MTFCA Forum

Great job Allan! Have a great day! This guy from Texas knows you know what you’re talking about. Always learn something!

Lang’s the rivet tools you need.Ck it out
https://www.modeltford.com/item/PN-BAR-2.aspx

Lang’s has them for 1/4” and 5/16” rivets.

If you’re a Model T enthusiast you collect or buy extra parts to make your particular car better. Frames, springs, wheels, engines and T sheet metal body parts will be in a T owners backyard or storage buildings. It’s parts of the hobby and always will be. Here in Texas and growing up going to farm ...

I have an idea there are more Model T owners who are sinners in the eyes of the our purist brothers than we think. Of course to each their own as for as their car is concerned. To me it makes sense that over time Ford figured out an air filter couldn’t hurt. After all it took Henry to come to the re...

Didnt Ford keep using the 4 hole frames until the frames were used up when the 2 hole frames were being introduced?
Ford usually used older design parts until they were used up. Thanks for any info about that.

Another good example of learning and knowing how to drive a T as if it doesn’t have real brakes. And this time it really didn’t!

Here’s an early day photo I think I posted before. It’s the reason why an air filter may have helped to extend the life of a Model T engine. This was taken around 50 miles 100 years ago from where we now live. Think of the dust in those days and the tire punctures that T owners experienced on those ...

My view is the same as using a transmission filter just under the access door to collect any debris in the engine. It’s a definite improvement in a T engine to have an air filter along with an oil filter. For the historians among us when did Ford finally start using air filters for the engine air in...

Good used 21” split rims can sometimes be found at Swap Meets and if you find some you had better buy them if the price is fairly reasonable. If they are pretty good and not pitted badly they will bought up pretty quick! That’s a T part that’s real desirable to find. I walked away for some a few yea...

The front fenders have the apron under the headlights. The radiator has the lower apron. Those two things say it’s a 24 or 25. The straight door hinge is usually a 25. The body seems pretty straight. If it runs good that’s a good thing. Adding the water pump in the past says something. Why was it ne...

I’ve always thought of the hot air pipe is the closest thing to an air cleaner. Yes I know what the purpose for it is but sucking dust and any thing else into any engine can’t be good unless there is some type of filter to keep it out. I guess Henry didn’t consider pulling in dust and dirt wasn’t th...

People used a Model T for what the need was. This one is sort of a 26 DR’s PU or enclosed cab pickup? Looks like the bed was painted and well made.

If you call Lang’s or Chaffins they may have some good used NH cores they will sell. Lang’s has good used parts to sell they don’t advertise. Good luck.

It could be the engine you have was one of those made after 1927. It seems that T engines were made until 1941. There is several posts about the last T engines on the forum and the what the last T that came of the assembly line. But there are different ideas when it happened in 1927. Here’s a post a...

The part in question has a good chance of being repaired and for a purist this is important for a very early T. The good thing the T manifolds are being reproduced but a little different in appearance than the very early ones and the reproduced exhaust pipe will need to be used with it according to ...

When I think about the remains of T’s from 09-13 that were scrapped during that period of time it makes me cringe. But that’s what happened to early V8’s too.

You can use a piece of pipe turned down enough, made into a sleeve and tapered just enough to go in far enough to go past the crack. That should seal it enough and save the manifold for a few more years. This wouldn’t be hard to do for a good machinist. Hope this can help you.

Another supposed aftermarket carburetor attachment for different choke positions? Turning it over without the two stops maybe but with the one position stops ??? Overthinking on this one?

I think it’s a real photo and not A I. It’s hard to believe that in the mid 30s thru the early 50’s the majority of cars in wrecking yards were probably T’s. I’m guessing but I think they were.

Was this a scrap drive or just a wrecking yard over run with T’s getting ready for the scrapper. I think I’ve seen this before but can’t remember where. I’m thinking it’s in the early 40’s or before. Looks like it was few other makes too but not many.

Pictures of your T would help identifying your T. Many Model T’s were altered over the years and it won’t be surprising if yours has been. With so many T’s made over the years people would find a chassis and engine and put one together.

Do these folks have a mailing address? If you can find that drive over and knock on their door.

Here’s one http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/11 ... 1266290446

Hope this helps. Near the end of this earlier post is a good bolt chart also.

The 4th picture from the top has me wondering about the signage on the T. Honest Bills shows No. 2. What could that have been advertising. No telling.

The last picture is probably some college kids in the late 20’s.

What was the improvement supposed to be with the angled spark plugs. Better combustion chamber performance or ?? Another T head for??

Dan! I have a battery strap just like that. I’ve had it for years and always works great. It has the locking clips on it so it won’t slip out off the battery posts. In fact it’s been around here on the farm for years and as long as I can remember.

Motorcraft 465 works OK. Ford is introducing a 465A that’s supposed to be an improvement.

I don’t loan equipment or tools. A few years ago I loaned my 16 ft trailer to a neighbor. When he brought it back the trailer jack right behind the trailer hitch was bent toward the back and upward. What he had done was to let the trailer down just enough to go on his trailer hitch BUT he didn’t scr...

As others have mentioned go to another glass shop that has the laminated glass. Call before you go. It’s avaliable

Chapter 9 in the Ford service manual is titled Installing New Camshaft Bearings. The camshaft is removed from the front of the engine. Looking at some more pictures concerning the engine it seems when the crankshaft is turned in the correct position for each of the pushrods they could be drawn out f...

Thanks that’s what I thought.

I have to ask if the Stevens set had instructions with it. Seems to me there would be and advising to use a back up jig or something to keep from cracking or breaking the drum. Maybe it was “understood “ that something should be used and a knowledgeable mechanic would know that.

A piece of 2” pipe ( can’t remember which size pipe for sure ) turned down will also work for a bushing driver. Would also work for the other bushings too when using the closest size pipe machined down.

Just wait. One of these days some guy will find a decent 09-11 T and decide to build a Hot Rod out of it and put in a 57 392 Chrysler Hemi in just for kicks. The add will say it was a barn find T! But the info will say he beefed up the frame for better handling! At the last Barrett auction there was...

That’s the kind of plans I had. 15-22 Roadster. If only I kept had kept the ones I bought from Mel Miller back then. And again I wonder where the folks that make the Model T wood body kits got their plans. It’s been over 20 years ago that I sold the plans I had and now I’m wondering if the wood “cop...

The folks who built this T Touring actual had more money in the parts, exhaust system, engine and the rest of the drive train than what this poor original T Touring was worth in its original as found condition. If you’ve got the money anything goes. I guess??
It’s just danged ugly.

That was what I asked to begin with. Yes there is a copyright mark on Mel Millers plans as shown on the post. That was what was on the plans I had. So the drawings may or may not of been actually filed with the government accounting office. HHHMMMM??

I guess the truth is out there somewhere.

Another question : Before you removed the cotter pin and unscrewed the large nut did the hub and wheel assembly feel a little loose? Lack of maintenance and checks may have left the wheel assembly loose and helped to wear out the bearings and cups. The large nut needs to be just tight enough to hold...

That’s the point. This has gotten to be “much ado about nothing”.

For the sake of argument or just asking questions were Mel Millers wood plans actually have a copy right number or were they ever actually recorded ? Has anybody actually asked or looked to see if they were? Or we just assuming that they were. I sold some years ago and as I remember the plans had a ...

From the looks of the 09 it doesn’t look like it’s driven much and the car has nice paint. If there is really a concern about the way it drives and handles it may be be best to pull the front end assembly, using another 09 as a guide, maybe turn the axle around as suggested, check the wishbone and s...

Nothing special but a coating of some kind of wheel bearing grease inside and out will do the job. Not a bad idea to put them in a large baggie. When it’s time to use then put in a container of diesel and clean them up. Ready to go.

It looks to me from the comparison pictures that the 09 axle perch has a slight back twist to it. It’s not much but it is turned to right just a bit to much. Look close and compare the last pics that were posted. It’s canted backward but it’s turned back.

The supposed T speedster front cowl looks to wide for a T firewall. But I haven’t experience with speedsters so that’s why I’m asking. But then again all the photos of a T parts yard is pretty neat. In the reference post the body could be the remains of an Ames body and looking again a piece of plyw...

I’m wondering about the 4th Touring picture from the bottom. Could that be tents or some type of banners that was on the T?

Finding a 55 210 2dr Chevrolet in good shape isn’t easy to find! Lot of those were hot rodded when I was in HS in the later 60’s. By now when you find one they are usually just a shell of a body at the end of the road. When you find one it definitely won’t be real cheap if it’s in decent shape.

What’s the asset supposed to be???

Looks like a 26-27 T touring cut off and mounted on a TT chassis way back when.
The newest ‘shade tree’ parts are the rear wheels made in the 40’s-50’s. The front are in the 30’s. A farm, junk yard put together conversion.

For some it’s wanting to stay as original as the car was built. Others will add the wire wheels if they didn’t come with the car. Which is cheaper? You “might”find a good set of the 26-27 wire wheels at a swap meet for less than a $1000.00. If you have the 21” spoke wheels respoked it will be close ...

With that heavy of a casting it’s probably some kind of engine control or shifting device for a stationary industrial use T engine. Just a guess. Like the rest of aftermarket devices that were made for T engines.

Can we imagine how the brass T owners in the T era felt after a few months of driving their T’s to work, around the farm and in everyday life on roads that weren’t the best and having to polish the brass and wash the nice shiny paint jobs? Think about it. The photos of the T’s that were being used i...

When I looked at the Boeing photo I did notice it looked to clean. From the first look it does seem authentic and more than some of the other AI generated photos of old cars. But other than that it’s fairly authentic. Just don’t look to close! Thanks again for posting the photos of the early speedst...

I think we all have forgotten to put a piece or part in! When I put the engine together for my 21 Touring I was ready to put it in the car I got to thinking that I may or may not have installed the internal oil line that bolts on the mag coil ring mount to the front main. Sure enough I looked around...

Can’t the Carb be taken apart if necessary to repair? From the picture it looks like the heater spring could be removed and be put back together. Is there an insulator gasket of some sort where the flapper shaft goes through the bottom? Others more knowledgable than me would know. If nothing was bro...

There are enough parts to build up some good chassis to be sure. If you’re a tinkerer this is Model T Heaven. Model T Haven sold all parts they had. Could this be some of those or someone else’s. I’ll bet there are good rear axle Hyatt bearings in those rear ends. Some nice Model T’s have been built...

Remove the transmission cover and then slowly turn the engine. You will soon see what if anything came loose on the flywheel. Look closely as you turn it. Then you can see what your up against if it did come off the flywheel and magneto and parts. You might have to remove the cover anyway no matter ...

Try to park your car in a dark garage or raise the hood and start and run the engine at night. Watch for any sparking or intermittent sparks around the wiring and coil box. Sometimes a loose or shorting wire can cause a miss. Just a guess of course. I found a short causing a miss on my 24 Coupe that...

Wow! It’s amazing to still see those T parts piles! By the way they are stacked somebody took a little time to do it. I have to say by the amount of T parts that are still there Ford made those 15,000.000 T’s the parts are still out there. And lots of those same parts were made up until the early 19...

The last photo says a whole lot! Piles of T parts in junk yards and on the farm. The remains are still out there today whether it’s pieces or T farm trailers somewhere in the woods but not as plentiful as they use to be. Farm sell outs almost always had piles of farm junk in lots to go to the highes...

Here’s a good forum post about charging the Magneto in the car. http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/506218/528397.html

This 23-25 T Coupe wood drawing from Fordwood may help you with you may need for your 25. They sell a kit or you can buy individual pieces as needed. Another wood maker is Classic Auto Wood that might be of help. The wood body drawing isn’t an exact blueprint but it’s pretty close. Another thing to ...

Looks like your Coupe is a very late 24 Coupe because of the steel framed doors. Ford used that style beginning late 24 and onward into 25 when getting ready for the so-called improved 26-27 Ford T’s. There is a sequence that’s used to replace the tops on the 24-25 T Coupes. There are several thread...

The first photo of the turned over advertising T looks as if the T was top heavy and made a turn and over it went. The different style front axle being added to help with the steering or???
Or could it be another frame altogether and the T body added.

By this time Mel Millers plans have been sold and copied many times as well as Leon Parkers. With that being said maybe it’s best to buy a wood kit from Fordwood or Classic Wood products and be done with it if a person feels uneasy about it. After all these companies got their wood plans from some w...

Here’s an interesting newspaper article about early road work in the Model T era close to Waco, Texas. It gives a clue about old car owners and the accepted nuisance of fixing flats. We can only imagine the hassle of going to town and being dressed then having to get out and fix a flat. Evidently ro...

Mark G. has it right about fitting wood to a T open body. I texted Leon Parker several years ago when fitting wood to the 21 Touring I rewooded with a kit. That’s when I found out about the different body makers. Mel Miller was selling plans for T bodies many years before Leon Parker came along and ...

You have asked a great question. There was a reliable source of Model T blueprints and after the owner /creator passed away they were sold and the buyer has sat on them supposedly “for the good of the hobby” or so it seems. We were warned this was going to happen and so far no body wood prints have ...

A PICTURE of what you’re up against will say a thousand words. People will have a different picture in their mind what you are talking about. If you can walk down to the car and take a photo there and another couple of shots to and from the area will say two thousand words.

Absolutely it is relevant to post about steep grades and hills when going on tours or just driving alone on these types of roads. It needs to be brought up from time to time to remind folks of driving a 100 year old vehicle.

From your description of the chassis location the cheapest and less time consuming way to get it out the size of the trees and brush would be the factor. I would use a chainsaw and clear a path down to it, rent or use a tractor with a front end and load it on a trailer and haul it off. You didn’t me...

My opinion is that the Tours should be on good roads that don’t have really steep grades either up or down. Maybe if you’ve got a lot of expierence and a T in good shape. I don’t do tours and have good black top farm to market roads but unless you haven’t been driving on highways in the last 10-15 y...

That’s a desirable Stevens tool to have. This probably doesn’t show up very often. Unless you know what you’re looking for this is a tool that’s probably been looked over in junk boxes at swap meets.

For clarification the torque wrench I was talking about are the ones we know about today. The Ford tool kits didn’t have the type of torque wrenches that are in the forum post. It’s all in the interpretation.

As far as twisted off Model T head bolts go there has always been people twist off head bolts and other types of bolts in various equipment. I’m not the smartest guy in the world but I have enough common sense to know when to stop tightening. Ford didn’t offer torque wrenches in his tool kits and if...

That’s a good observation about life in 1917. Life was slower, less complicated, and not so many distractions. Overall more respect for the other folks in some ways. And no digital devices either! A lot of folks in that era didn’t have radios as we know them today. News traveled slower too.

When I saw this photo it sure made me wonder how this would have happened. At first I was thinking it was a publicity stunt but if it wasn’t it would be a real night mare if some of those cars wouldn’t start. The two motorcycles in the bottom of the photo could get out fairly easy. Interesting for s...

Here is a photo of a World Series parking lot in the late teens. Must have been a rush to see the game! Supposedly it’s in Boston for the first series game of 1917. Bet they had a hard time leaving!

I also have to say that the Harbour Freight tools have gotten better over time. The HVLP paint spray guns are pretty good too. I got some advice from the Auto Body instructors at the school I worked for about which spray guns to use when I restored my T’s. I was surprised when they told me to use th...

When attempting to grind off the weld try to grind off just enough to remove the weld.
Remember that grinding off to much you’ll lose the length of the perch where the cotter pin goes through.
But if that happens you can use a lock washer to secure another nut.

I’m always asking questions but I wonder how long the low band lasted in the 23 Roadster pulling some sort of plowing set up. It wouldn’t be fun to try to change it in the middle of a plowed field. Whatever it was pulling I think it might have been a harrow instead of a plow. It wouldn’t have to go ...

Could it be that the cowl lamps were avaliable on the non-starter cars? The encyclopedia says side and tail lamps were similiar to the 1917 non-starter cars and an electric tail lamp on for the 23 year with no side lights. So are the side lights the kerosene side lamps??? Or maybe I’m confused with ...

I always like to see these T photos of T life nearly a century ago. All of them could tell a story and the T that’s 5th from the bottom of the post looks like to me that the guy is using a wider tire tied on to each rear wheel to gain traction to plow a field. I guess you could say this is a genuine...

Another question is how much do you want to spend.
Besides that what are you expecting to do with a Model T.

Reuse the nails if you can. I grew up on our farm and we would save “good used nails” for the next project when one would come up. Depending on how far with restoring or repairing the trailer I think I would replace the bushings on the perch’s and maybe others if needed. Makes me wonder if the diffe...

The washers were probably put on behind the pulley to help take up any pulley looseness. Replace the crankshaft pulley and pin, the bushing in the nose of the pan and if you can find a better hand crank that’s even better. The crankshaft nose might be OK without fileing or carefully grinding off the...

From a purists point of view (which I’m not) does an accessory water pump knock off points at a Model T car show? I’m in the crowd that believes is a good radiator is the best option for an engine that may be suspected of over heating or cooling troubles. I’ve had two in the past to no avail until I...

viewtopic.php?t=20887
Here’s another

This has been brought up before. For a short time around 1915 they were bronze. Here’s an earlier post about it. There are others also. https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=33037

Having all the old cars and parts gives him something to do. It’s his cars and parts to do with as he wants. He’s asking top money to begin with and hopefully some items might get sold but not many for a while.

Using Go-Jo hand cleaner works wonders for lubing up the beads for tire removal or installing. Other similar brands would also work. Go-Jo also works great for removing grease stains on your shirts or light colored pants if you are working on your car.

The open valve engines and drivetrains on the very early T’s should be left as is. It’s hard enough to find an open valve engine itself besides adding upgrades to it. I have 3 T’s in the so called black era and that era of T’s might be better to experiment with but not the brass era cars and especia...

The 6th photo from the top looks like the dealer was selling a wringer washing machine besides Model T’s. It sure looks a wringer washer to me anyway. Maybe they used it in the dealership? I grew up with a Montgomery Wards machine that looked almost identical to the one that’s shown in the photo. Wh...

I’ve wondered why Ford didn’t use just I size wheels to begin with and use 30 x3 1/2. Maybe Fords engineers thought using the smaller size was some sort of advantage for the Model T car. When the smaller size was made that meant the spokes, rims, tires, and tubes had to be made differently too. That...

The reproduction sediment bulbs are spot on good. This is a reproduction part that is well worth it if you need one. I bought one for my 24 Coupe after I tried to repair the old one which worked for while. No more worries about any gas tank area leaks.

Ron I’m pretty sure you know about how to obtain copies of original Ford drawings from the Ford archives. I would have thought that some where on older forum posts there might be copies but I couldn’t find them. Maybe others might could find them some where on the net besides from Ford. They probabl...

The moulding seems to be made from some type of aluminum or pot metal. I have a 24 T Coupe and did have a 25 Four door sedan which I sold several years ago. Both of them had the moulding and was made of the same aluminum type material. It was nailed on with a type of finishing nail and then counter ...

You can fabricate one out of half rounded moulding that can be bought in different lengths and widths. You can buy it from industrial supply houses. It’s used for trimming out shelving, kitchen areas in restaurants, and other similar uses. I bought some years ago to finish out the seam trimming on t...

Using the improved funnel for the front oiling of the crankshaft and the outside oil line that attaches on the top of the transmission cover through the mag terminal seems like it would be enough. I’ve seen the high volume attachment posts for several years. Now I’m seeing that for some engines it m...

Here in the states it’s called baling wire and it’s used to tightly hold the bale of hay together. I grew up in Texas and raise cattle. Most if not all the large round or rolls of hay is held together with heavy twine or something similiar but not wire. Wire is used for the small 75 lb. small rectan...

And don’t forget the rag stuffing procedure. I wonder if Joe had time to do that!

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