if it has a garage door opener with the bracket hanging down will probably be too low for the Hack to just drive in safely (it will drive in regardless – but it can be very hard on the top area and the pride).

6.a. And if you have a gas hot water heater in the garage – be very very careful. The float in a Model T Carb will sometimes stick (or trash in the valve) and the carb will leak gasoline. Not too bad if there are no sparks – but several homes, garages and cars have been lost when a gas hot water heater was near by and someone started the dishwasher or other item that caused the hot water heater to turn on the burner at the wrong time. Note gas fumes tend to be heavier than regular air …. so they tend to hug the floor. So you can adjust your garage door to let the mice in and the air out – that is a temp work around. But replacing the gas fired hot water heater with an electric heater or having the gas one relocated away from the garage is the best thing

7. Your T will serve you well but if you mishandle it, it can bite you. With a little precaution (not years of but a little time learning about your car and checking to make sure it and you are both up to speed) you can have years of enjoyment. And a Depot Hack is great for hauling kids around.

Again, welcome aboard!

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 12:39 am:

Congratulations! And welcome to the affliction. Take your time. Expect some setbacks. Come to this website whenever you run into a problem and need answers.
And post pictures of your T! We love pictures.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Ragan on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 08:29 am:

Thanks again. You guys don't know how valuable your experienced input is. A lot like pilots. A lot of different perspectives and opinions but each one worth reading and making note of.


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration