New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

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Guardian1fox2
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:55 pm
First Name: Jacob
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Speedster (in progress)
Location: Lake Charles, LA.
MTFCA Number: 52087

New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Fri Mar 04, 2022 10:23 pm

Hello everyone!

I picked up my first model T today, and I’m completely new to everything about them. I’ve been told it’s a 1925, however the model is unknown. All that’s there really is a cowl from what I’m guessing was the original car.

I was told the previous owner had it, and rebuilt the engine etc; and had got it running; however he passed away and it’s been sitting ever since and was told right before he passed it wouldn’t start and it was believed to be a coil issue…boy this is gonna be a rabbit hole I feel! Lol He had put what looks like a 30s truck bed on the back, installed new gas tank, and painted various things. Turned the motor by hand and it turns easy. Radiator was empty, and it was on jack stands.

What I found interesting was it has the Hassler Springs installed in the front, and new wood spokes on the wheels. Looking under the car I also noticed what looked like the aftermarket “oiler” where the line runs to the top of the tranny cover. The 4 coils are there, however the wood looks dried out, they seem to be new reproductions but surface rust has started to form on the tops. The spark plugs I don’t think are original or right, there’s 4 different ones and screwed in at various depths. Gonna take some Kroil and let it soak for a while before attempting to take them out. The wiring also looks new.

I guess my questions are these:

1)What should be the first thing I do? I figure drain oil, maybe just put some normal 10-30 in for now to kind of “flush” out what’s been in there. Once I get it running I’ll drain it again and put the right oil. The radiator is empty; I debated removing it and just flushing it with water check for leaks. Could also just add antifreeze and roll with it, flush it while hot later.

2)What can I do to check coil and ignition function? I need to get another 6V battery. I’m wondering if the previous owner was a member of the Model t club cause I got books from his grandson that are from the club about electrical system etc. He also gave me what he believed to be a coil tester, has a handle with gauge on top with 2 prongs, not sure how it works. I guess I could get a new 6V battery, and see if I start getting the “buzz” sound from the box and go from there. It looks like he shimmed one of them in the box with a wood wedge.

I really would like to get it going soon. I’m on a budget so if I can utilize the coils I have that would be awesome, but I found a website for Coil Doctor perhaps I can buy some new ones and send him these as a core.

No clue what this car was originally. Since I don’t have a body really, I was thinking of going the speedster/racer route to put around town. Not sure yet, but I figure that would be easiest and cheapest!

OH! What grease do y’all use for grease cups? Standard bearing grease? The grease zerts look new…but they are the old style with the tabs on the side so I’ll have to find something to attach to my grease gun. What oil do you use in rear end as well? I know I think originally it was 600W, but perhaps something modern is better for the gear application?

I’m a member of the HET club as I have a 1934 Hudson; I’m new to them also so this has been a learning exprience! Any help or advice would be great. I’d like to keep the ignition in its original form. I think the car has a magneto I’m not sure but he has it written on the dash, and it doesn’t have a generator…maybe it’s not a ‘25 motor?

I’ll include pics for everyone’s enjoyment! Lol I’ll be removing the bed tomorrow. From there I’ma focus on lubricating and getting it running. I’d like it to last and take care of it the best I can!
D4CF69AA-9778-435D-B31F-38BDE70D3E52.jpeg
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CC168AE3-5266-4046-9A8D-1612FA3575A9.jpeg
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Topic author
Guardian1fox2
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:55 pm
First Name: Jacob
Last Name: Fox
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Speedster (in progress)
Location: Lake Charles, LA.
MTFCA Number: 52087

Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Fri Mar 04, 2022 10:25 pm

More pics! My oldest was excited! The pic in the shop is where I picked it up.
6A2A2D8D-3C2F-4D48-BECA-B3B01809ECE8.jpeg
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E315FB0E-AB8C-4896-9DA7-0657300D92AC.jpeg
3B3F815C-FC0B-49C0-A59F-B62A4D4DE79D.jpeg

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A Whiteman
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by A Whiteman » Fri Mar 04, 2022 10:29 pm

Welcome!
Glad to see another of the future generation smiling so with the car too!

"T-ing" can be addictive, but you have come to the right place.

Perhaps the next thing to do is locate the T club branch near you and sign up - face to face help and advice and fellowship awaits you!

As to the car, I will leave it to someone more familiar with US cars to help you date it, but be sure it looks like a great start to your project.


MichaelPawelek
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by MichaelPawelek » Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:04 pm

Don’t bother adding anti freeze to the radiator water until you know the head gasket is ok and the head tightened down properly. If any antifreeze gets into the bottom end it can damage the Babbitt bearings. At least that is what I was told by a experienced Model T’er many years ago.

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Steve Jelf
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Steve Jelf » Sat Mar 05, 2022 12:29 am

The T originally had grease cups like the one on the water pump (which the car didn't originally have). It sounds like they have been replaced with old time Alemite fittings. Ordinary multi-purpose grease is fine.

If the books that came with the car don't include the Service Manual you should get that.
https://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG80.html

Here's a check list to get you running: https://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG93.html

Your firewall is 24-25. Check the hand brake quadrant: 4 rivets = 1924 & earlier; 2 rivets= 25-27. The engine is 21-25. If you want the exact assembly date I can look up your serial number (above the water inlet on the side of the engine).

That's enough to get you started. More later.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring

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Craig Leach
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Craig Leach » Sat Mar 05, 2022 1:56 am

Welcome Jacob,
I hope you find the Model T experience as much fun as all of us do. Hope you find a new freinds near by that can help & share with you the fun of Ting.
and thank you Adrian, Michael & Steve for jumping in to help get things started we need to help & promote the hobby as much as we can.
Craig.

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varmint
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by varmint » Sat Mar 05, 2022 2:59 am

Jacob,
Welcome from New Orleans! Sounds like you know more about Model T's than when I got started.
Seriously, do whatever you want to with it. I like the truck bed even though it is not original.
You will find a tremendous about of information here, also a lot of opinions from "diehard original only" to "modern restomod" creations.
Whatever, you do, it looks like a family thing.
Vernon
Vern (Vieux Carre)


kmatt2
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Location: Madera CA 93636
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by kmatt2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:31 am

Welcome to the Model T world. The cowl of your car is from a 1924 or 1925 closed car. By the shape of the engine number boss and the Ford Made In USA, plus the one piece valve cover the engine is a 1922 or 1923. The pickup bed is from a Model A Ford. Using the 10-30 W oil should be fine. As long as the weather is warm I would just use water in the radiator for now. From the pictures it looks like the radiator has a pre 1924 low radiator shell and a 1924 or later high radiator, but I couldn’t tell for sure from the pictures. Standard wheel bearing grease is fine but the stock Model T uses grease cups. I would check the timer and the wiring and make sure that all four coils buzz. It looks like it should run OK with some checking over and then drive it around some. It will make a nice speedster or you could keep the pickup bed for the farm truck look. Have fun with your Model T.

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babychadwick
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by babychadwick » Sat Mar 05, 2022 8:29 am

Many of the questions you are thinking about now can be answered if you have a better idea what you want t do with the car. The lack of a body opens many options. What do you see yourself doing with a T? Mostly parades or jaunts around town a pickup is very useful but a speedster isn't the best idea in town. Going out with the family and friends on a tour a back seat is a big positive so perhaps looking for a touring body is in your future. Of course having the option to go zoom is a bug that bites hard.

In regards to the ignition system my "suggestion" would be to switch to 12v and use a distributor. Being new to T's it will be the most familiar and by the time you get new coils, a proper timer it may be the cheaper route as well. Im positive with the assistance of those here you can get it running but as you start to drive it the ford system will end up costing. As far as the 12v since you don't have a gen (or maybe you want to go alt) and are looking at buying a battery 12v is much easier starting as well as other accessories you might want to add. Its far easier to find 12v lights, stereo, etc if you are doing parades and so forth.

Most important though is think about what YOU want the car for, if you do decide to go the speedster route I can give you some suggestions that are more economical then the sticker shock you will get when looking at speed parts.
"Those who fail to plan, plan to fail"


TXGOAT2
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TXGOAT2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 9:55 am

I would not be in a hurry to tear things down. Most likely, the car needs very little to get it running, and it may run very well without changing any parts. It needs a carburetor adjustment control rod, which is a simple fix. Beyond that, clean water, clean gasoline, and a 6 volt battery will be needed. 10W30 is a good choice for oil. It will need 3 1/2 to 4 quarts of oil. The coils may need the points carefully cleaned, or they may not. The timer may be gummed-up, if it is a standard Ford type. A few squirts of oil may fix that. I would make sure radiator is filled with water and the water pump is free to turn and is well lubricated before starting the engine. It should take about 3 gallons of water to fill it. There may or may not be a thermostat in the system. If possible, I'd want to have a person familiar with Model Ts on hand for guidance. . Such a person will know what needs checked and how to set the various controls properly for starting and running the engine safely, and how to drive the car safely. A person with experience can evaluate how the engine runs and sounds, and evaluate the steering and brakes and control adjustements and point out what is normal and what is not. The engine can have a generator added, needed. It would be located on the passenger side of the engine ahead of the carburetor and is gear-driven. There is a lot of good information available on this website and elsewhere, including printed material. Know what you are doing before you do anything, and have someone on hand who does know, if at all possible. There are a number of items on a Model T that require regular lubrication with oil or grease. I would want to go over the entire car and lubricate all of those items, and I'd spray the springs well with something like motorcycle chain lube. Model Ts tend to leak some oil, so don't park it on a new white rug.

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TWrenn
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TWrenn » Sat Mar 05, 2022 10:11 am

Kevin said "welcome to the model T world"...I need to resurrect the ol' saying... "Welcome to the AFFLICTION"! :lol:
And another favorite stolen from Lay's potato chips..."can't have just one"...If for no other reason that in order to keep having the fun and yourself on the road, you need a second one for when the other one is down for repairs! :lol: :roll:


Norman Kling
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Norman Kling » Sat Mar 05, 2022 11:41 am

I would not change anything on the engine or drive Train until I found out what is working and what is not. One of the unique features of the Model T is the ignition system and if the magneto works It should be made to work very well just as it is. If the magneto does not work, then you would decide whether to fix the magneto which might involve pulling the engine and transmission because the magneto is on the flywheel. Then the choice could be made to use a 12 volt battery with the coils or go to a distributor. Almost all the cars on tours which break down have either a distributor or an alternator or both. They are not original to the Model T and if you have either you will need to carry your own spare parts because there are many different kinds and makes and not all parts for them can be found at the local auto parts store unless you order and wait. Some have been adapted to fit on a Model T and the manufacturer is no longer in business. You might be able to find points, cap, rotor and condenser but not the gears which adapt for the T. Same goes for alternator. They were made to be belt driven for modern cars and need to be adapted with a gear to fit on a T.
You need a lid for your coil box. Maybe you have one, but they are available at swap meets or on for sale posts on forum or from other members in your area. You can send the coils out to the coil doctor to be rebuilt or find someone locally with a coil tester who can help you. If you have the stock rear axle, use 600W oil but with Ruckstell use sae 90. If you have soft water you can test the cooling system with tap water, but if you have hard water, only use it for a very short time such as checking for leaks at the hoses after you replace a radiator, then when no leaks drain and use antifreeze with distilled water. You can clean the carburetor and fuel system to be sure it is getting gas. The mix of spark plugs will run the engine as long as they are clean and not shorted. But after you get it running it would be good to get a matched set. For a body, you might get lucky and find one you like and buy it. Or you can make a depot hack or speedster or anything else you want.
I could go on and on. Would like to visit you, but too far from San Diego area.
Norm


Topic author
Guardian1fox2
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:55 pm
First Name: Jacob
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Speedster (in progress)
Location: Lake Charles, LA.
MTFCA Number: 52087

Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 12:17 pm

WOW!!! Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and advice!! I’ll try to answer everyone’s questions!

I’m down in Louisiana as well, Lake Charles to be exact. Anyone know of a local model T person that could help this week? I have a bunch of manuals including the service manual, MTFCA books for electrical system and engine, Hassler spring instructions, parts lists and parts price list books!

I think I’m going to go the racer/speedster route for now. Everything I find body wise around here is either completely rusted out or very expensive. There’s a guy a state over with a lot of parts but it’s out of my price range at the moment.

I wasn’t going to start tearing anything down mechanically, just pull off the floorboards and maybe the bed so I can access the trans to check for lubrication, and going to start just wiping everything down and wiping all the dust off. I have plenty of chain lube, oil, and grease to get it moving well. I’ll definitely check the water pump before trying to start. I will also look up instructions to pull the timer cover off so I can wipe it out. I’m going to see if I can find a 6V battery locally today; see if the coils will do some buzzin’. Everything I’ve learned so far was from just searching the forum and Google! I was also going to go ahead and join this club as well!

What is the tool pictured below for? I included all the books I have gotten with it as well. Anyway I can check coils without a winding tester? For some reason I also have what seems to be a model A
90278130-E93B-474E-8BD6-E179ACE4B722.jpeg
instruction manual lol

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Steve Jelf
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Steve Jelf » Sat Mar 05, 2022 12:52 pm

The tool is an old time battery tester.
Any farm supply store will have six volt batteries.
Here are couple of lube charts.


Ford Lube Chart.jpg
lubrication.jpg
[/size]
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


Burger in Spokane
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Location: Spokane, Wa.
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Burger in Spokane » Sat Mar 05, 2022 1:14 pm

Looks like you got a LOT of color for you money ! Not sure Henry
would approve, but PT Barnum would be proud ! :lol:

When I made the leap to finally tick off a bucket list item after 50
years - to own a TT flatbed - I had been restoring postwar cars for
decades, and one of the things that was VERY appealing to me at
that time, was the low level of fuss required to enjoy a T, where I
felt postwar vehicles really look like embarrassing beaters, if not
made pretty spiffy. For whatever reasons, a T in ANY condition
going down the road is a real smile maker for everyone who sees it,
and a $20 rattle can paint job is every bit as good on a T as a $20K
paint job is on a '56 Cadillac. I found this difference to be utterly
liberating and profoundly added to my old car hobby pleasure.

I see your junior assistant seems eager to explore this madness,
and I hope you find endless hours of fun and learning, tweaking that
old dog to your liking, and appreciating the happiness it brings to
everyone that see it, wherever you may go.

26 731 2016 aug 01.jpg
More people are doing it today than ever before !


TXGOAT2
Posts: 6411
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:08 pm
First Name: Pat
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Location: Graham, Texas
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TXGOAT2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 1:39 pm

That pickup bed is in unusually good condition and ought to have some value.


KBurket
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by KBurket » Sat Mar 05, 2022 1:43 pm

Thanks for sharing photos of your new buggy. It’s fun to see these old cars “as found” and as they get brought back to life.
This forum is one of the best resources I’ve found (and there are many others). When I have a question I usually start with the brown service manual which you show then search the internet with a phrase like “MTFCA spark plugs”. This brings up a listing of historical, sometimes hysterical, posts.
Here’s one result from the above search. https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=7948
Btw, I use Autolite 3095 spark plugs since the are available from the local store and cost $4 per plug.


Norman Kling
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Last Name: Kling
Location: Alpine California

Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Norman Kling » Sat Mar 05, 2022 2:11 pm

Wheel bearing grease should be used on the front wheel bearings. Any kind of grease for the fittings or grease cups is fine except for the one at the top of the universal joint where the driveshaft and transmission are connected. For that one be sure the grease does NOT have graphite or molybdnm in it. Those ingredients can damage the magneto. Same goes for engine oil. Should be10W30 or lighter. The oil system is gravity fed so there is no pressure pump and the lighter oil will flow better. The oil should be changed often because there is no filter, so no need to get the expensive synthetic oils. You might even try adding some mineral spirits with the first oil change and run for a while without driving. Best to have the back wheels jacked up in high so you will not cause wear to the clutch or thrust bearings. Then after it warms up, let the back wheels down and Jack the front wheels up as high as your jack stands will handle and drain the oil. You can also remove the inspection plate under the engine and clean it out while inspecting the rod bearings and adjusting if necessary. The 4th rod is hardest. You need to put a very large rag behind it to keep from dropping anything in the crankcase and they you will need to turn just enough to get a wrench on one nut. Remove the nut then turn the crank just enough to remove the other nut and pull off the cap. If you are lucky, you will have a 4 dip pan and you can adjust the 4th the same as the others. But only the 26-27 had the 4 dip pan from the factory. But some others have been converted over the years. The front wheels and springs should be oiled with oil before every time you take the T out to drive. I like to use 90w rear axle oil for that. Some use chain saw oil. The heavier oil will last a bit longer before it drips out and needs to be oiled again.
Norm


Topic author
Guardian1fox2
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:55 pm
First Name: Jacob
Last Name: Fox
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Speedster (in progress)
Location: Lake Charles, LA.
MTFCA Number: 52087

Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:13 pm

TXGOAT2 wrote:
Sat Mar 05, 2022 1:39 pm
That pickup bed is in unusually good condition and ought to have some value.
It is extremely solid I was very much surprised, especially for southern texas/SW Louisiana. Not sure what ima do with it…but I bet some evaporust would make it look brand new again! :lol:


Topic author
Guardian1fox2
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:55 pm
First Name: Jacob
Last Name: Fox
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Speedster (in progress)
Location: Lake Charles, LA.
MTFCA Number: 52087

Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:14 pm

KBurket wrote:
Sat Mar 05, 2022 1:43 pm
Thanks for sharing photos of your new buggy. It’s fun to see these old cars “as found” and as they get brought back to life.
This forum is one of the best resources I’ve found (and there are many others). When I have a question I usually start with the brown service manual which you show then search the internet with a phrase like “MTFCA spark plugs”. This brings up a listing of historical, sometimes hysterical, posts.
Here’s one result from the above search. https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=7948
Btw, I use Autolite 3095 spark plugs since the are available from the local store and cost $4 per plug.
Oh wow thanks for that! I might just grab those autolites just to go ahead and swap them now, wouldn’t hurt!


Topic author
Guardian1fox2
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:55 pm
First Name: Jacob
Last Name: Fox
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Speedster (in progress)
Location: Lake Charles, LA.
MTFCA Number: 52087

Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:18 pm

If anyone wants that truck bed and lives near here; I’ll definitely trade for some parts I might need or for help and knowledge! :lol:


Topic author
Guardian1fox2
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:55 pm
First Name: Jacob
Last Name: Fox
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Speedster (in progress)
Location: Lake Charles, LA.
MTFCA Number: 52087

Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:23 pm

Burger in Spokane wrote:
Sat Mar 05, 2022 1:14 pm
Looks like you got a LOT of color for you money ! Not sure Henry
would approve, but PT Barnum would be proud ! :lol:

When I made the leap to finally tick off a bucket list item after 50
years - to own a TT flatbed - I had been restoring postwar cars for
decades, and one of the things that was VERY appealing to me at
that time, was the low level of fuss required to enjoy a T, where I
felt postwar vehicles really look like embarrassing beaters, if not
made pretty spiffy. For whatever reasons, a T in ANY condition
going down the road is a real smile maker for everyone who sees it,
and a $20 rattle can paint job is every bit as good on a T as a $20K
paint job is on a '56 Cadillac. I found this difference to be utterly
liberating and profoundly added to my old car hobby pleasure.

I see your junior assistant seems eager to explore this madness,
and I hope you find endless hours of fun and learning, tweaking that
old dog to your liking, and appreciating the happiness it brings to
everyone that see it, wherever you may go.


26 731 2016 aug 01.jpg
Honestly that is one of the biggest positives about Model Ts I feel. It can be as cheap or expensive as you want, and at the end of the day it’s still really cool and fun. I have a ‘34 Hudson and while it looks great I can’t help but always want it nicer. And I just had to just accept that no it’s nice as it is cause at some point it won’t be as enjoyable with the whole family and my two young boys worried about scratches or whatever. Just enjoy it as is! Right now i started too many projects on it so I gotta repack water pump and hope that holds and finish the roof vinyl. Then I got this! :shock:


Topic author
Guardian1fox2
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:55 pm
First Name: Jacob
Last Name: Fox
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Speedster (in progress)
Location: Lake Charles, LA.
MTFCA Number: 52087

Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:28 pm

Norman Kling wrote:
Sat Mar 05, 2022 2:11 pm
Wheel bearing grease should be used on the front wheel bearings. Any kind of grease for the fittings or grease cups is fine except for the one at the top of the universal joint where the driveshaft and transmission are connected. For that one be sure the grease does NOT have graphite or molybdnm in it. Those ingredients can damage the magneto. Same goes for engine oil. Should be10W30 or lighter. The oil system is gravity fed so there is no pressure pump and the lighter oil will flow better. The oil should be changed often because there is no filter, so no need to get the expensive synthetic oils. You might even try adding some mineral spirits with the first oil change and run for a while without driving. Best to have the back wheels jacked up in high so you will not cause wear to the clutch or thrust bearings. Then after it warms up, let the back wheels down and Jack the front wheels up as high as your jack stands will handle and drain the oil. You can also remove the inspection plate under the engine and clean it out while inspecting the rod bearings and adjusting if necessary. The 4th rod is hardest. You need to put a very large rag behind it to keep from dropping anything in the crankcase and they you will need to turn just enough to get a wrench on one nut. Remove the nut then turn the crank just enough to remove the other nut and pull off the cap. If you are lucky, you will have a 4 dip pan and you can adjust the 4th the same as the others. But only the 26-27 had the 4 dip pan from the factory. But some others have been converted over the years. The front wheels and springs should be oiled with oil before every time you take the T out to drive. I like to use 90w rear axle oil for that. Some use chain saw oil. The heavier oil will last a bit longer before it drips out and needs to be oiled again.
Norm
How does the “oiler” work with the line that runs from the pan to the top cover of the trans? If it’s gravity fed how does it make its way thru the line? I know they’re very beneficial especially with a magnet in a catch tray from the videos I’ve seen.


DHort
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by DHort » Sat Mar 05, 2022 4:52 pm

The accessory oil line on top of the trans is separate from everything else. Oil is basically thrown into the fitting on top of the trans and gravity feeds it down to the front of the engine.

You can also install a screen above the transmission that the oil flows over and drains through. This helps to keep the transmission bands oiled. If there is a magnet in the screen, it attracts fine metal particles that wear off the engine parts. The spinning of the crankshaft throws oil everywhere inside the engine compartment. It is like a tornado in there and that is how the engine is lubricated.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 6:51 pm

Oh wow that makes sense.

One thing that I want to find is a new ignition switch/bezel. Previous owner painted it gold…..and I just can’t lol it bothers me to no end with the sharpie written on it for on and off. :roll:

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by A Whiteman » Sat Mar 05, 2022 8:20 pm

Well, a bit of paint stripper, wire wool and patience will have it back to metal. Then use a good metal primer, perhaps a builder if the plate is pitted, sand it smooth then a nice gloss rattle can of black paint to finish. Several thin coats better than a thick blast of paint.

When the 'better half" is out you might be brave enough to slip the painted parts into the oven to bake them off. Steve Jelf here can give you good advice on times and temperatures for that.

A hint as you go: photograph each step as you strip something down. Helps remembering how it goes back together ;-).
Last edited by A Whiteman on Sat Mar 05, 2022 11:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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A Whiteman
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by A Whiteman » Sat Mar 05, 2022 8:29 pm

My car is a New Zealand made 3 person roadster body see: https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/gallery/image/2528

Perhaps consider making a body like this that fits 3 across for carrying the family/friends/the dog with you. A speedster can get a bit limited in hauling folk around and has little room for items you may need to run to the store for.

One thing about the Colonial design is that you can pretty much 'free style' in designing it.

The trunk space is very handy for that spare gas and a decent picnic set as well.


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Welcome, some suggestions!

Post by Dennis_Brown » Sat Mar 05, 2022 9:53 pm

Pull the ground wire from the battery to the frame and make a pointless small area where it bolts down and get a heavy star washer and put between the ground wire and the frame and bolt it back up. Also get a woven ground strap and connect between the frame and a transmission bolt. That will eliminate a lot of slow starter problems.
Now a real important thing, put a lanyard of some type on your ignition key and never remove the transmission inspection cover while the key is in the ignition or you have anything in a shirt pocket. Otherwise you may pay the price of having to remove the engine and the full pan to retrieve anything that fell in.
Good luck and enjoy. With a family it would make a good hack and you might be able to use the cowl that is on it. Any possibility the cow is from an open car and you could find windshield stanchions and frames for it.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sat Mar 05, 2022 9:58 pm

Now that you said that, he did give me some windshield pieces. I don’t know if they’re from it originally, but the wood they’re connected to is extremely old and coming apart. I’ll take pics tomorrow maybe see what it is.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sun Mar 06, 2022 12:57 pm

Okay took the coils out to just take a look. The 3rd one from the left that was in the coil box had a wooden wedge shoved in. Not sure why…you’d figure it would be the taped one but the taped one was at the end. The wood on these seems really dry and the points have surface rust. Think the coil man could rebuild these or perhaps I should get some new ones? Ima go get a battery today and see if they’ll buzz. Gonna check continuity in a bit when I get the baby down to sleep, just to see. Really hope the magneto works…I’m sure it has one but haven’t verified yet just he had wrote MAG on the switch after painting it….GOLD. :lol:

If the mag works, I wouldn’t mind keeping it with original ignition system. If not I may go another route. I have a lot to learn. If anyone has some parts they’re willing to part with or trade for I have fenders etc. anyways, here’s some pictures of the coils:
245A9557-6FBD-41D6-BE8B-9195A223C1DB.jpeg
7014ACE4-D051-42F8-9103-1BABDDBABEAE.jpeg
AC4A1D7A-A871-43C9-B201-5377E072427B.jpeg
4E1BD197-DA18-4994-8372-DB2C9B608207.jpeg


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sun Mar 06, 2022 12:57 pm

And the others:
657DC1A8-D576-4021-94D3-B06388FD8637.jpeg
38DE02D6-8C42-4764-832E-22C98217E883.jpeg
70DCDAC7-14D0-4143-9F6C-F1D93152CF3C.jpeg
53A008E8-36A5-43D4-8F87-34528DFA689C.jpeg


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TXGOAT2 » Sun Mar 06, 2022 1:19 pm

I would try starting the engine on battery rather than magneto. Those coils will need the points filed. It is not necessary to get all the rust off the blue steel spring the points are mounted on, but any loose rust needs to be brushed away. The contact buttons on the sides of the coils need to be brushed clean, and the contacts inside the coil box will need cleaning. The ignition switch may have corrosion on the contacts. Operating the switch through its range a few dozen times will likely clean it up enough to run. If you test the coils for spark, it would be best, after cleaning all contacts and filing the points, to put them in the coil box, then connect each one to a plug laying on the cylinder head. Then turn the ignition switch to Batt and crank the engine while watching each plug for a spark. Only one coil at a time should buzz, and it should only buzz when the commutator for that coil is making contact. Have the spark lever fully retarded whenever cranking the engine, whether with the starter or withy the hand crank. When you get the engine running well on BATT, then you can try switching to MAG while the engine is running. Even if it won't start on MAG, it will probably run just fine on MAG once started.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Rich Eagle » Sun Mar 06, 2022 2:16 pm

Wow! You certainly are getting some good advice. As Kevin mentioned it is a '24-'25 closed car cowl. If that seat back came from the same car it would be a Fordor.
Best wishes for a lot of fun with it. Keep us posted.
Rich
When did I do that?


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by John kuehn » Sun Mar 06, 2022 2:58 pm

I will say this: Get it running the way it is at the present.
Do the basics and make sure you have a clean gas tank, good spark , oil in engine, and water/ antifreeze in the radiator.
Add a good battery and try to start it. Go from there and see how it runs, drives, brakes and etc.
Don’t start tearing it all to pieces and then try to get it going. You’ll learn a lot about a Model T and it’s quirks by just getting it running! And they do have quirks!

Have fun and keep us posted!


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:36 pm

TXGOAT2 wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 1:19 pm
I would try starting the engine on battery rather than magneto. Those coils will need the points filed. It is not necessary to get all the rust off the blue steel spring the points are mounted on, but any loose rust needs to be brushed away. The contact buttons on the sides of the coils need to be brushed clean, and the contacts inside the coil box will need cleaning. The ignition switch may have corrosion on the contacts. Operating the switch through its range a few dozen times will likely clean it up enough to run. If you test the coils for spark, it would be best, after cleaning all contacts and filing the points, to put them in the coil box, then connect each one to a plug laying on the cylinder head. Then turn the ignition switch to Batt and crank the engine while watching each plug for a spark. Only one coil at a time should buzz, and it should only buzz when the commutator for that coil is making contact. Have the spark lever fully retarded whenever cranking the engine, whether with the starter or withy the hand crank. When you get the engine running well on BATT, then you can try switching to MAG while the engine is running. Even if it won't start on MAG, it will probably run just fine on MAG once started.
Wow thanks for the advice, how do I go about getting side the coil to clean the contacts? Do you think there’s a problem with my coil box since he had a wood wedge in one of them? I went by a local store today, no 6V batteries in stock go figure lol


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:38 pm

Rich Eagle wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 2:16 pm
Wow! You certainly are getting some good advice. As Kevin mentioned it is a '24-'25 closed car cowl. If that seat back came from the same car it would be a Fordor.
Best wishes for a lot of fun with it. Keep us posted.
Rich
Think the seat frame I would imagine is a DIY thing, and the seat back and bottom seem DIY also.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by MichaelPawelek » Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:47 pm

Go to any farm store like TSC for a 6v battery.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by A Whiteman » Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:54 pm

Do you think there’s a problem with my coil box since he had a wood wedge in one of them?
Ummm, not really, well I have some cardboard jammed in there from time to time and I have seen other things that were 'close at hand at the time' wedged in there too ......

Take out the coils and reach in with your finger to bend the contacts out a little, that will help a bit too.
Last edited by A Whiteman on Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:17 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Norman Kling » Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:54 pm

A few things I noticed:
About the coil box. You need a cover to hold the coils down. Most likely the wedge of wood was placed because that coil kept bouncing out of contact with the copper strips inside the box.

Another thing I noticed there are hasler springs on the axle. Those are the coil springs which were an accessory supposed to make the car run more smoothly. If you plan to remove them for any reason, find a way to compress the springs before you unbolt them. I had an experience one time when trying to remove them, one of them shot across the garage. Fortunately no one was in line with it or he/I would have been injured.

Thirdly, I did not see a generator on the car but it does have a starter. If you use a regular 6 or 12 volt battery, you will need a generator to keep it charged.
Norm


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Scott_Conger » Sun Mar 06, 2022 6:06 pm

A car needs compression, spark, and fuel to run.

The car will in all probability have some compression as it sits.

However, looking at the carb, coils and coil box, I will say that you are starting from zero, so, to avoid patchwork fixes, frustration, and conflicting advice along the way, plan on the following:

buy a rebuilt NH carb from one of the folks on the forum who do a good job with these
rebuild the coil box with a plastic/waterproof rebuild kit available from vendors
buy a set of rebuilt coils from one of the coil vendors...your newer coils are not known for quality or longevity and at one point were even sold without being properly adjusted, and the old coils, well, just look at the tape and conclude whatever you will
put on a new timer on the front of the engine, brand is your choice, from one of the vendors
new wiring from the timer to the coil box
Change the oil

you can decide to do this in bits and pieces and have little success or only marginal success, or you can decide to put $500 into it all at once, spend a week of evenings putting it all together and have a near certain chance of having the thing run right away. Then, once you hear the engine run, decide where to go from there depending on how it sounds

Every single part of your car is restorable, and if properly done, will operate fine on 6V. If you fall for the siren song of cheap or partial repairs on starters/generators, you will end up having to solve all of the subsequent problems and disappointments with a 12V battery. Buying a repaired generator or starter is not the same as buying a remanufactured generator or starter...when it comes to these things ASK THE SERVICE PROVIDER if it is patched up original windings or totally stripped down and fully rewound/remanufactured. There is a HUGE difference between the two types of products and the price is commensurate. Cry once and enjoy the car for a lifetime or count pennies and get to know AAA very well.

Have fun, and evaluate advice you receive very carefully against your ultimate goal. Some advice will lead to years of enjoyable puttering in the garage, and other advice will lead to years of enjoyable driving.
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:41 pm

Scott_Conger wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 6:06 pm
A car needs compression, spark, and fuel to run.

The car will in all probability have some compression as it sits.

However, looking at the carb, coils and coil box, I will say that you are starting from zero, so, to avoid patchwork fixes, frustration, and conflicting advice along the way, plan on the following:

buy a rebuilt NH carb from one of the folks on the forum who do a good job with these
rebuild the coil box with a plastic/waterproof rebuild kit available from vendors
buy a set of rebuilt coils from one of the coil vendors...your newer coils are not known for quality or longevity and at one point were even sold without being properly adjusted, and the old coils, well, just look at the tape and conclude whatever you will
put on a new timer on the front of the engine, brand is your choice, from one of the vendors
new wiring from the timer to the coil box
Change the oil

you can decide to do this in bits and pieces and have little success or only marginal success, or you can decide to put $500 into it all at once, spend a week of evenings putting it all together and have a near certain chance of having the thing run right away. Then, once you hear the engine run, decide where to go from there depending on how it sounds

Every single part of your car is restorable, and if properly done, will operate fine on 6V. If you fall for the siren song of cheap or partial repairs on starters/generators, you will end up having to solve all of the subsequent problems and disappointments with a 12V battery. Buying a repaired generator or starter is not the same as buying a remanufactured generator or starter...when it comes to these things ASK THE SERVICE PROVIDER if it is patched up original windings or totally stripped down and fully rewound/remanufactured. There is a HUGE difference between the two types of products and the price is commensurate. Cry once and enjoy the car for a lifetime or count pennies and get to know AAA very well.

Have fun, and evaluate advice you receive very carefully against your ultimate goal. Some advice will lead to years of enjoyable puttering in the garage, and other advice will lead to years of enjoyable driving.
Thanks for the advice, and I think that’s basically what I want to do. I’d love to hear it pop off, but at the same time I wanna do it right. I’ve been looking at Lang’s and other places for parts including ebay. I’m gonna send the coil doctor an email see if I can purchase some coils and send mine in as cores. Ima go ahead and just bank on buying a new timer just cause. The wiring is actually all new except for the lights which someone cut. I’ll need to figure that out eventually. Yeah I was curious about the compression cause it does seem to be hard on compression stroke more than I’d think…but ima pull plugs tomorrow and put some oil in the cylinders and let it sit and turn it over a few times just to be safe. I saw the plastic coil box for sale, I may grab that. When I pulled these out the inside of this one looks brand new, I just need a lid. If I can get by with this box for now that’ll be one less thing. Spark plug wires also look brand new, I’m guessing when he rebuilt the engine he got the 3 new coils and rebuilt coil box; rewired it with the rubber cloth looking wires. The spark plug wires are nice tho, he’s got a bunch of receipts from snyders and other places. I believe he rebuilt carb or had it rebuilt, as there’s plastic bags and labels for carb rebuild parts. I was going to spray some carb cleaner down the throat just to free up anything but it moves extremely easy. Brand new gas tank that’s empty, but I’ll take it off and make sure it’s clean. Is there a reason to install generator if it doesn’t have one now? I pulled the oil cap and I can see the gear in there that I guess would turn one. Little crusty in there…can’t see any oil really, so once I drain this oil and put some fresh stuff I may put a little something in it to wash out any crud once it runs then drain again and go with fresh clean oil.

I’ve seen the NH abbreviation about carbs what does that stand for? How much do they normally cost? Anyone wanna do some trading? Lol

Also, I need to get the floorboards up and lube the pedals the brake kinda sticks but once you start moving it, it frees up no problem. The hand lever tho the lever that you squeeze constantly sticks. Could be the paint he put on it, probably needs lube. Ballistol here I come! Stuff is amazing for everything. The emergency brake does work well that’s for sure, wonder if he installed fresh brakes? The grease zerts on the rear axle look new and painted. I need to find an attachment for my grease gun, cause it has the studs on either side of it.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Steve Jelf » Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:08 pm

I need to find an attachment for my grease gun, cause it has the studs on either side of it.

That sounds like old time Alemite fittings from the thirties. They may have fresh paint, but I expect they've been there for a long, long time.

The Holley NH carb was used during the peak production years of the twenties, so millions were made. That makes it plentiful and cheap. A rebuilt one claimed to be show quality will cost you $125 with a core, or $210 without. I rebuilt mine from junkers bought at swap meets or auctions for $20 or less.
The inevitable often happens.
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:27 pm

Wow ima keep my eyes open, or perhaps see if my carb is good first.

Someone mentioned a control rod was missing, I went to looking and found a carb control rod listed for $6 on a vendor site. How is it hooked up? Through firewall? Is there a special place for it?

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Steve Jelf » Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:03 am

One of your engine photos clearly shows a control rod attached to the carburetor. It goes through a hole in the center of the engine block. One of the others seems to show the timer control rod going under the coolant pipe, so I don't know what's missing.
The inevitable often happens.
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Norman Kling » Mon Mar 07, 2022 1:05 am

The rod you need is the mixture control rod. It has a forked end which attaches to the two holes on top of the carburetor and goes through the firewall with a triangular bend inside the cab so you can adjust it from the front seat. Those two holes on top of the carburetor are on the fuel mixture control needle in the carburetor.
Norm


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Mon Mar 07, 2022 7:19 am

Norman Kling wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 1:05 am
The rod you need is the mixture control rod. It has a forked end which attaches to the two holes on top of the carburetor and goes through the firewall with a triangular bend inside the cab so you can adjust it from the front seat. Those two holes on top of the carburetor are on the fuel mixture control needle in the carburetor.
Norm
Yeah that’s what I’m talking about. Is there anything on the firewall I need or do I just need a rod?


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by speedytinc » Mon Mar 07, 2022 8:25 am

Crack open that black & gold book. EVERYTHING you need to know is in there. Direct from the horses mouth.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Mon Mar 07, 2022 8:48 am

speedytinc wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 8:25 am
Crack open that black & gold book. EVERYTHING you need to know is in there. Direct from the horses mouth.
I’ll do that! I took a gander at it the other day but I was looking for more “general maintenance” info and I thought it more more complete disassembly info. I’ll look again!

I got 2 long springs under the dash they’re just hanging there. Thought they may be for the ignition switch panel. One thing I can’t really good pictures of is how a speedster or even racers people build that don’t have a body mount the ignition switch. I want to see how the steering column lowering bracket works off of Lang’s and the wedge.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by John Codman » Mon Mar 07, 2022 9:46 am

A lot of good advice here. I'll join those who advise that you carefully determine what parts are good and what are not. The only thing that I would do for sure is replace that odd set of spark plugs. Also the coil box cover. I have seen coils that appeared much worse then yours work reasonably well. I'd probably eventually have them rebuilt or replaced for reliability, but if they all will buzz when they are supposed to, they will most likely run. If the car doesn't already have a distributor (and yours obviously does not) the magneto is probably OK. It's your call whether to go the distributor route or not, but to me, the magneto ignition is a significant part of what makes a T a T. Lastly - if there is no coolant in the system and you start adding clean water and the system fills completely with no fuss, there is likely no thermostat installed. A T with a properly working cooling system with a good radiator will cool just fine under any conditions that even come close to normal. Please note - The fact that the radiator doesn't leak doesn't mean it's good; the fins can become thermally detached from the tubes and the radiator will not transfer enough heat to the air. The only solution if that is the case, is a new, flat-tube radiator which can be a bit pricey. Do not purchase a used radiator; if it's used and for sale, there is a reason why.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Steve Jelf » Mon Mar 07, 2022 10:53 am

Spark plugs: If you want "correct" OEM Champion X plugs you can buy new ones. They are ungodly expensive. One of them costs much more than a full set of other plugs. On the other hand, original Model T plugs can be found at swap meets and occasionally on eBay for under $10. I have paid as little as $2 for original plugs that only needed cleaning. So if you want to go the original route, you can pay about $12 at a local auto parts store for a set of Autolite 3095 to use while you shop for T era plugs.

7 IMG_5816 copy 2.JPG
These old plugs cleaned up nicely.
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by kmatt2 » Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:12 am

The two long springs hanging down under the dash that you asked about are most likely the springs that go to the cowl vent lever. Your car’s cowl is from a 24-25 closed T, they had a cowl vent. The springs are to keep the vent closed tight to the cowl, not a big deal on your cowl only T.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by babychadwick » Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:16 pm

Guardian1fox2 wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 8:48 am
One thing I can’t really good pictures of is how a speedster or even racers people build that don’t have a body mount the ignition switch. I want to see how the steering column lowering bracket works off of Lang’s and the wedge.
Nearly every speedster is a bit different, some even are mounted on the floor! An ignition switch that is non ford is totally acceptable, note the one I will be using on the '27. As far as the steering it is a wise suggestion to "upgrade" the T steering if you are going to be zipping around. Many different boxes can be made to fit and the simplest is to use a U-joint so you can get the steering in a comfortable location based on your sitting.
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"Those who fail to plan, plan to fail"


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:30 pm

babychadwick wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:16 pm
Guardian1fox2 wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 8:48 am
One thing I can’t really good pictures of is how a speedster or even racers people build that don’t have a body mount the ignition switch. I want to see how the steering column lowering bracket works off of Lang’s and the wedge.
Nearly every speedster is a bit different, some even are mounted on the floor! An ignition switch that is non ford is totally acceptable, note the one I will be using on the '27. As far as the steering it is a wise suggestion to "upgrade" the T steering if you are going to be zipping around. Many different boxes can be made to fit and the simplest is to use a U-joint so you can get the steering in a comfortable location based on your sitting.
Oh wow where could I find one of those styles? Do they make one for a magneto?

How does the U Joint steering work? That’ll prolly be the next thing I tackle after I get it running well so I can start off on the speedster adventure. Is there anything that’s easily bolted together? I don’t have any means of welding! 🥺

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by babychadwick » Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:37 pm

It's all just looking, there is no "source" for much of the cool bits. When it comes to seats you want high sides and a low back. Rootlieb did much better on the model A speedster seats than the model T. The higher sides help to hold you in and the lower back it far more period.

http://www.rootlieb.com/model-a-speedster.html
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Mon Mar 07, 2022 7:30 pm

babychadwick wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:37 pm
It's all just looking, there is no "source" for much of the cool bits. When it comes to seats you want high sides and a low back. Rootlieb did much better on the model A speedster seats than the model T. The higher sides help to hold you in and the lower back it far more period.

http://www.rootlieb.com/model-a-speedster.html
Thanks! I’ll check them out! Btw, i how do you install a “u joint” steering to lower it? I’d like to keep everything pretty period, I saw what looked like universal deals on eBay, but I really haven’t looked elsewhere yet. I guess when I lower the the column I have to cut the firewall and move the mounting bracket down a bit?

Edit: could I just be simple and use this? Seems straight forward and cheap -
4DA32582-3EEA-4BE5-BF65-E52905FC7451.jpeg

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by A Whiteman » Mon Mar 07, 2022 8:39 pm

My collar is actually made up of hard wood. A few hours on the saw and sander. The wedge goes under the steering bracket on the chassis, and I made mine from a hard wood as well (NZ native timber Southland Beech). The beauty of that is I could customise the angle for what suited me bes and met my 'low to no' budget!
You don't want it to be too low or it will mess up the steering geometry. Using an aftermarket or 'parts bin' steering column with a universal joint in it helps solve any issue.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Mon Mar 07, 2022 9:37 pm

A Whiteman wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 8:39 pm
My collar is actually made up of hard wood. A few hours on the saw and sander. The wedge goes under the steering bracket on the chassis, and I made mine from a hard wood as well (NZ native timber Southland Beech). The beauty of that is I could customise the angle for what suited me bes and met my 'low to no' budget!
You don't want it to be too low or it will mess up the steering geometry. Using an aftermarket or 'parts bin' steering column with a universal joint in it helps solve any issue.
Yeah I don’t wanna go crazy, I want it to be basically what they had in the 20s. I may try that and just go wood like you. I think this is $30? I’ll see how broke I am after getting it running 😂

I meant to post earlier; went through a box of parts I got with it. He had wrote valves and springs on it, and it looks like it’s all the original valves and springs from the motor he must have placed new ones in it. Hopefully he did a good job!

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by babychadwick » Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:02 pm

You have no idea if the angle on that will align with where you want your wheel and that still retains stock T steering which can be fine IF you understand and are careful. As far as the firewall you are far better off making one rather than trying to retain the stock T. IF you really want a speedster sketch some ideas up. If all you do is stack parts together it will look like thats what you did.

To give you some ideas
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by babychadwick » Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:05 pm

and some more
Attachments
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by babychadwick » Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:08 pm

And a few more
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Steve Jelf » Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:19 pm

I don’t have any means of welding!

I didn't either, for about half a century. One of the best investments of time I ever made was a welding class at the local juco some 30+ years ago. It was a night class after dinner, and when the teacher showed a film I had trouble staying awake, but I learned enough that it has been very useful since. Nobody will ever accuse me of being a good welder, but it's very handy being able to stick stuff together.
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Burger in Spokane » Tue Mar 08, 2022 12:43 am

Poor welders often become excellent grinders ! :lol:
More people are doing it today than ever before !

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by A Whiteman » Tue Mar 08, 2022 2:11 am

Now look up "Clayton Paddison" on the forum search. Clayton built a beauty speedster using all sorts of bits and on a budget. It even made it on Jay Leno's Garage too.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Tue Mar 08, 2022 8:24 am

A Whiteman wrote:
Tue Mar 08, 2022 2:11 am
Now look up "Clayton Paddison" on the forum search. Clayton built a beauty speedster using all sorts of bits and on a budget. It even made it on Jay Leno's Garage too.
Oh wow ima go check that out


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Tue Mar 08, 2022 8:29 am

babychadwick wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:02 pm
You have no idea if the angle on that will align with where you want your wheel and that still retains stock T steering which can be fine IF you understand and are careful. As far as the firewall you are far better off making one rather than trying to retain the stock T. IF you really want a speedster sketch some ideas up. If all you do is stack parts together it will look like thats what you did.

To give you some ideas
A couple of those are what I’m looking to do. Making a firewall seems extremely easy and straightforward for sure. I love the way some of those have that round cowl, that’s something I’d like to do eventually, get that “racer” look. I just built a shop a year ago; I’m actually about to finally start wiring it, and I was gonna include a place for hooking up a welder. Something I can learn in the future.

I know if I ever wanted to do TROG they have specific guidelines on what your car can and can’t have, and I think steering all that’s allowed is a dampener like they sell at the vendors that bolts on, and they don’t allow alternators. I’ll have to go back and look but I felt that was a good guideline to keep it period or close to it. I’m not gonna be getting crazy by any means and if I do one day I’ll make some changes I guess lol

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by babychadwick » Tue Mar 08, 2022 8:31 am

I do believe TROG changed its rules a few years ago and require roll bars on all open cars. When I heard this I lost all interest.
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Tue Mar 08, 2022 9:28 pm

babychadwick wrote:
Tue Mar 08, 2022 8:31 am
I do believe TROG changed its rules a few years ago and require roll bars on all open cars. When I heard this I lost all interest.
Oh man that stinks if so.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TRDxB2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 1:02 pm

I'd first build a "speedster" from what you have and get all the mechanicals working properly. That will get you on the road while you do a speedster body an some saw horses. Your seats should work fine, can lower. Making a firewall and round cowl should be easy. The aluminum wedge to lower the steering was in short supply. I have used the lowering bracket and added an additional hardwood wedge, to lower it more (may do do something else in the final design).
--
wedge.png
steering bracket.jpg
I'm pushing mine back and lowered - still in design front axle is lowered and pushed moved forward. Some engineering to do.
steering drop.png
--
Simple design I got from Tom Butterworth -, like you said, round cowl etc
20190523_083357.jpg
--
--
Be careful with the beehive Hassler shocks they can knock your teeth out
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Ned L » Wed Mar 09, 2022 1:28 pm

Welcome and congratulations! These are certainly fun little cars. A couple of things that I didn't notice mentioned that you should know..... When strapping a T to a trailer it is better to strap around the front frame above the spring, and not the front axle or wheels. Strapping the axle or wheels can stress (break) the ball & socket joint on the front of the engine oil pan where the “wishbone” attaches. Most everything “maintenance” can be sort of addressed over time and as needed with little potential of inconvenience beyond someone coming to get you. One exception to this are the “thrust washers” in the rear end. Originally these were pot metal washers that keep the gear case in the “pumpkin” from moving left & right. These pot metal washers really should be replaced with new bronze thrust washers. If the original pot metal washers let go the rear end can completely lock up and possibly break some teeth of the ring & pinion gear.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Steve Jelf » Wed Mar 09, 2022 2:29 pm

What Ned said. It can be worse than just locking up.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 2:45 pm

Thanks guys for ALL the incredible help and advice!

Got out there today and did the following:

-Drained oil (couldn’t find my jack but it’ll do for now), added 10-40 rotella just for when it pops off and I drain again, added some marvel and may do diesel since the oil looked really gross.

-removed Model A bed, set it aside and replaced battery with new 6V battery. Noticed someone added a ground wire to the frame along with original that looked really good to me so not sure why? So I hooked up original.

-removed old plugs, one was a champion X plug; gonna clean it up and keep it, check it out later. Not sure what others one 2 had no markings.

-put a little lube in each cylinder, rotated with plugs out…all good.

-installed new Autolite 3095s as my local store had them. I noticed they leave about 1/4 of the threads out when fully tightened. Believe that’s normal for pipe threads.

-reinstalled coils, used some oil and lubed various things. Grease cup on water pump had grease in it and with a turn I could hear grease coming to pump.

-put antifreeze I had extra into rad, slow leak on bottom where the bowl for petcock valve is…may check with local rad shop that’s been here since 30s and see if they can repair. Inside is very dirty and scaly.

-gas tank seems clean. No rust. Need to Google how to check sediment bowl make sure it’s clean.

-sprayed carb cleaner down carb, it actuates perfect and everything…hopefully it works.

-inserted key, turned to BAT….nothing from coils. Checking wiring now, phones charging and I got some stuff to do while I think about it before I break out the Fluke meter and get after troubleshooting. Ima take pics of everything to post shortly. Only wire not connected is the GEN wire which I do not have one anyways. Lol

Just a quick update!

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by RajoRacer » Wed Mar 09, 2022 3:12 pm

You won't get a "coil buzz" UNLESS one of the timer contacts is in contact - has to ground to camshaft to fire coil.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by A Whiteman » Wed Mar 09, 2022 3:26 pm

Sediment Bowl (with an empty gas tank!: See https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/160 (part numbers in [xx] below)

Remove the gas line from the front of the bowl (undo the nut)

Unscrew the bowl from the tank (hex at the top next to the tank).

((QUICK CHECK: hold the bowl upside down and see what falls out!. Poke a bit of wire in from the gas tank end to check if the main valve is blocked or not, 'Lever Down' is 'on'. If the drain cock is free, poke a bit of wire up to get a clear flow out of the bowl))

The next step can be tricky. Place the sediment bowl in a clamp or vice (with a rag wrapped around it to prevent marking by the jaws - no need to tighten much, just to gently hold it) with the circular flange [2902] upward ( the bit you removed the gas line from).

Unscrew the circulator flange carefully. This can be tricky to do if it is a bit stuck on.

A main cause of blocked bowls can then be seen: Inside the flange there is a fine gauze screen [2903SC]. This can get badly blocked and gunked up with dried out varnish and stuff from the gas. Clean it gently with solvents. DON'T SCRUB IT, DON'T USE COMPRESSED AIR TO BLOW IT OUT both methods will destroy the gauze.

Replacements are available - they need to be resoldered in again. There will be a large diameter lead washer [2905] between the flange and the bowl which you should really replace to avoid leaks. The lead is soft and fills the nicks and uneven gaps around the seal. The dealers sell them, buy 2 or 3 at a time.

Remove the drain cock [2908] from the bottom of the bowl and thoroughly clean out the inside of the bowl. As to the drain cock you can dismantle it and clean it up OR if it is stuck, leave it. Getting one to reseat and not leak takes a mort of work with grinding paste to bed the cone shaped valve into its body, but can be done.

The main fuel valve can likewise be left alone if not leaking, else it can be dismantled: carfully press down on the retaining washer and remove the split pin. Remove the washer, spring and larger washer from end of valve. Tap end of valve with a SOFT hammer or hard wood and the valve should unseat and come out.

Consider getting an extra filter for the inside of the tank [2903BSC] from the dealer.

Hope that helps. - Get replacement lead washers before doing the work.

It may be worth adding a gas cut off valve at the carb - it makes shutting off the fuel much easier than getting under the car each time:
Carb-fuel cut off.jpg
Carb-fuel cut off.jpg (97.03 KiB) Viewed 6619 times


My truck is Right Hand Drive - hence the steering and control rods in the picture :-)
(No, I won't enter the 'steel vs copper' fuel line debate other than to say copper with a loop in it works just fine for years and years and years)


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:11 pm

RajoRacer wrote:
Wed Mar 09, 2022 3:12 pm
You won't get a "coil buzz" UNLESS one of the timer contacts is in contact - has to ground to camshaft to fire coil.
Well I went out and checked, unfortunately with battery connected, switch to BATT, and then turning by hand no coils buzzed :cry:

Also, FWIW, starter switch didn’t do anything either. Think it’s about time I broke out the voltmeter
Last edited by Guardian1fox2 on Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:14 pm

A Whiteman wrote:
Wed Mar 09, 2022 3:26 pm
Sediment Bowl (with an empty gas tank!: See https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/160 (part numbers in [xx] below)

Remove the gas line from the front of the bowl (undo the nut)

Unscrew the bowl from the tank (hex at the top next to the tank).

((QUICK CHECK: hold the bowl upside down and see what falls out!. Poke a bit of wire in from the gas tank end to check if the main valve is blocked or not, 'Lever Down' is 'on'. If the drain cock is free, poke a bit of wire up to get a clear flow out of the bowl))

The next step can be tricky. Place the sediment bowl in a clamp or vice (with a rag wrapped around it to prevent marking by the jaws - no need to tighten much, just to gently hold it) with the circular flange [2902] upward ( the bit you removed the gas line from).

Unscrew the circulator flange carefully. This can be tricky to do if it is a bit stuck on.

A main cause of blocked bowls can then be seen: Inside the flange there is a fine gauze screen [2903SC]. This can get badly blocked and gunked up with dried out varnish and stuff from the gas. Clean it gently with solvents. DON'T SCRUB IT, DON'T USE COMPRESSED AIR TO BLOW IT OUT both methods will destroy the gauze.

Replacements are available - they need to be resoldered in again. There will be a large diameter lead washer [2905] between the flange and the bowl which you should really replace to avoid leaks. The lead is soft and fills the nicks and uneven gaps around the seal. The dealers sell them, buy 2 or 3 at a time.

Remove the drain cock [2908] from the bottom of the bowl and thoroughly clean out the inside of the bowl. As to the drain cock you can dismantle it and clean it up OR if it is stuck, leave it. Getting one to reseat and not leak takes a mort of work with grinding paste to bed the cone shaped valve into its body, but can be done.

The main fuel valve can likewise be left alone if not leaking, else it can be dismantled: carfully press down on the retaining washer and remove the split pin. Remove the washer, spring and larger washer from end of valve. Tap end of valve with a SOFT hammer or hard wood and the valve should unseat and come out.

Consider getting an extra filter for the inside of the tank [2903BSC] from the dealer.

Hope that helps. - Get replacement lead washers before doing the work.

It may be worth adding a gas cut off valve at the carb - it makes shutting off the fuel much easier than getting under the car each time:

Carb-fuel cut off.jpg



My truck is Right Hand Drive - hence the steering and control rods in the picture :-)
(No, I won't enter the 'steel vs copper' fuel line debate other than to say copper with a loop in it works just fine for years and years and years)
Wow thanks for that advice!! That’ll be my project tomorrow! I need to figure out my spark issue first though!


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:42 pm

Oh here are some pics, we all like pics lol :
2BE6134F-AF53-4278-8B39-E097AE2F190B.png
E867CA56-4EA6-43BE-BD69-82E636B150C6.png
E175438D-FE1D-462B-8D72-25A3421AB89D.png
A64725D7-29B8-4AF9-B193-3D57F2F6087F.png
D0FD8FD5-E860-48F5-A764-7EE9B482206C.png


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:43 pm

Couple more:
8EBEC524-42AB-40E5-98B1-7F2901079776.jpeg
E531EA3E-D65B-4F0D-B358-7D8D101691B6.png
B1D2CDDF-198B-4A07-B45C-7FBDBD5B4FB3.png


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:44 pm

You can see above they added another ground wire idk why. The braided one looks fine. The wire not connected behind switch and on carb choke rod is the generator wire which I don’t have a Gen. Anything jumping out at y’all as to why it would buzz when cranked by hand on BATT?


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TXGOAT2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 8:17 pm

Those battery cables are junk. You will never get good results with those cables on a 6 volt system. All connections must be clean, bright metal and all clamps will need bolts. I would replace those old cables with new, heavy gauge, quality cables.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Wed Mar 09, 2022 10:49 pm

TXGOAT2 wrote:
Wed Mar 09, 2022 8:17 pm
Those battery cables are junk. You will never get good results with those cables on a 6 volt system. All connections must be clean, bright metal and all clamps will need bolts. I would replace those old cables with new, heavy gauge, quality cables.
Even the braided cable? Seems decent enough, but never know. Thought about bringing the battery back and grabbing 12V just to see. I FORGOT I have one of those blue MTFCA books for the electrical system lol; gonna have to pull it out!

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Steve Jelf » Wed Mar 09, 2022 11:36 pm

It may be worth adding a gas cut off valve at the carb - it makes shutting off the fuel much easier than getting under the car each time...

Or... https://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG106.html
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by DHort » Wed Mar 09, 2022 11:58 pm

I suggest you reroute the wires on your timer or one day the fan will cut them up.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TRDxB2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:19 am

Agree on the timer wiring - here's how
timer.png
timer.png (172.83 KiB) Viewed 6431 times
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TXGOAT2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:27 am

6 volt systems require heavy duty, high quality battery cables and starter cables such as are used on heavy duty trucks. ALL connections must be clean and tight. Old, skinny cables with cheap add on connectors are no good. Cables can look OK and still have very high electrical resistance, especially at cable ends. The reason you have 2 ground cables is that one of them was no good. I'd bet a dime they're both no good now.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:38 am

TXGOAT2 wrote:
Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:27 am
6 volt systems require heavy duty, high quality battery cables and starter cables such as are used on heavy duty trucks. ALL connections must be clean and tight. Old, skinny cables with cheap add on connectors are no good. Cables can look OK and still have very high electrical resistance, especially at cable ends. The reason you have 2 ground cables is that one of them was no good. I'd bet a dime they're both no good now.
That’s my task for today, changing cables to see. Looks like everything else is wired correctly so I believe y’all are onto something with the power cables.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 5:35 pm

SUCCESS! Well small victory!

So found the source of one of my issues! I put a 12V battery in, changed positive cable, just so I can see what I got.

The ignition switch is the culprit. Got out the meter; got 12V at the starter switch, 12V on both sides of the amp meter, 12V at BATT on switch; but 3-4V or so at COIL.

Pried the clamps off the back of the switch; and the contacts inside were heavily corroded and weak. Cleaned it thoroughly, and after putting it back together…still wasn’t getting the voltage. However, after jiggling it back and forth; I found a sweet spot where I was actually getting 12V at the coil on back of the switch!

Now, I turned the hand crank, coil 1 and 2 fired! 3 and 4 however would not. I jiggled them around and I got 4 to kinda fire but could never get 3 to; probably why he had the wood wedge in it. I had to stop my adventures because my son got tired of the boredom of troubleshooting electrical system and wanted to DRIVE SOMETHING ALREADY lol. So we moved on.

I did try the starter switch, it didn’t work. The lack of it “moving” I’m sure it’s the same problem as the ignition switch just corroded.

So…now I gotta figure out tomorrow what’s going on in the second half of the coil box. I swapped the last two coils even after seeing the 4th work and still nothing. I really think ima try to locate a generator, and go with a Bosch style clip on distributor since I’m making a “racer”. Unless someone is willing to donate some parts to my cause! 😂 In all seriousness I really can’t wait to hear it pop off for the first time…this has been extremely exciting and fun to me! I can’t wait to get out there when I get a few minutes and play with it. The T bug bit me hard!
3F4BC9CB-B208-4962-9803-98F4B40D7B27.jpeg
E978324C-7DA9-480A-A98F-046E618544BB.jpeg
72B0EA01-34E7-4DF7-8F13-4ACE5144DF96.jpeg

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TRDxB2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:12 pm

Not sure why you decided to start using a 12v battery, but in any case it should have turned over the starter. I have included a photo of an example starter switch like you have (I do not recommend some of the reproduction "will fit" switches). So more corrosion places - the bolts are copper. Avoid taking it apart if you have one with t he bent tabs, they might break off.
SW reg.jpg
SW reg.jpg (36.62 KiB) Viewed 6379 times
--
The inside of your switch look similar to the repo's, Basically, the plunger bridges the bolt heads to make a connection for the wire to the starter. Good info for you in this link viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20883
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Scott_Conger » Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:37 pm

When I suggested my short list of "must do" things, it wasn't a bunch of wild-ass guesses as to what your or any car in the same condition would need; it was borne from working on these things for years and having brought back dozens to life.

Given that you're going to peck your way to success, it is going to be more boring than exciting for your son. As I mentioned earlier, $500 and a week of evenings will have the car most likely running. This approach will be interesting to you, but awful for youngsters and is sure to take longer than a week at this pace of discovery.

Best of luck...you're certainly going about it the hard way.
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:29 pm

Scott_Conger wrote:
Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:37 pm
When I suggested my short list of "must do" things, it wasn't a bunch of wild-ass guesses as to what your or any car in the same condition would need; it was borne from working on these things for years and having brought back dozens to life.

Given that you're going to peck your way to success, it is going to be more boring than exciting for your son. As I mentioned earlier, $500 and a week of evenings will have the car most likely running. This approach will be interesting to you, but awful for youngsters and is sure to take longer than a week at this pace of discovery.

Best of luck...you're certainly going about it the hard way.
Well, don’t know why you’re being a smartass; unless you’re willing to give me $500 to buy all the things I have picked out per your reply; you don’t have to be condescending. Rather than have it just sit there and wait while I save some money; I just wanted to play with it; and figured I’d learn something along the way. Jeez man, I thought it was fun.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:34 pm

TRDxB2 wrote:
Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:12 pm
Not sure why you decided to start using a 12v battery, but in any case it should have turned over the starter. I have included a photo of an example starter switch like you have (I do not recommend some of the reproduction "will fit" switches). So more corrosion places - the bolts are copper. Avoid taking it apart if you have one with t he bent tabs, they might break off.
SW reg.jpg
--
The inside of your switch look similar to the repo's, Basically, the plunger bridges the bolt heads to make a connection for the wire to the starter. Good info for you in this link viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20883
I do have an extra 6V battery that I’m currently charging to try; but just figured I’d try it with what I had. $10 for the new cable although it isn’t near the gauge needed for 6V I thought it would get me by and allow me to play with it and troubleshoot. I’d love to hear it fire up for the first time! I’ve had similar advice about reproduction components and will try my best to avoid them and find original replacements if needed. One thing I’ve noticed on the model T is almost everything is user serviceable!


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TXGOAT2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:51 pm

It looks as though every connection and switch on your car probably has corrosion issues. With patience, they can be cleaned up. I would use the 6 volt battery. I would do one connection at a time, so as to avoid mixing up wires. Tape up the free end of the generator wire so it doesn't short to anything. It should be "hot" whenever the battery is installed. As you go over the various connections, look for damaged insulation and remedy as needed.


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 8:18 pm

TXGOAT2 wrote:
Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:51 pm
It looks as though every connection and switch on your car probably has corrosion issues. With patience, they can be cleaned up. I would use the 6 volt battery. I would do one connection at a time, so as to avoid mixing up wires. Tape up the free end of the generator wire so it doesn't short to anything. It should be "hot" whenever the battery is installed. As you go over the various connections, look for damaged insulation and remedy as needed.
You think it would be necessary to add a new switch to block harness to the list of “I wants”? I know they aren’t too expensive, but would it be worth a future upgrade? I’ll eventually have to get wiring for lights as I have none at the moment!


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TXGOAT2 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 9:22 pm

I'd try cleaning connections first while looking for any evident problems. Spraying screws and nuts with a penetrating oil and letting it soak overnight may help with loosening various connections without damaging the terminals. Terminals and hardware can be gently scraped with a pocket knife to remove dirt and corrosion.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TRDxB2 » Fri Mar 11, 2022 2:41 pm

Guardian1fox2 wrote:
Thu Mar 10, 2022 8:18 pm
TXGOAT2 wrote:
Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:51 pm
It looks as though every connection and switch on your car probably has corrosion issues. With patience, they can be cleaned up. I would use the 6 volt battery. I would do one connection at a time, so as to avoid mixing up wires. Tape up the free end of the generator wire so it doesn't short to anything. It should be "hot" whenever the battery is installed. As you go over the various connections, look for damaged insulation and remedy as needed.
You think it would be necessary to add a new switch to block harness to the list of “I wants”? I know they aren’t too expensive, but would it be worth a future upgrade? I’ll eventually have to get wiring for lights as I have none at the moment!
I agree with cleaning the contacts and studs they attached to. It looks like the wires (spark plug, switch, commutator/timer and amp wire) are current repro styles so 99% chance no issue. But you need to get those commutator wires positioned correctly, while your at it check continuity from one end of each when disconnected. If this harness has a Ford Tag woven into the fabric about midway down the firewall - save the harness $$.
--
It was already pointed out that the battery to starter switch wire needs replacement - not sure what the starter switch to starter cable looks like - chances some condition as the battery side.
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by DHort » Fri Mar 11, 2022 4:53 pm

Jacob

I see you are working on the easy parts first. Getting those battery cables straightened out first will be a big help.

Scott Conger gave you a list of things to work on. Maybe you misunderstood him, but his advice is spot on.

I would also get those coils sent out. Send to Ron, Brent, or Luke. Then you know they will be done right.

If your funds are low, do not hesitate to ask for help on the forum. A lot of us have stuff we no longer need and can help you get going, so your little guy wont be so bored. I have some wiring you could have if you need it. I think the numbers are 5031 and 5042. Maybe one of those sets will work on your car. Just PM me an address.

Keep your chin up. You will get it going soon.

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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by A Whiteman » Fri Mar 11, 2022 5:56 pm

I just wanted to play with it; and figured I’d learn something along the way. Jeez man, I thought it was fun.
Ha ha! Yes it is fun, but there are spots of frustration and puzzling and tedious checking too. Keep your chin up!

Work through the bits one at a time. A point to remember is that several on the forum here have been fiddling with Ts for 30, 40, 50, 60 years or more! You have just begun and (in my humble opinion) the best way is to ask (yes - tick) and then try (yes - tick+) and doing one thing at a time and working your way along the systems (yes tick++) is not at all a bad way to understand and figure out what each bit does (even if it does take a while),

Meeting others in the club locally was good, and helpful to 'shoot the breeze' when figuring things out. Also other members kindly loaned me bits while I sorted my own (such as coils).

As to the budget - I am in the same boat as you. Without extra cash flopping around it is kinda fun seeing how you can get through each stage at a time.

By the way, I taught myself to fix up my own coils (with advice from others) and that I can't afford postage from NZ to USA to get some rebuilt ones. If you are little inclined to curiosity you can probably rebuild them yourself.

Ting is FUN, especially when it goes and the driving around is possible. My Roadster has been 11 year before I got it road legal - I am sure you won't take so long!


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Fri Mar 11, 2022 7:25 pm

DHort wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 4:53 pm
Jacob

I see you are working on the easy parts first. Getting those battery cables straightened out first will be a big help.

Scott Conger gave you a list of things to work on. Maybe you misunderstood him, but his advice is spot on.

I would also get those coils sent out. Send to Ron, Brent, or Luke. Then you know they will be done right.

If your funds are low, do not hesitate to ask for help on the forum. A lot of us have stuff we no longer need and can help you get going, so your little guy wont be so bored. I have some wiring you could have if you need it. I think the numbers are 5031 and 5042. Maybe one of those sets will work on your car. Just PM me an address.

Keep your chin up. You will get it going soon.
Wow thank you so much! I’ll shoot you a PM if you think they’ll work! I don’t wanna be the new guy that asks for stuff lol, if someone offers I’ll definitely take them up on it if I can use it and pay what I can or at least postage!

One thing that kinda bums me out a little unrelated, was that the local radiator shop that has been in town since my grandfather was young has closed down. They did all kinds of antique repair and restoration and were incredibly well priced…I called today to see how much it would be to fix some leaks on the T’s radiator and after getting a disconnected recording I googled to see they’re gone. I think the owner passed away. So now I’ll be looking to see if I can find someone else locally, this will be after I get it running though!


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by Guardian1fox2 » Fri Mar 11, 2022 7:32 pm

DHort wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 4:53 pm
Jacob

I see you are working on the easy parts first. Getting those battery cables straightened out first will be a big help.

Scott Conger gave you a list of things to work on. Maybe you misunderstood him, but his advice is spot on.

I would also get those coils sent out. Send to Ron, Brent, or Luke. Then you know they will be done right.

If your funds are low, do not hesitate to ask for help on the forum. A lot of us have stuff we no longer need and can help you get going, so your little guy wont be so bored. I have some wiring you could have if you need it. I think the numbers are 5031 and 5042. Maybe one of those sets will work on your car. Just PM me an address.

Keep your chin up. You will get it going soon.
Oh I forgot to mention, I did get a new battery to starter switch cable although it isn’t the gauge wire I really wanted, it’ll get me by; I’m getting a solid voltage reading everywhere I should; it’s just the ignition switch needs to be changed or something. I tried cleaning it again today, bent the contacts upwards a little more and unless I get it perrffectly positioned where it’s happy, I’ll only get 3V. Any bump knocks it off as well…so that’s on the list. Thanks for the advice on continuity, I’ll check that out tomorrow when I get back from my sons classmates birthday party. Boy this is incredibly fun I really can’t wait to hear it run. The guy I got it from asked for me to call him when I got it running so he could hear it; last he heard it run was when his grandfather got it going 6+ years ago!

Btw I wanted to ask, after it does run for a couple minutes, I was going to drain oil and kinda flush it out, should I drop the inspection cover and take a look and take some pictures? Or just put fresh oil and roll with it? I guess that depends on how it sounds. Getting close!


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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TXGOAT2 » Fri Mar 11, 2022 8:03 pm

If the oil looks really bad, I'd let it drain overnight, then refill with a 10W 30 conventional oil. I'd put in 3 qts oil and 1 qt Marvel Mystery Oil. I would not use diesel. Get the engine running on all 4 cycliinders and be sure it's got plenty of water and let it run at little over idle speed until it warms up, which will take 10 minutes or so if the radiator is working OK. I would not gun it or race it. If it begins to boil, shut it off and let it cool for half an hour, then try again. Read up on starting procedure, carburetor operation, and how to use the spark control. I'd get it out in a open area before trying to drive it. It's easy to make a wrong move and run into something, and it won't stop like a modern car, so the more room the better. If the engine misses, recheck everything and try to locate and fix the problem. I would want the engine running smoothly on all 4 cylinders and starting on demand before trying to drive the car. Oil and grease EVERYTHING before trying to drive it, including door latches and hinges and ALL steering and brake moving parts, fan, etc. The car may need linkage adjustments. Get good information before trying to adjust pedal linkages, if adjustment is needed.

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TRDxB2
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Re: New Member and Owner..Some Questions!

Post by TRDxB2 » Sat Mar 12, 2022 2:00 am

Ignition switches can be repaired (I have done several) and some parts are available. Repro ones are expensive...
You said that going over a bump knocks it off might be an issue with the fiber backing plate or the ends of the contact rings being worn. This is a picture of good contacts both on the rotating rings and the backing plate. Notice the roundness of the contacts, how do yours look after cleaning?
The ignition switch is actually two switches in one - the key turns the inner ring to select the voltage source. The handle is used to operate the lights by rotating the outer ring
IMG_2406.JPG
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T suppliers sell backing plates and switches and rivets for the style that needs them remove in order to replace the tumbler. That's the type you have. They do not sell the rotating rings. Sometimes the fiber backing plate warps and a light sanding solves some problems. Bending the metal contacts, is not advised as they can break, and doesn't help if the corresponding brass socket on the backing plate is blocked. In other words the contact needs to nestle into the brass pocket. Those tracking lines caused by rotating the switch are normal.
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