MTFCA Forum

John Codman

My '27 has the plate bracket mounted below the crank lever. I don't know if it is original or not, but it looks to be so.

John Codman

I have had the same issue with my '27. I am definitely not going to jack up a rear wheel whenever I decide to hand-crank it. If it actually takes that much effort to start a T, I'll find something else as a toy. I have hand-cranked many Ts, and none have been as hard to crank as mine. I have owned i...

John Codman

Patent date only indicates when the patent was issued, not when the invention was first installed on a particular product (such as a Ford car).

John Codman

Avgas is a great idea for long-term storage; it has a shelf life of five years. It also has a hell of a lot of lead in it, even though it is called "100 Low Lead". It is low lead compared to the old 100-130 Octane avgas that it replaced, but still higher in lead than pump auto gas ever was. I wouldn...

John Codman

If you are worried about the availability of gasoline (I'm not), there is always Propane. It burns cleaner, and with relatively minor work, any gasoline engine can be adapted to using it. A plus is that you don't have tp worry about the availability of original gas tanks.

John Codman

I like the deeper reds too.

John Codman

Get at least one wheel restored on my '27. Two are done - two to go.

John Codman

To Burger - That Desoto in decent condition would be worth a fortune today. 383 "Commando" engines were rare, and the factory didn't list the manual transmission as an option, although it is thought that an extremely low number were built. In numbers-matching well-restored condition. it would probab...

John Codman

Great photos! Thanks for the posting.

John Codman

1962 Chrysler 300 H. 380 HP 413 with dual Carter 4bbls. Solid lifters. I drove this car through a timed flying mile at a tweak over 142 MPH. That is the fastest that I have ever been in an automobile. It was a solid, good handling, good braking dependable car. The dumbest thing I ever did was to sel...

John Codman

Retaining the original T transmission would be a bad idea. An electric motor develops it's maximum torque at 0 rpm, so a low gear is unnecessary. An electric motor - unless carefully selected to develop no more horsepower and torque then the original 20 hp T gasoline engine, would overstress the mod...

John Codman

In his case, since the installation isn't standard, he could use any tank. He probably could find a new modern tank that holds 20+ gallons and sell the T tank to a member who really needs it.

John Codman

R u stil alive? I'd be ded. Love it tho.

John Codman

I always enjoy reading this monthly post. I am constantly amazed at the talent that I see here. This is an amazing group. Merry Christmas to all!

John Codman

I strongly recommend that you spend considerable time with the new-to-you T in a vacant parking lot. A T doesn't drive anything like a modern car (as has been posted earlier) and your modern car instincts can get you in trouble really fast. I plan my stops well ahead and try not to use what passes f...

John Codman

I agree with those who say that all Ts are different when starting. My '27 will not start with the spark fully retarded. It likes about three notches of "advance" (which is still retarded, just not as much). As mine warms up there will be considerable fooling with the mixture or it will quit. Once i...

John Codman

To Henry K Lee and others,
If anyone will make "improved car" high quality cowl tanks for $250 each I'll take four. I will sign a contract.

John Codman

I agree with Steve Jelf. Go through the cleaning process, be sure that you have no vacuum leaks and that the ignition is in good shape, then if you still have the problem it's time for a new radiator. I am assuming that the cooling system is full. From some of the comments I assume that you live in ...

John Codman

Thanks for the reply Mark. I'll check in the next couple of days.

John Codman

Mark, Once you get used to it, retirement will be the best part of your life. I retired in 2008 and the last decade has been wonderful. I hope that yours will be the same.

John Codman

Mark, 10W30. I have no idea when the starter was last serviced, but as the engine cranks so hard by hand, I don't believe the starter is the issue. The connections have all been checked and the battery is new and fully charged.

John Codman

Susan will be missed by all of us. I wish her a happy retirement.

John Codman

It has been pointed out to me that I have not provided some essential background information, so here goes: This is a running, non-restored '27 touring car. To the best of my knowledge, the last time the engine was disassembled was in 1927 at the Ford factory. It runs really well, has good power (fo...

John Codman

When hand cranking in neutral the car does not move significantly and there is virtually no difference in the cranking effort with the rear wheel jacked up or on the ground. The starter also has a tough time cranking the engine.

John Codman

I have Hagerty and no claims. Most of what I have heard about Hagerty is good, but I too resent being forced into their "club". The benefits of Hagerty's club only duplicate what we have with AAA for our other cars. Hagerty requires that the covered vehicle be parked/stored inside a real building. T...

John Codman

Thanks for all of the responses guys. I'll try Norman's suggestions about hand cranking today.

John Codman

Henry, I love those old wooden boats! Also modern replicas of them.

John Codman

I didn't know Bob, but it's obvious that his passing is a loss for all of us. My condolences to his friends and family.

John Codman

No. It's just unbelievably hard to hand crank.

John Codman

I do understand that Dan, The issue is that there is a tremendous amount of drag on the engine when cranking in neutral. In fact I cannot hand crank it, and I have hand-cranked many other Ts. With the lever in neutral I can turn the raised wheel with some serious effort. With the plugs out and the w...

John Codman

I was going to adjust the three clutch screws in the transmission. I jacked up the left rear wheel and placed the tranny in neutral. With the transmission in neutral the rear wheel will not turn. The parking brake is definitely not set. It doesn't make any difference what position the lever is in th...

John Codman

Started on the job of adjusting the clutch screws. The floormat is out, as are the front floorboards. The transmission top cover is off and the left rear wheel is jacked up. I'm hoping that in the next couple of days I will pull the spark plugs, then I'll have a go at actually doing he adjustment. T...

John Codman

For a radiator - Berg's Radiator, 322 South Paul Ave. Buford, IL62814 (618) 231-3507.

John Codman

Bear in mind that Hagerty will not cover a vintage vehicle kept in either a trailer or a carport. It must be a permanent garage or pole building.

John Codman

Jem, I tried to purchase what was supposed to be the last new factory right door for an '82 Chevy conventional pickup about 15 years ago. Supposedly it was at a dealership in Wyoming. I called their $750 bluff and had my local GMC dealer order it. The dealer got a message back that said that it was ...

John Codman

Cell phone, AAA card, Bottle of good bourbon.

John Codman

Yes. Since I need ten characters, yes again.

John Codman

My '27 is the same as Original Smith's - or was until I removed it to weld in a piece of it's bottom that had rotted away. Maybe someday I'll get around to reriviting it, but it's a very low priority. (BTW: spel-check doesn't like the word reriviting).

John Codman

Taken the front floormat and floorboards out in preparation for adjusting the clutch screws. Unfortunately, she who must be obeyed has instructed her husband to start putting up the Christmas decorations immediately if not sooner. I'll probably get back to the clutch in a few days.

John Codman

I wouldn't hesitate to run an engine for about 90 seconds without coolant.

John Codman

Lang's sells some.

John Codman

I did not know Glenn Larson, but having lost one of my brothers to Covid, I do know how his friends, family, and colleagues feel. My condolences to all.

John Codman

I guess that I'm the odd man. It would cost quite a bit to return it to original. I wouldn't pay anything lose to what the seller wants for it, but at a significantly lower price I would be interested.

John Codman

I noticed that both the museum's and Jay's 1925 Ts had the later balloon tires and wheels. I guess that they liked the softer ride.

John Codman

Sorry that I can't help you. I did install a #3079 petcock which I purchased from Lang's, but that was five years ago. It has never leaked a drop.

John Codman

I'm guessing that the water outlet at the top of the head was the heater inlet and the return went to the bottom of the radiator there's no reason why convection wouldn't feed the heater. It looks like a nice little car, but there is a lot of stuff that I would want to undo. JMO.

John Codman

I'm not all gloom and doom. Certainly the world has problems - some cause by the ever-increasing Human population, but so far, as time has marched on, things have gotten better. It may well be that the T will be reduced to being a museum piece, but there will still be a few - perhaps running on Prop...

John Codman

When I forget to flip from Battery to magneto on my '27, the top speed is reduced, but not by as much as yours (in the OP) is. I would take a couple of hours and go back to the basics; I would check the compression, take a look at the plugs, check the coils - I'm sure that there are people on this f...

John Codman

No real crashes, but I did graze the barn door with my right front fender once. Several breakdowns on the road - all related to a cruddy fuel tank. I finally pulled the tank (not a fun thing to do on a '27) and had it cleaned. No fuel-related failures since.

John Codman

Dan, I'm a bit confused as to the new colors letter that you posted. It lists two new colors for the open cars, neither of which is Highland Green. I know that the 15 millionth touring car was Highland Green, as is my '27 touring car. Mine has an old repaint, but it was not a restoration and I have ...

John Codman

The '23 engine shouldn't have any effect on the performance. The '23 has the same horsepower as the '27. A '23% grade is a lot or a vehicle with 20 hp and a 600 lb or so load. The total weight is close to 2,500 lbs. I would agree that a Ruckstell axle would be a good solution.

John Codman

My '27 touring is March '27 production and is green. It has been repainted in the distant past, but I can find no evidence that the original color differed significantly from what it is now. It's color either is or is close to Channel Green.

John Codman

Conducted a 'speriment - My '27 has a Berg's flat-tube radiator installed in 2014. It has cooled beautifully ever since the day I installed it. Today with my DVOM I measured the temperature drop from the top to bottom of the radiator. Idling in our garage, I waited for the temperatures to stabilize;...

John Codman

The 1953-54 Plymouths offered a semi-automatic transmission called the Hy-drive. It was basically a manual transmission with a torque converter. The engine and Hy-drive transmission (including the torque converter), shared the oil supply which of course was the engine oil - all 10 quarts of it!.

John Codman

The modern Model T was the VW Type 1 Beetle.

John Codman

I was outside doing yard work this AM. Shade temp was 86 and very humid. I'm in now taking a break. My shirt was soaked. It's hot here in SW Florida.

John Codman

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑
Sat Oct 24, 2020 7:22 pm
"Do I basically need to strip it down to the block and measure everything to know for sure? How can I tell if new Babbitt was poured?

No. Just run it and drive it. If it performs well, with no knocks etc., just keep on going and don't worry about it.

I agree. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

John Codman

Ford did use the wood from crates, but not for T floorboards. He used the crates to make charcoal. Kingsford charcoal - still available today was started by Henry Ford and Edward Kingsford, whose wife was a cousin of Henry.

John Codman

Steve Jelf's post of October 24 hit the nail on the head. During my lifetime the USPS has done a great job. It's only recently that things have gotten FU.

John Codman

I agree with Danb. I would rather that the gasoline evaporate then turn into the crud that it does. I would drain the tank and use the fuel in a car that I am actually driving. In my case, I use old fuel mixed with new in my garden tractor.

John Codman

Methinks that the above post is theoretically correct, but is way overthinking the issue. Our roads here in SW Florida are built with a significant crown - 3 inch downpours are not rare here. My T does not pull and I have not noticed any significant tire wear other then what would be attributed to n...

John Codman

I confess that I have not read all of the posts, but in the OP it looks like the owner is diagnosing the problem by throwing parts at the car. The Model T is no different then any modern gasoline-powered automobile; fuel, air, and spark at the right time and if the engine is in decent mechanical con...

John Codman

I have probably replaced 50 timing gears in modern cars. In every case the change was necessary because the nylon gear failed. If there is any reasonable alternative, I will never install a nylon timing gear. I have also never noticed any difference in the sound of the steel gear as opposed to the n...

John Codman

I would have liked to see the speedster, but the link wanted me to join something. and I don't do that.

John Codman

Richard Petty once said "I'd rather be lucky then good." I agree and I guess that I was lucky disassembling and later reassembling my '27 headlights. Rather then re-Nickle plate my existing rings, I decided to replace them with repros from Lang's (I'm sure that Snyders rings are from the same manufa...

John Codman

Bob P. is correct. my 1927 was built in March of 1927 and had no buttons. The rear seats had been redone with buttons, but the fronts were original and had no buttons.

John Codman

I would never argue with Steve Jelf., who is a master at the model T and far more knowledgeable then I; technically he is correct, but if you run a mixture of anti-freeze and water, or add a good anti-rust chemical to your coolant and change the coolant every few years, the steel "freeze" plugs will...

John Codman

Flaps are another topic like oil and coolant; you will get a bunch of differing answers.

John Codman

Great photos! Any idea about dates?

John Codman

Welcome, Len. Getting the T started and driving it are two different animals. I go along with what Norman Kling said about getting it started, but you need to do a safety inspection before driving it. The front suspension and steering need to be thoroughly inspected and lubricated and repaired as ne...

John Codman

I agree with the above post. If you have nothing better to do then clean tires, get the whites; otherwise, black is beautiful.

John Codman

I agree with the above posts. A good life lesson is to remember that the least expensive way to accomplish anything, is to do it right the first time. Purchasing really good used parts, and quality new ones means that you will not have to spend extra dollars and extra time trying to make it right. I...

John Codman

Obviously the stripping strength is proportional to the number of threads engaged. The more threads engaged the better. I have a friend who is a mechanical engineer who told me that his rule of thumb is 1 1/2 diameters of thread engagement if possible. Doing some checking, I found tables that say on...

John Codman

Tax free has nothing to do with kero, gas, or fuel oil! If any of these were used on the farm or off road most taxes did/do not apply. On the farm sales tax in Mich does not apply. Some large farms will use on road or clear diesel for both trucks and tractors and get a refund on the portion used of...

John Codman

Just for the record, aviation jet fuel (JP-4) is Kerosene. As was said in the OP, the aircraft kerosene Is refined to higher standards then the kerosene that some gas stations sell. As with all aviation fuels, it is never shipped in a tank or pipeline that was used for a non-aviation product, unless...

John Codman

I installed a timer from Lang's. It was identical to the (I think) original timer that I removed. This was five years ago. I oil it regularly, but have never cleaned it. My T runs beautifully.

John Codman

I agree with jiminbartow. Rustoeum appliance paint is the way to go. My only problem with it is that the local Ace Hardware store is out of it more often then it has it.

John Codman

To JMGolden - Back when the world had corners and I along with several friends was involved in racing a Ford flathead V8 stock car. The cooling system gave us fits. Someone said that they thought the coolant was flowing through the radiator too fast (we didn't run thermostats. What we ultimately did...

John Codman

MSD 8214 ballast resistor. Summit racing equipment stocks them. NAPA also lists one for less money - but I'll bet it's Chinese. AC Delco still has a part number for the classic ceramic resistor that they used from 1953 through 1972. Addressing the OP, the answer is yes.

John Codman

I have removed the column in my '27 Touring several times. It is much easier with the Pitman arm removed, but it can be done with the arm still installed. The main problem is that there is only one position where the arm can be snaked through the firewall, and it isn't any of the 38 that you just tr...

John Codman

Virtually all T-buckets that have been built in the last 25 years are fiberglass. It's too hard to find a good T body. and fixing up a tired one is more time-consuming and expensive then just purchasing a new 'glass body.

John Codman

I agree with Twrenn. I use Rotella 10 W 30 which is available (usually) at Wal Mart. I have checked with Shell, and Rotella still has lots of zinc in it. It has been pointed out to me that the T has low valve spring pressure so zinc isn't as important in a T as it might be with a more modern flat-ta...

John Codman

I have actually been into hot rods longer then antiques. I have owned a 1928 Olds coupe, several Model A's, a '35 Chevy EC (standard) coupe, a 1938 Chevy coupe and a 1933 Buick 4 dr sedan, not to mention my present 1927 T touring car. I never hot rodded any of them. I also built and own an '82 Chevy...

John Codman

My biggest concern would be that as Norman Kling said, you would have an obligation to tell any person that you might someday sell the car to that it has a cracked crankshaft. If I were that potential purchaser, in my mind I would be thinking that before I ever drive the car, the engine has to come ...

John Codman

My first question is: Has the frame been modified? If the answer is yes, it probably would be cheaper as well as much quicker and way less aggravating to just find and purchase a coupe. If the answer is no, then if you are looking for a long-term project, the answer would be a qualified yes. The rea...

John Codman

You need to carefully inspect the entire axle, spring, and steering system before you drive the car on the road again. It sounds as if something is bent or loose. The fact that you have to apply leverage to the steering wheel to get the car to straighten out of the turn bothers me. A tight T front e...

John Codman

I agree with John Kuehn. I found this out the hard way.

John Codman

Is the steering sloppy? If you are new to the T you may think (as I did) that aiming the T rather then steering it is normal for a 90+ year-old car. It isn't. Over the first few years I picked away at the slop. There was no one "smoking gun"; virtually every connection in the steering system had a l...

John Codman

I agree with those who say that straight antifreeze should not be used in any engine. It sounds counter-intuitive, but straight antifreeze does not transfer heat as well as a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water. It also freezes at a higher temperature than that same 50/50 mixture. Straight antifre...

John Codman

As has been said earlier, there's not enough difference to worry about. Here in sunny SW Florida where I don't have to worry about freezing up, I still run 50/50 antifreeze. I'm far more concerned about rust damaging my Berg's radiator that cools beautifully then I am with the antifreeze solution no...

John Codman

My feeling is that if you are going to replace the T engine with something non-stock, then go for more then another 20 HP. I would suggest a Chrysler Hemi.

John Codman

A model T with a good cooling system doesn't need one. Henry built about 15,000,000 of them without the pump, and many are running fine a century later without one. If you want to display a period-correct accessory, do it. otherwise, if your T doesn't cool properly there is an issue with the existin...

John Codman

There is a seasonal ice cream shop called the Black Cow on Rt 109 in Millis, MA that makes their own delicious product. The T has been there several times (before we moved to Florida). The point of this post is that on occasion during the summah they will make a batch of Guinness-flavored ice cream....

John Codman

There is a process called "rodding out" which does precisely what you want. They take the tanks off of the core and (guess what?) run steel rods through the tubes to get rid of the junk. A warning - if the car has an overheating issue, rodding out the core may be a waste of time (and money). If the ...

John Codman

I'm pretty sure that the T engine will gain at least a few degrees of coolant temperature upon shutdown. Although unlike modern thermostat controlled engines the convection in the T's cooling system will continue to operate, there is no airflow through the radiator to remove heat from the coolant. I...

John Codman

I agree with Rich Bingham. I wish that I had your problem. I have had three free starts in the last seven years.

John Codman

No Model T ever had a Phillips head screw from the factory. The Phillips screw was patented in 1932.

John Codman

That belongs in a Target ad.

John Codman

My opinion is that you should insure it for what you would sell it for. If you would sell it for $10,000 then that's a fair value. I wouldn't sell my unrestored but pretty good looking '27 touring car for the $12,000 that it's insured for; I think that I will go to $13,000 when policy renewal comes ...

John Codman

Beautiful work!

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