Today was a great day! 34 years ago my Dad sold his 1916 Touring car. It was the car that we toured in as a family,the one I used to wash and polish and the one that really got me hooked on Model T's!Today I was able to buy it back and coincidentally it worked out to be picked up on my 44th birthday! I look forward to be able to tour in it with my family and hopefully one of my sons will love as much as I did! One thing is for sure, it will not be sold again. I thank my Dad for introducing me to such a great hobby and we have shared many special Model T memories but today was one of the best.

Sorry, forgot todays pictures!

wonderful story! Congratulations.

Rob

Warwick,

Great story, fond memories, a legacy in the making.

Is that top older picture of you and your Dad? Likewise, the new picture sets? If so...theres a great photo op in the making I think...restage the original...then do the same thing with your own sons.

We've already planned that in this family. We have a great picture of the '15 with me and my youngest when he was about 7...we remember where it was taken and it is not too far. The grandson (his son) is now only 5 but we have already discussed the staging 'event' as the grandson will hopefully be the 4th generation to take up the love and lore of T's. We plan on framing them side by side. Just a thought.

Neat stuff!

This would be a great story for one of the magazines......

Well done Warwick, glad to see her back where she belongs. Will we see her at the national?

That's really cool!
Charley
PS--Happy Birthday!

The perfect Model T experience!

Happy Birthday, great story, I can see magazine article.

Good for you. Great you can have it back in the family.

Warwick,

How special it is and I agree it would make a great story for one of the club magazines.

And sometime when you lift the front seat cushion up to add gasoline, please let me know if you see a body number on the wooden front seat frame.

Again congratulations and many happy miles to come.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

Congratulations Warwick. Best regards, John

I know the feeling!
I had that feeling when I finally got my Dad's first tractor bought back.......a 1942 John Deere L.......

Great to hear! Congratulations!

AWESOME, SIMPLY AWESOME!!!!

Fantastic! Good to see a "prodigal" T back home again. I restored my T from the surviving chassis and parts not knowing that it had been in my family twice before. I later was able to trace it's provenance and found out the history from new from dealer records and family recollections. Hard to describe the feeling when I found out the history. Congratulations and never let it go.

Congratulations Warwick!
What a great Story!
A few years back I tried to locate our First T and found out it went to Ireland. (a 1923 Coupe)I contacted various people there but it seemed to have evaporated,hopefully it has a Good Home
-Don

Well done Warwick (and Paula), Now you need to repose the photo of your Dad and you as the next generation, with you and the boys, preferably with you in a dust coat, just like Dad was (he probably still has it). Look forward to seeing it on the next rally. Russell

Thankyou all for the congratulations and birthday greetings. It was a special day and will be remembered for a long time. Back in 2010 I wrote an article about Dads 1910 T when we drove it back to the town where it was originally sold. That article was published in the Model T Times so I will again write a story about my association with this car. I would definatly like to recreate the the picture one day but the top will need to be repaired/replaced before hand. One of the top bows has broken which is why the top is not up in yesterdays pictures.
Hap, I will not be able to supply any body number or information to you as the body was completely rewooded by my Dad in the building process. This car is in fact not a complete original car but one pieced together from many cars. Dad says probably not one part actually came off the same car! Thats the way Aussies restored early Model T's back in the 60's as there were very few complete cars left for restoration but lots of parts! It is a testament to Dad though that in pre forum and internet days he was able to piece together a car that what I view as a very correct car for the 1916 Model year. Pretty much all parts are 1916 or earlier.
A look over the car todays reveals I need a brass sediment bulb, a one piece 1916 coilbox lid and the license plate bracket. The car is fitted with the left hand right hand style tail light bracket but is missing the removable bar which holds the license plate. I saw one on ebay awhile back but didn't know I would need one!
Thanks again to all, I'm glad you all liked the story.

Great story Warwick. Happy Birthday too. I like the 'keep it in the family concept', and hope it all works out.
Dane.

Great story with a happy ending. Now you need to take the T to a location that looks like the original photo and restage it with your dad and you just like the the top photo.

G’day Warwick,

Not to worry about the body -- my 1915 is missing the piece of wood with the number along with several other pieces of wood. But it was great that your Dad took the pieces and made such a nice looking car. And I think it is great when folks take the pieces today and make a running T. One more back on the road is always better than several rusting away in a field somewhere.

Some top bow information is at: http://modelt.org/discus/messages/2/38725.html?1340404022 and http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/229470.html?1313853765 Depending on how the wooden top bow is broken, it may be repairable. A properly glued scarf joint is actually stronger than the original wooden piece. I.e. when pressure is put on the repair, the wood around the scarf joint will break before the scarf joint will break. See: http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/amt_airframe_ handbook/media/ama_Ch06.pdf and http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/wood-construction/2773-scarfing-laminat ing-wing-spars-2.html and notice those are scarf joints on the wooden spars that hold the aircraft wings to the airframe – a little more important piece of wood than the top bows.

Again, happy B'day and congratulations on bring your car home.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

Warwick,
I wanted a Model T ever since I was a little boy. My wife and I were able to purchase our 16' two years ago. We had a good marriage before but Liz gave us something to do together that we both really enjoy.

Whenever, asked about our Lizzie, I always make sure to try and keep it in proper perspective. I always tell people that in reality "its just an old car".

You sir have much more than just an old car.

Well done Warwick.

Where has it been all of this time and have you been keeping an eye on it??

Cheers

Alan Long
Perth

Alan-
Dad sold it at Bendigo Swap Meet in 1979! He sold it to a guy that specialised in reconditoniong early Ford side valve engines. For many years after at the swap meet I used to see George and tell him if ever he wanted to sell the car contact me first. George passed away eight years ago and he willed the car to his daughter. Luckily for me he had told his daughter of my desire to owm the car. It has taken her 8 years to move on from her fathers passing and finally offer me the car. It was a very emotional day for both of us on Saturday for different reasons when I finally went to pick up the car. It needs a bit of work but I will take it back to see Jennifer when it is back in road worhty condition.

LOOKY LOOK!!!
The T's hood and guy's hair turned white over the years!

Welcome Warwick!
Owning a T that came from your Dad is a great feeling.

My T was passed on to me by my mom a few years after my dad died. When I work on it I remember working with my dad when he restored it in the mid 50's. When I drive it I remember the times he let me take to football games with the cheerleaders.

Excellent!

Congratulations Warwick. I know exactly how you feel. I was able to buy back the 26 T that my Dad and I restored together back when I was in high school. It was only about 18 years between sale and purchase, but sure felt good. That was in 1996 and I have really had fun with it since. That is the car that I drove from Nebraska to California and back last year. I'm sure you and your son will make many great memories through the years.

How cool Warwick
Such a special time in your life
Happy birthday too
I will be down south in coming months so will look you up

If you have all the pieces of the broken top bow, try and piece it back together and glue it with a super strong exterior waterproof yellow wood glue, such as "Titebond" (which replaced the best, strongest 2 part epoxy marine glue in history, "Resorcinal". I'm sure that is the way the Aussies would have done it in the old days, since parts were hard to come by down under, plus, that is the top bow your Dad installed and you grew up with. Jim Patrick