MTFCA Forum

Allan

The red box has 9 rows of 4 stamps = 36, 26 letters, 9 numbers and the ampersand = 36. I wonder if they are the same height as the original T numbers. My set are old style numbers, but there is no C stamp for the Canadian numbers. I found a Q stamp in a junk store and ground the pigtail off with my ...

Allan

I was at the 2010 meet. Beaut sunny to light overcast from Wednesday to Friday. I couldn't work out the mad panic by vendors to get loaded and head east as quick as they could on Friday afternoon. We'd booked in to stay Friday night, so I was disappointed to see all the sites being vacated early. Th...

Allan

That'd do the trick Jim, but not that particular one. The draftsman forgot to run the thread right through!!!!!

Allan from down under.

Allan

Nice work Victor. I do mine on my drill press. That way I can set the depth of hole so that just the point of the drill bit exits the under side. Then I flip the item and complete the hole from that side, to prevent any breakout. Did you have to reduce the thickness at the outside edges to get the m...

Allan

What kind of nut is suggested for use on the end of the bolts/threaded rivet? Any nut will have flats, and as they are tightened, they will tend to snag on the points a relax a smidgeon when the flat is parallel with the column. That is the nature of the beast when the bolt emerges from the hole at ...

Allan

When I was a kid, a local builder replaced the canvas to on his English Vauxhaull roadster. There were three separate panels with the joints lapped over the next panel behind. Painted a similar colour to the canvas, it was difficult to pick from the original. There's no reason why the same could not...

Allan

Vern, a coach bolt has a round head with square shank under it, just like your photo. Then they usually have just an inch or so of thread at the end of the bolt shaft As they come in 1/2" increments of length, there is no need for longer thread. That rolled thread is the nominal size, but the shaft ...

Allan

Vernon, carriage bolts are not the answer. They have a rolled thread which is of a larger diameter than the shank of the bolt. A hole drilled to accommodate the thread will leave the gearcase loose on the bolt shaft.

Allan from down under.

Allan

The "Hill blocks view" signs are interestng. Here the equivalent just says "Crest", and we have to work out what that may mean.
Allan from down under.

Allan

The ones I have had to work with are not dis-similar to the round stock on US open cars.. Closed car screens will be different but the same methods may work. If you have enough length of good frame to work with, I cut it at 45 degrees and make a mitred joint in the corners. Oxy weld with steel wire ...

Allan

For a while there, the largest of the drum bushes were a problem. Machining them in the lathe often did not clean them up totally. A couple of times I had to be satisfied with a small cup or two of un-machined surface to run the gears on slightly worn shafts. There was enough meat in the bush to mac...

Allan

When did the congestion signs begin to appear? Going by the photos, it looks like an exercise in backside covering from here. You have been warned. There may be other vehicles on this road!!!!!!! Isn't that what roads are for? More madness to reduce the chances of being sued/held liable for some idi...

Allan

Harold, no need for the apology. I had to go and check a couple of blocks myself to be sure. I do remember that when a couple of guides in a particular block broke out the sides when being k lined, the machine shop fitted two replacement guides in that block. It is no great problem if the shop has t...

Allan

All 8 model T valve guides in the closed chamber blocks are one piece, part of the one casting which is the block. The guides are not removable. They are machined in place to take the valves. Replacing any that need it involves the block being machined to take whatever guide is being used as the rep...

Allan

Normally, neither would I drill the panel. However my wide body Duncan and Fraser colonial roadster came with a suite of added accessories, the dipstick being one of them. Also included were, a Corbin speedometer, Wilcox Richardson shock absorbers, nickel plated radiator shell, windscreen frame and ...

Allan

In the late 60's I discovered a TT in shed at Cockatoo Valley. It was one of the last, having the heavy 20" front wheels, the same as the rears. It had not done a lot of hard work, came with a full set of side boards, all mounted on a neat custom built traytop. When I was told of it, I was rather ex...

Allan

The trouble with that one and the Ac U ret ones is they rely on the fitting screwed into the lower petcock hole lining up so the tube can be fitted trough the splash apron. It doesn't often happen that way. Despite carefully mapping the position of the hole in the new splash apron on my roadster, th...

Allan

In a way, what the Canadians did to accommodate L & RHD cars to be made on the same frame makes good sense. The frame blanks were all the same, the pressed channels were all the same so all the frames were the same. With US production being all LHD, all frames were the same, so riveting in the batte...

Allan

There are different scenarios to consider. On a rebuilt motor, I follow Frank's process. New oil on the start-up, use it for a bit and then replace with a new fill. That way any loose stuff is picked up and gotten rid of early. Then change it as you see fit, perhaps once in a touring season. When He...

Allan

Frank, presumably they are looking to protect US tyre interests. With no US manufacturer of clincher tyres, there should be no countervailing duties on Vietnamese imports, but logic may not necessarily apply. If Blockley follow the US clincher tyre dealers' lead, the tyres will have to go to England...

Allan

Michael makes a valid point. How many petcocks tighten at just the right point to enable the petcock tool to open it? Nice if it works, but it doesn't work for me on two of my cars.
Allan from down under.

Allan

F Stokes was not a dairy farmer, he was a cow keeper! Some of those old descriptions are quaint and often more descriptive than their modern equivalents.
Allan from down under.

Allan

Model T guides rarely have to be replaced unless they are broken. I have mine K lined to suit the modern valves I use. When one has to be replaced a modern Chev guide is used.

Allan from down under.

Allan

Good job Frank. Did you leave the body bolts undone during the jacking? That would allow it to be free from stresses during the bending. The only thing I might add as a caution is placing the chains at the ends of the frame. Concentrating the forces to a short section of the frame may be a little fr...

Allan

Thanks Jim. I can see how that will work, but I'd like to see evidence that that is how it was done on the production line. My gut feeling is that the safety wiring done on T's was just done to achieve the same result as split pins on castle nuts, to stop the nut backing off. We have the time to do ...

Allan

Steve, you are being very kind. I would have said, "They can make anything to the specifications of those who place the order." If you order rubbish product, you get rubbish product. Blockley have recognised this in the clincher tyre market, and to their credit, they have sought to change the situat...

Allan

In Australia, chip board usually comes with a melamine surface each side. It is made with much coarser 'chips' of timber like really coarse sawdust. Most of it has now been superseded by MDF fibreboard, which is more stable and takes crews better. In industry, MDF is the material of choice for compu...

Allan

Is that the same 'Tractor Train" company which produced the 'Moore" rear axle accessory transmission?

Allan from down under.

Allan

Am I wrong in thinking that safety wiring is done to stop bolts/nuts from backing off? I cannot see how it can reliably maintain tension on the nut/bolt to stop it loosing tension. As long as the wire stays in place, it is doing its job.

Allan from down under.

Allan

We use 3mm MDF. It is stable and can even be sewn through if stitching is needed to replicate original panels.
Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Allan

Wallace, for a little devilment, you could inform inquisitors that the sprocket is to hook up front wheel drive, but you can't find the right chain just yet!
Allan from down under.

Allan

Terry, you mentioned that the battery carrier is riveted to the frame. I'd heard that before, but our Canadian sourced cars had carriers bolted in place with 3/8" fine thread bolts with the usual castellated nuts. The frame rails are punched with 3 holes on each side, so the carrier can be fitted wi...

Allan

...and the two lower bolts at the fourth main.
The soft pliable wire used in wire tie hay balers is very handy. When not using it for safety wiring, it makes a good oxy welding filler rod. Just don't try using it for bailing out your boat.

Allan from down under.

Allan

Might gas on the carpet indicate a 26-7 closed car with fuel tank in the cowl?

Allan from down under.

Allan

Tim, from the photos I thought the wheels with six stud holes may mount onto Ford hubs. The last advertisement gives that impression. I gather that is not the case from your response. If so, the hunt will be difficult. Even the more plentiful Hayes wheels pose a problem finding usable rear wheels. A...

Allan

Finding rear wheels is always a problem, either wheels or the hubs they mount on. Fronts seem to find their way under trailers etc. so they survive in bigger numbers. I once had to make a wee stop for my wife on a T club rally, and while stopped I discovered a pair of Hayes wheels under a sulky over...

Allan

Today I learned something from Mark's second link. The sides of the battery box are made in TWO pieces! I have an original one, largely all there but corroded really thin in places. I have made three replacements to this pattern, in one piece, with just ONE seam on one corner only. The forward face ...

Allan

The wedging of the rim on either the outside/inside land on the felloe, depending on the brand, means the rims must be an accurate and appropriate fit. I can understand that reproduction of rims made to such tight tolerances may be difficult. Non demountable wheels, both wooden and wire, are not con...

Allan

I have posted this before, but it may help others. I used a modern battery in a tin box made as per the originals. The battery was fitted in the box, [with a loop of plastic packing strap left in place for lifting it out] and I cut two wood spacer blocks to sit on the top edge. The battery box lid s...

Allan

I have a Ford Battery Manual. It is the same size and question and answer format as the Ford manual which came with the cars. Unfortunately, unlike the car manuals, it is not dated. It must be early, as it shows the wooden battery case, the cells, the connecting components, and gives a comprehensive...

Allan

The lugs came loose, and that allowed the nuts to come loose. The rim could certainly have come off in that case as the nuts were shed. Had the nuts stayed tight, the rim may have stayed in place. However, that would indicate that the lugs were hard against the felloe, and that in turn means the rim...

Allan

Bruce, I have an almost new 13 tooth pinion gear. It was briefly part of a 3:1 gearset in my speedster Ruckstel. When I put that diff into my heavier roadster I went to a 12 tooth pinion to give me a more manageable 3.25 : 1 ratio. I would like $100 for it.

Allan from down under.

Allan

I would be checking other rims you have like that one by bolting them to the same wheel. If the rim/felloe combination is correct, all the four bolt have to do is maintain the wedging effect of the rim on the felloe. Fixed lug rims like that one are designed to wedge on the inner land on the felloe,...

Allan

Technicore it was. I found a post from Feb 2 on the 2005 forum. The reading is interesting. There is no mention of any legal case, so I may have that wrong.

Allan from down under.

Allan

Charlie, I'm with you on hydraulic drum brakes on the rear. If my memory serves me well, the ones I remember were Technicore brakes. I do not know of the reason for the legal case, and demise of the product. There is one car in our club which has hydraulic drum brakes on the front wheels. These came...

Allan

I'm with John. That is a minor bend in the scheme of things. With a great big crescent wrench, correcting that bend is only a minor tweak. The bigger the wrench the better, not just for the extra leverage. Hauling on the handle will load the outer edge. The other jaw will be deeper so that the pivot...

Allan

In an effort to boost sagging sales of the improved cars, the new Ford factory in Geelong, Victoria offered two tone paintwork, which was not confined to black mudguards and bodies of a different colours. The bodies themselves were two toned, around the belt line if such a term can be used on an ope...

Allan

Throughout this topic, it has been assumed that hydraulic brakes means Disc brakes. The drum brakes on most cars from the early thirties were hydraulic. Hydraulic drum brakes are far less obtrusive than the oversized disc brakes offered these days. They were available some years back, but I understa...

Allan

When I was checking my barn fresh buckboard find before returning it to the road, I checked the rear end, and found it grease filled. So I put the plug back in and motored on. I have no idea when it was last filled/checked before it was taken of the road in 1956. Should I heat the diff hot enough to...

Allan

Perhaps Steve is using "rotted out" to mean rusted out.

Allan from down under.

Allan

Les, our car are Canadian sourced. One member of our club has a 1921 tourer, restored from an original car by a family of renowned car restorers. It has a chassis with forged running board brackets.

Allan from down under.

Allan

David, the ton truck jack is a heavier beast all over. While similar to the Auto Specialties car jack, it would be at least twice the weight and it has a guide/support as an integral part of the casting. This guide acts as a steady for the rising column. Many of these are broken off. The column of t...

Allan

Dan, here your filllister heads are called cheese head, which is descriptive of a maturing round of cheese. If we went to a descriptive name for your non-oval heads, they could be called cupcake heads, rounded on top, tapered underneath.

Allan from down under.

Allan

They are known as oval head screws in the USA, but they are raised head countersunk or dome head countersunk screws. They are neither oval in plan view or in cross section, but if enough people get it wrong, it becomes the established norm. Early horse drawn vehicles had large square axle nuts and t...

Allan

Auto Specialties are one of the providers of jacks for our Canadian sourced T's here in Australia.

Allan from down under.

Allan

The easiest way to fix it is to remove the powder coat back to the edge of the spokes. You may have to do the same on the bore of the plate. These areas will then have to be hand painted with primer and enamel once the wheel is assembled, to seal out moisture. The thIckness of the powder coat may al...

Allan

Check my post of Feb 8 re preserving engine numbers, and you can have the engine no you like on that block with the good babbit.

Allan from down under.

Allan

An innovative tinkerer in our club once fitted disc brakes to the front of his improved T. They were so effective that under a heavy application before a hairpin bend, the front axle stopped and the car drove on over the top of it. Perhaps anything on the front end needs to contribute to braking rat...

Allan

Plough bolts are used to attach shares to the plough arms. They are countersunk so weeds do not catch and build up while working. The square under the head stops them turning when they are tightened. They are also used to bolt down bed boards in wooden trays on trucks. The countersunk head leaves th...

Allan

I believe two were sold a good few months back on Tbay. the cheaper one went in the high $600 bracket. I thought when the first one made $800+ dollars, lots more would come out of the woodwork. Not so, I guess because of their rarity. Jack Putnam's repro may be the most likely source now. Allan from...

Allan

Bob's hammer trick works well. The blows break up the rust underneath the sleeve. Try not to hammer too hard or the sleeve will be expanded somewhat and may come off. Heat and penetrant also help. Once you can feel the slightest of movement, you are on the way. Penetrant and oil should do the rest. ...

Allan

Ignatio, the "hair stubble" may well be the finish you applied getting to know any sealant/natural timber oils. Often they will react and cause minute bubbles in the coat being applied. It is generally not a problem with subsequent coats of finish product. Hope this works for you. Allan from down un...

Allan

The method my electric motor re-winder uses is o dip whatever component he wishes to insulate, to make sure it is totally insulated. This means that a mag coil ring does need the faces on the ring, the mounting flange and the contact post cleaned off after the dipping. The insulation/dip material is...

Allan

Not looking for an argument here, but notice the difference between the nickel and chrome plated components.

Allan from down under.

Allan

Steve's electrical conduit sounds about right. Regular steel tubing will be too heavy in wall thickness. Our old metal conduit however has an open seam which would need attention to make it work. Once the sleeve is freed on an original, I too have cut and welded a new piece of 3/4" cold rolled rod o...

Allan

What original left out of his brief reply is if you have the correct battery box AND LID, the hold downs never come in contact with the battery. They hold the lid down.Hence no need for any special finishes. That sad, running with a battery box lid makes it difficult to get at the terminals if an ur...

Allan

If the correct orientation of the lenses is red to the rear, clear to the left and blue to the right, on RHD cars, I believe any of the lights can be tailored to suit. The lenses have a rolled on brass rim. Rather than change the lenses from one side to another, it is easier to dis-assemble the ligh...

Allan

In a recent post on engine numbers, various suggestions about stamping numbers and retaining the original number were canvassed. I had a legitimate reason to adopt the following preservation method. I removed the side water outlet from the engine and made an accurate tracing of the outlet hole and t...

Allan

Jim, I share your concerns about removing too much wood, especially with a powered sander. Your scenario is even worse than you imagine. there are 24 faces on the 12 spokes. 24/64ths is 3/8". It makes me thankful that I have only ever had to deal with Canadian wheels which have the front to back tap...

Allan

Not so long that they go right through the firewall. No-one will know if you use some thatare a bit shorter than Henry used.

Allan from down under.

Allan

I now run Anderson timers in three of my T's. Each needed adjustment to get it to behave as previous timers did. It could be done simply by running with the lever in different range on the quadrant. A better solution was to adjust the length of the rod connecting the timer to the control rod on the ...

Allan

The belt sander could work to advantage by clamping it up side down and using the belt as a stationary surface plate. That way you have better control of the operation.], both in the amount of material removed and the accuracy offered by the control you can exert.

Allan from down under.

Allan

A new Anderson timer often/always need to be re-timed. If you are running with the advance lever in it's old position, you are likely running too far retarded, hence the overheating.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Allan

I'm sure I could brush a coat of clear onto the spoke quicker than I could mask the tapered ends. A second coat should take no longer than applying the first coat with a spraygun, and without the hassle of overspray and missed bits. Hand brushing the spokes after the wheels have been assembled is ev...

Allan

Bang on Norm. Unfortunately, on our RHD cars, the ramps are part of the pedal forging, so we have no alternative to rebuilding the pedal. You blokes get it easy!

Allan from down under.

Allan

The wood tack strips add rigidity to the panels as well as taking the tacks. This may not be as important on the improved car bodies because of the way the tops of the panels are formed. The plastic type flexible tack strips do not add any rigidity. I am not familiar with the composite material Dall...

Allan

Martynn, lettered pedals on RHD cars read C R B, making the brake pedal on the right. Accordingly, the brake pedal needs to be bent/angled to the right side. The removable clutch pedal is canted to the left.
Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Allan

Are you sure that is a crack and not just some mark in the casting? It doesn't look like it goes anywhere. Perhaps it needs a real check.

Allan from down under.

Allan

I doubt automotive finishes are suitable for use over timber. They rely on a stable substrate to be effective finishes over time.
There is no need to mask anything if you use a brush.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Allan

I believe Adam has the answer. I did just the same thing when I rebuilt the cams/pedal on one of my early cars. The cam/pedal ramp combination needs to allow the pedal some 1.5" of free travel before engaging the low gear band. The brake and reverse bands do need to have that travel eliminated, but ...

Allan

That's a real bummer Ryan. Perhaps the obvious is the best answer. Just reduce the size of the poles on the mounting plate. A die grinder with a cylindrical carbide burr mat get you there. Just work around each pole until you can get a coil to fit. It will cost you some time, and the outlay for a bu...

Allan

My guess is there was no stain used at all, just the natural colour of the varnish and the hickory. I like the lighter finish you get these days with the clear spar urethane. Stick to marine finishes for maximum UV protection and long life, all applied after the wheel is built.

Allan from down under.

Allan

Pat, you'll likely kill his enthusiasm if you start with brass polishing! The horn and throttle are more likely to hook him.
Allan from down under.

Allan

Rich, I was sucked in by the thread drift to spindle threads. Sorry. I am blessed, having made a swap meet purchase of a Stevens tool for the job. The beauty of this tool is it can be clamped around the good portion of the thread, and then wound off to clean up damaged/dinged thread on the outside w...

Allan

I have found a few with loose rivets, but never one that has failed like that. If there is no damage, it could just be riveted back together. I would suggest that the driven plate be further countersunk so more of the rivet is left to hold the plate in place. It may be that that plate was machined a...

Allan

Martynn, the two adjusters and locknuts are identical. The reverse gear one is often problematic. The relief milled in the cover for the locknut is large enough for the locknut to fit, but getting a ring spanner/socket on it often doesn't work because there us not enough clearance. An open end wrenc...

Allan

What would the Wiggler radiator ornament on the closed car be worth these days?

Allan from down under.

Allan

If this screen is for your speedster, I'd polish the frame and let the dings reflect the history of the parts. It won't be perfect, but then your speedster won't be either. You'd be better off concocting a far fetched story about how the dents came about to amuse any onlookers. Allan from down under.

Allan

I don't think so Michael. One of the lower holes is off-set. That hole will be different from L to RHD. This will also mean that the outer metal shell on the column will also be different on the firewall side of the lower flange. This won't be seem when any column is fitted.

Allan from down under.

Allan

Rich, there are thread files available which will do the job if things are not too bad. We know them as thread files. They are about 9" long and 1/2" square. Each side if each end is grooved, with 8 different threads for the 8 sides. The better ones have a gauge for each of the different thread prof...

Allan

The petcock on the sediment bulb is at the lowest point. The leak may well be higher up. Fuel leaking at the tank outlet will drain down to the petcock. Likewise, leaks at the shut-of valve will also drain down to the petcock. These areas need to be checked first before blaming the petcock. Often, t...

Allan

Modern seals do often deem loose in the housing. I resort to fitting them with a ring of brass shim and RTV to make a good fit. Distorting the seal can make for further difficulties. Using pliers to open up the metal edge of the seal makes it far more difficult to fit. You are left trying to fit the...

Allan

You blokes need to come to Australia to se just how good some of the vast variety of colours look on a Model T. That green does not look way too different from a factory colour on our improved cars.

Allan from down under.

Allan

Bill,the new gears will have to get to know your existing gearcase. I would stick with the set-up you have rather than introduce unknown elements.
Others may be able to advise of any pitfalls they have encountered.
Allan from down under.

Allan

Darren, my engine no B597 does have casting date. It is located on the narrow edge of the block above the engine number boss and between the top of the block. It was quite corroded and I could not read it when I restored it. A later coolant weep took off the paint and then the corrosion at that poin...

Allan

On RHD hogsheads, the clutch pedal is the only one removable without removing a riveted on notch. That may explain the ribbed pedal being found in a cover with other pedals lettered. It is an easy substitution for an owner to make. Or it could just be the factory using up their inventory of parts su...

Allan

Gotcha Bill. I was responding to your first post. If a planetary gear pin on the shaft is loose, the shaft is best replaced.

Allan from down under.

Allan

It makes me wonder why the 26-7 radius rods were made non adjustable. Does this indicate that if adjustment is needed to correct some misalignment of the axles, there is a problem somewhere? The procedure outlined in the service manual replicates what happens with the fixed length 26-7 rods. The cas...

Allan

Bill, I reckon you are lucky that one of your pins was loose. They can be very tightly rusted in. It is my belief they were never a tight/drive in fit. The retaining rings are spring loaded, and the pins are held captive in the recess in the ring. At best they just pull out. At worst, they may requi...

Allan

Darren, my Haighs chocolate van motor, assembled on 26 Sept, 1912, is engine number B 597. The very rusty and unusable pan on it when found had 3 rivet ears. I salvaged these to fit one as a replacement on the pan I eventually used in the restoration.

Allan from down under.

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