MTFCA Forum

I find that if I turn off the key with the engine revving a bit and the timing somewhat retarded, I get free starts more often. Also...I added this little remote fuel shutoff valve so I don't have to climb under the car. I removed the shutoff at the carb because it was so hard to turn and had a cons...

I know it's after-the-fact and you've removed it already but for those wanting another suggestion..... I heated my tie-rod end with a propane torch (not cherry red or anything....just put some heat into it) then dunked the whole end into a coffee can filled with a mixture of 50% acetone and 50% tran...

That looks like a blast. We don't get color like that here in Houston.

Neat........

If we have any part of us protruding from the car, the law can impose a fine. The only exception is when giving a recognised hand signal. I gather that is not the case there. Allan from down under. Wow....that's rough. I don't think I'd own old cars if I couldn't occasionally hang my arm out the do...

He's obviously taken over driving duties from Goofy after that unfortunate travel trailer incident.

...As for the "Deliver to Ford" printed on a floorboard? It is quite likely that many of the floorboards in many of the years were uniform of fit enough that the floorboards for a given run of bodies would be bundled for shipment alongside the bodies, and the top floorboard would be so labeled. Tha...

I was at the Conroe Swap Meet on Friday when the front blew in. There must’ve been some microbursts because the winds seemed to be well in excess of 50mph. It destroyed a bunch of the portable tents and sent sheet metal parts flying. I and several other guys had to use all our strength to hold down ...

Whether it's a lawnmower, Model T or muscle car....its gotta have F.A.S.T.: Fuel, Air (compression), Spark and Timing. Go through them one by one and the problem will present itself to you. Fuel: Starter fluid is a shortcut. Give it a huff, then try to start it. If it kicks off, you've found the iss...

Mopar_man wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 21, 2020 8:54 pm
Seems like I'm going to have to chuck up the shaft bolt in my drill press and sand it dow a bit to fit. Di you have to do that to yours?

No....mine fit, out of the box.

One of the neat things about T's is that they're so "horse-like" and have distinct personalities and preferences. My 24 Touring likes two or three revolutions of the engine with the ignition off and the choke pulled out. Then when I turn the ignition on and move the spark lever to a place where it c...

Thank you everyone, for the insightful and thoughtful advice.

It is exactly what I was looking for as I decided what to do.

That ball-bearing pulley is a good piece....been using one on my car since I got it running.

Congratulations Darel....I'm sure it's great to hear your old friend running again.

I have to admit that the disc brake discussion captivates me every time it comes up. I'm torn. I drive a Model T to purposefully NOT be in a modern car and I want to be forced to operate the machine as it was (wooden coils, antiquated brakes and headlights, etc). But, and it's a big but, I drive the...

That's a great story and great photos. Thanks for sharing.

And that big truck....wow. I spent many, many hours on the back of a duece and a half, but that was a modern one with pnuematic tires. I can imagine how rough the ride was on that beast with the solid rubber tires!

StanHowe wrote: ↑
Mon Oct 19, 2020 1:13 pm
.....But then I'm not the absolute expert authority like some people.

...... Thank you for turning this traumatic time into a teaching point for us old timers and newbys alike... yes....well said. It can't be easy to post on here saying 'look at the not-so-cool thing I did', but it is very instructive, especially to those of us who've not been at this Model T driving...

Although I have no hard proof of it, several factors point strongly to my 24 Touring being used during WW2 on a west Texas cotton farm.

So glad yall are ok. The fact that the car is essentially ok is a bonus.

I was considering a Warford, but this introduces some serious doubt about doing so.

As my T build nears completion, I'm already thinking of ways to improve it in a few years. I'm thinking about adding a Ruckstell. However, I live in a place with few hills of any consequence. So....my question, other than hills and an ultra-low gear for parades, what are the reasons for having a Ruc...

I pulled and reinstalled engines from my 24 Touring without removing the firewall or loosening the steering column. You have to sort of twist the engine while it's coming out (and in) so that the pedals go around the steering column. I did it by myself and it was do-able but difficult....but it woul...

Very cool.

I'll be following along.

Welcome! I was new to T's four years ago at this time. All of the above info is great. I'll add this....I've come to discover that, once the car has been properly revived and is running, my "job" is to be a constant observer and adjuster of lubrication on my T. Many of the issues I've seen with othe...

I doubt that there will be one. Getting the information would take the cooperation of many governments, organizations, companies, etc., and would be a huge task. True. I run the 54 Ford Club with roughly 600 cars registered. It's a task that is right on the edge of what I can handle. I can only ima...

Dallas Landers wrote: ↑
Thu Oct 08, 2020 7:47 pm
Thank Don! Now I want a touring !

What’s one more?!!!

They’re small, and you’ve got the room!

Nearing completion. Just need the top and a little more interior work.

Rich Eagle wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 07, 2020 2:22 pm
We should all be so lucky Don. Patina is hard to come by sometimes.
Rich

Dave was very kind, and probably let these go for less than he could've gotten elsewhere. They have some gorgeous old repairs and general patina that only come with time and cannot be duplicated.

After trying several times to repair a bad set, I gave up and spent a decent amount for a set that Dave Hanson's dad put away many decades ago.

They have some minor (but very nicely done) repairs that look to be more than 50 years old and have a gorgeous patina that matches my car perfectly.

Back when Pate was out in the country, I'd sleep in my Toyota pickup bed in the big field parking lot across the highway. There were other people in proper campers and I'd find a place to put my Toyota in amongst them...and let them know I was there. Foam mat like Steve and a blanket/pillow and I wa...

Ignacio....there's a guy who sometimes comes to the Niftee 50's car meets in The Woodlands who's a pinstriper. I've even seen him pinstriping cars right there during the meet if the weather's right.

Congrats George!

I'm no electrical wizard by any stretch of the imagination, but a multimeter is a super handy thing to have around. I watched a few youtube videos on how to fully take advantage of the basic functions of a multimeter and learned quite a bit.

When I first bought mine:

Forsaken
Old
Rusty
Derelict

Now:

Favorite
Old
Rusty
Driver

Really coming along Don! I notice that you have the same crummy canvas front seat cover like mine has. What is the timeline for completion? Success with the new stoplight switch, etc. Thanks Ignacio! I was pushing things hard to make the Texas T Party. Its cancellation allowed me to take a breath. ...

Success with the new stoplight switch, etc.

If you don't have a multimeter, go get a cheap one at Home Depot/Lowe's/etc. Set it for continuity. That basically tells you if electric current can run between where one of the leads is touching and where the other lead is touching. Most of the multimeters will give you a little electric musical no...

A guy in my car club painted an entire 54 Ford with Rustoleum Appliance paint....wet sanding between coats. It turned out so nice that people thought he was lying about it. Several years ago, HotRod Magazine did a series of articles about painting cars this way. Professional auto painters will scoff...

Check continuity between the headlight bucket and somewhere else on the car where there should be a good ground....like the frame, etc.

No continuity, no ground....no workie.

Nice sentiments. I too consider myself fortunate that my T is spending part of its journey with me

Not only does Birdhaven have great products but they also take the time to do the little things...like throwing in a pack of Tootsie Rolls.

Gotta love it.

I was bidding on it.

A bit too rich for my current situation. The CINC vetoed anything over $3500.

I hope it went to someone who will treat it with respect.

A friend is about to give me the running gear and both axles (no frame) out of his 31 Model A pickup.

This is kind of what I had in mind.

Brake/Tail light is all hooked up. I gave the homemade/repurposed bracket my highly secret patina treatment so it matches the rest of the car. I’m just waiting for my stop light switch from Fun Projects, then I’ll have a brake light. This will be one of the few concessions to modernity that I’ll be ...

I second Dan's comment, Lang's has been at Chickasha as long as I remember. Wish we could make Luray this year. Glad to see Lang's going. I've seen Mr. Lang at Chickasha, true....but they don't typically have a Lang's booth. That's what I was referring to. Don't get me wrong, I totally respect the ...

Mopar_man wrote: ↑
Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:23 pm
I always enjoy finding the Ford script on everything.

I do too. It's like finding an Easter egg.

For what it's worth.... My job takes me into petroleum refinery labs quite often, several of which have their own water purifiers. For ASTM testing purposes, they need water that is purer than the distilled water sold in stores. The purity of this ASTM water is mearured in conductivity....less suspe...

Good to hear.

I know it's a long drive, but yall should do Chickasha in 2021.

I love it Chad.

A friend of mine is about to give me all the running gear out of his 31 Model A pickup and I'm looking for general ideas for a period gow job. Yours is giving me some great ideas.

So many things....here's a partial list in no particular order: - The spindly, gangly looks - What they mean to the nation's history - The fact that they're a chick magnet (seriously....none of my other old cars draw pretty girls like this T does...not even close) - The fact that they were the botto...

drop it in some muriatic acid for an hour or so...that'll typically strip of plating.

I almost always get a space at every swap meet I go to. This not only allows me to sell some of my own stuff, but it also gives me a "home base" of sorts in the midst of the swap meet that I can return to and sit for a while and get some fluids in me. Walking an entire swap meet in one bite takes th...

How cool is that!

Looks like a great time.

My angel quit a while back, citing exhaustion. The new guy has already put in for a transfer.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Mark.

When I'm bored (not often....I have three kids), I'll keep a scammer on the line and have my kids run around and make barnyard noises or make noises like one of them is being tortured. Or I'll scream something absurd, like "Billy....I swear, if you don't quit dressing that goat up in women's underwe...

I'd be afraid to run straight water if I lived anywhere north of Brownsville, TX because I'd be afraid that I'd forget to drain it in the winter and a freeze would sneak up on me.

Which system, a Model T with out a water pump or one with a water pump, will needed to be flushed more often? Which system will keep the scale in motion better? It doesn't matter. Use distilled water 50/50 with antifreeze to prevent scale and rust, and flush biennially . Ding, ding, ding....correct...

My T, equipped with a new Berg’s radiator, has been driven regularly in 100 degree + Texas heat with no hint of overheating...not even when sitting still at traffic lights.

No water pump needed.

A water pump is a treatment for symptoms of problems that need to be treated.

Soooo cool.

I think both are magnificent.

After using a cheap fiberglass garage door for 43 years it"s time for better!! I can"t crank anymore so with about a 5' tow the 14 started and ran very well when i moved it to the barn.Once in the barn it gave a free start then on to the Model A with it"s self commencer!! Bud. :D Those new fangled ...

Or just bring it to Houston.

It'll be steamed in about ten minutes.

Always great to see another T being returned to the road.

Nice work.

My additions to the lists above:

- Too much lubrication is far superior to too little (an oily T is a happy T).
- A top-notch radiator is worth every penny.
- Size 12 flip-flops are too wide for Model T pedals.
- Assume other drivers will do unspeakably stupid things.

ModelTWoods wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:39 am
I don't need to start collecting Chevy parts at my age.

wow....hate to see a T banged up like that, but glad yall are ok. One way to look at it is....if these cars were all sitting in musuems and never getting used, they'd never be in wrecks. And that would be more tragic than one occassionally having a crack-up If the passengers come out unharmed and th...

That’s cool Ignacio, and what a nice thing for her to do.

Same thing here. Getting materials is a huge problem now. Treated lumber is almost impossible to get. I need 3 sq of white vinyl siding for a repair job. I called my supplier and was told 3 weeks at least. White double four vinyl is the most common and everyone stocks it normally. The trailer facto...

That’s great Hank.

Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree

Sam, I’m putting together a 24 Touring that I’m making look like it was a complete car put away during WW2. My starting point was an incredibly well-preserved original paint body, with a thoroughly exhausted drive train. But nearly everything else was gone. So my car is a re-creation. I believe it’s...

Sam...if you're not going to buy this, please let me know.

I have a trailer ready to head to MO....I'm totally serious.

Oh wow....that is just stunning. The signage, the bodywork, the turn signals....everything.

I love it and would consider it a dream to slowly go through the old girl and return her to service. I'd handle that like an archaeologist and just revel in every second of it.

Wow.

It's not pirating, stealing or illegal- the image is in the public domain and free for anyone to use. Semantics The cans on Steve’s car are not the ones being sold. There may be actual photos attached to the add but he’s leading with something that’s not real and makes no attempt to say that the ph...

I'm always amazed at the boldness a random person will have when selling something online and totally pirating someone else's image.

I'd be all over it. Rebuild the mechanicals as needed and leave the body alone as much as possible. Glorious old interior fabrics, while beautiful, typically don't last very long once they start seeing regular use. As for the metal, I've used some stuff called Penetrol to preserve and bring out old ...

I’ve been out to Ross’ shop several times and he’s always been busy. I’ve always thought that was a great thing. He’s right there near Texas A&M and always has a few college students working for him. I’ve been in the old car hobby for a long time but only four years with Model T’s and there’s an ene...

I love how T’s are so much like horses. It makes me smile.

My guess is that you’re switching the ignition off with the engine at a high rpm. I can make my car give a free start most of the time by doing that. If I idle it down before switching it off, it hardly ever free starts. I suppose it has to do with how much un-burned fuel vapor there is in the cylin...

Nicely done. Thanks for the updates.

That’s a great looking runabout Terry. I love period political sign...how cool.

There it is on the spare tire carrier arm. Tiny...but there it is...gotta love it. For some reason it makes me smile every time I find one hidden like an Easter egg.

.

Here’s my version of a tail light bracket that’s in keeping with what a pre-1945 farmer on a very tight budget might’ve cobbled together from his Model T parts pile out behind the barn. I have two of the spare carriers that mount on the rear crossmember, both of which are beat up and heavily repaire...

Thanks for all the superb tips. The bracket that mounts under the rear of the body gave me an idea... I have two of the spare carriers that mount on the rest crossmember, both of which are beat up and heavily repaired. So I cut one of the arms off of one of them and made a taillight bracket. It moun...

Found a different solution...thanks to all who responded.

I only used a fraction of the gallon of graphite slip paint that I bought.

Anyone in the Houston area who’d like to get get some for free, please message me.

I've had it happen to me more than once.

I've learned to politely ask them about the parts/changes right then and there. Sometimes it means the death of the deal, and so be it.

No worries. Thanks for checking. I think I’m gonna go with one of these instead.

I’m having trouble visualizing where the bracket (in the.photo below) goes, and what the long skinny part of the bracket is for.

Thanks John and Steve.

I’m interested in learning more about both of your ideas. Do you have any photos?

Allan wrote: ↑
Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:10 pm
Strange as it may seem Don, I have just what you want, complete with a nice even coat of light surface rust. Let me know if you cannot find one locally.
Allan from down under.

Thanks Allan. I’ll let you know

Henry K. Lee wrote: ↑
Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:54 pm
Don I will look tomorrow, just been busy on Rick Rice's TT.

Hank

Thanks Hank.

My goodness....for the love of all that is good and holy....send it to Houston.

I'm pretty sure God has been trying to kill us lately with the heat, hurricane and covid.

Looking for a 26-27 tail light fender bracket (driver's side) that is showing nice wear/patina.

Call/Text at Two81-Seven87-8418 or email allenchemistry@gmail.com

Since I know you're not a "purist", mounting the stop/ tail/ license plate holder to the left rear fender using the same stand as the 26-27 tourings and other body styles used, ought to work fine. Yes and no on the "purist" thing. I'm being "pure" about limiting any mods to this car to those that w...

I'll be honest....I've never liked the looks of the spare carrier that came on black era Touring cars. It hangs low, at a weird angle. It looks like an afterthought by Ford. And that spare rim with a tire and tube installed is heavy. Add that weight to the weight of the carrier and you've got a whol...

I bought the resin kit and it made a big difference. My original box was pretty rotten as well.

I just wire brushed the contact areas with a little Dremel tool wire wheel and left the rest alone.

I painted mine with graphite slip paint and haven't had any of it leaking at all.

Yikes. What a mess.

I think Lang’s has some of those fan shaft bolts available in NOS. At least that’s what I remember from ordering mine a few years ago.

That’s the plan.

At the rate I’m driving it, it’ll be quite a long time before that kind of mileage is on it.

Thanks Jerry. I baby this car (too much probably). Oil is checked every time I drive it and is changed regularly and I don’t over rev or over tax the engine. So I’m hoping I get some long life out of it.

Thanks Norm. I do have some Timesaver so that'll come in handy when the time comes.

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