MTFCA Forum

Our local parades are coming up soon, as are most I suppose. I'm thinking I'll ride our three grandsons in our '21 Touring. Then, I'm seriously considering selling the car. We've had it since late 2016 and enjoyed it. It has non-demountable wood felloe wheels, with new/old tires. I'm told the wheels need rebuilding or replacing. That is so expensive it is not in our fixed income(s) budget. When I decide to list it, after Jan 1, 2024, I will list it on here. It is in western NC.

Make sure you post it in the "Classified-Cars" part of the forum; not "here" in the discussion part.

Dang Tommy,hate to read that you are thinking of selling your T.
I understand totally the fixed income thing.
post a pic of the wheels of concern

tdump wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 18, 2023 1:19 pm

Dang Tommy,hate to read that you are thinking of selling your T.
I understand totally the fixed income thing.
post a pic of the wheels of concern

Depending on their condition, they may be repairable - tightened.
You might contact Dave Seiler. He is extremely reasonable & has sound methods of tightening,
like adding a wood strip between the wood fellow & rim.
But not necessarily to fix your wheels himself, but give options/advice.
If they are loose, dont drive on em. You could damage them enough to not be repairable.

Driving the car with bad wheels could also damage you and any passengers enough to not be repairable also!

Tommy if the wheels were good would you keep it?
What could you afford financially for wheels.
In reality we’re all on a fixed budget to a point but I understand. What type & sized rims do you have? Are the tires you currently have decent enough to use without safety concerns? Are you a purist about using just parts that were available for your cars years or not?

Best John

I had at one time, hoped to maybe find a set of demountable wheels for it. But I now know that demountables take different tires that what we now have, so if someone donated a set of wheels, ( yeah right), the $1200+ for a set of tires would be a problem.
Being poor sucks.

You should be able to scrounge up a decent set of demountable wheels for that T. Most likely trading the wood felloe non-demountable wheels for the slightly less valuable demountable types. The rims might actually be the worst part, as good ones are getting more difficult to find and get. Your rear tires should already be the right size? So only two good use tires should be necessary for the fronts. Another option might be to go to 21 inch 1925 style tires and wheels. Those tires are much cheaper, and stronger. They are also rather common having been used on model As in 1928/'29. Decent used ones might be available very cheaply (depends on local clubs and how active they may be?).

The wood felloe wheels can be tightened in good ways as long as the wood itself is still solid and strong. I have rebuilt some that actually looked pretty bad after testing the wood for strength. Even bad looking wood is often only bad looking on the surface. Wheels that haven't been weathered too much are usually plenty strong. However, wood does shrink a bit with age, and once they become a bit loose, the wood wears quickly. Running loose wheels wears them out quickly, and they can become unsafe in just a couple hundred miles, or even less.
The spokes cannot be pressed in or out how the steel felloe wheels are done!!! The spokes and felloes must be slid in and out of the rim as a unit, and disassembled and reassembled outside the steel rim! I often shim the felloe with sheet metal between the wood and the steel rim. Thickness of the sheet metal depends on how much shim is needed. Shimming outside the felloe pushes the spokes in tighter onto the hub, so that hopefully shimming the hub won't be necessary. Once the wheel is assembled and painted, the sheet metal shims are only noticeable on very close examination, and sometimes if well done not even then.
Heating the steel rim to assemble them is not possible for everyone, and a multi-ton press may be needed. Use carefully and gently a little at a time or it can break the spokes or felloes. Once pressed together and properly centered, replace the rivets through the steel rim and wooden felloes. I usually use the original rivet holes with oversize rivets, in part to hold them together, and in part to fill the holes. Then I often add a couple more original size rivets between other spokes for added strength in fresh holes. Once painted and on the car, almost nobody ever notices the extra rivets.

If you enjoy the car? And if you want to impress the grandkids with the joys of the hobby? You do have options!
And yes, being broke really sucks.

Tommy, as you can see per my previous questions & Wayne’s suggestion you do have options on tire/rim size. You could get four 21 inch tires shipped to you including your state sales tax around 7% for just under $465. Heck if you went the wire wheel route I’d even help out by gifting a pair of front OR rear wire hubs toward you keeping your T with conditions. You just pay the shipping if that will help you keep your T. You’d still need the wire wheels but I bet you could find some decent ones for around $100 each & maybe with a few kind hearts even less. Truthfully you’d still be at that $1200.00 or slightly above but you’d have your T an a bunch more memories to make. What’s that worth on a monthly basis? $100, $200? More? Best John


https://www.ebay.com/itm/404482296272?m ... media=COPY

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195601411130?m ... media=COPY

Mr. Coffey,

I am also in Western North Carolina, have a set of four very good demountables with nearly new tires. However, these items lack hubs, but we can talk. In any event, I'd like to know where you and your T are located. Give me a call or text at 8-two-8, two four three-7454. Hope to hear from you. If you decide to sell I may know a person or two who might be in the market.

Tom Loftfield
Brevard. NC

You could figure out the cost of gas and lodging for a tour and for every tour you miss, put that amount into a savings account until you have enough saved to rebuild. Meanwhile attend swap meets and look for better wheels. If you can find them get the de-mountable wheels. They all take the same size tire and you will only need one spare. Also let members of your local club know that you are looking for wheels. Someone might have some good ones they would like to sell. However if you really do not like your T, then sell it.
Norm

Well I thought the 2023 local Christmas parade was to be our last with our '21Touring. I finally got around to listing the car for sale a few months ago. I had quite a few offers to trade but no cash offers. The trades were for newer model vehicles, airplanes, and even an expensive pair of hearing aids, none of which I need. So here we are with parade day tomorrow. The car still runs and drives great so we'll probably participate again.
Maybe eventually I can find a set of demountable wheels & tires for it. A few weeks ago there was a set for sale in Florida, (I'm in NC) but I think the price was a little high and I was not able to make the trip anyway.

thom wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 06, 2024 8:31 am

Well I thought the 2023 local Christmas parade was to be our last with our '21Touring. I finally got around to listing the car for sale a few months ago. I had quite a few offers to trade but no cash offers. The trades were for newer model vehicles, airplanes, and even an expensive pair of hearing aids, none of which I need. So here we are with parade day tomorrow. The car still runs and drives great so we'll probably participate again.
Maybe eventually I can find a set of demountable wheels & tires for it. A few weeks ago there was a set for sale in Florida, (I'm in NC) but I think the price was a little high and I was not able to make the trip anyway.

Don't give up Tommy!

Good! If the wheels are really bad, try to avoid very sharp turns,fast sudden turns, or potholes. The sideway force could be too much for them. Enjoy.

Will Model A 19" wheels (1930-31) fit a Model T with Ford wire wheel hubs?

Pat, no; the Model A bolt pattern is 5X5 1/2 while the Model T wire wheel bolt pattern is 5X5.

Have you considered doing your own spokes. The only cost is the cost of the spokes. I did my front right wheel 14 years ago and it was actually fun using the Regan Spoke jig. The first wheel will be the most difficult, but once you gain experience, it becomes much easier on the following wheels. Jim Patrick

Tommy,
A 100 year old car will always need something, and anything it needs will cost money. If your fixed income has no room for Model T maintenance and repairs, it is probably best to get rid of it. There are many things on a Model T that if neglected will fail and a few could be life threatening.

Sound wheels, tires, steering, and brakes make for a safe T, and will certainly add value if they can be had at reasonable cost.

jiminbartow wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 06, 2024 12:04 pm

Have you considered doing your own spokes. The only cost is the cost of the spokes. I did my front right wheel 14 years ago and it was actually fun using the Regan Spoke jig. The first wheel will be the most difficult, but once you gain experience, it becomes much easier on the following wheels. Jim Patrick


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I don't believe it works that way for non-demountables. I'm told they need to be built like buggy or wagon wheels, by a wheel right. If I had demountables I would definitely build them myself. Thanks.

Hi Tom,
I have been here before also & took two different approaches #1 pick up a set of 21" model A wheels ( they are much cheaper than T wires)
Tires are also cheaper. used the T -modem A wheel adaptors, yes they are not cheap. #2 re-spoke the wheels wheels yourself. ( I have put this
on my list of the top 10 things to never do again) I re-spoked the wheels on my firetruck 21" steel fellow demountable, A generous club member
loaned me his Regan press. There are some things you may find in doing this like you may have do a lot of work on the spokes so they fit
correctly not all fellows have the same size tenon hole & it can be a lot of work prepping the whole operation! One of the reasons for doing
the wheels on the firetruck was the age of the wheels & I'm thinking of selling it. That brings us to the next subject liability (I know we are not
suppose to use that kind of language on the forum) I would never sell a Model T with any questionable issues with out a signed & notarized
release of liability & full discloser of anything I was aware of on the car. This is the world we live in now so beware.
Craig.

Add the paint cost!

That item alone will cost over $100 for each wire wheel.

Some colors are even more.

Red was the highest a few years ago.