I friend has this out in an overgrown part of his yard and he was telling me it was an old model T engine and drivetrain converted to a sickle mower. I went out and took some pictures. It looks to have the front axle assembly and most of the frame intact. There is not any body parts but he has the driveshaft and rear axle assembly in his shed. Any ideas on a year or other details. Could a guy start with this and have himself a complete car at one point? Do these parts have much value in the condition they are in? Thank you Dave
I have started with less a few times
I would think if you want it bad enough you can make a complete car out of anything. As for value, maybe one or two hundred bucks?
What's going on with that number one spark plug hole?
Dave:
The motor is from June 19 through 25. If you know any one coming by Denver I will give you a frame at no cost. You could easy build a Depo Hack or Speedster.
Dave:
I have a lot of heads, I even use some for irrigating. If your number One plug hole is bad I will also donate a head to you.
The frame, engine block, hogs head, and axles are about the only parts not being reproduced in one form or another. So yes it can be reconstructed.
The plug is in there but the porcelain part has broken off Maybe water got down in there The old crank is still attached up front. I know nothing about these cars and I told him I would try to see if it had any value. The rear end assembly and the driveshaft seem to be in the best shape of any of it. Can aftermarket body parts be found to make it into a car again?
Thanks for the fast replies and kind offers, It sure would be a neat project. Seems its an opportunity that if I pass up could never happen again.
Dave:
Fenders, Splash Aprons, hoods and most body parts are being reproduced. But if you build a speedster or depo hack you don't need any body parts. A friend of mine just build a 14 ALL WOOD pickup and it looks great.
By the way I think I can maybe see some other T parts in the pile.
Go For the package, you will be glad you did, its FUN !!!!!
T's have been restored starting with less. You have the start of a complete chassis project.
Go for it.
It would for around 300-400 dollars at Chickasha.
At the very least some guy would buy it for 200.00 and try to sell it later for 500.00.
That accessory frame belly strap under the crankcase is worth about $50. Generator as a core is $40.
Parted out, and pieces sold individually, this pile of parts is worth $500-800.
Oh...that APCO accessory steering column to dash bracket is a $25 item.
Dave:
I just noticed it still has a radiator. By some miracle it might still be good saving you some big bucks.
Here's one I built on a bare chassis.
Fenders, hoods and the other metal parts you see are easy to come by and cheap.
Just depends on your imagination and carpenter skills and you could have a usable car pretty easy and for not much money.
Go for it and have fun!
The carburetor is an accessory Air Friction unit. Lot of good stuff there. I would offer $100 if it were near me.
Dave, your comment that it seems to be "an opportunity that if I pass up could never happen again" is exactly wrong. If you can get this pile for two or three Benjamins and want it as a project, as John says, go for it. But Ford made millions of cars from 1919 through 1925, and all this stuff is still plentiful. Even with the individual items Dan mentioned, if the owner wants more than five bills, walk on by.
I love having Model T's and I enjoy working on them and learning about them. I highly recommend the hobby. BUT I'll also add some words of caution. There are at least two ways of getting into Model T's. One is the cheapest way in, buying a pile of parts or a basket case with the aim of building or restoring a T from scratch. Yes, it's the cheapest way to start, but it's the most expensive way to finish. Two corollaries of Murphy's Law apply: Everything takes longer than you think it will and Every restoration costs more than you think it will. Lots of T guys do just that, starting from scratch, because they enjoy the project of bringing an old car or even a pile of parts back to life. But they're also aware that they're paying extra for the fun and satisfaction of doing it themselves. That's because it's very rare for a completed project to be worth what it cost. Every day you can see ads where the owner is trying to sell a car at a price that will recover what he spent on it. It usually doesn't happen. Most projects sell at a loss. That's no reason not to play the game, but everybody should be aware of it up front.
The contrary approach is to buy a finished car you can drive and enjoy right away. The advantage of this, besides the instant gratification factor, is that it's cheaper. When you buy a completed car you're spending what seems like a lot more than the basket case would cost, but you're saving a pile of dough and letting the other guy take the financial hit.
I've gone both ways, buying basket case projects and buying cars that were ready to drive (or at least I thought they were). Having experienced both, I prefer the latter. But will I ever start from scratch again? Sure, just as soon as I finish the projects I already have.
This is what I started with. 50+ years as a seed wagon. 2 years, and $2800 later. I expect to have $4K in it by the end. I'm taking my time spending my money.
If I were just starting in the hobby, the last thing I would do is buy a pile of junk.
If you do acquire that pile, note that you are doing your friend a favor by removing it.
Chris you're about right on the cost for restoring one from parts.
I have built a 1919 runabout and finishing up a 21 Touring. On the average I have about 5.000.00 each in them. I used good or NOS parts I picked up at swap meets and bought the rest from vendors.
I did all of the work except the machine work such as boring the blocks and rebushing the Transmission drums. New Tires and bought 1 recored radiator.
I picked up the body parts and repaired as needed and bought interior kits and installed them.
Bought are complete and good looking 5-10 footers that are 95+% correct.
Would I do it again? Depends if I could good find enough good engines and parts.
BUT you can buy a decent complete unrestored car for less.
I think the radiator may be an A or early V-8, note the two rad. rods to the fire wall.
Bob
It is always something that you can play with and learn from, no harm no foul.I started with this and ended up this over one winter, I'd never had or been around T's before so if I can do it you can( anyone can) Go for it and good luck. BUT check with your wife if you have one, her input is required for a happy family life. And if you get one , they do multiply.
Bob
By The way Dave:
I have a bunch of cowls and you could have one free. Steve Jeff is correct, that it will take a lot of money to finish a rebuild, but you will have a bigger sense of accomplishment if you do it, rather than buying a restored T.
Bob Gruber and Bob McDonald those are fine looking cars !!!!
Thanks Dave...my kid still says he's going to look you up at Grandpa's one of these days.
He's working long hours.
He's getting a '20 touring this weekend.
Bob:
Have him give me a call one of these days at 303-774-9246. I would be glad to meet him and load him up with some of the things you will need if you decide to do the restoration or should I say rebuild. By the way Grand Pa's moved and raised their coffee to $1.50 so I don't go their as often any more. I am still going there every Sunday with some of the Gang. My wife always has coffee and roles for anyone that stop by. It seems like there is someone stopping by almost every day to visit or get parts. I still drive to town every morning to have coffee somewhere or mail off parts so he should call.
I have had a couple of cups of coffee and rolls over the years. I recommend stopping at Dave's.
My first T was a basket case 15 Touring for $2500. The motor had been rebuilt by a reputable mechanic and it had a new brass radiator. My uncle told me I could buy this one and by the time I was done would have $10,000 invested in it. Or we could keep looking and could likely find one already restored for $10,000. I decided to go ahead and get that one. He was right. By the time it was finished 15 years later, I had close to another $6,000 in the car. I missed a lot of years of enjoyment driving a T, and had to keep getting re-motivated to keep working on it. But now that it is done, I can say that I have a pretty good knowledge of the Model T. By not being afraid to tackle problems since that first start up, I can also say I have a good knowledge of how to keep them running. I have put at least 1000 miles on Miss Daisy every year since 2006. They take a lot of maintainance to put that kind of mileage on, but it sure is fun!
Take all the above into consideration, and if you like old cars, go for it.
I agree with Dale.
It took me three years to build a car out of a pile of parts. I had the pleasure to build it and now it will be a pleasure to drive it (and looking for an new project to build).
just go for it.
Here is what is was and what it became. Top will be installed soon.
Andre
Belgium
Beautiful car Andre!
You're a real craftsman.
My first T was from a pile or remains of a car. It had a 6 inch diameter cedar tree growing up thru it. The cylinders were full of water. I removed 4 blocks of ice from each cylinder when I got it home (it was winter time) I did everything myself. The learning experience was worth the time to build it. It took me about 3 years to have it ready to show. In the process of restoration I bought more "piles" I sold the excess, usually at a profit. That is where I became a vendor at the swap meets. The first T was a very nice "huckster" that used all original hardware, (found at swap meets" It usually placed as a first place or second place at all the shows. Buy the time I was done with it I had zero dollars in it or maybe even made a profit. I do not count labor as it is just a hobby for me. Erick, Ill have to respectively disagree with you on saying, "the last thing I would do is buy a pile of junk" Lots of cars are on the road starting from a "pile of junk" It may not be the most practical way or smartest way to do it, but for lots of us it may be the "only" way to achieve it. Not all of Us, espically some of the "newbies" or younger folks can not afford to just buy a complete car. I currently own 3 Ts and a tractor conversion , a 1966 Harley, and a 1933 Plymouth coupe. I have zero family dollars in all of them. (not counting labor again) Everything I have was paid for with piles like this. Dave, my only suggestion is, Yes it has value, about 200 to 400 dollars from what I see. It is harder to keep much and make a profit from the first "piles" as you will need so much of it at first. But as you go along on the project the piles become more "profit". The only other suggestion is you "must" be dedicated. If you buy it, post some good pics of it and we will be able to help you decide what you have. Someone said he saw more parts in the pics above. I can almost guarantee that there is more there than what you show in the pics. There may be extra stuff in boxes, in a shed, under the house, in the attic, in another old car, ect. Remember to look very well for the "little things" A lot of times the best part of a deal I made for a "pile" was the box of small parts we found somewhere that I did not even know was there. Good luck and have fun ...
Dave, I started about with the same amount of parts, maybe less. Everything rusty. I started with wire brushing on a grinder ( make sure you use a face shield)I took a rear end to the basement for a winter project. worked on frame and firewall in garage. When summer came and it was too hot, I went to the cool basement and rebuilt the front axle. I got a drive shaft from a swap meet and contacted other T & A people with what I was missing. I built my own body and ended up with a traditional speedster. It took approx.6 years, but was fun.