MTFCA Forum

Checked the nuts.

Always a good idea, and check the lug nuts if you have wire wheels, especially if there is new paint on the wheel or hub, or with new lug nuts.

I took the plunge and rebuilt 8 coils with new capacitors, tuned with an ECCT. 4 for a poor north Dakota dirt farmer and 4 for me.

Still nothing not till the bathroom gets finished!
Getting closer though…

Mostly ordering things for the spring. Getting ready for warmer weather. Trying to update our website while taking a break from real work.

Tbird wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 29, 2025 6:38 pm

Still nothing not till the bathroom gets finished!

Looking forward to seeing your updates again!

We took one for a ride... And got another one back from the upholsterer. Time to start fitting some finishing touches...

Removed the fenders and running boards so I can repaint them and the splash aprons, as the 1916 coupelet was restored 50 to 60 years ago and there are chips and a couple of small dents in the parts. Also the front of the front fenders sit at different heights.

I got my car out of mothballs, roadworthy, and drove it 90 miles for the Holiday Motor Excursion in Pasadena. I finished tinkering the night before and didn't even think to bring a damp rag to get the dust off the splash aprons. Oops

It was 75 degrees in Kansas on Christmas day, so our 8 month old grandson got his first Model T ride! He really enjoyed it.

Look closely to read what it says on the bib that he got from me for Christmas!

On the day after Christmas


On the day after Christmas, my daughter, who was visiting from another part of the state, said "Dad, I need to learn how to drive the T Model." I first showed her how to check the vital fluids, explained the functions of the lever and pedals and how the engine gets it's sparkles from two sources. I fired it up drove up and down our dead-end street, explaining as we went. She got under the wheel and took to it real well. I think she only stalled the engine once. There was one pretty thrilling u-turn.

After rattling past his house for the fifth or sixth time I got a call from a neighbor. He said, "Hey, y'all are bringing down our property values with that old junk Ford." He's a great neighbor of many years, he just had to mess with us a little bit.

I was a great experience for both of us. I think she'll be doing some more T driving.

No photos today. The carnage I created today is not fit for this Forum.

I'm working on my '26 Touring. I have concluded my carcass no longer easily bends in ways it has to go. So, I removed the front seatback that requires a few dents from bushel baskets to be removed. Six nuts and bolts and six rivets set it free. While in there, I discovered the original left hand assembler wasn't as adept or careful as the right side guy. The hip panel brace fell out after removing one screw; the front never got attached. The rear seat frame wasn't completely attached to the rear hinge pillar. That's fixed now.

From time to time this Forum sees posts from people wanting to move the front seat back for more legroom. I continue to believe it's not easily possible. I do believe I will have an easier time painting the stuff in the backseat with the seatback removed.

Happy New Year.

My 26 Tudor turned 100 years old today.
Most likely.
The number ends up on todays date in 1925.
So just reflecting on all the places it’s been before it ended up here. All the people it came across.
I purchased a good used U joint and it showed up today to! So I installed it in the end of the transmission.
Happy production day! Hopefully will make another century.
Bryant

Cracked the block!
Went for a short jaunt through the neighborhood on one of the many 60-something degree days we’ve had this month. I’ve been starting and driving the car a little bit, every few weeks just to keep things moving. The engine is slated to come out this winter for a transmission overhaul and my radiator sprung a leak, so the car has been sitting with no coolant. Figuring I’d just dump it after going around the block, I filled it with the garden hose and hit the streets…
Cue the dramatic music…. Of course I forgot! On the one night, all month, that we had freezing temps and a light dusting. I realized it, literally as I opened my eyes, waking up in the morning. Later that day it went right on up to 45 in the sun and the water all drained out. Looking around, of course I saw the drip from the back corner of the water jacket. I was extremely upset with myself, tried out a few of those fancy words they use in the movies, and went off to the shop for work. Next morning everything was dried up so I got to removing the paint and examining the crack. I drilled a small hole, expecting to find a very thin casting and rust, but under the paint was already a repair to the crack! Some small holes had been drilled previously and some form of dark grey epoxy type filler (probably the popular one…) was packed into the crack and smoothed over. The crack seems to have expanded past the old holes a bit, but I sure felt a sense of relief knowing it was already there. Not that it makes up for it, but at least knowing some other genius left it to freeze in the past, gave me a weird sense of normalcy. Hard feeling to explain, but I figure a hundred year old engine will certainly have some tales to tell, and mine is just one out of many… Happy New Year model T lovers, and check your antifreeze p.h.! -Chris, in Boulder

The existing crack may have prevented much new damage. I'd re-do the repair, and fill it with water with a tea spoon of dish detergent in it, and run it a few miles, let it cool down, then make a few more runs. If no leak appears, fill it with 50/50 green antifreeze and clean water and drive on. Anti-freeze is not expensive, it lasts for years, and it will prevent serious issues from freezing, rust, and boilovers. A 50/50 mix may allow the engine to run slightly hotter under demanding conditions, but it will raise the boiling point of the coolant mixture, thus preventing any issues. The Ford engine, according to Ford Motor Company, runs best at about 200 to 205 F. Quality "green" antifreeze, used as directed enhances surface wetting and prevents steam bubbles from forming around exhaust ports. There is no good reason not to use it, and several very good reasons to use it.

Thanks Pat, you’re right, the old crack let the pressure out easy…
Again, I’m feeling a little low, but relieved it’s not worse- yet… I always run 50/50 when the car sees action, but literally planned a two mile trip for ten minutes. Heck the car even free started that day so freezing was the last thing I considered, haha! So far, and hopefully, the crack is relegated to the water jacket. Even though the crack is a common spot, I don’t think I want to re caulk it and drive, but if it hits 70 degrees this week again the temptation will certainly be there …
Plan was to pull it apart soon anyway, so once I have it out I’ll figure out a way to pressure test the block or maybe magnaflux it at the machine shop to see if there’s any internal cracks that would cause it to overheat and do more damage. Wish me luck!
- Chris

Driving it.

You are a brave sole Miles to be out in this weather.

We disabled our Lizzie for a front axle refresh. A good friend has the KW tooling to re-bush the king bolts and put threaded inserts in. New spring shackles and perch bushings will complete the overhaul. I expect to get her back together good time next month !

Humblej wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 31, 2025 4:57 pm

You are a brave sole Miles to be out in this weather.

Not as brave as it looks Jeff. Only a 1-mile drive to breakfast on plowed but unsalted taxiways and a gravel road.
I make that run every Saturday morning without active precipitation.

I’ve installed a new reproduction crank handle to replace my old one that had fallen apart. The engine wasn’t running well so I cleaned and lubricated the timer, I inspected the spark plugs then determined one of the coils was malfunctioning. I traded it out and now the car is running fine again. I also cleaned the sediment bowl valves and lubricated them with aircraft fuel valve lube and sealant to stop fuel seepage.

Blair, I am under the impression that the white sealant tape that appears on your potato is not gasoline resistant, and that you need to use the yellow with gasoline or oil. I may be mistaken. Noel

Walked past it looking longingly

Tore it apart.
Guess that's what happen when you get in a accident with a 103 year old T.

Nasty timer.... Clean it up, then try using Marvel Mystery Oil. Apply oil frequently as Ford recommended. One member suggested drilling a small hole in the lower part of the timer to allow oil and grunge to escape. That sounds like a good idea to me, since it would prevent an accumulation of gummy wear particles and fouled oil.