I'll kick it off this month. Today I finished up the batch of plugs I started cleaning last week.


Soaking in CLR loosens up some of the crud on the insulators and removes brass tarnish.


With a bit of scrubbing they clean up pretty well.


A soak in Evaporust makes a good start on the metal parts.


Wire brushing finishes cleaning the bases and collars.


Next comes gun bluing.


Some of the collars need wire brushing inside, then these parts will be ready for assembly.


Cleaned, assembled, and polished. Then the question is how many will actually work in a car.

Nice work Steve. Those old Champions are the best.
Rich

Hey Steve this may be a dumb question but how do you get the plugs to seem to float in mid air when you take those pictures? Doug

Space City T's out of Houston had 9 Model T's at the Dubina, Texas Painted Church annual Church Picnic. We stayed in Schulenburg, Texas the night before where on Saturday we attended the 30th annual Polka Festival. It was very HOT but a good time was had by all.

Nice day for a family outing.
July 1 Canada Day

Doug, they're on glass. If you look carefully you can see some reflections.

Took my 26 roadster pickup the cars in the park show and won best antique truck!!!

Drove 30 miles before encountering a thunderstorm that left me stranded on the side of the road. I think the car ingested just enough water to get the plugs wet.

Went on a day tour. My son drove my roadster and I drove our for-dor. We had a great time . Now I will repair the starter on the roadster and put a new band in the for-dor. Have to get ready to leave Sat. morning for the Richmond tour.

Plugs dried out and it fired right up. I was able to complete the final 7 miles home tonite.

Jealous of the spark plug collection.

Used Coca-Cola bottle for fine shims on my rear wheel wood spokes. A case of using what was to hand where the shims needed to be a bit thinner than the washers available.

To answer the post of what I did in July. My wife and I, after 28 years in the land surveying business in Texas have retired! Now for more time to spend with family, friends and of course, Model T's!!

I swapped out the brass hub fan on my 1911 for a steel hub fan. The brass hub fan had the corners of the blades clipped. I hope the replacement fan will help with my overheating issues.

Finally got the Dexter steering column lock removed from the original column. The lock is impossible to remove intact once installed. It also makes it impossible to ever lubricate the planetary steering gears once the lock is in place. I will use the gear box from the used column that I bought. I'll drive the T tomorrow, then as soon as I receive the new throttle and spark rods from Snyders, I will pull the T's column and make one really good one. I'm very tired of the sloppy steering.

Started getting my 26 ready to sell (sad face) by going through the car and parts bins.......

Life change = garage changes.....

Sure have had a lot of good memories with this car.

Went to A Dodger Game on the 1st and will go again on the 4th.

If we could find a manager who know,s what a baseball is we may have a chance.

The 27 Coupe rear axle rebuild had the last part come in so in the cooler part of the night something is going to get done, Scott

I found some 1" body plugs used some where on a grand Cherokee and adapted them to seal the coil box.

Yeah I know they aren't correct, but the coil box will stay dry.

I had a nice chat with my cousin's son, Jason, about my succession plans for my Model T. I bought my car early this year from my aunt. It was in my family for decades. The Model T was my uncle's pride and joy. He passed 15 years ago and Jason became the car's primary caretaker. When my aunt was ready to let the car go, I was prepared to take the responsibilities of ownership. Jason is a young man with a young family and was not in a position to take on the T.

I told Jason that I will bequeath the car to him because it was his grandfather who resurrected it for a new life. I also cautioned him that he needs to wait at least another 30 years or more for that to happen.

Dean Yoder did this today:

It's still a Ford....

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7q5qt35u6dhlfae/Video%20Jul%2003%2C%208%2051%2021%20PM .mov?dl=0

Rob, how come the fan isn't turning?

Fan belt not on😜

I felt that the steering had a bit more play than I like while driving to and from Petit Jean a couple of weeks ago, so I rebuilt the steering in my '21. The spindle bolt holes in the tops of the axle yokes were wallowed out, so I drilled them out to 5/8" and installed some oilite bushings there with new spindle bolts & bushings. Now they're snug. Also put a NOS yoke on the tie rod, with a new ball, NOS drag link caps, and NOS Ford tie rod bolts. The Pitman arm ball was undersized, so I had a new 1" ball welded on by a professional welder. I touched it up using a grinder with flap wheel, so it's good as new. I went this route because the new Pitman arms the vendors have all have too-wide keyways. I had 4 used Pitman arms in stock with good keyways, so I had the welder do all 4 of them with new balls. Now I have some in stock, which is a good thing. The steering gearbox was still tight from the last time, so I have no play in the steering now. My car is "officially" ready for the upcoming tour in Richmond!

Today we drove the 26 Tudor to the next town for a car show. It was hot and not a lot of people showed cars but my wifes cousin asked us to go since he wanted to drive the 27 Touring my wife sold him a couple months ago. We took back roads with the two T's and it felt like a mini tour. When we got there my car stalled behind a stopped car and because my battery is no good I had to jump out and crank start the car. When I got back inside I noticed a guy filming us so I bet that ends up on u-tube somewhere! This was the first time I have had the 26 out since spring of last year. I was thinking of selling it to help pay for the 12 project but will miss it when I do.

Put this "traveling-across-America" family back on the road, with 2 new exhaust valves. They are very nice folks...hope to see them again some day.

A friend bring his car with a broken rear axle .
Probable the babbit rings.

Took her to her first car show.

Replaced two out of four tires and tubes. The other two are being done sometime in the next week.

Thanks Mark

Did a little pickin’

Today I got started on a proper 1915 steering column for the runabout.

I finally found the last part of my speedometer setup. I had made a bracket out of the bottom of a paint can I'd been using.

Today I put an on-off switch on my speedometer light.




In the daytime the light being on all the time is no problem. But at night the reflections in the windshield make it hard to see out.


The light makes it easy to see how slow you're going.

After getting backed into on Memorial Day weekend, I decided it was a good time to start the full restoration. I spent most of June gathering parts and supplies and really dove into it the past week. Turns out, I'm a lot better at body work than I thought I'd be. The first body panels went into primer tonight. I got the running boards and rear fenders shot. Front fenders will probably be tomorrow.

Nice "paint booth" ! Quite creative !

Hah hah! Thanks, Steve. It's working out quite well.

I like it Jim !

Set up a Total Recoil rewound field coil today - Mark puts out an excellent product - machined poles & mounting bosses makes shimming a whole lot easier !

This little girl has prevented me from doing a damn thing for five months! And look! Just look how pleased about it she is! But I have started getting some things done while she naps. Thank god for naps!

Well was able to get two new Vietnamese tires mounted for my TT. One more rear to go and it will be rolling on 4 air filled tires for the first time in probably 60-70 years. Also was successful in disassembling my Ruckstell shiftlock for the TT and getting it unstuck. All in all a successful day.

Well Inguess no pictures until I can transfer them from my iPad or phone to my laptop.

Drove mine to the Alhambra dinner theater to see their production of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG! Good show excellent dinner and their car did fly with a little "Theatrical Magic" I tried to get some of that for SaraJane but they said their supply was very short. Everybody loved SaraJane But the director reminded them that mine couldn't fly.... Does anybody have Fred MacMurray's contact info? Good time had by all.

And pics, since there is no way to edit a post.

There is a way to edit the text of a post, providing it isn't too old, but I have not found a way to insert pictures into an existing post. You can delete pictures, though.

To edit the text of an existing post, go to your profile and look at your list of recent posts. If there is a pencil in one of the boxes of the post you want to edit, click on the pencil and a new box will open allowing you to edit the text.

Mark, I think that is only if you create the message thread. I did go there but all I was able to do was view the post.

I don't think so, I've edited recent posts I've made in threads started by others - look, I'll do it to this one. I'll enter another line of text below, then delete it by editing.



(Message edited by cudaman on July 09, 2018)

Polishing the horn flex tubing is tricky. It tries to move around and the polish residue gets in the grooves and on the adjacent body parts. I removed the assembly and put a stiffener inside the tubing to keep it ridged. After polishing I used string to clean out the grooves. This worked well.
Rich

Hey Steve T, where did you get the Wilson Mag tool? That is a great help when doing that adjustment. I wish you could rent these tools at the local tool rental place

Thanks for the great idea Rich!

I have a horn tube that I need to polish soon and I have been trying to figure out a good way to do it.

Thanks!

It's a reproduction that Bob Scherzer (sp - sorry) started making quite a few years ago - I don't recall when I bought it but Lang's still shows them in their catalog - https://www.modeltford.com/item/KRW1.aspx

Since my knee surgery and other things, I have not been able to drive the T other than starting up the engine every now and then. Yesterday I drained about a gallon of old gas out of the tank and put in fresh fuel. It is amazing how much better it fires up with fresh gas in the tank.

I haven't been able to do anything so far this month. I got Shanghaied into rebuilding a bathroom. I think Shanghaied is the proper term, not that I'm a drunken sailor, though I do talk like one. Hopefully I will be returned to shore soon and finish some wheels I've been working on and start on the rear end of my bitsa.

Pick these up from one of my customers going to do some rebuilding

Thanks again Bill

A little thing called pan straightening.

Today I made some 1915 spark and throttle rods. The annoying part was making a drill guide to get the holes straight and still getting a couple of them cockeyed.

Turned on the head lights and my ampere meter had a melt down. Nice red glow in the dark!

Turned on the head lights and my ampere meter had a melt down. Nice red glow in the dark! Sorry to hear your selling your car EricB

Steve, nice job fabricating the spark and throttle rods!

What type of material did you use? Cold rolled steel rod? Stainless?

Yep, 5/16" cold roll. Sometimes you make it yourself to save money, and sometimes to eliminate the hassle of trying to find the real thing. In this case it was both.

I brought another one home.

Steve, have you already brass plated the rods, or do they look like it due to the lighting?

It's the lighting. I still have to get the quadrant ready for plating. In the encyclopedia Bruce says some black quadrants appear to be original, but as brass plate appears to be more standard I'm going with that.

Tonight I had a knock on the door and a friend wanted me to go help get a 23 coupe started after sitting since the 1940's. I grabbed my rebuilt coils out of my car and 3 hours later we had it going. He should have called me a year ago. Now that was fun!

So we finally got some rain and a free car wash. Wiped down the car with a special helper.

Rubbed linseed oil into the rust.

Brought a 13 touring and pile of parts. Leaving in a few minutes to get load #2. Still at least one more load to get. Dan

The refresh of my Roadster is coming along nicely. The fenders and running boards are painted, color sanded and polished. I wanted to let them get a head start so the paint is fully cured by the time reassembly comes. I pulled the body off last week and the front axle, frame and everything that could be unbolted from it has been stripped, coated with rust encapsulator and painted. Since I only have one set of jack stands, I'm having to do each axle one at a time. While the frame paint is curing, I decided to try steam bending the corners for my front bow. One down, one to go. Tomorrow, the front axle goes back on so I can pull the rear.

Got mine out for a drive.

Lookin' good Ed.

I cleaned the timer and drove our '21 Touring for the first time in a month.

Today I installed the two most important parts: the license plates. Time to hit the road!

Another happy customer !

Took the TT to local club breakfast get together 80 mile round trip took about three hours round trip. Had some fuel problems but made it home. Carb had water on it, mabye icing

(Message edited by Afrazer on July 21, 2018)

Eighty miles in three hours is moving right along for a TT.

I took the 15 Speedster to the Richmond National Tour, it’s been on many weekend runs since we built in 1992 but never ran it for five days in a row. It held up quite well, burns a little oil, especially after using engine braking which I think is valve guides. On a weekend run, braking is not a big issue, we spend most of the time chasing overhead boys. However a Brake problem developed in the the left Brake seemed to stop working and the right side would lock up. The car has an equalizer so it was a puzzle. Once Home I looked more carefully and the anti rattler had moved towards the rear and twisted to cause huge friction on the right side. Once just I moved the antirattler further forwards and tightened the screw everything was back to normal. Is I can lock up BOTH rear wheels.
The third brush on the generator had come loose so i fixed that to give me 8 amperes.

Finally finished a set of wheels I've been working on for months. Due to illness, life and weather I've been delayed.

These are for my 25 bitsa truck I'm building. I wanted the smaller rim because I'm not doing a aux transmission of special gearing in the rear end.

Before and after picture.

James; The outer diameter of the 21" tires will still be about the same as the 30" tires, around 29-30". Not a bad set of wheels from what I can see.

I put 780 miles on the Touring this week. Lots of dust.

I got the steering column done except for the spark and throttle bellcranks. I destroyed both pins attempting to install them. Snyder's will have spares at my house by Monday they say. I didn't realize how soft the metal that they are made from is. Hopefully I'll have my T drivable next week. The new stainless spark and throttle levers may not be original, but they look great!

John C, 3/32" stainless steel welding rod works very well for those pins. One rod will make several pins, plus they won't rust. Just put a dab of Never Seize on them so they won't seize when you want to remove them. JMHO. Dave

When you're using air tools and water squirts out of them it's annoying and bad for the tools.


So I adapted an air bubble to act as a water trap. I added legs, in and out connections, and a drain.


The best part is that it works. No more dripping tools.

Took Nelly-Bell the Raloo rocket (Chevrolet overhead conversion) on it's first real drive about 100 miles round trip. I think just abut every other person I talked to asked about the rocker arm cover! LOL Had to explain it was a loss oil system, not a pressure fed system. I was able to find a cover to modify. Went to the Brooks, Or Steam up. The Holsman, Kenmore and 49 Panel met us there. Didn't get many photos this year but here are a few of the cars from our club members;









(Message edited by redmodelt on July 29, 2018)

Nothing. -Not a blessed thing. -
This stupid ruptured disc has me grounded and I haven't driven the car since May. -
Boy, is this ever frustrating!

Finnaly! I got enough chores done so I could begin rebuilding a rear end. Got this housing from T Haven and it's a thing of beauty. I didn't notice before but the drive shaft entry was blanked off. Wonder what the history is?

James,

There's a very good chance it was used under a trailer. Hope all the internals are present and in good condition.

That block off plate doesn't look too healthy.

Good Luck,
Terry

Mounted a new Wards Riverside. That takes about four minutes. Changing the tube from rubber stem to metal stem takes about half an hour.

Was asked to enter in a parade in a nearby town last Saturday, trailered the '26 touring and had my uncle ride with me. He was born and raised there, and I think he got a real kick out of it. He even turned down riding in my cousin's early 70's 'Cuda!

Everything from horses and sheep to tractors and modern vehicles. I think I had the oldest car there, a 27 Chev truck and 27 Pontiac were the next newest. The Pontiac with a 6 cylinder and water pump kept overheating, mine was running cool. Gave lots of rides, a great hit with the kids!



Link to article featuring the event:

https://www.swiftcurrentonline.com/local/mankota-celebrates-90-years

Mark Gregush:

There is a Kenmore here in the Twin Cities.

The car shown in your post is much later than 1902.

Kenmore automobiles were manufactured 1910-12 if I recall correctly.

Erik; Could be. Don never really got into finding out the correct year.


Could be a 10 or 11;
http://www.american-automobiles.com/Kenmore.html

(Message edited by redmodelt on July 30, 2018)

What have I done in July?

Gone to work everyday!

Willis