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Shriner T's

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 7:44 pm
by Michael Peternell
Shot in the dark, but hoping there's a Shiner T guru in our bunch. Anyone?

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:32 pm
by Susanne
One of my neighbors has one, and we were talking about them over on the Facebook T club a few weeks back... I know just about enough to probably get me in trouble, but shoot anyway...

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:48 pm
by Michael Peternell
Got one today. Did a bit googling, mostly complete. Guessing like most things someone knows everything about these.

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:23 pm
by thom
They depress me, seeing the things done to Model Ts :(

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:28 pm
by Peter, Memphis TN
I was told by a Shriner friend, that those were not Model T's. They were more modern platforms, dressed up to look like T's, to please the fans. The one he drove was actually homemade, with a Volkswagen engine/drive/rear end, and a tubular frame with both metal and fiberglass parts & pieces to make it look like they wanted. I don't claim that ALL were like that, but his was.

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:31 pm
by Susanne
There was a company in the late 50's and 60's that were making these shriner cars, Briggs motor, can't remember all the details... but no T's were harmed during the operatation of these vehicles.

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:56 pm
by Michael Peternell
Susanne wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:31 pm
There was a company in the late 50's and 60's that were making these shriner cars, Briggs motor, can't remember all the details... but no T's were harmed during the operatation of these vehicles.
Pretty sure you are are spot on. Guy I bought from dated it by the engine his brother rebuilt. ' 78. ??? Bet you are righter than I are!

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 6:53 am
by Phillip
I have a McDonough Mini T that I fixed up to look kinda like my 1927 Roadster pickup would have looked like when it came out of the factory. Tinker T is getting ready for a Veteran's Day parade. You can get some parts for the Mini T from Go Kart Guru. The Mini T was made sometime in the 60' by McDonough Company near Atlanta, Ga.
Phillip

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:35 am
by Chris Instness
I am just finishing a pretty thorough restoration on my Model T go cart. I would not consider myself an expert, but have had mine completely torn down and put back together. What kind of questions did you have?

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:17 pm
by Michael Peternell
Chris Instness wrote:
Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:35 am
I am just finishing a pretty thorough restoration on my Model T go cart. I would not consider myself an expert, but have had mine completely torn down and put back together. What kind of questions did you have?
Mostly along the lines of history and who made them.
No real mechanical questions but thanks for asking.

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 6:25 pm
by Michael Peternell
I took the new owners to check out their car. Doesn't seem to be any buyers remorse!

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 6:45 pm
by Michael Peternell
Very well built! Check out the front axle. Definitely not a half scale model of it but a serious
attempt was made!
IMG_20200809_154655.jpg

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 8:32 pm
by jbond
I have one that I restored for my grandson, picture attached. I never found too much current info about them on the web. Below are links to a McDonough web page and a facebook page about them. I think there have been several if not many companies that have made them over time. The only tip I can offer for parts is that I found bicycle tires at Walmart that fit the wood rims on mine. And they even had white tires. I had to rebuild the transmission with bushing from McMaster Carr and I made the case gasket. I replaced the engine with a Honda clone from Harbor Freight that runs super and the price was right (~$90). It fit with only one mod that being an exhaust pipe extension to move the muffler up away from the transmission.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mcdonou ... equipment/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/399445280191031/

Herb

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 9:15 pm
by dobro1956
The mini-Ts were made by several different manufactures thru the years. I remember during the late 70s early 80s several grocery store chains in Arkansas gave away the little Ts. Kroger, Mad Butcher, Thriftway, and others. Most had either Coke or Dr Pepper logos. So they may have been Coke or Dr Pepper give a ways. I do remember seeing at least one with a Kroger logo.

I have one that was used by Dogpatch theme park at Harrison Arkansas in the 1970s era. The little T go carts were a major reason for the law suits for injuries that shut Dogpatch down. . They were to be driven around a track between guard rails about a foot high on both sides of the track. The problems were that the cars had no safety restraints and some of the body's were big enough for two small children. The cars also had a angle iron framework around the car to "rub" on the side guard rails when being driven. If for some reason the car quit running somewhere around the track, the child or both kids would just get out of the car and be run over by another car, sometimes being dragged down the track between the car and guard rails. Also if you had "little Johney" driving and "little brother or little sissy" got mad at Johney then they would just step out of the car . There was enough room for a kids leg to fit between the car and its "guide rail" attached to the car. Several kids got broken legs from being trapped between the guide rail and car then being dragged down the track by a panicking driver. Dogpatch was a safety nightmare.

The above story does not say the normal little Ts are unsafe, Just the idiots that ran Dogpatch were unsafe.

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 10:42 pm
by Michael Peternell
All in fun! But got a visual in my mind's eye. Now that would be patina! A little blood and guts on the edges. Again I apologise!

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:51 am
by Duey_C
Michael, is that like the one or two pilgrim has?
Neat little buggy!

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:09 pm
by thom
thom wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:23 pm
They depress me, seeing the things done to Model Ts :(
Pardon me, I thought we were talking about those ridiculous Ts with altered wheelbases so they do wheelies, or the two front ends put together on the same chassis. Clown cars.

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2020 3:49 am
by John Biggs
This site has some spare parts for the Shriner Model Ts available.

https://gokartguru.com/model_t_style_go_karts.php

Re: Shriner T's

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:06 am
by Dan Hatch
The McDonough Power Equipment also made Snapper mowers.
Now owned by Briggs and Stratton, like most mower companies.