Where to look for my own Model T

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Where to look for my own Model T
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Randy Fountain on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 08:58 am:

Hi. I'm new to this forum and am interested in getting my hands on my own Model T.
I've got a couple of old Ford tractors so I'm not totally new to old Ford Iron.
Can anyone point me to a good place to start looking for a Model T for sale? Also, I'd appreciate any tips on what to look for/avoid when shopping. Considering the costs, I'm looking for a nearly complete one that needs restoration/rebuild.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 09:22 am:

Good morning, Randy. You've certainly come to the right place. There are several folks from Florida, I believe, that post here (usually bragging about the weather while the rest of us suffer) that may be near enough to help you look at any local model Ts you may come across.

The nearest MTFCA chapter appears to be in The Villages, about 4 hours from you. I bet if you contact them, they can help you find members close to you that'll help as well.

Tin Lizzie Club of North Central Florida
c/o John Farr
2163 Callaway Drive
The Villages, FL 32162
Phone: 352-446-0331

There are also classifieds here you can check but like any free classified system on the web just be advised of potential scams and spammers. A lot of the guys here seem to be aware of the main ones that inhabit these classifieds.

And last but not least, most of the guys here really know their stuff and are always happy to help new and potentially new Model T'rs. I should know - they're still suffering from my rookie questions after two years...grin...

Good luck and welcome aboard!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 10:13 am:

Randy,

Welcome to forum! You have come to one of the better places for Model T information. Another location I would highly recommend is to locate one of the local Model T Ford clubs nearest you. They are listed at: http://www.mtfca.com/clubpages/chapters.htm and http://www.modelt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=15

From your profile page I took a look at your web page. If you can restore 9N Ford tractors and build a flyable airplane -- you can also restore a T. If you meet up with a local chapter that is having a meeting / tour you can find the answer to a lot of questions in one spot. For example -- the Ts have a hard ride compared to more modern cars. If you only want to take yourself for a ride -- any T will work. If you have several grand kids and you want to only take one at a time a speedster or runabout, pickup,coupe etc. will work. For more than two in the car at once you have a lot of options -- touring cars, Tudor sedans, Fordor sedans, Centerdoor sedans, depot hacks (a wood station wagon) etc. If you are already familiar with those names and choices great. If not -- recommend take a look at the photos on the photo section at: http://www.mtfca.com/gallery/index.htm the different types are listed at the top and the different years are listed below that. You also can purchase and restore a Ton Truck -- but I normally recommend purchasing a car over the truck for your first T. It is a personal preference but the car in general is faster (read that "less slow" than most trucks (although you can get some high speed rear axle gears etc and speed the empty truck up)) and they take up less room in the garage.

You mentioned purchasing one to restore, but Stan and several others make a good case that a "driver" is one of the best choices to start with. It is more fun when you can drive it and you can restore/repair individual sections (rear axle, front axle etc. ) and still learn as much about T. And in general the earlier the Model T the more expensive it is. There are always some exceptions such as a rare car a year or two later is often worth more than the common car of the year or two earlier. A good place to get some "retail" prices of the Model Ts is Model T Haven at: http://modelthaven.com/ Mark is running a business so he pays wholesale and sells at retail to pay for the lights, food, etc. When I looked just now -- the selection of Ts is very small compared to most times. You often will see a wide selection of Ts and other cars on his site. I would not necessarily recommend purchasing the first one you see -- but to review those along with e-bay, craigs list, the swap site on our Model T Ford Club of America (MTFCA) site at: http://www.mtfca.com/showit1/index.html 99 percent of the T folks are great. There are a few that if you -- folks will let you know off line you need to be a little more careful with them. Also -- most of the replies that look like a scam are not from Model T folks. Also Hemmings Motor News is a good source see: http://www.hemmings.com/. And I believe one of your best sources is a local Model T Club. When we get ready to sell a car we often let the folks in the local club know first. It is easier and we know the folks rather than wondering is this person legitimate or not etc.

Others will chime in with lots of other good advice. I would recommend look at some Ts, ride in and drive a few, and then pick a driver that meets your needs. Caution -- they tend to multiply in the garage!

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 10:22 am:

You can find a local club in your area. Look for information on the home page of this website. There are usually good Model T's for sale by members or their families. You can also find other cars which need a lot of work. For some, including me, pleasure is found in restoring a pile of rusty parts into a good looking and running car. It is not the economical way to go, as it usually costs more to fix up beater, than to buy one already restored and running.

Anyway, the locals can steer you in the right direction and also offer tips and help when it comes to working on your car.

Welcome,
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 10:24 am:

Hi Randy.
From time to time you can find a good deal on a T on Craigs list. As Daniel stated just be aware of scammers. These days you really have to be aware of this but for the most part there are some legitimate sellers on there and SOMETIMES good deals.
Touring and Roadsters are probably the most popular going by the photo section of the MFTCA website.
But the closed cars are popular for a lot of people also.
A good running solid unrestored T in the black era, (17-25) is worth around 4-6000.00. But that depends on the tires and radiator, body wood and sheetmetal.

I live in central Texas and there is a guy about 30 miles from me that has been trying to sell a 24 Coupe in good original shape for $12,000.
He wants to much and its really worth around $5-6000.
You can find these cars thats been restored or older restorations for the $12,000 price.
Watch the Fordbarn website as there are some decent deals on there fairly often.
There is or was a 26 Touring on there that the seller says is a Amateur restoration and looks decent for $8,300. Its just about 10 miles from me and I didnt know about it till I saw it on the Fordbarn website.
To me thats not a bad deal if I was looking for another T. I already have 3 so at the present thats enough!
Good luck and take your time as the decent deals are out there if you look.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 11:04 am:

You need to find a good book on Model T's, that shows all years and body styles. From that, you can choose the car that you like. After that, you can start looking, and use your own judgement as to the condition of the car. Model T's are easy to work on, and find parts for.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 11:35 am:

I agree with the idea of starting off with a T you can drive right away. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that most restorations, or rebuildings, or fix-ups, follow the rule that everything takes longer than you think it will, and tend to go on not for weeks or months, but years. The other is that rebuilding costs more. You may buy a project cheap, but even if you do all the work yourself you'll spend more on rebuilding it than you'll spend for one that's already done. You'll be money ahead to let somebody else sell at a loss. Most people who expect to get more for a car than they spent on it are on a fool's errand. There are some exceptions to this, of course, but it seems to be the general rule. A great many cars you see advertised high eventually sell lower. One idea I like is to look at ads that are a few months old. Sometimes the car hasn't sold and the seller will take less just to get rid of it.

Some good places to look include Hemmings Motor News, as mentioned (they have a website), and the club magazines, The Vintage Ford and Model T Times. I've found cars I bought through ads in both HMN and VF.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 01:08 pm:

Randy,

You might also try contacting one of the MTFCI chapters in FL. Hopefully, there is one near you;

CENTRAL FLORIDA MODEL T Chartered:
David Boe
1165 Washington Ave
Winter Park FL 32789 US
407-683-3937

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FLORIDA
FLYWHEELER PARK FLIVVERS Chartered:
Bill Portier
7000 Avon Park Cut off Rd.
Ft. Meade FL 33841 US

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FLORIDA
FUN Ts of CENTRAL FLORIDA Chartered:
Tom Hammatt
80 Lark Ave
Brooksville FL 34601 US

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FLORIDA
NORTH FLORIDA TOURING T'S Chartered:2009
Noel Dana
8219 Alderman Road
Jacksonville FL 32211 US

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FLORIDA

NORTHWEST FLORIDA MODEL 'A' and 'T' CLUB CHAPTER Chartered:2008
Chalmer Caudill
124 Country Club Dr. W
Destin FL 32541 US
850-837-4008

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA

SUNCOAST T CLUB Chartered:2008
Bill Saitta
6822 22nd Ave No 197
St Petersburg FL 33710 US

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA

SUNNY Ts OF SOUTH FLORIDA Chartered:
Steve Florence
2325 SW 12th Ct
Boynton Beach FL 33426 US

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FLORIDA

TREASURE COAST Ts Chartered:
Bill Poffenberger
652 Lake Orchid Circle
Vero Beach FL 32962 US
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA

WEL-LER Ts OF MIAMI Chartered:
John Weller Jr
5200 N. Kendall Dr.
Miami FL 33156 US
(305) 667-1425


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Randy Fountain on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 02:21 pm:

Wow...thats some serious info in a matter of hours :-)
Thanks to all for the help. I've actually been to the Florida Flywheelers park for tractor stuff(last year the 8N was featured) - so I know they certainly would be a source.

I hear ya' about buying a runner...I'd like to do that because $4-$6K is right in the range I'm hoping to spend.
I'm browsing Amazon for "T" books now so I can do my research. I'll try to make well researched decision when the time comes :0

Thanks again for all the info.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 02:43 pm:

Isn't that great? I love this place. I like to print out the thread to any question I ask after a few days. I keep them in a loose binder under the category they're in, ie transmission, lubrication, bearings, paint, etc.

After two years, I have a nice little binder with a lot of information pertinent to me and what I have done (and need to do) on my Model T.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 02:44 pm:

Loose binder? That should be "3-ring binder"...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 03:49 pm:

And speaking of books,

http://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG80.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ronnie Wehba on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 08:59 pm:

an affordaplane,,i built a minimax years ago with a AO84 genset engine great airplane, rebuilt a Q1 nice ride but hard to land,,anyway welcome here,as i am new also,have had more than enough help here,wonderful guys here,,so find,buy enjoy


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 03:14 am:

Welcome to the affliction!
My first advice to anyone wanting to get into this hobby is to get to know several people. Check out local (?) clubs. Look at cars, ask questions. There are so many options in this hobby, type and quality of restoration, different eras, whether you want to drive a little or a lot, or show cars. One of the first things you should do is decide what you want and what you want to get out of it. I enjoy taking a rusty pile and turning it into a drive-able, presentable, and enjoyable vehicle. But I highly recommend starting with a drive-able car. Weeks of planned tinkering turning into years of tinkering doesn't work out for most people. Some of the most fun cars are ones with older mediocre restorations that are fixed up enough to drive reliably. You never worry about the picnic basket putting a scratch on the fender. Windex and paper towels are all the cleaning supplies you will ever need. Just don't pay the "nice" car price for the old mediocre car. And after you get more and better model Ts (you will, it just happens), you will still have a special place in your heart for the first one.
This site is one of the best places in the world to ask questions. No question is considered foolish, no mater how many times it has been asked before. A few touchy subjects though, include water-pumps, oil, and politics.
Anyway, welcome!
Do drive carefully, and have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR! W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 09:53 pm:

Randy,
The first weekend in Feb is a swap meet/car corral in Moultrie, GA. Usually have to look very hard to find any T parts, but, you never know what you'll find in the car corral. Asking prices will be too high, but, bargains can be had and contacts can be made. Earlier is better, before the good deals are gone.(There will be very few T's to start with) DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST. Many of the T's at these things are a mixture of parts from many years. If it runs, drives, looks ok, and is priced right, that may be OK for you. Tourings are nice because of the room. That's actually what I'd recommend for a first T (they multiply), then as you are enjoying it and learning more, you can decide what your next one should be by body type, year groupings, etc. I've seen many people over the years buy a running T with no body and get discouraged or build it as a speedster that the spouse don't ever adapt to until the T is finally gone. Getting into a club and tapping their knowledge is the safest way--you can't become an expert quickly, and if you jump into another man's game you'll likely lose! MY local FL club (NW FL A&T Club) makes a club trip to the Moultrie show--some of the others may do the same and they would probably have some folks going that are knowledgeable that you could trust. Good luck, and be patient.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 09:57 pm:

Randy,
I forgot to mention that I would not recommend a TT (worm drive truck) for my first T. They take some more advanced knowledge (and $$) to make them able to keep up with the cars.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 10:28 pm:

Oh but Mike, he won't have to run the low speed rear axle and only go 17 MPH, he can get the TT with the high speed axle and if he really screams the engine he could maybe get it up to 26 MPH!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Friday, December 28, 2012 - 06:03 am:

Come on guys. TT's ain't THAT slow. Mine has the low speed rear end and cruises at 25 mph. No auxiliary tranny. Keep up with cars? No, but it is fun to drive and people LOVE seeing it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Cassara Long Island, NY on Friday, December 28, 2012 - 07:42 am:

Randy here's some info on a couple of T's you could check out.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/289466.html

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/288571.html

John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Friday, December 28, 2012 - 01:09 pm:

All good advice Randy. The only thing I'd add is try your own back yard. That is: There's plenty of T's out there and I'm positive you'll find something close. Check all the local listings you find such as Craigslist, Hemmings, The Forum Classifieds. Old Rides ect. Contact the seller and go see the car. Pass up any ad that doesn't allow for seller contact. Contact your local clubs to find out if any one is willing to accompany you when you check a car out. Finally: DO NOT jump at the first one you see. Do not be in a hurry and don't be pressured by a seller. I've found 3 within 35 miles of my home. 2 ran. All had great paint, upholstery and tops. The highest I spent was $6000.00. Check my photo. That's a $4500.00 car.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike on Friday, December 28, 2012 - 09:39 pm:

8 years ago I placed a wanted ad on this site which said "looking for a black touring car that's not a trailer queen and not a fence row buggy". A guy wrote me the next day & said he had a car that matched that description & I've been a happy owner of a '26 touring ever since.
Mike Sa


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Wolf on Friday, December 28, 2012 - 10:07 pm:

I bought my 2nd Model T, A '14 touring from the pages of the MTFCI classified in the early 70's. Still have it.


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