What will a Model T run on?

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Todd Touchberry
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2023 2:20 pm
First Name: Todd
Last Name: Touchberry
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1919. And 1920
Location: Sumter SC

What will a Model T run on?

Post by Todd Touchberry » Tue Oct 28, 2025 1:52 pm

Todd Touchberry


Daisy Mae
Posts: 404
Joined: Mon May 06, 2024 9:32 pm
First Name: Kurt
Last Name: Andersson
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring
Location: Panama City Beach, FL

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by Daisy Mae » Tue Oct 28, 2025 3:32 pm

Reminds me of a story from my youth. My bro's & I welded up and sold mini-bike frames as kids, so our garage was full of various contraptions, all of which constantly depleted my dad's gas can, much to his consternation.
We paid regular visits to the local auto salvage yards snooping around collecting things. Opened a car trunk once and found a HUGE display bottle of Aramis cologne...like a gallon of the stuff!! We'd heard the stories about antique engines burning anything, so, no gas in Dad's gas can meant in the Aramis went! Who'd a thunk? The mini-bikes ran OK on the stuff!!

The only issue was, a few passes up & down the street and the entire neighborhood smelled like a New Orleans Bordello!! Lord our neighbors just loved us.
Call me anything you want...just so long as it isn't "late for dinner"


Topic author
Todd Touchberry
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2023 2:20 pm
First Name: Todd
Last Name: Touchberry
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1919. And 1920
Location: Sumter SC

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by Todd Touchberry » Tue Oct 28, 2025 7:24 pm

VERY COOL STORY
Daisy Mae wrote:
Tue Oct 28, 2025 3:32 pm
Reminds me of a story from my youth. My bro's & I welded up and sold mini-bike frames as kids, so our garage was full of various contraptions, all of which constantly depleted my dad's gas can, much to his consternation.
We paid regular visits to the local auto salvage yards snooping around collecting things. Opened a car trunk once and found a HUGE display bottle of Aramis cologne...like a gallon of the stuff!! We'd heard the stories about antique engines burning anything, so, no gas in Dad's gas can meant in the Aramis went! Who'd a thunk? The mini-bikes ran OK on the stuff!!

The only issue was, a few passes up & down the street and the entire neighborhood smelled like a New Orleans Bordello!! Lord our neighbors just loved us.
Todd Touchberry


Topic author
Todd Touchberry
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2023 2:20 pm
First Name: Todd
Last Name: Touchberry
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1919. And 1920
Location: Sumter SC

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by Todd Touchberry » Fri Oct 31, 2025 8:28 am

I got in so much trouble on a mini bike one time!
Daisy Mae wrote:
Tue Oct 28, 2025 3:32 pm
Reminds me of a story from my youth. My bro's & I welded up and sold mini-bike frames as kids, so our garage was full of various contraptions, all of which constantly depleted my dad's gas can, much to his consternation.
We paid regular visits to the local auto salvage yards snooping around collecting things. Opened a car trunk once and found a HUGE display bottle of Aramis cologne...like a gallon of the stuff!! We'd heard the stories about antique engines burning anything, so, no gas in Dad's gas can meant in the Aramis went! Who'd a thunk? The mini-bikes ran OK on the stuff!!

The only issue was, a few passes up & down the street and the entire neighborhood smelled like a New Orleans Bordello!! Lord our neighbors just loved us.
Todd Touchberry


Daisy Mae
Posts: 404
Joined: Mon May 06, 2024 9:32 pm
First Name: Kurt
Last Name: Andersson
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring
Location: Panama City Beach, FL

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by Daisy Mae » Fri Oct 31, 2025 10:08 am

You didn't happen to live in CA in the 70's did ya? LOL
Call me anything you want...just so long as it isn't "late for dinner"


TXGOAT2
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Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:08 pm
First Name: Pat
Last Name: McNallen
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926-7 roadster
Location: Graham, Texas
Board Member Since: 2021

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by TXGOAT2 » Sat Nov 01, 2025 2:10 pm

Once warmed up, a Model T will run on about any volatile flammable liquid or flammable vapor. I was able to get a John Deere Model E 1 1/2 horse power stationary engine to run on rubbing alcohol, which is 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. A Model T would run reasonably well on Everclear or other high proof liquor, as long as it didn't contain sugar.


Altair
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring and 1915 Touring both Canadian models
Location: British Columbia
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Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by Altair » Sun Nov 02, 2025 10:22 pm

They use to run them on kerosene after they were warmed up. Kerosene was cheap in the day but way more than gasoline to day.


TXGOAT2
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First Name: Pat
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Board Member Since: 2021

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by TXGOAT2 » Mon Nov 03, 2025 8:58 am

When I was a kid, a few old gas stations kept a drum of kerosene on hand. It sold for about 9 cents a gallon.


jab35
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Location: Dryden, NY 13053
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Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by jab35 » Mon Nov 03, 2025 10:56 am

My father talked about his father (my grandpop) using kerosene as engine coolant during winter in central Wisconsin. Pop said 'it smelled a little and was kinda hard on the hoses'. jb

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dykker5502
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:01 pm
First Name: Michael
Last Name: Deichmann
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1921 Roadster P/U, 1922 Fordor (danish custom body)
Location: Rågeleje, Denmark
Board Member Since: 2007

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by dykker5502 » Tue Nov 04, 2025 8:29 am

In Sweden you can get E85 gasolin (85% ethanol) and I've tried to run one of my T's on it. Ran perfectly - maybe to the richer side which is expected. It could even coldstart the next morning.
Last edited by dykker5502 on Tue Nov 04, 2025 11:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ford Model T 1914 Touring
Ford Model T 1921 Roadster Pick-up
Ford Model T 1922 Fordor (danish build body)
ECCT, Strobospark, HCCT(Sold), Rebuilding coils


TXGOAT2
Posts: 7974
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:08 pm
First Name: Pat
Last Name: McNallen
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926-7 roadster
Location: Graham, Texas
Board Member Since: 2021

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by TXGOAT2 » Tue Nov 04, 2025 9:30 am

I would not store a car with E 85 in the gas tank, especially in a humid environment. The car can be run on it, but power and fuel mileage will be reduced. If E85 is cheap enough, it might be economical to run the car on it, if you drive the car often and you are willing to do what is necessary to prevent problems with moisture absorption and decay. E85 does best in a high compression engine with intake air heat. While it can be used in a Model T, E 85 is not well-suited for vehicles with atmospheric vented fuel tanks and carburetors, since atmospheric moisture can pollute the E85 blend, and essential blend components can be lost to evaporation, both of which will hasten decay of the E85. If you do use E 85, use all of it as soon as practical, and switch to E 15 or straight gasoline in the car if it is to be stored for more than a couple of weeks.
If I wanted to run E 85 in a Model T, I'd want a high compression head and an intake air heat pipe, and I'd want the engine to run around 200F. A distributor and a hot coil that would allow plug gaps around .035" would probably be helpful, too

User avatar

dykker5502
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:01 pm
First Name: Michael
Last Name: Deichmann
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1921 Roadster P/U, 1922 Fordor (danish custom body)
Location: Rågeleje, Denmark
Board Member Since: 2007

Re: What will a Model T run on?

Post by dykker5502 » Tue Nov 04, 2025 11:05 am

Now the topic was about driving a T on alternative fuels. I agree about the storage if it for example over winter have various temperatures. That evem goes for E10 or even E5.
But storage was not the topic here.
Ford Model T 1914 Touring
Ford Model T 1921 Roadster Pick-up
Ford Model T 1922 Fordor (danish build body)
ECCT, Strobospark, HCCT(Sold), Rebuilding coils

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