MTFCA Forum

Rich P. Bingham

Do the repro “spuds” even have a screen over the outlet fitting ? Replacement lead washers are a problem too !

Rich P. Bingham

Terry’s outline is the way to go ! Be sure to tune up the drain petcock at the bottom of the “spud” as well.
A fuel-resistant lubricant called “E-Z Turn” is a great product to use on the valve parts and thread connections. I highly recommend it !!

Rich P. Bingham

Email sent, Ron.

Rich P. Bingham

You don't need the extra oil with cast iron pistons and original style rings and the late type funnel . . . Having more vent area may reduce oil leakage. I agree 100%, but there it is. :roll: as I inherited it :lol: Good thought on venting - the breather cap and timing gear cover is quite restricte...

Rich P. Bingham

What Larry said !!

I’ve always loved those delivery bodies. Just plain elegant in form and design !

Rich P. Bingham

The prior owner of my ‘13 must have been phobic about rod bearings. Slinger connector butchered into the original aluminum hogshead and corresponding surgery on the “teacup” original pan for a 1/2” copper line - plus a late model extra large funnel “stock” oil return line and ! slingers on the rod c...

Rich P. Bingham

He probably collected enough horseshoe nails to start a livery stable. I’d say that’s a popular misconception. 65 years with horses of my own, rarely lost a shoe . . . if one comes off, the nails are almost always with the shoe because of the crimp. I’m sure there were plenty of road hazards then a...

Rich P. Bingham

I’ve never heard of such. You can pour “stuff” in a radiator, not so easy to do it with a flat tire.

I’m willing to bet this doughty example didn’t count flat tires as a “hitch” in that 4,200 miles !

Rich P. Bingham

: IMG_3446.jpeg (118.98 KiB) Viewed 518 times

As you see it - $950.00. Ford !! Not too heavy, not too light !

Photo date, 1910, no doubt an ‘09 car.

($ 31,968.00 in today’s mini-dollars. You could possibly buy an ‘09 for that these days.)

Rich P. Bingham

. . . Robert mentioned “no attempt to true up the band to the drum before installing the lining.” . . . ? Just about every T owner who has changed bands a few times will have his own ideas, and will prefer methods (or the lack thereof) that work best for him. T’s are rugged and forgiving, so there’...

Rich P. Bingham

RajoRacer wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 25, 2025 11:15 am
. . . I mount my linings to the bands then soak in an old Dutch oven -

I do the same thing, Steve. I believe it makes a big difference in how cotton linings wear. FWIW, the Ford manual recommends it !

Rich P. Bingham

kevinf wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 25, 2025 12:18 am
. . . a 1922 Missouri Mule hay press . . .

Kevin, many thanks for posting that !
(Worth noting these early “hay presses” worked stationary. Hay had to be brought to the press, as opposed to the “modern” balers that would pick up windrows in the field.)

Rich P. Bingham

BALE - noun - a bundle of hay, straw, cotton, paper, etc. tightly bound with string, wire or hoops. - verb - make (something) into bales. “We baled a lot of hay this morning.” BAIL - verb - to scoop water out of a boat, tub or tank. - noun - about a dozen definitions too complicated to put down here...

Rich P. Bingham

Most Model Ts have a provenance like great-granddad’s rifle: It was given to him on his twelfth birthday and he carried it his whole life long. When he was twenty-one the old flint lock was changed out to a cap lock. By the time he was in his forties, the riflings were pretty much wore out, so he ha...

Rich P. Bingham

I’m amused by how inflation through the years has disconnected us from our perceived values and the price of common items. I noted recently a vintage photo dated 1939 showed a car in a filling station, the price of gas was twenty cents per gallon. Posts made in response made much of twenty-cent gas,...

Rich P. Bingham

The 1913-14 brass trim is a “U” configuration. Be sure you get the right trim. For over 50 years these cars have been fitted with reproduction dash boards made of 3/4” cabinet plywood. The original solid laminated dash boards measured 13/16” thick. I hope they are available in both sizes, I had diff...

Rich P. Bingham

Rich P. Bingham

There is this . . .

Rich P. Bingham

Look for the many past forum posts by “Dollisdad”, aka Tom Rootleib, who has posted dozens of great period photos, with a generous sprinkling of commercial vehicles showing lettering.

Rich P. Bingham

Where can I find the specs on the frame/axle/suspension items? The MTFCA manual on axles is a good start. There is good information on front axle specs and geometry. Checking a frame “in full dress” is more of a problem. Stripped to the frame, it’s not difficult to check for square and straightness...

Rich P. Bingham

Soak them in oil a few days . . . A good idea. If they smell musty, be sure they aren’t rotten. Pull a thread loose and make sure it’s sound. If so, no reason not to use them. These are the “real deal”. Another thought, if you are going to use them, rivet them to the bands before you soak them - it...

Rich P. Bingham

. . . forget all this stuff, let the MTFCA Forum administrators do their jobs . . . it's all [this] crap! MTFCA officers and forum administrators do well by acceding to the wishes of the membership. This discussion shows a consensus that feels keeping the forum essentially open to the world is best...

Rich P. Bingham

“Blockley” tread (sorta) on a Hesston swather !

Rich P. Bingham

‘09 and original owner

Rich P. Bingham

On a Cheby . . .

: IMG_3351.jpeg (119.17 KiB) Viewed 672 times

Rich P. Bingham

I understand there’s a “club” in the Boise area, I don’t know if it’s an MTFCA chapter, but they’re quite active I’m told.

Rich P. Bingham

#6 is intriguing ! It appears to be an assembly plant for right-hand drive cars, 1915-16. Australia ? UK ? Probably earlier. Note head light forks - acetylene. Good call ! I was swayed by the shape of the dash, pre-1915 would be a full width panel wouldn’t it ? Also, difficult to tell, but the rear...

Rich P. Bingham

I am no longer a dues paying member, because like Scott, I am isolated from participation in a club chapter, tours, swap meets, etc. a selfish choice, I’ll admit, but my financial situation requires me to be parsimonious. I would hope that my participating on the forum is mutually beneficial enough ...

Rich P. Bingham

#6 is intriguing ! It appears to be an assembly plant for right-hand drive cars, 1915-16. Australia ? UK ?

Rich P. Bingham

babychadwick wrote: ↑
Mon Oct 20, 2025 7:11 pm
. . . to get the figure in cherry lye is used . . .

Interesting ! Not knowing this, I made a soap mold from cherry. When the soap was poured in, the mold bled brilliant red - looked like we had butchered a hog !

Rich P. Bingham

#15 - flat belt attachment has an additional cooling fan. Appears to be ser up on a TT, but what is it powering ? Looks like an electric motor, maybe a generator ? No power leads visible. ?!?

Rich P. Bingham

#2 - “California Top” in common parlance - I’d guess “locally sourced” rather than manufactured. My question - how do you get in ?!?

#11 - Wool !!

Rich P. Bingham

It appears to be a bird house - dove cote ? homing pigeons ?
Rather strange !

Rich P. Bingham

Likely TMI . . . My first love was a 1920 cutoff touring derelict that had been driven into the ground and left outside with the hogshead removed. As a wide-eyed 14 year old, my perception of “restoration” was to disassemble everything, clean it, paint it, and reassemble. Pulling the engine was acco...

Rich P. Bingham

Okay, so . . . a sophisticated system that was used on high-end marques, but not necessarily adaptable to Model T Fords ?

Twin ignition systems on obscure makes can be an endlessly fascinating study !

Rich P. Bingham

Interesting ! Please explain the Model T connection for us benighted “purist brass snobs” ?

Rich P. Bingham

In any event a belts-and-suspenders approach to avoiding parts loss is never time poorly spent especially if you subscribe to "quick and dirty" line of work and are loathe to use prudent precautions. My old boss and mentor on the ranch taught me, “Never take a short-cut unless you have a lot of tim...

Rich P. Bingham

Thanks for the peek !! That is beautiful !!

Rich P. Bingham

There is a warm cherry and a black cherry . . . These are oil based. There is a water based stain . . . There is a reason for the cost difference. Generally, alcohol (water-based) stains are dyes and tend to be fugitive (not very light-fast). Oil stains are generally pigmented and will be less pron...

Rich P. Bingham

So would I make a 50/50 varnish and turpentine mix, and add the Crimson paint until it looks "red enough" while still having a stain level of thinness? Pretty much. The tube color will have the consistency of toothpaste. A little troublesome to work into the varnish mix. It doesn’t take much stain ...

Rich P. Bingham

. . . no way using tape will give the same quality as hand striping done by a true craftsman. Allan from down under. I couldn’t agree more ! The big problem for many is access to a “true craftsman”. The presence of tape in the above photo doesn’t mean the stripe will be taped off. Many stripers use...

Rich P. Bingham

An article in a late 1950s HCCA journal gave this recipe for staining dashboards: “Mix artists’ tube oil paint Alizarin Crimson into a 50/50 mixture of spar varnish and turpentine.” The result is very acceptable and indistinguishable from the Laurel Mt. stain. Be sure to avoid water miscible paint, ...

Rich P. Bingham

TXGOAT2 wrote: ↑
Sat Oct 11, 2025 12:34 pm
Is there any way to repair chips in enamel signs?

Not satisfactorily. Best one can do is to fill with epoxy compounds similar to JB Weld - fill, sand, polish. It may be possible to color some types with dry pigments to match.

Rich P. Bingham

Maybe I shouldn’t air a pet peeve in this thread, but it speaks to the issue. My ‘13 runabout carries stripes that are way too broad, and would have looked better if the striper had consulted period photos. You will never see a top stripe on a ‘13 or ‘14 in period photos where the windshield support...

Rich P. Bingham

Aren’t thise photos a treasure ? I’m forever grateful to Tom for his efforts to post them. I’m glad you found them useful too, your car will turn out the better for your attention to detail ! I hope your striper is a top hand ! Please show us the results when it’s done. I, for one, would love to see...

Rich P. Bingham

If authenticity is your goal, I’d suggest you go over the period photos “Dollisdad” has posted quite regularly for the past year or so. As a general rule, modern restorers tend to become infatuated with striping (understandable - it’s so attractive !) and overdo it. Another caveat, original striping...

Rich P. Bingham

love2T's wrote: ↑
Thu Oct 09, 2025 9:08 am
. . . warm water, and elbow grease . . .

SOS soap pads were the “go to” back in the 50s for cleaning the wide whitewalls. (and them greasy elbows)

Rich P. Bingham

Viscosity affects clutch function. Heavy (cold) oil will cause the car to creep in neutral.

Rich P. Bingham

It's interesting that Henry was bragging that it was not an 'assembled' car. It is interesting to note that statement, which was fact, not a boast. Although Ford jobbed out the manufacture of components, the Model T was Ford’s concept and unlike any other. To make the distinction, there were not a ...

Rich P. Bingham

This should be declared a national holiday !!

Rich P. Bingham

Dogs have been driving since 1914.

Rich P. Bingham

The only felt I can think of that needs the help of gasket seal is over the “hump” on the transmission hogshead. Generally it’s best just to soak felt “seals” in oil and let them do their thing. I haven’t seen gasket “shellac” forever !! But I wouldn’t recommend it. Everyone has their own favorite m...

Rich P. Bingham

Just to be clear, you want genuine Hyatt bearings, not the “solid roller” reproduction type, right ?

Good luck ! They’re worth the search.

Rich P. Bingham

This is most gratifying, to see what has become of that intriguing relic “find” from three years ago !
It’s wonderful to see a unique T come back to life. Beautiful job, please keep us up to date with your progress, and many thanks for sharing !!

Rich P. Bingham

I agree the “cupping” in those tappets looks as if it was intentionally machined into the parts. Why ? Baffles logic. As for setting valve lash by measuring piston travel and grinding valve stems, it may be the better way if the camshaft is appreciably worn. It’s not that difficult. What’s difficult...

Rich P. Bingham

Par’m me, fellers as I beat this to death. #11 is a real puzzle ! Remember, the camera sees the image upside down - Perhaps someone will enlighten me, I have never seen a film or plate holder camera where the slide did not draw from the right side of the camera. So, how was it done ? I believe there...

Rich P. Bingham

. . . I have sent a message to LMF to see if or when it is still available, but in case it is not, does anyone have another stain recommendation? . . . A restoration tip from the HCCA in the 1950s recommended making your own stain using artist’s oil paint. Alizarin Crimson tube paint diluted to a w...

Rich P. Bingham

#9 - ‘13 or ‘14 with updated electric head lamps. Literally, a blacksmith shop repair, obviously the front spring has been removed. One may speculate the job is to repair a broken spring leaf (or two ? Or more ?). Looks like a leaf is being hammer welded, maybe - one man steadies a set-hammer while ...

Rich P. Bingham

OOf. I expected a conversation about that burnt up and abandoned T posting!! Sorry to disappoint, Charlie ! :oops: And thank you, Frank, for providing a more appropriate response ! :lol: I had thought a period cartoon might be of interest, I’ve posted a couple of others previously, with zero respon...

Rich P. Bingham

Yup ! Clocked at 30 per. It’s why I love my T. Like a high lope on a good horse.

Rich P. Bingham

I have restored rust pitted items for bright nickel by plating with copper, sanding between applications similar to using a primer surfacer to eliminate imperfections before finishing with paint. You need to have a plater who will work with you, allowing you to block sand between applications of cop...

Rich P. Bingham

speedytinc wrote: ↑
Wed Sep 10, 2025 12:18 pm
5 or 6??

You mean GALLONS dontcha ?

Rich P. Bingham

Photo #10 - 1913 runabout is the same car as the one in photo #2 in the “Room for One More” thread !
Interesting !!

Rich P. Bingham

Well, we know the antelope ran at least 37 mph !

Rich P. Bingham

#7 is intriguing - T chassis re-purposed as a wagon, mule powered. I wonder what the date of the photo is ? Unless the wheels of an older car were swapped out, they appear to be 21” balloon tires, ‘25 at the oldest ! Either that car had tragically short life, or the photo is mid-1930s or later. The ...

Rich P. Bingham

It makes sense to me that curtain fasteners were chemically blackened or painted, even the most OCD “brass snob” in the era would probably balk at polishing them, and utility items like that were better “camouflaged” than obvious, and a tarnished fastener is unsightly.

Rich P. Bingham

How do they not suck water in on the 6th pic? Looks like an easy way to hydraulic the motor to me In the photo, at least so far, the carb intake is well above the water line. Interesting thought about “hydraulicking” the motor if they get in too deep. In practice, I believe water over the intake wo...

Rich P. Bingham

. . . why they didn't buy a new TT truck chassis? . . . :lol: My thought exactly, Wayne ! :lol: Maybe it’s a 1917, and the TT isn’t even a rumor yet ? Maybe it’s a bargain-basement deal on some kind of “form-a-truck” arrangement ? In any case, I agree - the frame will need a lot of help from a robu...

Rich P. Bingham

Not a “brass era” case. They’re all brass by the way.

Rich P. Bingham

Looking at the 2nd picture I notice the position of the offset acetylene tank. In that position I would thing they would have issues with their lights Good eye John! Yep I would bet it could been pretty exciting! "Whooosh"! :o Please explain the wherefore ? I’m guessing the proper position for the ...

Rich P. Bingham

Dan McEachern wrote: ↑
Tue Aug 26, 2025 4:11 pm
A 3/4" pipe tap is the perfect size to screw into the old driveshaft bushing . . .

I’ve had good results using a tap to remove “blind” or flanged bushings. Perhaps Frank’s shop-made tool would be economical for some. The cheapest 3/4” pipe tap listed in McMaster-Carr is $97.87. YMMV

Rich P. Bingham

Thanks, Craig, for a good, logical explanation. That makes a lot of sense ! I’m sure there are a lot of Ts, long retired now being resurrected, where the front trunion mount has rusted to the point of being a poor ground contact ! An added strap would avoid starter problems, no doubt ! It’s a good r...

Rich P. Bingham

And yes installing a ground wire from engine to frame or battery is a great idea as it prevents sparks from flying out of the front spring/motor mount when using a electric starter! Craig. :shock: Isn’t the engine “naturally” grounded to the frame by virtue of being bolted to it ??? Please explain ...

Rich P. Bingham

AND they leak. Some more, some less. Presuming you’re referring to the original Ford sediment bulb ? Mine does not. Requisite is a sediment bulb in good enough condition that the valve can be “lapped” to a proper fit. Assemble the parts with an application of that heavy, pasty fuel valve lubricant,...

Rich P. Bingham

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 21, 2025 10:41 pm
A revolutionary concept: When in doubt, read the directions.

“. . . ain’t never read a manual cuz that’s like cheatin’
He don’t mind the grease on his hands when he’s eatin’. . .”

Rich P. Bingham

mortier wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 21, 2025 3:18 pm
. . . [are] there . . . any pads installed under the two rear engine mounts . . . ?

No.
Wood blocks in the frame channel as noted, with their purpose.

Making sure rhe engine is solidly bolted to the frame is important.

Rich P. Bingham

The Dauntless Geezer speaks practical truth (as always)

Not on a T (obviously) but if you like accessory radiator caps, how about this one ?? I’m hoping the bagpipes play when the car overheats, and there’s a head of steam in the top tank !

Rich P. Bingham

Rick, that seems a very comprehensive list, thank you for that. I had only been aware of Wilson, Baudette and Fisher ! My ‘13 runabout is a Wilson body stamped with a “W” and a number that doesn’t appear to entail a date. I should take another look ! Curiously, the car came with a couple of floorboa...

Rich P. Bingham

Allan wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 16, 2025 12:23 am
I wonder if that is the Schmidt house on side?

Afrom down under.

It’s the Schmit’s !

Rich P. Bingham

. . . the main issue is the little patches of rubber touching the ground. Its about the size of two packs of cigarettes . . . This is the most important fact of life regarding Model Ts and braking. Any Model T in good repair and properly adjusted, is capable of locking up the rear wheels with the t...

Rich P. Bingham

Inability to create something new so they will try to ride on something that was, hardly surprising. Is this on topic? If you don’t recognize the “new” logo is an update of the one Ford used practically all through Model T production, then, I guess it is off topic. I found it amusingly interesting.

Rich P. Bingham

Timing cover is centered with the correct tool . . . As a 14 year old lacking a lot of reliable information as to the care and feeding of my Model T, back in nineteen-ought-sixty-two, the necessity of centering the timing cover was unknown to me, with the result the original timer and roller ran of...

Rich P. Bingham

Tim, that’s good news indeed ! I bought one from the folks in Spokane 9 years ago, intending to run it on my “new” ‘13 runabout. It was equipped with a TW Timer, which has given excellent service ever since, so I’m still holding the New Day in reserve . . .

Rich P. Bingham

Out of curiosity, what does the “race” look like in the timer body ? Over 62 years ago I ran a used New Day in my first T. Great timer ! I fear that the reproduction units don’t equal the quality of the originals, especially the fit of the bronze brush in the rotor. I believe the originals were self...

Rich P. Bingham

Good for you Chris !! With a T, all things are possible ! (well, most, anyway :lol: ) looking good, and a lot of fun ! Here’s a chance for us OCD history types to learn something - I was under the impression all of the “improved” cars were fitted with electric start, and ‘25 was the last year a cust...

Rich P. Bingham

Sounds like difficulty level 5

“Glue” the keeper halves in place with a dab of heavy grease.

Rich P. Bingham

Update for anyone interested in this thread. The block of nitrophyl from Kelch Restorations came in today’s post. FWIW, its appearance is VERY different from the float blank I had obtained from Lang’s. Smooth, black, with a sheen even when cut, it does not resemble the grey, granular texture of the ...

Rich P. Bingham

So far, no one has mentioned a “dry test” vs. a “wet test”. Dry is “as is”, for a wet test, squirt a little oil into the cylinder through the plug hole. Wet/dry variation can tell you something about the condition of your rings. From my experience, a “hold in” gauge is practically useless when check...

Rich P. Bingham

Pat, I have a hunch you’re right about the rubber. Pretty much what I’ve found to be the case, Jeff. . . So, is there a remedy ?

Rich P. Bingham

Thank you kindly Dan. I did try to search the forum, did not find that thread. It seems definitive, wonder why I can’t seem to get enough pressure to open the tire stem valve ?

Rich P. Bingham

Like many, I picked up a real Ford tire pump for my Lizzie. I would like it to be functional. Seems to be a good restoration, plunger piston has been replaced with a cup from a hydraulic brake cylinder, it moves air well. Fitting to attach to the tire stem doesn’t have a point for opening the stem v...

Rich P. Bingham

Tire problem solved. Thanks, MTFCA !

Rich P. Bingham

I ordered a piece of nitrophyl from Kelch Restoration Services in Bethel, Ohio. The gent I spoke with said he’s been using nitrophyl for floats for 20 years, no failures. He did say there are foam products being used that eventually get “waterlogged”, some swell and bind in the bowl.

Caveat emptor !

Rich P. Bingham

Does anyone have a single 30x3-1/2” smooth grey tire they would part with ? Pairs or a full set (2@ 30x3, 2@ 30x3-1/2) OK too - I’m not sure how far this hernia will take me !
White or failed (turning brown) white OK too

Rich P. Bingham

Thank you, Jeffrey. That’s instructive. Now to research it and determine if it can be formed into Model T carb floats.
Identifying the material Lang’s provides is still a problem.

Rich P. Bingham

Pat, I wondered if that could be the case. I shouldn’t complain about failure after several years, but it caught me off guard.

Rich P. Bingham

Photo #11 - “WTH ?!?”
Photo #12 - “Shot the S.O.B. that cut my tire !”

Rich P. Bingham

Both from the same source, perhaps we can assume it’s the same stuff ? It appears to be the same vis-a-vis the photo. Lang’s catalogue only specifies “modern material”. Just curious whether anyone else has found that it will absorb fuel “in time” ?

BTW, Nice work on that float, Richard !

Rich P. Bingham

My Lizzie pulled up with a belly-ache the other day, woes with the Holley G I’m running. It’s a brass-body G I rebuilt about 7 years ago, using the available composite foam float available from Lang’s. As usual, it’s never just one thing wrong, found a little crud in the inlet port, and the float va...

Rich P. Bingham

It’s great to follow your progress on these projects Tom, thank you ! (you do such fine work, it’s an inspiration !)

Search found 1649 matches