MTFCA Forum

Erik Johnson

I would try NAPA, O'Reilly and Advance Auto Parts websites. You should be able to order it online and have it delivered free to your nearest store if they already don't have it in stock. According to O'Reilly's website, I can order a 1 lb. can tonight and pick it up after 3:00 pm tomorrow at the sto...

Erik Johnson

That's a Carter carburetor cabinet in case you are not aware. That's why carburetor is misspelled as "carbureter" and the "CAR" and "TER" are large prominent while "BURE" is smaller. I have seen a number of Carter carburetor cabinets over the years at estate sales. However, it has always been the ca...

Erik Johnson

Dave - the photo of my dad's touring that I posted shows what I call a "wind-breaker" on the first bow of the top. I don't know what Ford Motor Company called it if they called it anything at all. Click on the photo to enlarge. Tim Juhl's photo shows what looks like a loose, rectangular vertical fla...

Erik Johnson

In my opinion, you would be better off removing the rain-flap installing a "wind-breaker." 1917 Fords had neither but, later, two-man tops did eventually have a wind-breaker starting around 1920. Here is an example of a wind-breaker on my dad's 1917. He made and installed the top himself in 1951 usi...

Erik Johnson

In my opinion, putting a straight edge on the hub and measuring the distance from the rim to the straight edge is meaningless. To see if the wheel is true: - remove the tire - bolt the wheel onto the axle - put some sort of reference on the floor near the outboard side of the rim such as a block of ...

Erik Johnson

1917 roadsters and tourings have round top sockets. After the wood bow is inserted into the socket, there is a single nail that goes through the socket and into the wood bow. I have posted photos in this thread: https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11380&p=85110&hilit=roadster+nail#p8511...

Erik Johnson

In my opinion the moniker "Rip Van Winkle" should be reserved solely for the 1917 Rip Van Winkle touring. That car was purchased new in 1917 by Oscar Peterson of Center City, Minnesota and driven 5.9 miles from the dealer to Mr. Peterson's homestead and parked in a garage where it sat unused, on jac...

Erik Johnson

Slight drift but still appropriate for the topic at hand, considering the discussion that has already transpired above. A while back, someone was selling a wicker Hawkeye Refrigerator Picnic Basket on Minneapolis Craigslist. In the listing, along with photos of the actual basket being sold, the sell...

Erik Johnson

Thank you for all of the replies. Here is a photo of the set screw that is available from Langs. I'll have to see if my dad has any NOS or used in his parts stash. PS: I also realize my mistake in measuring the diameters of the holes. Instead of using drill bits, I should have used my thread gauge a...

Erik Johnson

I recently acquired this 5Z314 clutch drum puller at an estate sale of an elderly Model T enthusiast. Can anyone tell me or post photos of the correct bolts for the puller? It came with two 3/8" bolts and corresponding castle nuts as shown in the photos. However, these bolts are too small for the th...

Erik Johnson

Let your motor idle down before turning off the ignition.

Erik Johnson

According to Motor World volume 31, page 31 (1912):

"The Smith Hardware Co., Pine City, Minn., has entered the automobile selling field; it has secured a Ford Agency."

Erik Johnson

That body style is called a cloverleaf or cloverleaf roadster.

The front passenger and driver seat are separate (space between) so you can access the back seat.

Erik Johnson

What you have pictured is a 1915 touring tail lamp bracket. It's missing the license plate holder/bracket. The license plate holder bolts onto it via a threaded prong that goes through the hole and it is held in place with a castle nut. The 1916 touring bracket is also a two-piece bracket except the...

Erik Johnson

Correct me if I'm wrong. A while back didn't the vendors also carry a Gates brand three piece radiator hose set in black?

I remember a friend of mine installing them on his 1912 touring (however, that was 25 years ago).

Erik Johnson

Dayton Rubber Mfg. Co. (embossed on the tool in the second photo) manufactured tires. I found some references to and ads for airless tires. I have found that searching period trade journals via Google Books is a good source. Sometimes I set date parameters - January 1, 1900 to December 31, 1930. I w...

Erik Johnson

My father's '17 touring and my '17 roadster both have their original front mats, which is the tapered mat that was introduced (I believe) in the 1915 model year. I picked up another original mat, same as above. My main reason for the original post is I am trying to determine if the above mats are co...

Erik Johnson

Any takers?

Erik Johnson

Does anybody know when the long "notch" on the front rubber floor mat first appeared? Did it coincide with the "pie plate" firewall shield that was introduced sometime in the 1919 Model year? Are the 1919-22 floor mats the same as the 1923-25? In other words, is the following correct? - 1915-1919 = ...

Erik Johnson

Your seat cushion and seat back upholstery are not factory original. For one thing, the configuration of the of the seat cushion upholstery is incorrect. The pleats never went down the front like that. The exposed stitching on the armrest is another clue. Also, the grain of the material is too prono...

Erik Johnson

I have higher resolution versions of the photos (I also cropped the second photo).

In my opinion, it's rust.

Erik Johnson

Here are the original hoses from the 1917 "Rip Van Winkle" Ford touring. This car has a June 1917 motor serial number and was most likely assembled at the Minneapolis plant. Click on the first photo to enlarge. Click on it a second time to make even larger. Note that the inner and outer layers of ru...

Erik Johnson

Asked my dad about the three red rubber hoses on his 1910 IHC roadster. (I should also ask him if any of the original was on the car when he bought it 70 years ago and if he kept any samples of it.) He said back in the 1950s and 1960s, antique auto restorers used red rubber beer line air hose and th...

Erik Johnson

The photo was discussed in the past on the forum: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/822076/895984.html?1536492537 Worth mentioning: just because a photo of what appears to be the same car and gentleman is in the possession of the Minnesota Historical Society does not necessarily mean that the MNH...

Erik Johnson

The original photo is in the collection of the Minnesota Historical Society and identified as, "Ed Killmer in Automobile. Osseo." Osseo is about ten miles northwest of Minneapolis. http://collections.mnhs.org/cms/display.php?irn=10789193&return=brand=cms Large view with zoom-in capabilities: http://...

Erik Johnson

1915 or 1916 Ford roadster tail lamp bracket. It's missing the license plate bracket.

Erik Johnson

Here is an original key strap. Ignore the arrows - I used this photo in a prior thread a few years ago. If I pushed the key all the way into the hole, the strap wouldn't sag as shown in the photo and it would lay flat against the socket. There isn't any slack to speak of, although the strap could ha...

Erik Johnson

Those leather straps are ridiculously and unnecessarily too long.

Cut them so they are just long enough with with little or no slack, keeping in mind the leather should project 1/4" past the screw hole as described by R.V. Anderson.

Erik Johnson

The notch for in cowl for the radiator rod first appeared in the 1917 model year. There were town cars produced in the 1917, 1918 and 1919 model years (only 17 for 1919). The radiator rod was higher up on the firewall in 1917 than it was during the brass radiator years due to the higher radiator. Th...

Erik Johnson

The late Louis Seekon of Minneapolis, MN had a 1924 touring that he dolled-up with a number of accessories including a radiator stone guard. He was a talented fellow. Instead of being a period accessory, he may have fabricated the stone guard himself in the 1950s using off the shelf materials. The m...

Erik Johnson

Reminds me of an old joke. Sven decided he wanted to get in the used car business. He parked two completely rusted-out 1985 Lincoln Town Cars on a vacant lot, painted "$50,000" on both windshields and then sat in a lawn chair next to the cars. A couple hours later, Ole walks by and says, "Sven, dere...

Erik Johnson

You can make your own shims from a tin can or piece of sheet metal, etc.

Do not use aluminum pop or beer cans or brass.

Erik Johnson

Also - here is my unrestored 1917 roadster.

It would be very easy for me to make it look like a 1916 roadster by installing a 1915-16 hood former and swapping out the hood, radiator, fenders and splash guards.

Erik Johnson

In order to install a 1915 or 1916 hood former on a 1917-22 Ford, I believe you have to swap out the stamped steel firewall brackets and install the ones that you posted (however, I may be wrong so others please chime in). If you really want your car scrutinized, supply better lit, larger file size ...

Erik Johnson

Did you locate the body number as I suggested in one of my earlier posts? That number includes the month and year.

Erik Johnson

Note that the windshield is screwed to the cowl-to-windshield/sidelight brackets - not riveted. That's the reason I posted that it was a 1917 or later windshield. I overlooked the hinges not being offset. 1915, 1916 and very early 1917 still the riveted windshield. Click on this link to see the rive...

Erik Johnson

This will be the fourth paint job for Darel's touring: - original factory paint job - 1930s yellow paint job (see photos below) - late 1940s black paint job - 2020 paint job About five years ago, I found a photograph of Darel Leipold's 1910 touring taken in 1937, taken long before he purchased the c...

Erik Johnson

Later car dolled up to look like a 1915 or 1916. I'll bet it started life as a 1917 Ford. Splash shields are 1917. Windshield is 1917 and later. It looks like there is a notch in the cowl above the coil box lid. If there is, that indicates a 1917 or later body. On the passenger side floor riser, loo...

Erik Johnson

Here is a thread on a round radiator 1908 Lambert under restoration that includes very nice period photo of a round radiator Model M Lambert. http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/822076/881787.html?1544090925 The bottoms of the radiators where the crank protrudes are slightly different than the wrec...

Erik Johnson

If it is friction drive, it could be a Lambert.

There are so few photos of round radiator Lamberts online it's hard to make a comparison.

A couple rotated photos to make online comparisons easier - upside right and upside down.

Erik Johnson

The turned over car is not a Franklin.

Although it is barrel nose, it is not air cooled - it has a radiator and is water cooled.

I thought it might be a National but I have ruled that out.

I don't think it is a Lambert.

Erik Johnson

Google the club website with the term "5 millionth".

The car in question has be discussed at length a few times in the past starting back in 2007 when it was listed on eBay.

It reminds me of the 1934 Ford Bonnie and Clyde death car - all seven of them.........

Erik Johnson

Allan: If the fabric is drill (actually woven on the bias), you can cut strip as long as the the bolt or roll of fabric is. The width of the bolt or roll is irrelevant (the width of a typical bolt of fabric is 45 inches wide or 60 inches wide). For example, if the roll of drill is 100 yards long, yo...

Erik Johnson

I understand that the hypotenuse measurement that I provided is only the length of the line from corner to corner of a 60" x 60" square. As you indicated in you post, any parallel lines to the or left of that line are shorter. However, nobody installing a Model T top should have to purchase a 60" x ...

Erik Johnson

My father has owned his 1910 IHC Model F roadster for 69 years.

Leroy is an acquaintance of my father.

Erik Johnson

Larry: You don't have to buy a whole roll of Turf top material to obtain leatherette cut on the bias in order to cover the front bow in one single piece. When we were at Classtique's shop, we were told that is not possible to get a long enough piece cut on the bias because the roll of Turf grain top...

Erik Johnson

From the factory, on a two-man top, the leatherette on the front bow is a single piece. I'll take some photos and post when I'm back home and have some time. I believe your problem is the material used is too heavy/thick. Classtique supplies one long and two shorts (one for each curve) because, I be...

Erik Johnson

RE: "A" and "B" on Minnesota plates. "A" plate is for a passenger car weighing less than one ton. "B" plate is for passenger car weighing one ton and over. The A and B plates were introduced in 1921 - the first year cars were taxed based on weight. Eventually, Minnesota got smart and dropped the "B"...

Erik Johnson

Larry:

That's a photo of the eyelet from the original top boot from my dad's 1917 touring.

The black or gray woven material seen though the eyelet is the strap.

I posted the photo in this thread:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/11 ... 1284826007

Erik Johnson

I maintain that the original leatherette on the first bow is not the same thickness as the leatherette top material. It is thinner than the top material and comparable to the thin leatherette currently available that is used to cover the door panels. I have two sets of bows with the original leather...

Erik Johnson

On a 1917 Ford, the leatherette covering on the front bow goes all the way to and slightly covers the metal socket. The leatherette is supposed to be cut on the bias (so the weave and warp are at a 45 degree angle) so it can be wrapped around the bow without puckering when it rounds the corners. Sam...

Erik Johnson

The purpose of seat belts is to avoid what is called the "secondary collision" of the occupants inside or outside of the vehicle. That is, upon the vehicle's impact, the occupants inside the vehicle remain in motion until they themselves hit another object - inside the automobile or if they are ejec...

Erik Johnson

Square felloe wheels are not correct for 1915.

Erik Johnson

Daniel:

I sent you an email.

Erik

Erik Johnson

Still for sale - will bring to Bob Peterson's swap meet in Kenyon, MN this Saturday, June 27.

Erik Johnson

Still for sale - will bring to Bob Peterson's swap meet in Kenyon, MN this Saturday, June 27.

Erik Johnson

Got it, thanks.

Erik Johnson

Complete and ready-to-install brass Rands windshield with laminated safety glass and hard-to-find Rands adjustable rods. Price is $850.00 All the brass was professionally buffed/polished at a local plating shop. Upper panel measures 41" x 10 3/4" Lower panel measures 41" x 12" I plan on bringing thi...

Erik Johnson

Vanguard brass upper windshield frame including parting strip and four hinge screws. Price is $65.00. There is one stress crack in the frame as shown in the photos. This does not effect the function of the frame and can probably be easily filled-in or repaired with silver solder. Frame measures 41 5...

Erik Johnson

The car is a 1923 Model T Ford touring or roadster.

The date the photo was actually taken would be harder to pinpoint. However, if you know the state where it was taken, even a partial view of the license plate as shown in the photo can help determine the year the photo was taken.

Erik Johnson

Here is a 1932-35 Ford truck badge.

Note the copper/brass where the cloisonne is missing.

Erik Johnson

It's a Model A badge.

It's spent a long time in the ground.

The blue cloisonne (porcelain) is gone.

They were nickel or chrome plated over copper or brass. You can see evidence of this on my example where the porcelain is chipped.

The solder on the back is for the stud.

Erik Johnson

The first photo you posted is my 1917 roadster.

In 1917 the metal cap did not have a gutter and is not correct for 1923.

Don't know what year the gutter was added to the cap but I'm sure your '23 should have a gutter. You'd have to do some research.

Erik Johnson

I don't use the forum's key word search. I didn't use the previous forum platform key word search either. I simply use google as I explained in my prior post. If you click on the links I previously posted showing the results of a google search of "Harold Lloyd" on mtfca.com there are plenty of pre-2...

Erik Johnson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKykk-AegMw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTE5NrLwhSM

Here's a 1923 but the valvetrain has a sheet metal cover:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBSzL--o92w

Erik Johnson

I never use the forum's search function. You can easily search pre-2019 forums via google. For example, to search for Harold Lloyd, put the following in your search bar: site:mtfca.com "harold lloyd" Click on this link to see the results: https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Amtfca.com+%22harold+ll...

Erik Johnson

Not RHD.

Here's the clue: horns

Erik Johnson · Re: Panrail surprise Looks like 11-3-68 to me.

Looks like 11-3-68 to me.

Erik Johnson

Here's the driver's side of my '17 roadster.

The binding for the armrest continues past the upholstery, all the way down to the bottom of the panel. In other words, it is one continuous piece of binding the covers both the armrest and rearward end of the panel. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Erik Johnson

The panel forward of the passenger door has trim/binding around the entire perimeter, no different than the door. The driver's side panel also has the same trim as above around it's entire perimeter. If you want to do it the same as the factory, the trim immediately forward of the seat riser is just...

Erik Johnson

Further to the left, there is also a large dimple in the body and a large dent in the trunk where it meets the back of the body.

Erik Johnson

To quote my late neighbor, who started working on Model Ts in 1925 and then graduated to Ford V8s:

"Model T Fords are self-healing."

Erik Johnson

There should have been no need to cut anything. If that firewall is original to the car, if you strip the paint you may find the correct locations. First photo is of Paul Iverson's unrestored 1916 touring. It is a very good example of a complete and unrestored car. Note that it has the "round" light...

Erik Johnson

That ring is the retainer for the pin. The timer currently on your car should also have a retainer.

Install in the following order on the camshaft:

- brush
- pin
- retainer
- nut

Erik Johnson

I believe the hole size is the same regardless if it is the round switch or the switch with the rectangle plate. As someone mentioned earlier, the body of both switches are round and are probably the same diameter. Note the drawing that I posted above only shows the hole for the switch body, but doe...

Erik Johnson

The pinion gear skipping over the ring gear in the differential due to worn or disintegrated thrust bearings will cause a banging noise. The sound travels along the driveshaft so it can sound like the problem is occurring directly under the front floorboards even though it originates in the rear end.

Erik Johnson

I posted a factory drawing for a 1917 firewall. The location for the light switch for 1915 should be the same. See this thread - the hole is 15/16": http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/708324/723219.html?1486501958 Not an expert, but I believe there were two different styles of light switches in 19...

Erik Johnson

Mike at Classtique will sell you material by the yard as well as other supplies. https://www.classtiqueupholstery.com/ Bill Hirsch also sells upholstery material - don't know if he carries anything that is correct for Model T sedans or coupes but you can do the research. Hirsch is also a good source...

Erik Johnson

Terminology - upholstery tacks vs upholstery nails: Many folks and vendors use the terms "upholstery tack" and "upholstery nail" interchangeably. However, an upholstery tack and an upholstery nail are actually two different things. Upholstery tacks are used to fasten the material to the underlying w...

Erik Johnson

As Wayne posted above, the first photo is of Harry Lauder.

It is a well known photograph, taken in Los Angeles. The original negative is in the possession of the Ford Motor Co. or Henry Ford Museum. There are better prints available.

Erik Johnson

All three bolts for attaching the roadster rear fender iron to the sill go through the body/frame bracket, then the wooden sill, sheet metal and finally the fender iron. The body/frame bracket has three square holes to accommodate the corresponding bolt shoulders. In other words, the body/frame brac...

Erik Johnson

The nuts and lock washers are on the outside.

I have an unrestored 1917 roadster with a known history since new. The nuts are hex, not square.

Erik Johnson

Looks like your local O'Reilly Auto Parts carries what you need. If they don't have it in stock, you can probably order one. For example, it shows as being in stock at the Wylie location. https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/fleet---heavy-duty-4993/battery-accessories-16452/batteries---commercial-17...

Erik Johnson

Hopefully this does the trick.

Erik Johnson

On a '17, there is burlap or jute between the cardboard and the wood armrest as you show in the picture of the '20. The stuffing doesn't go on top the armrest - it's basically a hard surface and the upholstery is nice and tight on the armrest. I'd post some pictures but I'm at my parents' house, not...

Erik Johnson

To be factory correct, the cardboard covers only the wood armrest. The wood armrest has countersunk holes for bolts. The cardboard covers those holes, creating a smooth surface for the upholstery. On the wood armrest, there is no stuffing between the cardboard and the upholstery material.

Erik Johnson

The June 1917 Rip Van Winkle Ford has black cotton webbing that is nailed to the wood, under the respective panels. My unrestored May 1917 touring has remnants of the door check cotton webbing under the panels. R.V. Anderson makes and sells the appropriate door check material. My dad put a set on hi...

Erik Johnson

Depending on the mileage since the lube was last changed, it wouldn't bother me if it sat for ten years and just needs to be topped off. If you know what viscosity is currently in the rear-end, just add more until the level is 1.5 inches below the bottom of the fill plug. The above is just my opinio...

Erik Johnson

Because you live in Los Angeles county, I would think that if you looked in the yellow pages you would find at least one shop that does re-silvering in Los Angeles or Orange County. I did some Googling for you and there are a few shops that do re-silvering of glass mirrors in LA: https://www.google....

Erik Johnson

The sedan in the first photo is a 1927 Studebaker.

Note the fuzzy logo on the spare tire cover.

Erik Johnson

I have a can of tire talc on the shelf - I believe it is from NAPA. If you can't tire talc from a local auto parts store or bike shop, it is available online. I don't consider it to be a bead lubricant. It's purpose is to reduce the friction between the tire and the tube. Frankly, you don't need muc...

Erik Johnson

It is a 1917 coupelet.

There were two versions in the 1917 model year:

- first version with the folding top, like 1916, as shown in the photo

- second version with the stationary top that was padded to the belt line and removable window pillars

Erik Johnson

That hole in your windshield frame is not factory so it could have been drilled any time in the last 113 years. Also, the rain flap you show appears to be what is known as cobra grain. Cobra grain was not used on Model T roadster or touring tops from the factory although through the years vendors di...

Erik Johnson

If you have another long piece of top material, that may be for a front rain flap/windbreaker. However, be aware that 1917 Fords did not have a rain flap/windbreaker. The windbreaker was introduced around 1920, according to Bruce McCalley. Most folks install the windbreaker. Regarding the windshield...

Erik Johnson

I thought I had answered that in private message. As posted before, the first bow is covered with a single piece of leatherette. The leatherette is cut on the bias (cut diagonally to the weave) so it doesn't pucker at the corners. Because you have eight pieces that are cut on the bias , I can only s...

Erik Johnson

It's $1.69 in Minneapolis proper and $1.49 in the second and third ring suburbs. The lowest prices in the state are in Red Wing where it is below a dollar. However, non-oxy premium which I use in the snowblower and lawnmower is $3.38/gallon. There are two stations within six blocks of me that sell it.

Erik Johnson

To add to Mark's post above, see this thread where I posted a diagram showing the washer that was used with a flat or non-embossed bridge washer:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/33 ... 1377072854

Erik Johnson

Here's a photo of the 1917 Rip Van Winkle touring showing what David Dewey described. Click on the photo to enlarge. Note that the car was wearing its side curtains when this photo was taken. As he said, it is L or J shaped on the bottom. My father and I also have the original trim piece on our 17's...

Erik Johnson

Richard: All Royce is doing is slowly moving the crankshaft so the piston that is in the compression stroke goes past dead center and ignition and internal combustion takes over. He's not spinning the crank. He's not strong arming the crank. He's slowly moving the crank. That can't be much different...

Erik Johnson

Here's non-Ford example of "starting from spark."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMa3_tT5mKA

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