MTFCA Forum

Incredible. A coupelet is offered for sale, and all that is discussed is leaking oil. Give me a break. Start a your own new thread about sealing up a T. Let's have a discussion about coupelets! Just sayin'. Bill

Steve, did you mess up the axle threads or mushroom the axle end in your struggle? Bill

Ron's coils take a lickin' and keep on tickin' ! Top notch work, many thanks, Bill

If the ratchet and/or pawl that holds the emergency brake handle in the neutral position are worn, the handle can pop forward which puts you in high gear. If you have set the throttle to fast for starting the engine or getting the car moving, this can be a very, very, VERY bad thing. Make sure these...

Apparently, anything! Cheers, Bill

Personally, I think step plates are the greatest invention since heated car seats. Maybe heated toilet seats. Maybe remote TV controls. Maybe tablets so I can post dreck like this.

Bill

My deepest condolences to his family. RV was a big help to me, and I was looking forward to working with him in the future. R.I.P. RV.

Joe Bell does a great job. Cheers Bill

Model trains? Now you're talkin'! What scale and guage? Sorry, off topic. Bill

Get it done! I had a collision recently because the handbrake lever slipped forward and the car went into high gear. This is dangerous, and a must do repair! No joke, Bill

Well, I'm depressed now...

I used Permatex #2 on my car with good results. It remains pliable forever and will not set up. You can work it into the felt and it seals everything very well with no leaks. The best part is disassembly is easy when the time comes, whereas the RTV products glue everything together to the point of b...

You guys are my heroes. Cheers, Bill

How do you make a small fortune in the model t hobby? Start with a large fortune...

Cheers, Bill

Here is the latest per the excellent information you good folks provided: The pitman arm is part # 929, and hangs straight down when the wheels are dead ahead. The tie rod is the correct one with the ball integral to the rod end. The drag link looks original with brazed and pinned ends, and measures...

Many, many thanks! I will investigate all this and update the thread. At this point I'm pretty sure the tie rod is correct. I will provide a measurement on the drag link and part number on the pitman arm. I remember it being straight down when the wheels are dead ahead. Cheers Bill

I should mention that the arm stops very soon after 9:00. Say, a couple of degerees - just enough to let you know it has gone over center. Thanks, Bill

I was just pushing my '11 back and forth to move it into alignment to exit the shop door. I found that when I cut the wheel to the left hard enough, the pitman arm will go over center. That is to say, it will go from 6 o'clock through 7, 8, 9 and keep on going towards 12:00 until the crankcase pan s...

Thanks for the reply Dick. I wondered about that - if the hub would shrink on tighter. Perhaps heating the entire circumference of the hub followed by whacking an axle knocker would work? But how hot is hot enough?

I'm going to go slow here...

What do you guys think of using a small tip torch to heat the hub in small areas, then letting it cool? Would that help break the grip, or just cause more problems?

None of these techniques have worked for me. I even tried a large air hammer with the knocker. I did not use a torch on the hubs yet for fear of ruining the axle seals. Not sure if it would help anyway. I should mention that the hubs, axles, and keys are all new from Lang and were absolutely perfect...

I have a brass Nonpareil horn on my car. The rivets that hold the bracket to the horn itself are loose enought to allow the horn to ratlle up and down while driving. Is there a good way to tighten these up without unsoldering the horn and taking it apart? Suggestions appreciated, thanks, Bill

Tim Wrenn can give you some tips. I tear rags into strips, apply polish, and then saw it back and forth to get to the tight spots. Is that a torpedo horn? If it is, take good care of it! Cheers, Bill

Impressive reply Mr. Brown. When so much media is given over to the destruction of our culture, it's easy to forget that there are many thoughtful younger folks ready to step into our shoes. This forum does a great job of filling in my education about American history in a fun and personal way, and ...

I must be getting senile, I can't make heads or tails of this. Guess I'll have to head out your way and check it out. Good video! Cheers, Bill

Serious motive power from a time when men were men and women were glad of it!

I, too, would like to see a few photos of the offset rivet former in use. Showing the air hammer in position if you can, please. After-the-fact photos would be fine. Fan hubs are another spot where rivets are not directly accessible, and I'm really curious about how you got the hammer driving force ...

I can testify from personal experience after having been zapped by one of these things, microseconds do indeed matter!

Bill

Human ingenuity is infinite!

Brake fluid eats paint. Has anybody tried it? Cheers, Bill

Sometimes my excessive play with my T is measured in decibels, too!

Recently in the heat, I thought I was having a major heart problem coming on strong. The doc discovered I was low on sodium. When I worked in the steel mill, we all took salt tablets to replenish sodium lost through perspiration. The mill had boxes of them scattered all through the production bays. ...

Holy cow! I hope you are planning on spending some time teaching an apprentice or two to pass this knowledge along. Just the practical logic of how you hold parts and the sequence of machining operations would have Leonardo patting you on the back! Cheers, Bill

Scott, wish I had read your reply a couple of years ago. I am still figuring this stuff out! Cheers, Bill

I would be interested in these parts. My car came with this carb, and I am planning to rebuild it when the snow flies. Running a straight through NH now. Please keep us updated Scott. Cheers, Bill

Better than a curling stone...

Auction results?

Joe Bell tells me he down shifts into Rux low entering a corner then shifts to Rux high upon exit. Makes sense, I have yet to try it. Works with a hotrod Mustang, I can tell you. Joe must be one of them thar high performance, maxed out, go for broke model T guys! Go for it, Bill

I would think you could build a speedster to fit. Would that work, or do you want an original car? Bill

There is a checklist of things to do on a car to ensure safe and reliable touring. I used it to organize my project and make sure I didn't miss anything. It might be on this site, or maybe someone could post a link? Cheers, Bill

Scott, if you install new hubs, see the thread on "how do I use this tool". Scott C points out a real buster on steel hubs. Good luck, and cheers! Bill

Thanks to all. Boy, it would be great if the vendors would simply include a stainless shim with each hub. Scott, it never occurred to me that steel on steel would cause this issue. Now I am filled with trepidation and dread. I did put an extremely thin wipe of old fashioned lead based anti-seize on ...

A couple of years ago, I rebuilt my Ruxtell rear axle using new hubs, axles, and keys from Langs. These parts were made to perfection, but fit together so well that now I cannot get the rear wheels off. I tried the screw-on puller in the photo, but it had no effect other than starting to damage the ...

Thanks Mark. This is really nice of you to compile this information from a master. Cheers, Bill

I hit the same wall. McMaster Carr was no help. I found a wire closet shelf that has rod in it that is very close to that size. Lowe's and HD have these, but one is good and the other not. I can't remember which is good, take a caliper. It made a great advance control rod. Cheers, Bill

I solved it. Road test next week.

Bill

Just hooked up my speedometer making sure the cable ends are properly engaged. The cable is wire, encased in a slippery plastic sheath, which is then inserted into the brass cable housing (spiral wound tube). The wire cable turns freely in the sheath, the speedometer turns freely and registers speed...

Promised pix. This car was first restored in the 50s from an original car by an HCCA chapter president. I have revised some details based on current research, but have tried to keep the car as it was excepting for safety, hidden functional updates, and improved restoration methods. The photos show a...

My dash has the mixture adjustment rod hole drilled already. I'll try to post a pic of how the brass trim came out. So it seems to me that the floorboard is the key to getting the metal parts in the correct orientation for mating with the dash? That is if I read your directions right, you fasten the...

Thank you John, many times over! What is the restorer's best friend? No, not 0000 steel wool. It is 3M delicate surface masking tape (the purple stuff) as wide as you can find it. I bought a dash from Langs and put 2 weeks into finishing it before I figured out how to do it to my satisfaction. It is...

Does anyone have a good clear photo or drawing of how this shield is to be installed? Is it supposed to screw to the front floorboard, and do the ends need to be bent? Mine is a new fun projects part, and a sheet of historical info is included but no actual instructions. Thanks in advance, Bill

Could it be that the force of gravity has been turned up enough to flatten tires? Sure feels like it sometimes to me...

Bill

Rustoleum self priming 2x cover works fine for me. It is soft, but that is good on a part that flexes. I warm metal parts with a mapp gas torch before I spray the paint. This gets all the moisture out of the metal and helps prevent runs. You would not believe the amount of water that can come out of...

Welcome aboard, Commander Packard! Cheers, Bill

Heading south out of Burlington on route 206 in NJ, there used to be the most incredible collection of "salvage" I have ever seen a private individual put together. The guy was a locally famous hermit who built a large teepee out of sheet metal of all kinds in which he lived. He had lots of things i...

This reminds me of the day Elvis died. Unbelieveable. What a loss. My sincere condolences to the family and Stan's personal friends.Bill

Someone is currently advertising a number of spark plugs on the forum and is listing their thread forms and diameters. There are differences in these plugs. How do you determine what is correct for your head? Is there .a chart that specs what thread fits what year? My searching reveals only piecemea...

Tried to start my new Joe Bell rebuilt engine, but no go. Finally got back to it today, and found I had switched two harness wires at the coil box. I plead temporary insanity. Fixed the wires, did the normal starting prep as outlined above, and she came to life! This is not my first rodeo, and I tho...

Great Terry! No rush on the photos, thanks for sending when you get time. Cheers Bill

Ps. TX for the membership info Tim.

How would I contact Terry Bond regarding his parts? Is there a membership list hiding somewhere? Thanks, Bill

Kim is a stand up guy. None better! Thanks, Bill

Thanks for posting! The large headlights behind the 3 speedometers on the table with all the brass sidelights may be of interest to me. If you know the vendor, could you please ask him to contact me? Cheers, Bill

Holes can be removed...

Bill

12 volt lawnmower battery mounted under the rear seat (1911). About $23 on sale at NAPA. Recharge as neccessary. Cheers Bill

I added a brass step plate to avoid wear and tear on the running board paint. I think you have good ideas here. It seems the earliest cars had more brass which was then phased out as production continued, but I think any polished brass looks great against polished black. Little polished details like...

A currently hot Jelf topic regarding restoration and originality contains an observation by Tim Juhl that has set me thinking. He said: “Let us not forget that the Model T was one of the most customized cars of it's time.... often beginning soon after it rolled out of the factory. I consider my car'...

Holy cow. I always learn something from the discussions your posts inspire, which is something you are really good at. I use the dauntless geezer site regularly because you provide such solid, easy to follow information. I say damn the torpedos, full speed ahead! Cheers, Bill

I am currently trying to decide on black or natural for the steering wheel on my 1911. Correct is black, but the wood looks so good! Until I saw the 1910 on the Ford fix site that has a black wheel, which is perfect. So here is where I am: finish the wheel natural and put mucho varnish on it, then p...

Beautiful spot, an opportunity to promote the hobby, good public relations with an historical society and the special events business community. Five stars! If we want to promote the hobby, and incidentally create and strengthen a market for our cars so that there is interest in them when it is time...

How things change. That torpedo in the photo is a mud bug, beaten like an old mule, but what would you pay to have it in your garage now? Bemused, Bill

You know what? I have other clothes to wear and can wait for garments made in the USA. I'm all in with Roundhouse. Bill

Allan, thank you for this info! I will place an order and support these people going forward. I noticed that they have a "hickory stripe stylish uptown bib" which may be of particular interest to Mr. Jeff when he steps out. Thanks again, Bill

When I answer the phone, I say "It's Bill."

Steven, if you wind up not cutting the slot, the only tricky thing you need to remove from the column is the little timing lever. The pitman arm needs to come off and then the column mountin bracket will just slide off which lets you pass the column through the firewall hole. I removed the timing le...

There were 8 coils total, 2 at each corner. A man named Jerry Linder (he was a chapter president for the HCCA) restored this car back in the 50s from a good original and toured in it extensively for years throughout California. He even did a couple early Pebble Beach tours. There were many historic ...

One more photo

Here are the pix I still have of the curly shocks that sold through the forum several years ago. I have not been able to locate the fellow that bought them - perhaps he will weigh in and you can request additional pix from him. Bob - I don't remember the rear spring perches being as long as the item...

FWIW, I just went through this and experimented with both P&L cherry bark and LMF cherry stain. They are both great products, and in my humble opinion there is not a dime's worth of difference between the two if they are brought to the same level of color saturation. They do look different when in t...

Yes, I sold that setup seems like 100 years ago. I have more photos if you want me to email them, but I didn't photograph the individual parts or part numbers. Not sure they were even on the parts. I will look. If you like, I can try to find the name and address of the gentleman who bought them. A s...

I wonder how many cooling problems are caused by badly adjusted carburetors? Hmmm, Bill

Perfect, thanks very much guys!

Thanks Kim! Looks like I had better start looking for change in the couch. If you (or anyone) have photos of this harness installed, it would be very helpful. Cheers, Bill

Sorry for the triple post of teh first photo. I have no idea how that happened, or how to fix it...

Hello, I am about to install my wiring harness on my new firewall. When my car came to me, the harness was fastened to the frame rail with spring clips, then ran vertically up to the hood former where it turned right and ran underneath the hood former to the coil box connections. The harness was hel...

If your car has a fuse, bring spares. I have a 10 amp at the battery that powers the car.

I have spent almost three weeks polishing everything on the 11. I use Autosol polish from Eastwood. It is somewhat expensive but it is good. My car was all disassembled for the engine rebuild, so everything could be reached for a thorough polishing. IMHO, that is the only way to do a top level job. ...

Stan hits it IMHO. Running low on money is a scary thing, but trust in the Lord to see you through. As for me, I would restore the car and have as much family fun with it as humanly possible! Cheers, and have at it, Art! Bill

FWIW, the Rux on my car looked good from the outside, but I had to replace virtually every component to make it right. Serious $$$$$$. At least I have a good understanding of the mechanical aspects gained through rebuilding it. An expensive education which can be fun, if you like that sort of thing....

Missing cotter pin in the drag link, driver side. I'll show myself out.

Newbie question: what is the advantage of using these reinforcements? Bill

A Blob. It's always a Blob... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdUsyXQ8Wrs

Bill

Yes, it looks like you need to do more checking. After the steam clears out. Keep in mind this is all fun! Cheers, Bill

What a jewel! Russ, could you comment on the finishes in the engine compartment? It looks like the block, head, and all the fasteners are unpainted. Is that the way they came ex factory, and did you apply anything to keep the appearance fresh? Hats off to you, Bill

It would be tricky to get the flow balanced and optimized for sure. I guess more flow is needed to the bands than to the clutch, and filtering out the trash is definitely desireable. Dan's modification looks pretty good to me...

I bought a roll of 18 gauge solid copper insulated wire today that is intended for thermostat wiring. It is rated for 150 volts according to the packaging, but that must be for very low current. The original wires lasted for 100 years, so these will probably outlast all of us, even a youngster like ...

So I looked at these again, and it seems that the screen does a better job of evenly distributing the oil across the length of the transmission. The unmodified screen looks like it starves the rear section of oil, but by drilling larger holes in the screen the oil flows more freely to the clutch are...

I am new to Ts, so this is all good. Thanks for posting! Cheers, Bill

I am in the process of refinishing my wooden Kingston coilbox. A couple of years ago, one of the first things I did when I got the car was to refresh and rewire the box and switch. I replaced the original wire with door bell wire of exactly the same size (both measure .036" diameter), but it looked ...

Thank you, RV!

Question, if the motor is installed, do you need to unfastened the wishbone ball before jacking? Bill

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