MTFCA Forum

I have decided to have a starter put on my 1916 coupelet. As I am old and can no longer do that kind of work, I am having a friend in the Model T club, who does work on cars for other people, do the work. Along with installing the starter, he will install a correct 1916 steering column, the magneto horn, reverse the cams for the parking brake as they are upside down, put on new parking brake rods and lined brake shoes. That should give me a car that I can start easily and drive somewhat regularly around the small town where I live.
I need the starter because I ended up with three compression fractures in my spine after trying to start it one day. I do not want to do that again.

Nothing wrong with that. Next time my '13 has engine work at least the ring gear is going in it!

As time goes on most T owners know why Henry started using starters in 1919. And yes a good running T will hand crank and an electric starter is one of Fords better ideas.

Enjoy yourself, life is too short not to, a starter is an excellent accessory and easy to remove for anyone not wanting the improvement. Any and all of my cars I rebuild, gets a ring gear flywheel equipped addition, easy to add starter later, if needed.

I haven't seen anyone who removed the starter after it had been installed on a non starter car.

Art Mirtes

I had a really good supervisor when I first started working at NCDOT. He was a older fellow. I had been working there about a year or so and I mentioned to him 1 day I was going to start building a model T Ford Truck. I can't quote him word for word but he told me I had best save up all the sick and vacation leave I could as I would need it when I broke my arm cranking it.
Well I followed his advise,I didn't have to use the leave for that purpose thankfully.
Any T I would ever own would have to have a starter,my left arm is already 50% disabled,not going to screw up the other 1 as I may need it to steer!

Practical advice never hurt anybody.
Cars without electric starters were common in the early days of the automobile. It was a realization and a necessity and was expected.

Nowdays it’s not a necessity and has become cute or nostalgic to hand crank your car and especially in old car meets and at parade sites. In other words a way to say “look what I’ve got.”
A good running Model T will hand crank easy enough for a guy that uses the correct practices in setting the spark, gas controls and the correct hand cranking technique.
But breaking your arm or wrist when you’re an older guy ain’t fun.
If you want to hand crank be careful and hopefully a broken arm or wrist won’t keep you from becoming a member of the broken arm club. Losing the use of your arm for a good while and especially if your in the 60’s +++ age group takes a good while to get over and it won’t be the same as it was from then on.

Save yourself some time and trouble... Go purchase a original Ford manufactured starter engine with a three dip pan, add the associated electrical doodads to run the engine. Save the original engine for the future sale.... may reimburse you for what you spent on your modification.

There is never any fun on stalling one in a busy intersection, almost every engine I rebuild gets a ring gear in it if not for now but future use! I try to tell people with early cars some day we are going to get older and the car with the starter on it will get used instead!

I’ve seen two in my area that have retrofitted starters and much like adding a distributor I have NO problem with it. In fact if I was looking to buy a car with one I’d consider it a plus.

There is more to that change than you realize.

You are going from a double coil Magneto Coil to a single coil and a smooth Flywheel to a starter ring Flywheel.

You also have to change out the wiring, add the battery box and a starter switch.

I did that on my 1917 T Truck after I had the engine installed in my test stand for a run in prior to installing it in my truck.

Cranking it once with forgetting to retard the spark caused the crank to rapidly work backwards from the 5:00 clock position.

I strong armed the crank to stop the reverse action, but that did not work well!

I was picked up off the driveway and thrown on the blacktop rather hard.

I was also knocked unconscious for an unknow period of time, as I was home alone.

Both thumbs were dislocated, on by the crank and one by bracing myself for the fall.

I had a quarter sized road rash spot on my chin and another one on the side and near my eye socket that size.

Every bit of my wind was knocked out of me and my abdomen swelled so much breathing was difficult for about the next five days.

I did recover, removed the transmission cover and oil pan and proceeded to install a rebuilt 1920 transmission and rewire the engine compartment.

That whole process took me one month to recover and 7 months to complete!

I opted for a solenoid rather that a correct starter switch.

The truck starts easy and runs great now!

My first drive day.

I probably should get back at my front drive starter project for my 13. I am using a Subaru starter because it turns the correct direction (the gear is at the front). A one wire alternator to keep the wires simple and a cog belt drive connection from the alternator to the crank.
I better get it finished soon!!