Howdy Guys,
As mentioned in an earlier request for help concerning the correct steering column frame bracket, I'm building a 1914 Ford roadster. And I'm wanting to be correct on the many components - like I'll be using the brass top coils, NOS spur cam and crank gears, round felloe 3" and 3.5" non-demountables, etc. I'm using the correct brass repop kingpin oilers but am wondering about the grease cups (steering bracket, U joint, driveshaft bushing, rear axle roller bearings). Were they originally brass or steel on a '14?
And I've seen the 13 brass wood screws on the firewall trim being both slotted round head or countersunk slotted as in Lang's catalog. Which is correct?
Then theres the distinctly '14 coil box. The 4 mounting holes aren't squared off so should the machine screws and nuts be brass or steel?
Are 6 modern carriage bolts with the head markings filed off and painted black acceptable for use on the cast firewall brackets? An original firewall I found had 1/4" holes but the brackets themselves seem to accept 5/16" bolts. Which is correct? I've heard a Model T era car assembly truism was that anytime a carriage bolt passed through wood, a square nut was used so I aim to comply in my assembly. Finally, should the 4 running board carriage bolts have the small or large round heads? . . . .Gee I wish Gail Rodda would come out with a Volume III. . . Thanks guys, george

My early '13 has steel grease cups and is pretty original. Screws and nuts on my coil box are steel with a bit of the head filed/removed to clear coil box. Hood former on wood firewall are brass oval head screws (not sure of originality). Can't help with anything else at the moment. I thought Gails book was pretty complete regarding some of your questions. Do you have both volumes? Good luck on your quest. Post findings that aren't replied to here so we can all learn!

scott

Thanks Scott, Phil Mino posted some excellent pictures of the coilbox bolts yesterday under the thread 'Coilbox Bolts' interestingly enough. Your description sounds exactly like his pictures. Yes, I have both of Gail's very professionally produced volumes detailing his research and assessments over years of experience. If your '13 has steel grease cups, then my '14 will too. I'm surprised to learn your hood former screws are brass. I thought they'd be steel wood screws. My question was concerning the 13 firewall BRASS TRIM screws - countersunk or round head. I previously determined the correct location of them and have drilled the holes in the repop trim. I still wonder about the size of the carriage bolt heads (4) in each running board? . . .. george

The brass firewall molding uses slotted flat head brass screws across the top and slotted oval ones down the sides.

The screws on the hood former are slotted steel and have what Ford called "raven finish", a sort of black oxide.

I learned all of the above from John Regan and Mark Cameron in the process of restoring my own '14.

Thanks R.V. . . and thanks to Harvey - who pointed me to pages 7-10 in Gail Rodda's Vol. 1 where he has excellent pictures and descriptions of nearly everything I was wondering about. Initially I thought all those pages were specifically '09-'10 fasteners . . . Duh . . . Except that little sheetmetal screw in the movable top socket that fastens the leather and brass cotter key. Wouldn't a 5/16" 5 sided zinc plated and slotted hardware-store screw look absolutely awful there? Does anyone know of an original style of screw for this location? . . thanks, george