Here is a quiz for all you T guys & Gals. I just completed one of the most (for me) difficult maintenance jobs to do on a Model T. What was it?

happy motoring,

Warren

Replacing band lining.

deciding which oil to use

Adjusting #3 main crank bearing, engine in the car.



Just kidding. Deciding how much Marvel Mystery Oil to add to the fuel.

Fishing out a the "Washer" you dropped into the crankcase / pan.....!!!!

putting the Bendix cap screws back in

Warren,

Based upon your profile image ....

For you it would appear ....

To be a challenge to do ANYTHING without being " Molled " .....

FreighTer Jim

"Upgraded" to 12 volts and it still doesn't run right.

Wrestling the Cowl tank out of a 26/27 open car.

Keeping the crankcase gaskets lined up when installing the block

Well you said maintenance not repair so.....getting down on your knees to check the oil

Band replacement?

Reinventing the entire floorboard.

Replacing the simple modern crankshaft seal with the motor still in the car. Have you ever tried it?

Remembering to do it in the first place!

Yeah, them bands do sound pretty scary. -I'm going with changing the transmission band linings.

Taking the hogs head off & on in the car

It kind of depends on the body style of the car -

Changing bands on my speedster where there the doors open and there are no fenders or running boards really isn't too bad.

Changing bands on Steve's Centerdoor is a whole different critter. Especially when you don't want to get any oil or grease on the upholstery and you are parked sideways on a hill in a parking lot 40 miles from home. Right Steve ?

De-carbon the pistons

Thoes 6 woman in your profile? Oh wait you said the Model T. Hmmm, Im going to say tires and tubes

Changed the air in your tires?

You recall that "Fun Time", do you Walt ????

If it wasn't for Dave & Elaine E., I was going to leave the Centerdoor in the Lighthouse parking lot overnight but Diane stated if we did that, it most likely would have been on Ebay in the a.m. for sale in pieces !!!

John T, I think you're on to something there. Changing the air in tires IS about the most difficult thing there is! Seems it always wants to escape!

Pulling the floor mat, after removing the Ruckstell shift ball, and then the floorboards, removing the hogshead inspection cover, cleaning out the oil screen.

All while bent over into the compartment.

Then replacing the screen and cover. Then grease the u-joint dope cup and the drive shaft dope cup. Now repeat the steps to get the floorboards back in, and wrestle the rubber mat back over the 3 pedals, at the same time slipping it down over the Ruckstell shift lever and the clutch/brake lever.

Whew.....makes me as tired as typing up this post

Checking electrolyte level of the battery in your Improved coupe?

I admit that performing that task on my '24 coupe is onerous.

Getting the coil ring space correct.

Looked at your profile Warren and saw you have 2 of those so-called "New and Improved" Ts. So I think I've aced your quiz by guessing you've replaced the emergency brake backing plate cam bushing. Right? I win, right?

Warren, the suspense has caused me another sleepless night...

what is the answer????

Agree with George - replacing the fuel tank on my 1927 touring car.

I want to Thank everyone for participating in my Quiz.

Dave, I don't want you to have anymore sleepless nights so here's the answer.......... (it's in code, so only you can read it)

By checking FreighTer Jim's post you will see that it must not include putting anything back together (I am very good at taking things apart and I even somehow manage to come up extra parts when putting them back together, when I am at the LeBlanc brother's (Ken, Steve & Paul) garage on Thursday nights Ken will not even let me pick up a wrench) so this does not require the use of any tools.

Happy motoring,

Warren

here is a clue that I promised

You filled the oilers.....i see droplets on the ground.

I got it--
You didn't close the hood correctly!

Fred, you the reason that I posted the answer in code to Dave.

All those who answered gave very good answers, however as Bill Harper posted and we discussed at last night "Gatsby Night" Fundraiser, the correct (or to be more precise), the answer I was looking for is checking the battery fluid level in a Model T coupe.

Happy motoring,

Warren

How about restoring the whole car? I've been at it for over a year!

Not having a coupe, I would never have guessed.

Changing transmission bands in a Centerdoor is rather interesting.

Thanks Warren, now I can sleep (tonight).

Not caring for a coupe, I would never have guessed.

Changing bands in a Centerdoor has to rank right up there in difficulty considering other models.

Thanks Warren, now I can sleep - tonight.

See wahat happens when one doesn't sleep well?

(Darned double post!!)

My first tech session at my local chapter was watching them change the bands on a huckster...many grimaces when I told them my first T, a recent purchase was a center door...so far the bands are good, but one of these days....To date the hardest physical challenge was changing all 4 rock hard tires...took 2 days and 7 hours ! after cleaning up the rims, and using advice gleaned here, mounting the new tires, tubes, flaps, and dynabeads took less than 2 hours, my greatest mental challenge was replacing every wire in the car. I'm no mechanic but I'm having a blast learning on this car, and what a great sense of achievement

Warren, you are right about that...

Getting to the battery on a 26-27 coupe with the spare tire in place is just about impossible and I stand on a milk crate to do it. I don't have a steel battery box on mine, just a piece of wood board for the bottom but laying under the car and pushing the battery up and out is not good as I don't want to drop it and get a face full of acid so I found a solution;

I took the battery out and start the car on magneto with the hand crank.

Tim Moore

Tim Moore, thank you I would have never thought or tried that.

Happy motoring,

Warren

Changing the tranny bands on a centerdoor is made much easier by taking a few minutes to remove 3 clevis pins and removing the passenger seat.

Agreed George ! Also, the placement of the door makes it a bit uncomfortable laying on the floor !

The door placement is my problem....my "born with" body just does not conform to unusual positions that well anymore...

David, Steve: the door placement is the best part of a centerdoor. That and the fact that 6 side windows are taller than they are wide. My wife thinks that gives it a 'carriage' look. And she even placed plastic bluebonnets in the bud vases! Of course the newly upholstered passenger seats of the '19 c/door and '26 Tudor are kept on a shelf. Both my wife and I are, shall we say, "full figured" so both passenger seats are out of the question.

Passenger seats on the shelf does make a difference !!

George House, saying that our wife is 'full figured" makes you a braver man than me and I happy to say "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din".

Tim, I think that I have found the solution to the battery problem, I'm looking into buying one of these houses. I know for a fact that my neighbors will have to own Model Ts as well. They are the only cars with enough clearance to make it into the garage.

Happy motoring,

Warren

Warren,

That can't be real can it? Seriously my response was not sarcastic about removal of the battery on my 26 coupe. I bought the car when I was 17 and it was my first T--40 years ago and I still have it. I tore that car right down to nothing and put it back together and it was our wedding car and both my daughters.

For most of my time I used the starter motor and that battery that you have to stand on your head on one foot to tighten it up or change it. If the starter wouldn't crank I would switch to battery and hand crank but had it kick back like an airplane several times.

One day on this forum Ron Patterson posted about hand cranking a T requires more advance on the spark rod. I did that and for the first time I started the car on magneto and never looked back.

If you do have to service your battery this is what has worked for me on a 26 coupe;

Stand on something behind the car and loosen the terminals then tuck them below the floor pan. Take 2 vice grip pliers and clamp one on each battery terminal, now you can lift the battery up and out.

Indeed that is a problem to service or remove the battery on a late model coupe unless you can bend your back or body better than a person more agile than myself...I feel your pain!

Tim Moore

Tim, I would worry about the possibility of shorting out the battery if the vice-grips touched the metal, might be better to invest in a battery carrier strap, for under $10.00.

Happy motoring,

Warren

I don't think these are "maintenance" jobs, but the things I have done recently (in a beginner's sort of way) that were accompanied by the fruitiest language were (1) removing/installing the cowl-mounted petrol tank in a '26 coupe and (2) installing bendix cover screws. I'm gathering strength to attempt the horizontal engine mounting bolt on the starter side. . .

Tom

To remove or otherwise deal with the battery on my '26 coupe, I just take the seat out. Isn't that the easy thing to do?

Talking about 6 volt vs 12 volt? =P

Waiting for my engine to get babbitted and no T to drive all summer! (yes I could barrow a good friend of mine's T, but it's not the same)

putting her away for the winter.

Hi Doug,

What do you mean with the words "putting her away for the winter"? I don't understand. Who "puts away" something which is so enjoyable? For me, driving my Model T is as necessary as the medicine I take and much less expensive than the therapy I should be receiving. Drive safely and often, Bill.