Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
-
Topic author - Posts: 234
- Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:13 pm
- First Name: Bruce
- Last Name: Klawiter
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Touring
- Location: Holland MI
Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
Hoping I can find someone in West Michigan, Holland to be exact, who can teach me to drive my newly rebuilt 1927 Touring and also help me correctly adjust my bands, brakes and whatever needs adjusting, I've only driven a few blocks and I'm quite terrible at it.
-
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2020 9:53 am
- First Name: James
- Last Name: Catlin
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 depot hack
Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
Contact Gord Koll Grand Rapids Michigan
-
- Posts: 4082
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:06 pm
- First Name: Jerry
- Last Name: Van
- Location: S.E. Michigan
Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
From the MTFCI website chapter listings...
Gordon Koll
1424 Perkins Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
-
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:04 am
- First Name: Luke
- Last Name: P
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926
- Location: New Zealand
Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
Bruce,
I imagine that Mike and Jerry have good reason to suggest Gordon as a possible contact, hopefully he's able to help.
If that doesn't work out for any reason you can simply use the 'search' option on this forum and put in various towns nearby and see what comes up. Once you find a likely person you can click on their username to find out a little more and send them a message.
I know nothing about the geography of Michigan but in a few minutes of looking (and with reference to OpenStreetMap) I've located some forum members who, in my view, would be within an hour or so driving distance to you. With luck the promise of cake + beverage and the chance to fiddle with a T along with imparting some knowledge could entice the most recalcitrant to assist
Luke.
I imagine that Mike and Jerry have good reason to suggest Gordon as a possible contact, hopefully he's able to help.
If that doesn't work out for any reason you can simply use the 'search' option on this forum and put in various towns nearby and see what comes up. Once you find a likely person you can click on their username to find out a little more and send them a message.
I know nothing about the geography of Michigan but in a few minutes of looking (and with reference to OpenStreetMap) I've located some forum members who, in my view, would be within an hour or so driving distance to you. With luck the promise of cake + beverage and the chance to fiddle with a T along with imparting some knowledge could entice the most recalcitrant to assist

Luke.
-
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 1:33 pm
- First Name: Zachary
- Last Name: Dillinger
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Ford Model T
- Location: Charlotte, MI
Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
If you can't find anyone closer, I live over near Lansing and could make a drive over to give you some lessons.bmklawt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 05, 2023 3:03 pmHoping I can find someone in West Michigan, Holland to be exact, who can teach me to drive my newly rebuilt 1927 Touring and also help me correctly adjust my bands, brakes and whatever needs adjusting, I've only driven a few blocks and I'm quite terrible at it.
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:12 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: Mundt
- Location: Lowell, Michigan
Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
You may want to check out the Model T Driving Experience at the Gilmore Car Museum. I took the class last year with my dad, and it was a lot of fun. The instructors are all volunteers who own their own Model T(s). Very helpful at my answering questions as a prospective Model T owner.
https://gilmorecarmuseum.org/learn/mode ... experience
https://gilmorecarmuseum.org/learn/mode ... experience
-
Topic author - Posts: 234
- Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:13 pm
- First Name: Bruce
- Last Name: Klawiter
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Touring
- Location: Holland MI
Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
Will definitely have to hit up the driving school, adjusted the brake rod length and think I have that worked out, everything else seems to be adjusted right, appears most of the problem may be I just don't know how to drive a T.
Does anyone have an email for Gordon Koll?
Does anyone have an email for Gordon Koll?
-
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:00 pm
- First Name: Mark
- Last Name: Eyre
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1913 Touring 1914 Touring and Roadster 1915 Touring 1926 Roadster
- Location: Battle Creek Michigan
Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
I do he is a close friend. Email me through this site.
Mark
Mark
-
- Posts: 164
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:15 am
- First Name: Jason
- Last Name: Kuczynski
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Antique Vehicle Mechanic at Greenfield Village
- Location: Detroit, MI
- Board Member Since: 2003
Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T
I'll second the driving school experience. My wife and I took the class in 2016 and it was a great way to spend an afternoon.
The hardest part for me driving a T so infrequently is trying to 'forget' the muscle memory of driving a modern manual transmission car. I always want to jam the low pedal all the way down on a panic stop, but that puts it in low, not neutral. lol My wife did way better driving the T around because she doesn't have that reflex.
The hardest part for me driving a T so infrequently is trying to 'forget' the muscle memory of driving a modern manual transmission car. I always want to jam the low pedal all the way down on a panic stop, but that puts it in low, not neutral. lol My wife did way better driving the T around because she doesn't have that reflex.
My other car is an Amish Drag Buggy.
Barnstormers VSC
Si vestri 'non prius novissimo
Celeritate Est Vita
Antique Vehicle Mechanic- Greenfield Village
Barnstormers VSC
Si vestri 'non prius novissimo
Celeritate Est Vita
Antique Vehicle Mechanic- Greenfield Village