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What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:06 pm
by Mikerobison
I didn't see a new topic for this month. This T Speedster isn't mine but I thought you'd still like to see the progress thus far.
https://youtu.be/Sa_5HVyCreg
I'm wrapping up the little things in this journey of the Speedster rebuild. Question is will the car move under its own power? Check out the video to find out!
There are several other videos in the series, If you haven't seen them, feel free to follow through at the end of the video.
Mike
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 9:05 pm
by mtntee20
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:08 am
by Bob McDaniel
Getting the 27 Touring ready for the Covered Bridge tour so I decided to change the oil and open up the bottom end and check things out. I noticed a faint knock which could have been spark knock or who knows what so now I can see it is time to remove a shim on some of the rods. Everything else looks good so it will be ready to tour soon.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2021 9:38 am
by Tinner12
started a new project Bought a basket case 24 touring with two extra frames,rear ends ,front ends Lots of fun for this winter
![IMG_0182[15359].jpg](./download/file.php?id=103816)
- IMG_0182[15359].jpg (32.2 KiB) Viewed 6102 times
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Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:24 pm
by ThreePedalTapDancer
I’ve been tinkering on my 1909 open valve engine, got it running but something wasn’t right. Changed plugs, wires, checked for shorts. All 4 coils were firing. But, there was a miss, and it was hard to start. Did a compression test, all within range. Check manifold seal, float level, adjusted mixture. It was wearing me out trying to start it. Finally I pulled the 4 rebuilt coils and put them in my ECCT, and ran a series of troubleshooting tests. First coil, tested within range, fires perfectly, Second coil, same. Third coil, all good. Fourth coil, lo and behold, multi spark was shown…my ECCT has become my favorite tool in my shop. Without it, I’d be chasing the devils tail. Replaced the coil with a good one, it now starts 1/4 pull.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:55 pm
by Oldav8tor
Bright blue skies and a temperature of 70°in Michigan today so my wife and I trailered the T about 50 miles south of us to where Lake Huron narrows into the St. Clair River between Port Huron on the US side and Sarnia in Canada. We cruised our favorite side roads along the river, enjoying the views and the fresh air. We stopped in Marysville at the Junction Buoy Restaurant and sat on their open deck along the river, watching giant freighters and smaller pleasure craft pass by while we ate. After a pleasant lunch we continued south to the village of Marine City where we bought some treats at a bakery for later (too full from lunch.) Retracing our route we were treated to the same beautiful vistas in reverse.... It's days like today that make me glad I'm still on the right side of the dirt.

- My wife and our Model T parked at the restaurant. That's Canada across the river.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2021 9:03 pm
by paddy1998
Added an inverse oiler.
After getting it dialed in it I noticed what appeared to be a little more low end torque.
Or not. Might be imagining it.
Looks good though.

Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:43 am
by 26TRoadster
Drained the fuel from my 26 roadster pu after letting it sit for 2 years with a car cover over it. I forgot to drain carb and tank when i covered it, so the carb was a mess. Cleaned and rebuilt the carb. Started after 5 turns. I am changing the oil in it tomorrow and putting a freeze plug in it noticed it was weeping some. Wife wants to use it in the front yard for part of Halloween and Thanksgiving display. Sounds great, needed to get it running again.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:51 am
by Burger in Spokane
The old dog is running fine, so I haven't done much with it but drive it.
Seen here at the Tuesday night shop meeting at the Antique Auto Ranch
last week, as the sun went down. I ran some errands, picking up chicken
feed and straw, roofing materials and plumbing parts along the way. I was
going to rebuild some coils, but somehow missed putting the new parts on
the truck, so all I really could do was stand around and BS with the gang.
Maybe next week ?
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:08 am
by DHort
I went to a car show today, gave a ride to an older gentleman, and then parked next to a Lamborghini. I think the car is the background is trying to look like a souped up Model T Paddy Wagon. It is probably a lot of plastic.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2021 3:11 am
by Allan
I went to my local swap meet today, just the second one for the year since covid shut them down. Sold a heap of tools and bought very little. i did find a pair of Duncan and Fraser cast brass tourer rear door hinges. It might be hard to find someone in need of them. The find of the day was a filthy dirty greasy left front outer wheel bearing and retaining nut. At $1, it was worth a punt. It turns out to be a really nice one under all that crud.
I took my tool trays in Henrietta. She drew the expected crowd. Most often asked question was " Did you drive it here?" Most frequent answer was "She's to heavy to push when loaded." I found out from a local who knew the car when it was on the farm from which it came, that owner, Henrietta Webb, was known as Bessie. I still like Henrietta better.
Allan from down under.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2021 10:42 am
by mbowen
When I bought my 1925 Express Wagon in early July (my first ever T) it went into the death wobble the first time I hit high gear. Oiling all the cups on the front axle and steering seemed to help but it still went through a shimmy about 12mph. Looking toward making it tour-worthy, I just finished reinstalling the front axle and steering linkages overhauled by Denny Newman. Also installed new 7-leaf high arch leaf spring, forged shackles, and new ball socket cups on the radius rod and both ends of the drag link.
After giving about 10 miles worth of low speed rides around our airport property I took it on a 20-mile round trip on the road. My top speed was 37, but the sweet spot seems to be about 30; above that, what feels like tire imbalance becomes an issue. There is also some looseness in the steering gearbox I need to address, but the front axle overhaul made a world of difference.
The next item is brakes…

Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:24 pm
by TonyB
I restored the 1914 touring for my daughters family in 2004 so they could attend the National Tour held in San Diego in 2004. It’s been fairly reliable since then though a broken crank in 2016 was a low point. We installed a SCAT and it’s been good ever since. However after my downsize in late 2020 I decided to do all those niggling little jobs that I had put off for so many years. I decided to remove the motor so just for fun I installed a “280” cam and rebuild the distributor. While the motor was out I remove all the metalwork such as fenders, splash aprons etc and have them powder coated. I also removed all the brass and made liberal use of “wenol” to make all the parts shine brightly. During the move I found a really nice bulb horn. I eventually found a new tube set up, most suppliers had no stock, so after refinishing the firewall, I drilled the necessary hole. It turn out good.

- Bulb in cab
Now to fix a small rip in the top and repaint the top support metal
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:28 pm
by Its_Always_T_Time
I wanted to take Lizzie to campus with my room mate along for the ride for my school's biggest game of the year, the plan was to drive her around the field whenever we scored a touch down. Unfortunately when I opened up her house that morning her front left tire was flatter than the state of Florida. The rubber tire stem failed and has a small hole in it. All the air drained out overnight. Better that happened when she was asleep instead of out on the streets of the Bronx showing her great-great-great grandchildren how it's done. That would be embarrassing!
Decided now was as good a time as any to replace her spare too since the one she came with is completely shot. A couple new tubes, tube liners, a pair of tire irons, and a nice new Wards Riverside 30 x 3 1/2" are on their way here now. I ended up making it to campus in the 4th quarter, we were losing 57-7, so Lizzie wouldn't have been able to drive on the field much anyways. Oh well, next year she'll be there, and it will be her 100th birthday then too! (it's her 99th birthday this month) She'll have a nice new tube just in time for my neighbor's '27 Tudor to be brought back to life and race her!

Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:16 am
by Ruxstel24
Hauled a package to the Post office yesterday.
Seems fitting to take T parts in the T
Looks like rain most of today.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:19 am
by Dallas Landers
Lookin good Dave!
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:50 pm
by Its_Always_T_Time
Your T has a mirror? Now that's awful fancy!

Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 1:34 am
by George N Lake Ozark
Gave my car a long overdue bath. Tomorrow try and chase down a pesky electrical short. Keeps blowing the main fuse after 5 second run.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:42 am
by Retro54
Adter 2.5 years of work taking the car from a basket case to a driver, got new rubber on my 1915 RPU and started to learn how to drive it! Gonna be a fun fall now.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:33 pm
by JBog
I took my car to our annual "Cars, Cigars, and Guitars Under the Stars" charity car show.
I also replaced the generator with an alternator after going through 2 generators in 6 months - I am tired of constantly dealing with generator issues.
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 1:01 am
by Scott C.
I did just the opposite of Dave. I drove a T to the Post Office to pick up a package of T parts. Strange thing is, that it has a uncanny resemblance to the package that he shipped!
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:25 pm
by Thorlick
Sunday I drove to meet some friends to go for donuts and a ride on my 1969 Honda CT90 (whatever that is!). Of course I had to show up with the bike in my pickup... Rusty, my oxidation enhanced 1927 pickup... having loaded the bike into the bed the previous evening. It turns out that before departing on this excursion my previously injured L4-5 disc started yelling at me, to my chagrin, whilst wrapping my phalanges around Rusty's hand crank. It turns out I bailed on the bike ride but not the donut. My friends were all fellow T owners so I didn't even have to personally operate the hand crank to get home (thanks, Bill Jennings). I did note some minor looseness in the right rear wheel.
Whew, all that to explain what I did today. I tightened up the spokes on the wheel. (Wasn't that easier?) I use a handful of tools from the running board tool box:

- tools for spoke tightening
- IMG_0024.jpg (53.04 KiB) Viewed 5150 times
The key tool is the one second from left, a vintage spoke jack!
Upon completing the tightening job utilizing spoke shims from my bottle-O-shims which were formerly on my wheels before I replaced all the spokes. I rather quickly used up all the thinnest shims leaving tons of thicks. It was obvious that more thin shims should reside in the tool kit so off I went to the hardware store and purchased 6 shims ($.55 each stainless steel, 1.25" od, 0.55" id. and 0.054" thick). These were the thinnest ones the hardware store had so I forked out the $3+ tax.
Here is how I make shims:

- cutting shims
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just put a stack into a vice, use two vice grips and cut the slot.
Here is an old used shim next to a new one which is now tour-ready!

- new shim
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- new and old shims
- IMG_0023.jpg (53.44 KiB) Viewed 5150 times
Shimming is a skill which I have found valuable to know, it has saved more than one tour for me. Some folks will frown on this procedure, I find it a safe and effective quick procedure which adds many years on to your wheels.
IMHO, TH
Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 11:51 am
by CudaMan
A little early perhaps, but I went ahead and swapped out my summer air cleaner for the factory hot air pipe on Betsy, my 1924 cut-off touring.

Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 5:20 pm
by Mark Gregush
More than a few months back, I posted about my worn drive plate. Well, the engine is torn down and will have to do more than just replace the drive plate. Guess I be learning how to pour and bore Babbitt, along with transmission rebuild, new pistons, grind the crankshaft and fit rods. Just today, I got a call from the machine shop, looks like I get to relearn how to pin a block. If the numbers didn't match my title, I would look for a better block, but just the two cracks in the water jacket, none in the deck. This one you can see the other, only by crack checking was it found.

Re: What have you done on your T - September
Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 5:47 am
by Brent Mize
I finished my Portable Power unit.
New rubber wheels and an acrylic fan shield to keep little fingers safe.
Fun project!