Foot throttle

[Divcoone]

Foot operated throttle seems like a good idea for Model T beginners. Seems to be only made by one manufacture and they are on back order. Are they problematic or something worth building?

[Steve Jelf]

They were sold by several companies during the T era, so I don't think they were problematic mechanically. I'd have a problem with the time and money spent for something superfluous.

[Les Schubert]

I have them on both my ‘27 (a era one), and my ‘13 (a modern one). I find them very handy when shifting a auxiliary transmission. The stock hand operated one makes a great “cruise control “. So I think I have the best of both worlds!

[John Codman]

I agree with Steve Jelf. Why buy a T and then start changing the things that make it a T?

[Scottio]

My T had one on it from the PO. I used it now and then but eventually removed it. I prefer the Oem throttle.

[Wayne Sheldon]

I have driven a few Ts with foot throttles. Even had one T with one. How good or bad they are depends a lot on the design and how well they were set up. The car I had with one was very badly done. Neither the foot or hand throttle worked well. I had to completely rework the setup, but then both worked very well. However, I never liked using a foot throttle on a T. Sometimes because of the way they bounce makes the foot throttle jumpy, mostly, it just feels natural to me to use a hand throttle. About half my Ts have had auxiliary transmissions or Ruckstells, and I prefer to use a hand throttle for them as well. I find one can have much more precise throttle control with a hand throttle than with a foot-feed. That precise control makes shifting smoother with less gear clashing. I can (used to) often shift a Muncie without using the clutch and no clash.
For shifting, I like the "bear hug" method. Hold steering wheel in arm working the throttle with left hand, while shifting the tranny with the right hand. It requires a little more planning ahead (which is important in ANY T!) to avoid shifting on curves or dangerous downhills. But that just makes one a better T driver.
That is my opinion.

[Les Schubert]

I like to be able to signal a turn, change gears and accelerate and turn the steering wheel all at the same time

[Allan]

My 27 LHD tudor had a Texas T Parts foot throttle fitted when it arrived here. You would not believe the butchery done to the floorboards a previous owner had done to fit it. This was a standard car with no accessory transmission, so it really was superfluous.

When I built my 1917 shooting brake with KC Warford, I fitted a foot throttle and I love it. The bouncing and difficulty keeping a constant throttle really depends on the leverage the pedal has within the system. On our RHD cars there are no swivel points, no bell cranks, just a solid rod from the base of the pedal to the carburetor. My pedal I believe came from 20's Dodge. All I had to do was change the relationship angle between the pedal and the arm to the linkage. I have to revamp the one on my Ruckstell equiped roadster because it is too close to the brake pedal, but it too is a delight to use.

Allan from down under.

[Bruce Compton]

I have foot throttles on both of my T's and really like them. Back in the day when everyone was driving 20-35 MPH and with equally bad brakes, maybe the hand throttle was just OK, but in today's traffic (volume and speed) makes for a different set of rules. Hopefully without missing something, today's T driver needs hands to : steer, adjust the timing, make hand signals, operate the hand wiper, be ready to haul back on the emergency brake, maybe switch from bat. to mag, use the horn, and adjust the vehicle speed with the hand throttle. The last one is the one that most concerns me as it takes time to get the throttle closed in a panic situation (unless of course you always keep your hand on it and do everything else with the free hand). I drive my cars a lot and always in traffic and it's quite common to have someone pass you and squeeze in right in front of you and then hit the brakes. Taking your foot off the gas pedal takes a lot less time than finding the hand throttle and closing it . At 30 MPH you're traveling roughly 25 ft / sec. so if it takes you 1-2 seconds longer to locate the throttle and get it closed (while trying to maintain control with one hand) you've gone an extra 25-50 feet down the road and maybe into the back end of that Corvette that just stopped. They were a popular accessory back in the day and I don't think I'm hurting the value or appeal of my cars, while gaining extra safety by using them now.

[Scott_Conger]

I've driven traffic, mountains, hills and flatland. The throttle is nearly always between my ring finger and middle finger and can throw the throttle closed in a flash. I couldn't even imagine driving a T without physical contact with the throttle or in such immediate proximity that opening my fingers would not immediately catch the throttle. I have never had nor needed to look for it and like everyone else have had the occasion to need rapid access...never been a problem.

I guess this goes on the increasingly long list of "must have" items for safe driving. Where is Darwin when you need him?

[Allan]

Scott, three of my T's I drive just as you do, throttle between the fingers at all times. BUT, when making shifts with an accessory transmission, a foot throttle is a boon. Steering wheel huggers say they can manage without a foot throttle. I would like to meet the driver who got rid of a foot throttle so he/she could revert to wheel hugging.

Allan from down under.

[tmodeldriver]

I learned to drive a T with the hand throttle and it's never been a problem. Along with free starts I think it's just part of the charm of a T Model. A guy in our club has a foot throttle and swears by it. Must be all in what you're used to.

[Scott_Conger]

Allan

I fully agree with you, since I think EVERY guy with a Warford or such has made the same claim. I have never personally driven a car thus equipped...only a left-shift Ruckstell and I find they respond fine with hand throttle...I think a standard center-shift Ruckstell would almost demand an auxilliary foot-feed. Like Bob, I prefer to keep the T a "T" in it's operation and agree it's part of the charm of early automobiling.