Hello, New Member and New 1919 T Touring

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: Hello, New Member and New 1919 T Touring
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Sgro on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 12:43 pm:

Hi to all, my name is John. I have been lurking here for a bit and have picked up a wealth of knowledge and many great tips from all of you. I am new to owning a T but have been around them for a while as my uncle owns 4 of them, 3 run and # 4 is a work in progress. This is what really sparked my passion to own one myself. About 2 months ago I picked up my first, a 1919 Touring in real good condition. It was last run in 88 and was not stored properly so obviously I had some work to do to get her ready to run. I am happy to say that after freeing 3 stuck valves, cleaning and rebuilding the carb, cleaning out the gas tank and adjusting the coils that she fired right up and runs like a champ. It appears that she is a late 19 built car according to the engine number and the speedo, which still works read 22,888 miles. I have had her out on the road and she is pretty tight. Just a little play in the wheel but nothing terrible. Thank you guys for all of your great information which makes this forum an awsome resource.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 01:22 pm:

Hey, congrats. Pictures? Welcome and hope you are ready for a fun 2013.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill dugger on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 01:38 pm:

John: Welcome to the Forum. I have a 1919 and have had a lot of fun with it . In my '19 I have the Ruckstell and hopefully you have one also. Make sure that you have the of Brakes, as in our/your and mine you cannot drag your feet to stop unless you take out the mat and floor boards. ha grin.
Have fun and Happy T'ing and Have a Happy New Year. If you look at my profile you will see the Depot Hack, my other T.
Good Luck

Bill D MTFCA14079
Redding, Ca


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sam "POPS" Humphries on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 02:34 pm:

Welcome to the forum. I was and still am new to T's and this forum (January 2012).

I have learned a lot from the members of this forum.

HAVE AN ENJOYABLE RIDE IN YOU T. I certainly have.

Sam


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Townsend ; ^ ) Gresham, Orygun on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 03:05 pm:

John-
Welcome to the Forum.
I, too, have a 1919, but it an early 1919, about a week before they discontinued the non-generator block.
It is a fun era.

: ^ )

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Sgro on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 03:09 pm:

Thanks for the welcome... Here are some pics..
1919 Touring1919 Touring 2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 03:16 pm:

Nice. Looks like you're ready to get out and tour with some of the other Joisey guys.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Aldrich Orting Wa on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 03:38 pm:

Great looking car. Welcome to the FORUM!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 05:55 pm:

John,

Welcome to the forum! I’m glad you have your uncle as a mentor to help answer questions etc. That can save hours of discovering the answer on your own (which also works – but I would rather drive more and “re-do” or correct mistakes less).

You “New” 1919 looks great. When you say the serial number places it as a late 1919 do you mean Jul - Aug 1919 the end of the model year or Dec 1919 as the end of the calendar year? Ref: http://mtfca.com/encyclo/1919.htm see model year.

Some Safety Items [if you are still young and bullet proof you may not need these but if you have a family they can help keep you and them out of harms way]: [Don’t panic people have been driving Model Ts safely for years. But there are some known issues that you can learn first hand or you can read about them and learn from what others have experienced. ]

From your profile photo it looks like the T is parked in an attached garage. 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. However, several homes, garages and cars have been lost when a gas hot water heater was near by and the car leaked gas. They may in-line shut offs as well as making sure the shut off on the tank works (most of us are too lazy to use that one – but the in-line one or one by the carb is easy to use (unless there is a carb fire in which case you need the one by the tank to work also.)

Did your uncle already discuss with the you the need to verify that the babbitt thrust washers in the rear axle need to be replaced with the bronze thrust washers? If not – please see the posting at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/295678.html?1339633408 for details on why you want to do that earlier rather than after they fail and the transmission brake no longer works.

Back up slowly – if the front axle is set up correctly with 5 1/2 degrees positive castor then when you are backing up it has 5 1/2 degrees negative caster when going in that direction. The front wheels will want to go full left or full right by themselves. Backup slowly and hold the wheel so you can stop it if that should happen.

From the photo you posted it appears you car has the over the axle wishbone front spring perches. They work – but Ford replaced them with the under the axle wishbone style spring perches to help prevent the front axle from titling backwards and causing the steering to go negative castor and the car to go hard left or right. [Note many folks say that is ridiculous – others have had it happen to them and have taken precautions. I personally recommend an accessory double wishbone “IF” you are going to drive the T a lot and have a chance of hitting pot holes (lots in many of the states I’ve lived) or soft shoulder etc. Please see: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/227348.html?1312341538 which includes the story of why Henry Ford decided to move the wishbone below the front axle.
For photos of examples also please see:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/82549.html
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/154101.html?1281199176
or http://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-T-Ford-front-dual-radius-rod-support-clamp-11-18-/380513227980?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item58985b14cc for one option of adding the dual wishbone.

Other safety items (again do not panic – just be sure none of them are looking for a chance to bite you). http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/154102.html

Also, I like to collect information on the body makers of the Ford Bodies. When you have a chance please take a look at the forum posting “Home for the Holidays” at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/40322.html) and let me know what you find? Some of the body makers for the 1918 and 1919 cars went back to the wooden seat frame for the front and back seats. Beaudett appears to have continued the metal seat frames while Fisher appears to have gone back to the wooden seat frames (at least on our Dec 1917 engine dated 1918 wrecked touring). When you look for the body number would you also please lift up the front seat cushion and look down at the frame. Let us know if it is a wooden seat frame or a metal seat frame. Below is a wooden seat frame followed by a metal seat frame. The easy way to tell is the wooden one has a wood board in front of the gas tank that fits against the metal heel panel while the metal seat frame does not have that wooden board in front or on the sides. I will try to post a couple of photos of both styles like the one that will be shown next.

Below is wooden (thanks to Mark at Model T Haven):





Below is a metal one (thanks to one of our forum posters. Sorry – I didn’t put your name in the file and I don’t have time to track it down at the moment).



Again welcome to the forum!

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Sgro on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 10:06 pm:

Hap

Thanks for all the info. Regarding the model year, I am saying it seems to be a Jul-Aug build judging by the engine number and the fact that the engine has the cover plate for the generator. It looks like it was originally a non-starter car but a starter was added and it does not have a generator, just the cover plate. I have a generator on order for it.

The T is actually parked in a detached two car garage but I am aware of the fuel leaking issues and make it a habit of shutting off the fuel petcock before the carb, especially due to the fact that the garage is heated. Reznor hanging heater though so less likely to be effected by any vapors. The valve by the tank works as well as I replaced the whole sediment bowl with a new one.

As for the seat frames, the front is metal, the only wood is the angled rear foot board. The front of the back seat is metal as well although the framing for the sides and rear of it are wood. I am still searching for any body numbers or markings but have yet to find any.

I will definitely check on the thrust washers and will look into the front wishbone, thinking that I would more than likely opt for the accessory double wishbone you recommend rather than changing to the newer style.

Thanks for all of the information. You gave me some things to think about as I am very much about being safe and not wrecking my family, myself or the car.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Semprez-Templeton, CA on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 10:36 pm:

F'in-A as my Joisy buddy Doc Simpson would say, That's one fine looking car! Coufee in Hoboken?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Jablonski on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 11:42 pm:

John:

Welcome !!

Need any assistance. I'm just down the road a bit in Forked River.

How did you & your family get thru Sandy ?

Bob Jablonski


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Sgro on Sunday, December 30, 2012 - 01:29 pm:

Thanks John, Fugetabout Hoboken, thats to far Noth for me, LOL.

Bob, thanks for the offer. We got through Sandy fine, my town was really blessed, very little damage other than downed trees which missed most of the houses. I hope you are in an area of Forked River that was not impacted to badly, I know the east side by the water got slammed pretty hard. I used to live in the Riviera section and I know the water was about a block from my old house.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Jablonski on Sunday, December 30, 2012 - 02:25 pm:

John:

We're in the Pines section, lots of downed trees and snapped poles. No real water damage, some wind damage though. Out of electricity for 5 days. The snow storm later did massive tree damage akready weakened by Sandy.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Sunday, December 30, 2012 - 08:02 pm:

If your '19 is pretty original, there are a LOT of features that are unique to '19 only. Is your terminal block rounded on both ends? Does it have the special heavy riveted on bracket for a starter switch?
You will have a lot of fun with your car. Take your time, and do your research. Don't believe everything you hear, unless it comes from a reliable source.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Sgro on Sunday, December 30, 2012 - 09:33 pm:

The car did not have a terminal block and I believe it was an original non starter car with the starter added on later. because it has oil lamps front and rear (no electric tail light) and originally had magneto headlamps. I have since rewired it put in a terminal block and added a tail lamp next to the oil lamp which I didnt want to remove. The starter switch was just bolted to the frame. Although I think most of the car is original it appears that some work has been done. It has the ignition switch on the front of the coil box and someone fabricated a wood dash panel which houses a speedometer.


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