Ok, got a question...again. :-)

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2017: Ok, got a question...again. :-)
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin Vowell, Sylmar, CA on Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 02:11 am:

Steering columns...from what years did the round base span.
I'm thinking that 13-15 round base, with polished brass planetary box under the steering wheel.
16-25 round base with nickle plated planetary box under the steering wheel.
26-27 Square base with nickle plated planetary box under the steering wheel.
These column tubes would have the covered channel for the horn wires, right?

My question is what were the 1909's thru 1912 base...I'm pretty sure their planetary box and cover were both polished brass, but I'm not sure. I'm just unclear as the base mount...it's the part that mounts to the firewall.

Any pictures and or descriptions would be appreciated. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin Vowell, Sylmar, CA on Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 02:11 am:

Damn, I think I spelled nickel wrong. :-(


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Val Soupios on Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 09:21 am:

Don't have my '10 or '12 handy to check but from memory they are a bit different. Both have a cast quadrant and hard rubber nobs at the end of the spark and throttle levers. They have a round base and the mounting holes are evenly spaced as I recall but I think the angle of the columns are different, not sure about the length of the columns but think they are the same.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Allan Bennett - Australia on Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 09:58 am:

Martin, there were different tubes for the electric horn wires. The earliest ones were a tube just big enough to carry a single wire for the magneto horn. The tube was held in place with small saddles spot welded to the column.

Then they went to the open U shaped horn wire tube that had the integral mounting tabs spot welded onto the column. The first incarnation of these was smaller than later types. The later ones were made larger to carry two wires for the horn. others may be able to pinpoint the change times.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Hope this helps


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith, Lomita, California on Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 10:45 am:

They didn't always drill the holes in the same location, and the flanges differed too, but essentially they are the same.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 10:53 am:

Mart, see pages 631-640 in the encyclopedia. Lots of info and some good photos. You won't find all the details you're looking for, but it's a good start. The MTFCI guidelines give descriptions by year, but no pictures.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin Vowell, Sylmar, CA on Friday, June 23, 2017 - 03:16 am:

Thanks everybody, I'll look up the MTFCI's info and the encyclopedia's as well...always in need of good photos, looking at Bruce's parts books didn't help much, still lot of unanswered questions.

I already knew the early quadrants were cast and I think those are being repro'd too...the later version (flat double fan shape) I wasn't sure where or when they came about...that style didn't change significantly through the end of the Model T production...it's the columns bases that got me a might boggled...I'll look up those pictures Steve and see what the MTFCI has to say also.

Thanks again everybody. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Friday, June 23, 2017 - 05:31 am:

The simple stamped steel spark/throttle quadrants showed up early in 1915 model year production. There was also a much less simple stamped steel quadrant used on both late 1914 style cars built during the 1915 "model" year, and very early 1915 style cars (open cars built around January or February '15). There are indications that some early '15 "style" cars had the earlier brass quadrant just as the '14 style cars had.
Quite a few claimed early '15s have the earlier quadrants (and often the earlier gear case) on them. The question becomes whether they were originally that way or not. There are those that doubt it. There is also photographic evidence of early '15s with the '14 brass quadrant and earlier riveted two piece gear case. Some people have argued that those were really early and/or prototype cars. I won't claim to know the full answer.
The entire changeover from the 1914 cars to the 1915 cars was complicated, and plagued with production delays resulting in the '14 style being produced well into 1915. It often can turn into a messy debate.

Then, along came the electric horn. This first showed up on early '15 style coupelets and center-door sedans. The early electric horn cars had a small single-wire tube spot welded onto the underside of the steering column. Open cars (runabouts and touring cars) started getting electric horns about June of 1915. Bulb horns continued to be installed on some cars at least though August '15, with some claims even a couple months later. That small single-wire tube continued until the combination horn/light switch about early '18. It should also be noted, that during 1917 and '18, Ford experimented with different platings of the gear case. They were not all nickel. (I believe some were simple zinc plated brass, and the quality of the brass was also played with, at least, that is what I have read.)
With the "electric equipped" "starter cars early in 1919, the very familiar simple horn button with the folded channel wire tube for two wires began its seven year run. Followed by the square base/flange '26/'27 beginning about August of '25.

Sorry, however, I can't help you much with the earlier ones. The few differences I do know about? I do not know enough about.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Friday, June 23, 2017 - 05:45 am:

One last detail I forgot to mention. The early simple pressed steel quadrants were brass plated. Basically, any '15 produced before July probably had a brass plated quadrant when it left the factory. The brass plating did not hold up very well, and can be difficult to find on originals. A detail I found VERY interesting, was that the early '16 (supposedly November or December '15 build) that I used to have? When I was re-restoring the car (it had been the victim of a bad '50s restoration), I discovered original brass plating under the '50s black paint. It always made me wonder just how late those brass plated quadrants were used?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin Vowell, Sylmar, CA on Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 03:16 am:

Wooo, Wayne, this is very interesting and a lot of info too. Not sure how I would show the different plating schemes in a b/w line drawing, but I guess I can make a note on the drawing as what was plated with what...I'll have to ponder that some.

Thank you very much for these details. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By R. S. Cruickshank on Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 05:35 am:

I can stand corrected but one way to identify a 1913 steering column is the flange at the firewall. The lower right bolt is offset, (lower than the left bolt). I think this is the only year this was done.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin Vowell, Sylmar, CA on Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 05:56 am:

Wooo, nice to know, Thanks.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chadwick Azevedo on Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 02:15 pm:

Bump to get rid of the spam


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin Vowell, Sylmar, CA on Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 07:16 pm:

Bump to get rid of the spam...

Also are there any early car guys who could give some info on the 1909, 1910, 1911 and 1912's?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange - Hillsboro, MO on Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 07:19 pm:

Royce might be able to help - contact him at the Model T Club of Facebook. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tony Howard ( Australia) on Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 07:20 pm:

The fun thing about this forum is you read about it here, then find one in your "stuff"


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Walter Higgins on Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 07:30 pm:

Gail Rodda's "Parts Identification Guide" covers much of what you're looking for in Vol. 2, pgs. 34 - 36.

I have an original 60" 1911 Torpedo column and a standard 56" 1912 column with the offset flange hole. What would you like to know?


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