To buy or not to buy... 1914 Model T Produce truck

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: To buy or not to buy... 1914 Model T Produce truck
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ashley Childers on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 10:29 pm:

Hey all, I'm hoping for some constructive advice. I'm looking at a 1914 Model T brass model produce truck (picture attached). Original unrestored, solid body and mechanical great. It was bought from the original owner's family and comes with the 1914 title. Price is $18,000 which to me seems high but I'm being told that the brass model was very low production for this year. Specific information such as this isn't easy to verify so I'm calling out for help from the experts. Any input is welcomed.Model T


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 10:36 pm:

That truck was discussed on this forum earlier in the year.

It was advertised on Craigslist by more than one seller.

There is nothing original about that body.

$18,000? More like $1,800.

If you have no experience with antique cars or Model T Fords, stay away from it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dexter Doucet on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 10:38 pm:

Too much $$. Those who kno more will chime in. More pictures and details will help.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George Clipner-Los Angeles on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 10:40 pm:

Electric headlights, 15/16 ????


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dexter Doucet on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 10:43 pm:

For that kinda dough you can get decent brass touring, actually probably a real nice 15/16. There is a 14 touring in the classifieds for 13kish. Has wrong motor & chassis but its a good car otherwise.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 10:46 pm:

Here is the previous discussion on that vehicle:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/321403.html?1352778331

It includes the links to the eBay listing and the Craigslist ads which are still active.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve McClelland on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 10:49 pm:

Ashley here's you one in the $19,600 range. Ready to tour !


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 10:57 pm:

Steve, I never get tired of seeing pics of your T. Carol says she's ready to trade the coupe for it. Grin....I explained that I didn't have enough swag to go along with the coupe to even the deal...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ashley Childers on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 11:00 pm:

Hey guys, I really appreciate the quick input. I have quite a bit of experience with vehicles in the 60's, which are of course a whole different animal, but I am totally new to the Model T era. I'll be sure to steer way clear of this one!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 11:03 pm:

Except for the block (can't see the transmission and pan) and maybe the fenders,hood and radiator not much there that is 1914 that can be seen in the photos in the ebay ad. The $5000 opening bid might be ok but like has been said, you can get a nice correct car for that $18,000.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 11:04 pm:

Ashley, you definitely came to the right place for input. I'm relatively new to the hobby having owned my coupe for a little over two years and these guys have helped me with every facet of the hobby that I have asked about. You won't find a finer group of crusty old...er...knowledgeable fine gentlemen on the web.

Like you, my forte has been 60s vintage stuff but I have wanted a Model T since I was a kid. Waited too long! But glad I finally made it happen

Good luck on your search...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 11:51 pm:

I agree, you can find a " real" brass T for less than 20K if you don't require a perfect car. Also, my personal preference is a touring or roadster.

Good luck,

Rob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Friday, December 07, 2012 - 11:56 pm:

Ashley, look on this websites classifieds. Go on the Ford Barn website under the Model T classifieds. There is also the Model T Ford Club International website. Get into the MTFCA and MTFCI magazines. Talk to the guys in your local Model T club. Maybe even join them. They'd love to have another member I guarantee it. And I'll bet you won't even have to own a Model T to do it. Although I'll bet once you've gotten a ride in one you won't want any crappy old muscle cars again. But that's just a few hints. And out of all of them your only investment is what it takes to purchase a membership into a car club. Good Luck.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 12:09 am:

Along with the club magazines, check the Model T ads in Hemmings Motor News and keep an eye on Craig's List. Patience is a virtue. Among the many cars priced high by people trying to get some of their money back, there will be some occasional bargains.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 02:27 am:

The fact that "it is the only one like it" does not make an antique automobile valuable. Having a hundred people ready and willing to shell out real money for it makes a car valuable.
Beyond previous discussion, that is the most important comment I can think of.
And there may be some fool somewhere that will pay ten times what something is worth. That does not make it valuable either. You still need 99 people.
Unless there is some special, verifiable, history, 18K is about four to five times too much for that thing. Maybe that was Amy Semple McPherson's personal travelling pulpit?
By the way, welcome to the affliction!
Drive carefully, and enjoy the holidays! W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve McClelland on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 06:59 am:

Danial, tell Carol the roadster is exactly what she needs, she would look good chugging down the road in it.... Hummmm what kind'a Vette do you have? ;- )


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 02:14 pm:

Sorry Steve, I don't have the Vette anymore, but I do have a fine example of Pontiac engineering - a 1977 4-Speed Trans Am...grin..


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob from Nova Scotia on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 03:25 pm:

Steve, is that an original body? i just got ahold of a 1913 chassis (most of it) but am lacking a body. Love the looks of the


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve McClelland on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 07:50 pm:

Rob I don't think its original but it did come off of an original 1911-12 chassis the way I got the body was, the fellow wanted to build a C cab delivery so he completely restored the early chassis and sold me all the body and sheet metal parts. I then restored a 1920 chassis and put all the body parts on it... It's a great running and driving T too much new stuff to list. It will cruse at 40 mph all day no problem !

Danial
Send me some good pictures of the T/A and tell me what you've got....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 10:28 pm:

Hey Danial, what year Vette did you have. What color was it. There's nothing like stomping down on the accelerator of a Corvette and feeling all heck brake loose. But I imagine a 4 gear T/A might be kind of fun too. Does it have the chicken on the hood.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 10:58 pm:

Sorry for the topic drift, but Steve my T/A, while a dang good runner and very mechanically sound, would be no match, value-wise, for your beautiful Model T. In the condition it's in, tops, my car is $5-$6K.

Mike, I had a 75, 4-speed Vette in silver. But my T/A, being a rare W72 rpo (High Performance Package) Trans Am, has more stock horse power than any Vette from 75 to 81. The W72 T/As had more compression, bigger bump stick, special W72 Rochester carb (800 cfm) and better butt-gearing for that 1/4 mile action.

But it isn't bad for a 10-yard looker though:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 11:33 pm:

It's got a little bird on it. Are those Cragars? I love Cragars with raised white letters on the tires. Guess I'm still a little old school yet. So did you get the 400 Pontiac engine or the 403 Olds? That Pontiac engine was a little over 200 horse I think but I'm not real sure about the Olds. I think the Olds was only available in certain areas and were supposed to have some pretty good torque. The beauty of them was the fact you could find all kinds of speed equipment to help add horsepower. So that Rochester, was that like a big bore quadrajet? Was it a dual feed? So in all reality you were pushing 5around 250 to 275 hp?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Saturday, December 08, 2012 - 11:41 pm:

It used to be a full sized light brown bird but most of it has faded except for the darkest areas in the center. Those are the original Rally II Pontiac rims with stainless trim rings. Love those things. Much more appealing to me than the aluminum honey combs they started putting on them as an option this model year.

Us "real" T/A guys tend to shun the 403 California cars. They had all the pollution, performance robbing crap on them.

Even at 800 cfm, the carb was still a single feed.

But hey, I'd better stop talking about T/As before the OT Guards arrive and remove my organs.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve McClelland on Sunday, December 09, 2012 - 12:03 am:

Danial
Good looking bird, I was hoping for the Bandit though. I drove a 1975-76 T/A had to be one of the fastest cars I've ever drove! 455 HO or SD can't remember it was a 40k mile one owner car, hit the throttle at 45 mph 3rd gear and it crossed up.... Plenty of power!

I'm with you better get back to the T's ....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Sunday, December 09, 2012 - 12:15 am:

Aw, there all in bed. Don't sweat the small stuff. I figured that carb would be a single front feed carb. I don't think when it comes right down to it they ever make a dual feed quadrajet. I had run a couple large CFM Holleys that had a fuel block and were dual feed. The 350 in my Nova and the one in my Nomad were cammed up running high compression and 750 double pumpers. Then I also had a '69 Mercury Cyclone that was a 500 Cobra Jet model with a 428 and a 800 double pumper holley on it. But to be honest theres nothing like the sound of a large old big bore quad when those secondaries open up and things start to howl. Well I gotta go take the Vette out now and get a fix. It's got the twin port throttle body on it thats had the bores taken out from 48mm to 58mm and the prom has had some reprogramming done. She's pushing well over 300 hp and a potload of torque. Somewhere up around 340 ft/lbs of torque I think. It's gotta be as much fun for me as your T/A is for you.

Are you on the air tonight? Are you the one known as Doc?

Model T, Model T, Model T. There that should meet the criteria.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Sunday, December 09, 2012 - 12:19 am:

Sounds like you've had some nice rides!

I am not on the air tonight. Recent major jaw surgery is not allowing me to talk much. (I think my friends and family appreciate that a bit...hahaha)

Yes, I'm the one known as "Doc". I'll be back on the air next weekend for a little Christmas cheer AND will be on the air hosting a New Years eve party with a bunch of old hippies (brothers and uncles and their kin).


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Sunday, December 09, 2012 - 12:22 am:

Yep, old hippies. I think I resemble that remark. But now I've gotten in trouble on a couple of other threads so I better hit the rack. Good night.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Sunday, December 09, 2012 - 12:26 am:

Trouble maker!

G'night old man....


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