Advice for a newbie from the more seasoned

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2005: Advice for a newbie from the more seasoned
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 10:10 am:

A general question for all, and please, honest opinions!!!
I bought what I understood to be a 1919 T in complete pieces. Dated the T by its engine serial number. I recently discovered that the frame is of 26-27 vintage, as the steering column did not fit. The rad surround is correct for '19, and is a Canadian. I have spent much time sandblasting and restoring parts, only to find that it is a smattering of 1919 and 26-27 parts. Which year should I build? I could do either, but it has come to the point that I need to get rid of one group of parts in favour of another
Rob Hudson


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Baker on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 10:17 am:

rob,
try your best to keep it canadian. these are the most rare of the t's. your profile doesn't say where you are, but i have a 20 chassis unspoken for. i'd rather trade than sell.
email is: jbaker3136@aol.com
good luck
jb


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By tyrone thomas on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 10:20 am:

I have only been in this hobby a couple years so I won't be of great help to you but I do know that there is one big difference in frames. That is the rear cross member is much wider and bigger then early cars. So that alone will stand out like a sore thumb. I know most people go by the engine year. However, there is always the chance the engine had been changed out. Anyway, yes you have a bit of a problem and this thread will be interesting to watch. Good luck.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 10:40 am:

I am located in Nova Scotia. When I bought this, I was under the impression that every part on the T was interchangeable from start to finish of production run. Had I done more research, I would have been more careful. That being said, I am still having fun with it, and the majority of parts are 1919 vintage canadian.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 10:50 am:

That's easy to fix. . Save the extra parts and make two cars..


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Thomas J. Miller on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 10:51 am:

Rob, What about the body and fenders of this car? What vintage are they? I would think your sheet metal should contribute to your decision. If the body parts you have are circa 1919, then any frame from 1914 to 1925 will support these parts with only minor modifications necessary. Fenders and running boards from 1917-25 all practically look and fit the same. When you get into the 26-27 years, parts are harder to find because these are lower production vehicles manufactured for only two years with vastly different parts. The brakes, front spindles, springs, rear axle, steering column, cylinder block, coil box, and pedals immediately come to mind. Many of the 26-27 sheetmetal parts are not being reproduced yet.

For example, the 26 Fordor and Touring car have the same rear fenders. It took me years to find a good left rear fender. On the other hand, I've seen hundreds of 1925 fenders that were new.

Is there any chance of posting photos of what you have? Those of us posting to this forum can advise you to what vintage parts you have in your garage and can offer advice. Trust me, many of us have brought our cars home in the back of our trucks and have seen worse cases.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 11:08 am:

No fenders came with the beast, and the body parts I have are at the body shop, and some are saveable, some not. They are all reproduced, not too worried about that, (until I have to pay for them!) I am storm stayed today, but when I get to my shop tomorrow, I will post photos of what I have. Rick- I love the idea of two T's, however the better half may not go for it!!! A T and a Caddy are more than enough (so I am told!!!)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Thomas J. Miller on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 12:15 pm:

Rob, Rick's comment is not far fetched. My wife got us started on more than one antique car. I went to buy a 31 Model A, and she ended up buying a 25 coupe from the same guy. To keep her happy, the T was restored first. We sold it when the kids came and restored a 16 touring car. Then I bought a 24 touring car which she swapped with me for the 16. Then we got stuck in the rain at one Old Car Festival and she decided she wanted roll-up windows so we got the 26 Fordor. BUT, my son who was old enough to drive begged us to keep the wife's touring car because it has a Ruckstell and he delights at running circles around the old man. Then, we're not sure how it came about exactly, a 1912 showed up in the garage. So Rob, the bottom line is.... you may have one T now, but sooner or later, you'll have more.

P.S. After 30 years, I'm still not completely finished with the restoration on the 31.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary London on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 12:58 pm:

Rob;

I agree with the Keep It Canadian comment and the suggestion to consider the body panels as they will be the most apparent when dating your car. '19 is a year with high production and many 'common' parts that will not be difficult to find or expensive. You can sell or trade your '26/27 stuff and probably break even for similar condition items of the year you want. About all you'll need to cover are the shipping charges if you aren't within the driving range.

Use the classifieds on this web page; they work very well. Post as many pictures as you can and you'll get lot's of help!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dewey on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 01:14 pm:

Rob,
I think the key element here is your statement that "the majority of parts are 1919 vintage canadian" pretty much settles what will be the least expensive option for you. A correct frame will be fairly easy to find. A good '26-27 frame is worth more than the '19 frame--but if I were you, I'd keep the '26-27 parts until you KNOW you won't ever build one (I gave away a set of TT rear wheels a few years ago, and I now have found a TT chassis that just needs rear wheels!! AAAUGH!)!Never thought I'd want one of the slow TT trucks!
Oh boy, you're in for some fun! My whole T habit started with helping built a T railcar for the Portola RR Museum. The "test driving" before putting on the rail wheels hooked me & now I have 2 licened Ts (unfortunately 0 running--darn'd house remodel!), and pieces and bits of umm, well. "a few" more Ts! The Model A is feeling abandoned, so I talk to her everytime I'm in the shop.
T'ake care,
David D.
PS Don't say we didn't warn you! Welcome aboard!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 02:48 pm:

Rob, as a side note, where in NS are you? My ancestors were among the "Yorkshire pioneers" who settled in Cumberland County around 230 years ago.

Dick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 03:21 pm:

Dick, I am from Colchester County, directly adjacent to Cumberland. I can drive to any point in Cumberland County within 50 minutes!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 03:56 pm:

Small world. In 1977, when I moved back to the U.S. after eight years in Holland, my wife and I drove a 1936 Austin Ten on a 6,500-mile camping trip. After working our way up the east coast as far as Bar Harbor, Maine, we took the Bluenose Ferry to Yarmouth and drove to Truro to visit my grandfather's last living first cousin, Arnold Blackburn. We stayed at a campground just outside Truro, and drove up to Mapleton, which is where the Lodges had settled. I'd never seen so many Lodge headstones in one cemetery before! <g>

Then we drove through New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario to Michigan and ultimately St. Louis.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 04:28 pm:

Very small world!! I go through Mapleton quite often. Its a beautiful little village!!! hat sounds like it would have been a fantastic trip. I live just outside Truro, was born and will die here, hopefully I will finish my restoration befoer then!!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vern Williams on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 04:28 pm:

Rob, I'd ask around and see if there are other T-nuts in your area. You will make some new friends and they can be helpful with information and parts (even labor). I agree - keep all the T stuff you have at least until you are finished with this project and, yes, most of us have found that owning just one T is hard to do. A Model T is such a social bee that they just like having other one (or more) always nearby!! We have four!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 05:02 pm:

Rob
couple of things to remember on Canadian cars;
You have a drivers door so those items of reproduction sheetmetal are not readily available. So you may have to do a little more repair work in that area. The wood plans are similar enough that you can make a mirror image drivers door. Canadian cars tend to have different tops and windshields (we got the "one man top" much earlier)
A "correct" frame shouldn't be that hard to find.
Les
Calgary AB Canada
PS my ancestors (United Empire Loyalists) moved to Canturbury Station New Brunswick after the American Revolution. Then they came west in 1895.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 12:10 pm:

Here are some pictures of the frame like I promised. Any thoughts on what year it is?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By johnd on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 12:31 pm:

Rob 26-7


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 12:35 pm:

Thats what I thought. Thanks!! Now I just have to find the appropriate frame, to match the rest of the parts I have. Doesn't seem like to big an issue, lots of old barns and farms around here. Must be something around


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Thomas J. Miller on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 12:51 pm:

Rob, I enlarged the spring photo. It appears you have a tapered leaf spring from the teens. This is another reason to hang on to your parts until you decide what you're going to build.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 01:41 pm:

Thomas, I have been researching this like a madman, and yes, that is an original tapered spring, embossed with the Ford logo. I also did some investigating on my frame, and found a serial number C651223. Anyone know what this means? The hunt for parts is as exhilerating as builing this!!! Especially looking for Canadian parts.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 01:47 pm:

Found what I was looking for. Its the serial number. If anyone is looking for a straight Canadian 26 frame, write me!!!
Rob Hudson
Great Village, Nova Scotia


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dewey on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 02:31 pm:

Rob,
You are forgetting my advice:
Hang onto everything until you are CERTAIN you will never build another T!
T'ake care,
David D.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Hudson on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 09:39 pm:

Hey David,
I did not forget and will certainly not ignore your advice. I am already in the process of making room in another shed for this frame. Its just too nice and straight to get rid of yet. I keep forgetting that humor and sarcasm can sometimes be lost in typing, no verbal inflections!!!! Thanks to everyone, and wish me luck in trying to find a frame. Kinda rare in Nova Scotia. Those who have them, don't sell them
Rob Hudson


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dewey on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 10:46 pm:

Rob,
I should have put a "smiley" on my posting too!
While I think my advise is valid, I AM a third generation (at least) pack-rat!! The frame you are looking for is fairly common, so you shouldn't have too much a problem--but then you have the "ace up your sleeve" with the 26-27 frame as trading stock (last resort!) :-)
T'
David D.


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