First ride in my Speedster or "dumb things I do"

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Thorlick
Posts: 214
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:17 pm
First Name: Terry
Last Name: Horlick
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Roadster Pickup "Mountain Patrol vehicle" from Los Angeles City Fire Department and a 1912 Model T omnibus restoration project
Location: Penn Valley, CA
Board Member Since: 1999

First ride in my Speedster or "dumb things I do"

Post by Thorlick » Thu Jun 06, 2019 2:41 pm

Yesterday I took the speedster to the DMV to start the title process. I have to send money and a notarized request for title confirmation to Nevada.
On the way to DMV
On the way to DMV
First dumb thing: I usually title a car as soon as I get it, but this time I was planning on parting out the car and using the running gear on my Omnibus project. Now that it is a complete car again I need a title for resale.

Ok, this morning it was time to go for a motorbike ride with a T friend, Bill Mitchell.
1975 Honda XL350
1975 Honda XL350
I lost my clutch half way to the donut stop, so since I was early I was able to readjust the clutch by the time Bill arrived. So the Drive up into the forest for Breakfast at Downieville was scrubbed and Bill requested to see the finished speedster.

Easy enough, Bill even agreed to help prep the car for it's first drive. So off we went to my house and we added fuel. Wow, cool new waterfall... er: "fuel fall" as the NH overflows. Experimenting eventually led to replacing the brass float. A quick adjustment and tighten spark wires on the DU4 mag and we are ready to give it a try.
Speedster engine with DU4 mag
Speedster engine with DU4 mag
Second dumb thing: The right rear tire is a little low, but since my compressor has just blown a hose, I can drive ok on a low tire.

Wouldn't run, sputtered a few times but wouldn't keep running!

Dumb thing 3: After fixing a fuel system problem it may be advisable to open the fuel shut off valve before attempting to start the engine.

Well, fuel being supplied a firm pull on the crank and the engine is running. I am in the de-bugging stage, I see I need to advance the magneto timing a bit but Bill voiced what I was thinking,"Wow that engine runs smooth!"

So next we pulled the chock and jumped aboard ready for the first drive. Clutch pedal half way down and throw brake lever all the way forward. Step down on the low pedal (easy on first trial not stomping on it as I usually do on my '27 pickup, "Rusty") and we are rolling, bump-bump out of the barn. Good so far so we roll out to the end of the driveway. Check foot brake, light but ok, and out onto our dirt road. 1/8 mile run in high gear then low pedal up steep part to county road. Turn around... well try to turn around but no brake and the reverse hits the steering column before grabbing... a pedal bend, reverse and brake adjustments are needed.

We turn around and drive back past home and up the hill. Still no reverse, and drive home. Drive right into the barn and shut her off.

First drive impression: wow a speedster drive is open air FUN!, sort of like a hot sports car drive... one like I used to get in my MGTC with top and windshield down. 10 MPH feels like 55 MPH! I don't know if there is any go fast magic inside this enging as I have never had it open, but you don't need any of that when the car has the magic ability to turn 10 into 55!

Dumb thing #4: Bill "Hey we should have taken a photo or video of the first drive!"

Honestly, the dumb thing isn't what Bill said, it is that I failed to record the lovely sight of the new speedster in flight. Terrie was in the house and she said it looked beautiful running past her window... not bad from a woman who feels that cars are only something to get you from one place to another.

Hey, why is that car leaning to the right?
Rear tire after drive
Rear tire after drive
Flat on the bottom only!
Flat on the bottom only!
See dumb thing Second above!

Score:
  • drive 1
  • flats 1
  • dumb things 4

    Respectfully, TH
    Terry Horlick, Penn Valley, CA
    1927 Mountain Patrol Vehicle from the Los Angeles City Fire Department (L.A.F.D.)
    1912 Model T Ford English Station Omnibus
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    Wayne Sheldon
    Posts: 4249
    Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:13 pm
    First Name: Wayne
    Last Name: Sheldon
    * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 Runabout 1913 Speedster
    Location: Grass Valley California, USA
    Board Member Since: 2005

    Re: First ride in my Speedster or "dumb things I do"

    Post by Wayne Sheldon » Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:50 pm

    Sounds like most of the first drives I have done!
    What is REALLY dumb, and I have done this a couple times in the past. Is when the "first drive" is loading the car onto the trailer for an Endurance Run the next day! Seriously, though. One of those Runs I did with a car that literally had less than 150 feet of driving on it before the beginning of the Endurance Run was one of the most fun Endurance Runs I ever had, even though we didn't even complete the first half of the Run. And the other time I (and my son) did that, was even more fun! That time, we did complete the Run! Came in dead last, after all but the final cleanup was done and everybody but the cleanup crew had gone home! The "Hard Luck, but Finished" award is proudly displayed in my house still.

    Good looking speedster by the way! I saw it on your trailer at the Auburn swap meet last Sunday. Looking much better than it did when you got it.
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