MTFCA Forum

With the tank sealed and the sediment bulb cleaned and seated I thought I would pour a couple gallons of gas in to test for leaks. Soon I realized I had left the valve open and my gas was spilling onto the floor. A pint always looks like several gallons. These incidents keep us humble after the successes we have. They are usually more humorous to others.
I thought perhaps a place to share them was in order. We could add a NON Model T one on the off topic side.
This is not a competition.
Rich

I was changing the oil on my daily driver once and forgot to re-install the drain plug. 5 quarts of new oil went right through the engine onto the floor.

Installed freeze plugs backwards on first radiator test. Two gallons of filthy water on floor.

Too many to list..., on the grounds of self incrimination I am taking the fifth!

Please pass me another chunk of humble pie!

Here is a slice!

Removed the inspection cover from the hogshead to tighten the brake band.
Reinstalled finger tight when the misses called me for dinner.
Took the car out for a half-mile test run the next morning.
Washed my driveway and entire neighborhood with oil.

Gene

We all have our share of these stories. Just yesterday I put toothpaste on the hairbrush.

Gene,
Isn't it totally amazing how far a little oil will go?

Yes, amazing!
Washed the who underside of my car with oil.

Look on the sunny side Rich....
You got a nice clean spot on the floor now !!

I could write a book on it Rich !

Attempted to top off the oil In my ‘26 coupe by pouring oil into the breather with the engine running. The fan sprayed atomized oil all over me and everything else. Spent the next hour cleaning oil off of myself, the engine compartment, the front fender, running board, firewall, cowl and windshield. All I could do was laugh at my stupidity. LOL! Jim Patrick

Henry, many years ago when my wife was pregnant I mistakenly put her hemorrhoid cream on my toothbrush. Wakes you up quick!

Well, not today, but a few weeks ago. Concentrated on neatly wiring it up, then tried first start and T ran bad, sputter and cranky.

While not color blind, did do a mistake on the timer wires to the coil box, seems forgot to do blue then green, so was Dumb on the Start

Just yesterday I tightened the center main on the Tudor and missed tightening an inspection cover bolt. Caught it before I had to big of a puddle.

Didn’t happen today, I was recently working on my 25 Tudor and my work light shorted the generator cutout, fried my ammeter wire. I replaced the wire, ammeter still works. I ordered a new cutout. I’m not sure about the generator, is there a chance of frying the wiring again if the generator is bad and I start the car?

Just an observer on this, but I found it outstanding in the "Don't do that!" category:

My SIL took her car to a shop for a tuneup and oil change, etc. She dropped the
car off in the AM and went to work. After work she returned, picked up the car, and
drove away. It ran badly and smoked something terrible. She brought the car by to
see if I might have some ideas. I had no idea a Ford Probe could hold 10 quarts of
oil ! I suspect a mild miscom in the shop had the oil filler guy thinking the oil drainer
guy had already done his work and got right to doing his filling !

I had a missing screw on the bendix cover and thought it would be fine. First drive in 40 years and it spilled oil the whole way.

I once assymbled a wheel with the notch on the spokes facing the wrong way. Had them facing away from the hub toword the brake drum. I was on the 3rd one of the day and just wasn't paying attention. Only figured it out when trying over and over to get the brake drum bolted on.

Continued to work on the model a engine into model t chassis project, you did say dumb so there ya go!

I drilled a small hole in my thigh yesterday while working in the garage

Stephen

That will hurt worse tomorrow and the next day than it does now.

I was replacing timbers in a barn fresh pickup body today. There is a timber up each side of the cowl on our Duncan and Fraser bodies. I had it cut to length, had managed to cut the top at the required two angles, had machined the relief for the floorboard riser at the correct angle and depth, had the lapjoint done on the bottom end and proceeded to machine the required taper on the outside face that follows the cowl side panel. Used a mitre gauge to get the angle correct, marked it out on the piece and planed the taper. Only trouble was instead of tapering to the front, I'd made the taper towards the rear!

Allan from down under.