MTFCA Forum

A paint can opener broke off easily so the answer is no you can't use a paint can opener. So I obtained an old screwdriver and curled it using heat. That one also broke off on the fender bead. I see that the screwdriver in the picture has 'vanadium' printed on it so it would seem that I need one of ...

Welcome to the family. :D Looking for a brass era Model T Ford (16 and prior) or early Ford (N, R, S, ext) for my first vehicle. Located in FL, but willing to travel for the right vehicle... Don’t have a huge budget, but young and very motivated to get into it... Thank you for any leads and good luc...

No beat up fenders to practice on. That modified, but interesting, vise grip is going to be difficult to reproduce in my garage. Have you got any old beat up fenders you can use to practice unrolling the bead before trying it on your good fenders? Might give you you an idea how to do it if you do.

I wonder if a paint can opener is pretty much the same thing as the screwdriver? https://tinyurl.com/y2os945s

I spoke to Rootlieb. They use the 2 tools pictured which I now have to make. The screwdriver undoes the round bead, the modified vise-grip crimps it. Heat and somehow bend the screwdriver end into a circle. The vise-grip crimper looks ground and brazed I think. The trick will be making the circular ...

Trying out Zinnser outdoor wood oil-based primer and Penetrol for the spokes. The plan is to sand it with 220 then prime again.

If you cannot tell from the outside much then other years are ok. I don’t have a model 1915-1916 to look at. I am trying to stay close to 1916 theme for speedster but I am not militant.

Wanted 1915-1916 headlights with support. I have nothing right now so any/all of the assembly is wanted. -- IV

Wheels are sanded and in position to paint. Will do some small void filling and begin painting.

As the title says Wanted: 1915-16 set of fenders. Rears would be 'Touring and Roadster' not depot hack. Buy or can trade a set of used early straight style fenders.

Hi, I have superficial voids on a few spokes on different wheels. I am planning to fill them with this Bondo for wood product for 'hard to stick surfaces' I already bought. Good? Hey the label says 'Professional' that means it has to be.

Any reviews or suggestions welcome.

I don’t have lights or the stalk they stand on. Am wondering about a good source?

Heated it, longer pipe, tried again. It is still a little off but I am wondering if I am at diminishing returns. Is this good enough? I've included the other side which I think is straight.

One of my front fender hangers is bent. I put a big pipe wrench and extended it with a pipe for more leverage. That straightened it a bit but it still remains somewhat bent. Is there a better way? -- IV

Nice work. Does anyone have plans for a 1916 style that will have a brass square windshield?

According to this article https://tinyurl.com/y4ppe2n7 you can add an 'entrainer' like benzene to break the water bonds and distill the alcohol all the way to 100%. Not for food use. Close. Everclear is as far as you can get with distillation to get the water out. That's is about 190 proof or approx...

Close. Everclear is as far as you can get with distillation to get the water out. That's is about 190 proof or approximately 90% alcohol. It forms a low-boiling azeotrope. The last 10% of water can only be removed by chemical means.

Philip wrote: ↑
Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:00 pm
everclear is 200 proof white liquor

Another difference. The U bolt on the left is slightly different and shorter than the U bolt on the right. I wonder why? I also found yet another early motor mount in my stash of old parts! I have a total of 3 early motor mounts and 2 late. The 2 late's are apparently for TT. These things must multi...

So I worked it down a bit at a time through the bottom bracket and it worked. The issue is that when it finally seats it spreads out some so you have to put the bottom bracket on right when the bolt clears the crossmember hole and gradually work it down.

Hi, These are the original rear spring pack brackets and parts but the lower retainer which is original does not seem to reach slightly. See red circle. I tried a c-clamp to compress it a bit so that I can get it on but it isn't going all the way. The other side is fine. Any suggestions on how to co...

Coming back together again. If I get the wheels painted I may have a roller soon.

Allan I used the curved edge of the paint tool in the picture to good effect on the round spokes. It fits the curve of the spoke well enough. The quickest/safest/easiest/best way I found was to hand scrape the spokes, along the grain, using 1"wide strips of window pane glass. Paint strippers soften ...

Further examination reveals creative use of JB-Weld or similar to fill in the lug holes. The bolt hole pattern that was looks identical to the Bimel wheel in the picture so I can only assume that I somehow am the proud owner of a Bimel wheel.

Wheel paint has been stripped with 3 treatments of Citrus-Strip and lots of wire brushing. The wheels are hung up ready to paint. Treated the residual rust that was resistant to wire brush with phosphoric acid metal prep. Painting will commence soon.

Front running gear is painted. More little parts including rear brake hubs.

Jonah, here is a good follow-along of putting on a two-man top. https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3803&p=47227&hilit=top#p28833 The Classtique videos help but Royce Peterson's article was the most helpful: https://modeltfordfix.com/installing-a-replacement-top-on-your-model-t/ I was o...

Build or borrow a Reagan spoke press. http://www.funprojects.com/techinfo and choose 'Wheel Assembly Press Plans' from the drop down. Also Steve Jelf's video is great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKZ7WrfHdf8 I've used it to assemble wheels but also to change a front hub to a rear and vise versa....

I have 2 early style mounts as well. I am not sure how I ended up with so many motor mounts. The brackets look quite a bit more of a tight fit than the later mounts. I have 3 matching brackets and one mismatch pictured that's how they came to me. I wonder why the difference? One of the early mounts ...

Differential is nearly ready to install. It was heavy getting out of the painting cave.

The white one has Ford script the other does not. I am not sure where I obtained either one of these. They are slightly different sizes. I wonder where it came from?

The one on the right painted black does not have a hole. On second measurement the one on the right painted black is only slightly shorter bolt than the one on the left painted white. You can see in the picture the two mounts superimposed, placed face to face, the black painted mount bolt is only sl...

Nice Touring. Is there a toe out on the front wheels? Also how does the engine hand crank stay up like that? Mine doesn't but I am getting older.

And I just happened to have another one and the bolts are noticeably shorter than the other.

I seem to be missing some spacers on this late motor mount bolt between the spring retainer and the nut. For comparison on my 1922 Touring parts salad there is a big biscuit washer on the front bolt, the back bolt has a mish mash of two nuts. What spacers/washers is supposed to go on this motor moun...

More paint stripping. I treated the rust pits under the paint on the brake hubs with phosphoric acid after wire brushing to bare metal. The spokes are a pain to get the paint off of. Citrus strip starting on my 3rd round.

New Years T candy.

Thanks, that would explain the filled-in extra lug holes. So they must have been the same size as a model T. Crazy. This particular rim is in great condition.

What is a Bimel wheel? I have one. See the picture stamped into the wheel it says Bimel 2-25.

Thanks for the diagrams Tom. The differential and more parts are painted. Starting on stripping the black paint off the wheels.

Hi To my knowledge 1926-27 rear brake levers are unique and are not reproduced. The cams are reproduced. I am cannibalizing 2 rear brake levers from old differential halves. Is there an easy way to remove these? The pictured cam is frozen. There is very little space between the lever and the housing...

Thank you for the comments. Santa brought me a spray gun kit for Christmas. I had to cut the Farm and Implement paint a lot like 40% with acetone to get it to spray well enough. The result so far is much better.

Related to this project: Drilling Steel? https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17747 Craftsman 919.15624 Paint Sprayer for T Chassis: https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15557 Beginner Frame Riveting: https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15557 Painting using Tract...

Okay we are done with riveting and have moved on to painting the chassis.

Well, here it is sort-of. Cleaned up after riveting, primed the remaining rivet burn spots and the first coat of tractor paint is brushed on. The good: it is the chassis so it won't be seen much and some parts not at all. Brushing on is historically accurate. Brushing doesn't get on the neighbors ni...

And a Happy New Year! Wonderful article you did in the Vintage Ford Magazine. Great reading.

Jonah D'Avella wrote: ↑
Fri Dec 25, 2020 7:02 am
Have a wonderful day everyone!

In the video he strains the paint. Why is straining the paint necessary?

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 24, 2020 2:09 am
Son of a gun watch this video think he uses your gun or similar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eoFYTp98XE

They were out of the individual sprayers so I purchased this set. Thanks all for the advice. I like the Harbor Freight "Central Pneumatic Automotive HVLP Air Spray Gun Kit, 2 Pc." The set consists of a small gun for detail work and a larger gun for larger things such as car bodies. I find that I use...

Hello all Merry Christmas, I am planning on spraying white Tractor Paint https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17755&p=134688&hilit=tractor#p134688 on my chassis. I have this Craftsman 919.15624 Paint Sprayer, is it good enough? I have not used it for 15 years. Owner's manual is now missi...

No worries Duey! This is a watershed moment when I stop being a drilling child and become a drilling man! Oh say can you see by the dawns early light!... Nice thought about Cobalt bits. :) I get ya Doc. I play the part of my father in law. He'd say Duey, I'm gonna ask you a question. OK. Tough quest...

Duey Because right now I don't have the means too. I am still not sure which sharpener to get or use. I now understand the difference.

Duey_C wrote: ↑
Sat Dec 19, 2020 9:55 pm
Doc, I'm gonna ask you a silly question: Why didn't you sharpen that first bit when it wouldn't cut the mustard?

Tony, Steve Jelf called and wants to turn the leaf blower and lawnmower into paint sprayers. What is your asking price? Word is he's using recycled tobacco juice as paint now since it is historically correct.

The 'eyebrows' arrived from Rootlieb. I am glad I did not try to build these. Now how to graft them onto the fender? I can cut and stitch weld the straight parts on the back easily enough but what about the curled rounded edge? Do I open up the curled front edge of the fender, cut off the old straig...

Steve Jelf's dauntless geezer page has this: https://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG93.html and many other helpful articles: https://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG52.html His youtube videos on differential and wheel rebuilding are indispensible. Just don't stand between him and a pile of old model T parts for sale. ...

Home Depot had 'Milwaukee Cobalt Red Helix Drill Bit Set for Drill Drivers'. It went through the frame like butter. Quite a difference. $13 for the single 3/8 inch $35 for the set. I purchased the set and hid it from my teenagers. Every project is a chance to buy a new tool. Now to figure out the bo...

How is this for chassis top coat? This will be a white speedster. Rust-oleum Farm and Implement $18 a quart at Tractor Supply was recommended by a friend who paints autos for chassis. Says it can be sprayed, brushed, rolled here https://www.rustoleum.com/~/media/DigitalEncyclopedia/Documents/Rustole...

Using a commonly available titanium bit I am able to make very little progress drilling the pictured hole for the front fender hanger. Is there a better way?

So I was almost out of oxy-acetylene so I setup four to do all at once. A problem has been that they have a tendency to lay over somewhat off center. Is that okay?

I picked up this one from Northern Tool for $49.95. It looks superior in every way. It has a quick change chuck, comes with 3 end tools and actually works every time.

Lubed, has been lubed all along, no change. It didn't work very well out of the box.

D Stroud wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 10, 2020 2:29 am
Ignacio, have you tried lubing your air hammer? Might be worth a shot. Just a thought. Dave

It has been suggested to me to heat the shaft instead of the head to make the rivet expand to fill the hole but I've noticed that this makes the rivet head skew to the side because I am not perfect at making the tool go straight on. Also my $15 (not a typo) Harbor Freight medium air hammer isn't wor...

The 'horns' of the late chassis corner brackets have been amputated getting ready for early model fender hangers. The frame is upside down because it is easier to re-rivet the frame with it upside down.

If you break the tank just take it to a radiator shop they'll fix it quick. Mine came to me complete with a big crack and gas leak probably from over tightening. My local radiator shop fixed it for $30. I want replace the sediment bulb from my 1927 couple, but I am concerned about damaging something...

Yeah but the before and after pictures for a true basket-case disaster to nice drivable are priceless! -- IV

I had not thought of that. Also if I understand your meaning, that would mean a one-way modification to the rivet jack with no going back. The shorter bolts seem to work ok so I didn't think about just cutting it. Another idea that I just thought of is to unscrew the bolt in the jack and see if just...

Harvard riveters are the best.

Balto is a rescue husky-laborador mix with one blue eye and the other half blue half golden. He is always ready for a ride, loves it, and to lend a paw to help out in the garage. If he could drive the T touring he would. Scouts honor.

Flip the frame over if you can. It is much easier to do nearly all the rivets with the frame upside down. Working up and under with a hot torch and bucking bar is much more difficult than working down.

I did not cut any of the rivets because they are supposed to expand into the hole when heated and driven. They form a nice dome when done correctly even if it sticks up a lot at first. I purchased bolts and nuts in various sizes for the spots that my jack is too big for.

I will reply on John's behalf: he's not that old.

Henry K. Lee wrote: ↑
Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:09 pm
Glad to hear! Nice old guy to have a conversion with!

Hank

Brother Steve, It was a T then it was a hay wagon trailer now it is going to be a T again...

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑
Sun Nov 29, 2020 2:48 pm

Is your Y front mount part of the original T trailer?

I thought this was about a car. Why would anyone install a radiator on a trailer?

Hi all, does the kind of radiator or radiator trim matter for using a early or late front motor mount? Specifically 1916 style brass radiator with a late front motor mount?

Good eye yes it is riveted. I can cut it off if necessary. If you are going to use the stock starter push switch mounting location I hope you didn't rivet the top strap to the frame. It looks like it got riveted in your picture but I can't tell for sure. The switch mounts with one hole going under t...

Uh-oh rivet jack is too big for the front.

Thanks for the tip, it looks like I only have to drill 2 holes, no welding.

Allan wrote: ↑
Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:42 pm
Normally the bottom hole in the fender bracket is lined up with the hole in the front crossmember, that hole being in line with the radiator stud mounting hole in the top of the rail.
Allan from down under.

Thanks. I have found the air hammer is superior to a hand bucking bar for both speed and result. Also don't let your teenager play with the oxy-acetylene rig they will use up all the gas and ask you to get the bottles filled twice before you forbid them from touching it. I count approximately 34 riv...

How to adapt early fender hangers to a 25-27 frame pictured with the frame turned upside down? The second picture is an early front hanger with the bottom hole aligned to the frame hole. I can possibly weld a washer or 2 into the hole to close it up and re-drill it. Is the bottom hole for the hangar...

Although it doesn't meet your criteria because of residue, I prefer Kerosene. Easy to get, low odor, less neurotoxic, works well. While gasoline works it is truly vile stuff. Very flammable, carcinogenic, neurotoxic, smells to high heaven.

A screw was loose on the back side of the wire hookup. I tightened it up and it works a lot better now, thanks all!

Okay I think I have this. The key was per suggestion you put the air hammer on the rivet so it won't eject the bucking bar. I also focused the torch on the shaft that is showing not the head to get it good and hot. The running board hangers are half on now with the top rivets in. Looks pretty good I...

Here are some photos. If I use a larger gauge wire (red one in the photo) and directly jump it to the terminal block it works fine sounds strong. Using the switch it is weak. If I 'revive' it using the larger gauge wire it is better for a few toots on the switch but then goes back to being weak.

Luke, thank you for the interesting videos. In principle I agree to heat the whole thing but are relatively small compared to the large rivets in the video, they cool off fast and setting one up in the frame C with a rivet jack takes far too long for it to stay hot that way. On the other hand I am g...

Hi, I have a Model A Ooogah horn. I have to frequently turn the adjusting screw on the back to make it work. Is there a way to fix it so that it works most of the time?

So my original Air Hammer retaining spring was too tight for a 1/4 bucking bar. I bent it to fit and now it is too loose, see picture. The bucking bar goes flying. Should I try to bend it again to fit better or does anyone sell them to the right size? I looked but didn't find one. I have 2 original ...

Interesting page and topic. No discussion of LED's? Mine seem to work well. I did not have to modify anything they are 6 volts.

Then there is the brother newly instructed martial-arts demonstration on the sister. It begins with posing the sister into position and saying "Now don't move". I posted this story in the off topic side before. Angie is my 15 year old daughter. Watch those springs! So we are putting in the valves on...

What does the air filter help with? Fewer oil changes, less wear?

Jim the attention to detail and craftsmanship is first rate. I salute you!

jiminbartow wrote: ↑
Thu Nov 12, 2020 10:59 pm
Here ‘tis. 12”x 18”. $10.99. Jim Patrick

F3C555D0-B853-40BC-9555-3E93AF85B104.jpeg

David do you have pictures and/or some measurements for your Harbor Freight piano mover modifications? For storage and easy movement around the shop, I buy the small Harbor Freight moving dollies (usually around $10 when on sale), add some scrap lumber to hold the engine nicely and voila, a T engine...

I have brown canvas seats from a old restoration which makes mine look rustic.

Took it to a machine shop and they fixed it. -- IV

Hey Steve looks sophisticated. I use the screw some 1/2 metal pipe into the spark plug holes to make good handles, clothes pin lift up the rear 2 head bolts method. Works great. -- IV

It may have been retrofitted with the Tweco. The cables are relatively short.

Unfortunately lostakey gave up because the PA key blank is discontinued.

See the picture. It is heavy. The rheostat dial is stuck so I am probably going to have to take it apart and figure out why. I have some wide and long enough heat shrink wrap that I was going to cover the cable cracks with. Harbor Freight is a good idea I will try them. cables look to be cracked a b...

I have the pictured front fenders that are going to be repainted white. Is it possible to get mild steel and add the sexy 1916 style cuff like in these pictures https://modeltfordfix.com/the-1916-model-t-ford/ on the end of the fender? I was thinking 18 gauge mild steel get a trace and graft it on. ...

An offline tip said try to helicoil the tie rod end. I tried, it isn't working. The helicoil either spins out or if it doesn't spin out the bolt just gets stuck. I have only 2 helicoils left.

An offline tip said try to helicoil the tie rod end. I tried, it isn't working. The helicoil either spins out or if it doesn't spin out the bolt just gets stuck. I have only 2 helicoils left.

I looked at the fine print and sure enough it is a Tweco cable connector! It could be. I've never had one of these before. So I can get a female adaptor and add an additional length of cable then I hope. Is it 2 gauge or 4 gauge wire that these usually use? Are you sure this is part of a stick holde...

It could be. I've never had one of these before. So I can get a female adaptor and add an additional length of cable then I hope. Is it 2 gauge or 4 gauge wire that these usually use? Are you sure this is part of a stick holder? It looks like the male half of a cable connector, used for coupling add...

Are these standard? I've never owned a stick welder before. Also the clamp is missing is that generic as well?

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