MTFCA Forum

Hello all,
I recently bought this 1917 Touring. I got it running after having last ran 2+ years ago. It’s very cold blooded, but once it starts, it runs very well.

Current plans are to disassemble the body over the winter, do a mechanical restoration, fix some minor rust issues, and then repaint it in the spring.

I look forward to being a part of the community!!

Good looking car.
Welcome to the affliction.

Welcome to the hobby
Nice looking car, don't hesitate to ask anything at all. The only 'dumb' question is the one you didn't ask ;-0

Cheers

The cold starting difficulty could be related to the choke linkage not working properly or to the carburetor adjustment being too lean. That's what I'd check first. Carburetor adjustment is also important. Seating the carb adjustment, then opening it 1 full turn usually gives good results. Most linkages have slack in them, so allow for that when making adjustments. Ignition issues can also cause cold start issues, especially if you have a battery and starter. If you have an original type roller timer, it probably needs a couple of squirts of light oil, such as 10W motor oil or Marvel Mystery Oil. It may need cleaned, but I'd try oiling it first. The Ford Service Manual is available at low cost and very useful for tracking down and correcting problems, most of which can be solved without major work of spending a lot of money. Everything on a Model T that moves needs oil or grease. Lubrication can make the difference between a balky, squeaky, hard-riding car and one that performs well. Model Ts were designed to use 20W motor oil. The modern equivalent to what Ford recommended is 10W30 for general use. In colder weather, 5W30 or 5W20 is best. Thick oil will cause a number of problems, hard starting when cold being one of them. Detergent oil is best for Model Ts. Any good quality 10W30 oil is fine, and regular oil, synthetic blend, or full synthetic all give excellent results. If you use the crank to start the car, be sure you are aware of the correct cranking procedure and be sure to follow it. It is safe and easy if done correctly, but you can get broken bones by doing it wrong, and you can get a lot of aerobic exercise without ever getting the car started as well.

A car that has not run in some time probably has stale gasoline in the tank. Draining the tank and putting fresh gas in it, and cleaning the fuel filter is a good idea with any car that has been inactive for more than a month or two. Stale gasoline can cause a lot of problems, including hard starting and poor performance.

If it runs well, I'd drive it, and do major mechanical work later, if it proves to be needed.

Good advice

I'd also read up on wood wheels. They're probably OK, but if any of them aren't you want to know it. Clutch/brake linkage adjustments are critical. Don't mess with them without doing some reading. Band adjustments, likewise. It is normal and correct for the pedals on a Model T to go to within about an inch of the floorboard when pressed down with your foot, unlike modern vehicles. Steering is very quick. You'll rarely need to turn the steering wheel more than a quarter turn. Steering should be stable and predictable when moving forward. When backing up, the steering becomes inherently unstable. NEVER back up fast, and NEVER let the car get rolling downhill backward fast. You should be able to shift from low to high gear at about 6 to 8 MPH under most conditions. Done correctly, the shift will be as smooth as a modern automatic. Most braking is done with engine compression, not the brake pedal. Model T's operate on the same principles as modern vehicles, but the way these principles are applied is unique to the Model T.

Model Ts run fine on regular gasoline with up to 10% ethanol. Higher ethanol blends can cause problems. Ethanol free gasoline is best, if you can find it and afford it.