Farm full of Model T parts

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Farm full of Model T parts
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:40 pm:

We are cleaning out an old farm and the property is littered with engines from 1914 to 1927, at least one full car (I think an A), body parts, fenders, headlamps, wheels, chassis/frames, etc. The number of gears lying around is mind boggling. We don't know what we have - what is junk/old farm-tractor parts & what are car parts that someone might need. It is apparent that the previous owner intended on building several Model Ts because there are too many parts/pieces/cars for this to be happenstance.

We are cleaning the property and hauling everything to the scrap yard. We have found one small shed that is loaded with parts adjacent to the garage we are currently emptying out.

Could someone tell me if this is just junk and should be tossed in the scrap iron container or are they something some one could use? If they are useable, how do I market them. I can get back in and get more photographs if that would help.


Pics from one of the buildings


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:43 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:44 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:45 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:52 pm:

I hope you havent hauled any of the engines to be scrapped!
Someone would love to have all those parts to sell or use for parts.

Depends on the condition of course but I'll bet you can sell the stuff to a collector for a better price than you can get for the scrap prices.

If its priced reasonable you can make good money.
The key word is reasonable.

If you arent in a hurry to sell contact a MFTCA club in your area. Its a real shame to scrap good T or any old car parts.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Wicker on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:53 pm:

If you were in VA. I would be on my way to get all of it! Someone on this site will be Intrested.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:54 pm:

A location of a MFTCA club close to you can be found on this website.
Dont scrap this stuff yet!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino in Modesto, CA on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:55 pm:

I don't see any "junk" at all, James. There is a whole load of stuff in the pictures that someone somewhere is looking for.

I think given your situation, I'd consider a well advertised "yard sale". I bet with the proper notification in newspapers, Craigslist, the MTCFA classified ads, etc. you'd get every old car guy within 500 miles to come and see what's there that he needs.

I'd also look for someone who's familiar with the values of such items and ask help in pricing things to sell, but not give them away. There could easily be items of significant value in the stash.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino in Modesto, CA on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:56 pm:

You guys type faster than I do.... :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 02:57 pm:

Bigger close up pictures would help us identifying your stuff. The vaporizer exhaust might be interesting for someone.. The (likely) used head gasket on the other hand won't find a buyer easily, so it depends on the individual part and the price - you may take it all to the Chickasha, OK pre war swap meet in march or photo each part and put it on eBay for best possible monetary reward. If you just want it gone quick, some parts dealer may give an offer for the lot? Stan Howe might be too far off in Montana to offer making an auction out of your car and parts :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:06 pm:

Thank you! I'm all about reasonable. We sold a complete car (engine # said it was 1914) for $1100 and a Model T truck w/bed for $800 on ebay. If it is something useable, I'll crawl in there (crawl being the operative word) and start bringing this out. We have to get it out of the shed before spring because there is a very large snake problem in these buildings & that's not my thing. The last snake shedding we found measured 6 feet in length & so we are just now re-entering the building. There is also an old 1955 or 1956 Chevy (complete car) where a tree fell on the roof and crushed it in. It has some really good chrome, fenders, etc. on it but I don't have the tools to take it off to piece it out. There is also a complete Apache truck somewhere. Antique cars are everywhere under bushes, vines, and buildings that are falling in. There was a complete Model A frame with all doors, gas cap, etc but the barn fell in on it before we could get it out. There is so much lying everywhere that it's VERY overwhelming!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:14 pm:

What great fun! I'd die just for the privelege to go through and catalog everything.

PICS!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nicholas Lingg - Tarboro, NC on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:20 pm:

Yard Sale in the spring I don't see anything that weather would hurt for a month or two


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rick Goelz-Knoxville,TN on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:25 pm:

It appears from his profile he is just a little east of Memphis on Hwy 78.so in the middle of the country.

Rick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:39 pm:

The response has been so overwhelming! Thank you. Ok, our next course of action is to get everything we can out and bring to our house. We will photograph it and then decide what to do with it. If we have a yard sale, I'll post it. With all the rain we've recently had, it will take a while to get back in with a trailer to haul it to the house. I will post pics when I get them!

Here are pics from the other sheds. It's been a few years, but no one's been in them since.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:42 pm:


Bonnie & Clyde car


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:44 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:45 pm:

There are 3 of these car bodies.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:47 pm:

Tree fell on roof of this one


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:47 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:49 pm:

The curvature on the cowl looks odd from this angle, but everything else tells the body is a 1926/27 Model T Touring. Looks very restoreable but would cost too much to transport to a harbour, so I guess I'll have to refrain from giving a bid..
The chassis below might be older, can't see any 26/27 fender attachment brackets at the front crossmember.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:49 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:50 pm:

Ah what treasures there are and may yet to be discovered.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:52 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:53 pm:

My 3:49 comment was regarding your 3:39 posting. Lots of fun stuff at that farm :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 03:58 pm:



Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 04:00 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 04:03 pm:

Ok, last one that I have until I can get inside the attached shed.
This car is inside the garage we are cleaning out. We have to get this one empty just to get to the small building in the back with all the parts in it that are shown in the first photos.

The last 2 cars we sold still had compression in the engines.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 04:04 pm:

04:00 pics - There you have the 26/27 frames :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 04:06 pm:

Would someone need those frames?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 04:10 pm:

The 1952 (51?) Fleetline would have many fans here in Sweden :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 04:12 pm:

The 26/27 Touring body would need one of them :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dewey, N. California on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 04:37 pm:

James,
It depends on what time-line you have to clean up the property--and what kind of snakes are around!! :-) (I hates snakes--at least bein' around them).
From what pictures I've seen, you have a treasure trove of parts--the kind of situation any old car nut would love to find. While there may be some of it that is only good for scrap, its probably very little of the whole! And the scary thing (to us nuts) is that folks who don't know what they are looking at usually scrap the most valuable stuff! (no offense meant to you, it's just what we've observed over time.)It's like the estate sale were the heirs "clean up the place" before the sale, and they inadvertently threw away the best stuff--one should ALWAYS let the buying public decide what's valuable! I know one example here--the 1856 family home of one of our area's prominent pioneers is now a museum. The daughter apparently was a good artist, as we have ONE of her drawings of a horse hanging in the dining room. Folks that were here when the estate was being settled tell of the family cutting out her drawings and tossing them so they could sell the frames. We'd give our "eye teeth" to have some of those drawings today. (it wasn't as though no one knew the value at the time, as the home was willed to the city, as was most of the furniture for a museum).
Wish I lived nearer--except for the snake thing!
Good luck to you--I think you will be surprised at the value of what you have found--even at reasonable prices.
T'ake care,
David Dewey.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James Bowen on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 04:54 pm:

Thank you David! I've been looking through the forum at pictures of parts to get familiar with the small odd parts to help me identify. We'll get out as much as possible until the snakes reappear then wait until next year. Some of this stuff hasn't been touched in over 90 years so one more year won't make much difference.

This farm has been in the same family since before the Civil War and NOTHING was ever thrown away. Until the 1950, it was self sustaining and supported many families in the area during the Great Depression. Yes it IS a treasure trove especially for a history buff like me. One of the houses split in half with only half still standing. You can still see the clothes hanging in the attic where they were put 50 + years ago. It is SO massive with SO MUCH stuff, we have to do cleaning in 'small bits' so that we don't become overwhelmed and toss it all for scrap.

To say we live in the middle of no where is an understatement. But just from the posts, I think if we drag it out, photograph it, and advertise a "car parts only" yard sale, people may actually show up. I wish I had found this site years ago before we sold off the best items we found. You guys are SO encouraging and helpful. I will be returning for advice on what to do before anything heads into the scrap trailer! :o)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 05:07 pm:

James - I'm thinking that a catalog from one of the major Model T & Model A parts suppliers would be a help to you. Snyders, Langs, Mac's, etc.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 05:16 pm:

Depending upon where you are located several of us T people would love to help you drag it out, and let you know what to junk and what not to junk, Im 100 miles from St Louis Mo, where are you??


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Seth - Ohio on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 05:28 pm:

Have an auction and then scrap anything that doesn't sell. The folks who buy it at auction buy it and haul it away for you. Less work for you. (But not the auctioneer)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 05:30 pm:

John, according to his profile, he is in Corinth MS, 412 miles from Fulton, east and a little south of Memphis.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 06:34 pm:

Thanks guys for saving this stuff from the scrappers!
Wish I was closer but its to far from me here in Central Texas.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By kep NZ on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 06:55 pm:

Beautiful. There is a buyer for everything, Even for cars that trees fell on.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ex trooper on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 07:47 pm:

Get a 100# bag of moth balls and cover the floors / ground to keep the snakes away. Ive got roots in Iuka and Tupelo and know Corinth pretty well too. troop


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 08:03 pm:

Unless the snake skins are black, banded or have rattles, I wouldn't worry about it. They're probably King or Rat snake skins. Most all snakes will "run" if you make noise.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Wicker on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 08:14 pm:

Ten- A- See I thought this stuff was up in Minasota. This wont be a bad trip from Richmond Va,then from Roanoke Va. Whats your Zip Code?
There some guys on FordBarn who would like to know about this stuff.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ex trooper on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 08:40 pm:

Lots of history down that way... troop

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiloh_National_Military_Park


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wes Nelson ........Bucyrus, MO on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 09:19 pm:

James do you have any kind of machine to move these old cars around? How about a chain saw? As for the snakes, a couple of hungry cats locked inside the building fed and watered every other day, also a 4-10 pistol, you can control them. Maybe you could organize a party, one or two weekends, I'm sure there are enough people on this forum that would make the trip to help out. JMHO Wes


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 10:05 pm:

If you sold a complete 1914 T for only $1100, somebody already has stuck gold. I agree, don't scrap anything! I could bore you with many stories of items having great monetary or historical value being destroyed by people who didn't know what they had. You don't want to be kicking yourself later over stuff you should have kept.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDaniel(Indiana Trucks)Star City In on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 10:24 pm:

I for one would love to bring a big trailer and spend a day or two packing it full of what ever would fit. Model T guys never throw anything away no matter how bad it looks. If you had a 1909 pan in that pile and it was full of holes and looked like scrap to you, it is still worth gold to the right guy. I think you can see from the interest here you wont have a problem selling any of it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison_Rice Minnesota on Saturday, February 02, 2013 - 11:42 pm:

Get ahold of Stan Howe on this sight and ask him about any auctioneer buddies he's got in Mississippi and auction that stuff. It'll be gone in a day. You'll get what it's worth, anybody that's interested can be there and they'd come. And Stan could help you or who ever figure out what places to advertise it. I.e. Hemmings motor news, MTFCA, MTFCI, Fordbarn. Speaking of Fordbarn, there are some model A and early V8 things in there too. To scrap that stuff would be a horrible thing to do. An old standard crankshaft that's not cracked and could be reground .010" U/S. That crank before grinding has a great deal of value. Please, do not scrap anything. You'll have to pay a commission to an auctioneer but you'd still make a pile of money off what's there. It's almost tempting to me to hire a trucker with the right trailer to go haul it up here. I'd have to hire someone to load it but I'd make my money back. Someone please go help this guy.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Sunday, February 03, 2013 - 09:43 am:

I for one would like to thank James Bowen for at the very least of thinking of the MFTCA and posting for information about what to do about his old car and parts situation.

Hopefully someone in his area or others will help him with the old cars and parts.

When I saw this posted it brought to mind of what happened to the few acres of old cars, parts, old tractors and you name it that was scrapped and crushed by some surviving family members of a local junk and salvage yard guy.

It was the local place to go for old cars and parts when I was a kid back in the early 60's.

Many collectors would go there and scrounge for hours on end.

When the old guy died about 20 years ago it was largely forgotten about and 10 years ago the son-in-law wound up with it and hired the local scrap dealer to come out and crush and haul off everything.
There were many loads that came out of there.
Boy what a shame.
Hopefully this pile of parts will be saved.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wes Nelson ........Bucyrus, MO on Sunday, February 03, 2013 - 11:09 am:

"I for one would like to thank James Bowen for at the very least of thinking of the MFTCA and posting for information about what to do about his old car and parts situation. "


Hear! Hear! to John Kuehn I agree with his post.
Thank you James Bowen for thinking of us.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Sunday, February 03, 2013 - 06:32 pm:

Many thanks! Even if I am way too far away for this to do me any good. I like to see good old stuff saved.
My dad used to often say "Thank you, until you are better paid". From the looks of those photos, I think you will be. I see a bunch of stuff in them I would be interested in if it was within a few hundred miles of me.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ted Dumas on Sunday, February 03, 2013 - 07:33 pm:

Looks to me you need a well publicized auction. Contact Stan Howe,with a PM or phone, (he posts often on the forum)and get his advice on how to get one set up.

A complete 14 was a steal at $1100, it was likely worth a few thousand more.

Mark Freimiller, Model T Haven, would likely give you a bid on the whole shebang.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James B. on Sunday, February 03, 2013 - 10:45 pm:

John, Wes, Wayne, and everyone. My wife is the computer techie and history buff and is the one who should be thanked. She begged me to hold off until she did more research on what I thought was junk. She found this site at the top of a Google search for Model T parts and we posted...NEVER IMAGINING THIS KIND OF RESPONSE! Now our mission is going to drag out everything (if it can stay dry long enough) It might be late SPRING before we can get everything transported. We have chainsaws, a tractor w/front end loader, a trailer, and some vacation days coming up. Plus, your responses & interest have & will create much nagging from her until I get it all moved! LOL She is overjoyed at the prospect of finally getting in there and digging and 'touching history' as she calls it.

As soon as any decision is made and it is all laid out. We will photograph it well, post it here and the other sites you guys mentioned, contact local organizations, auctioneers, etc. You have all been SO helpful! At this point, if I put ANYTHING in the scrap pile, my wife will revolt. So everything is safe until you hear from us again!!! JB :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Sunday, February 03, 2013 - 11:18 pm:

Thank you for letting us drool, and we will be waiting


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Everett on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 12:09 pm:

James, I just saw your post. My wife Mary was born in Corinth, we're there frequently, my '14 came from Corinth, Abe's is one of my favorite stops (I believe they still have the returnable bottle Cokes), etc.!

You may have known an acquaintance of mine, Joe Shadburn. I believe he's now deceased, but I remember seeing and talking with him at an auction in Pocahontas, TN.

Please keep us all in the loop. I believe you will discover many who will come to help, simply to be around it.

Bill Everett


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jared Buckert on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 04:43 pm:

James,

Are you still trying to get rid of some of your parts, or have they all gone away? I wouldn't mind digging through sometime.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan B on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 12:46 pm:

Oh my goodness, I about get sick ANY time I read scrap on this forum.

I know, easy for me to say...the stuff is not in MY backyard.

But sounds like you're on the right track. There is still a market out there for this stuff above scrap value.

Good luck and thanks for making the decision to preserve history. Once its gone, it's gone forever.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan B on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 12:51 pm:

Only wanted to ad that this forum is an active wealth of information. If given the chance, there are guys on here that will bend over backwards to supply you with accurate information with the goal of helping to preserve this stuff for future.

You came to the right place.

Welcome!


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