MTFCA Forum

I use the old fiberous wheel bearing grease that has been around since the beginning of time. No problems. StaLube is the brand, and I get it from Napa

If anyone has a 1913 head with a script like the '12 that Kim posted, let me know.

I believe that information is in the service book.

That is not the hub!

I was at the Turlock swap meet yesterday, and a guy had three housings for $125, which seems like a good deal!

Why do they always varnish the steering wheel? I would think they would have been black?

On a recent tour, I was given a pair of 1925 California commercial plates. They are red with white letters which I've never seen. The standard plates for 1925 are yellow with black letters. I decided to contact a license plate collector for an answer. His reply was my plates were made specifically f...

Randall Anderson has the correct number stamps for the brass plates. All you need to do is supply him with the number. I don't know what he charges though.

If these tires are any good, I would think that one of our vintage tire companies would be importing them, and the tubes too!

I've been driving almost stock Model T's for about 60 years. The only brake I will use is an accessory Rocky Mountain brake, the real thing, not the reproductions. I have them on three of my T's, and they work very well, and can be installed easily in an afternoon!

I've had the best luck finding new and used old stock fasteners of all kinds at Hershey. The modern ones just don't look right to me with the flat tops and the writing on them. The same goes for upholstery buttons. Ford never used covered buttons on any year Model T as far as I know.

How many joints does your wheel have? One, or two?

Something to watch for. Should you find NOS side curtains that say 1925 roadster, they are not 1925! They are for 1926-7. They were mislabeled at the factory. Another thing. If your top sockets are original the rear sockets should already have the three Anzo buttons on each side. The front socket is...

I suggest you use proper Ford descriptions, so I can understand what you are talking about!

How original do you want to be? I used all NOS common sense fasteners. Yes, they come in different heights, single and double, and sometimes, triple. It is correct the Anzo fasteners are difficult to find, but they do show up. Restoration Specialties in Pennsylvania has some, and I can help you dete...

Didn't Stan Howe have those a few years back?

I'm not real fond of taking pictures, but the puller is shown in any Ford parts book on the tool page, and I believe it's also shown in the Ford Service book pulling a driven gear.

There is nothing better than a genuine Ford script driven gear puller. I see them frequently for sale on ebay from $25-$50. I was lucky when I got mine when the price was around $10. Been using it for over 55+ years. As mentioned above, a sharp blow with a hammer will usually break them loose.

Very nice looking shackles Jay. I assume they are rears?

The point here is, do it right! I don't recall if the bolt lines up with the upper or lower striker plate hole, but make sure you are using the correct two hole striker plate, as opposed to the four hole one which is earlier.

I believe the change in location for the filler plug occurred in 1918.

Tim:
What is that floormat out of? I like those.

A note on an above post. Most all of the original bulletins were folded in two places. I doubt if anyone reproducing them would be willing to do that! I have a friend that has a few bulletins that actually came out of Henry Fords office, and are not folded.

Don't go to a regular chrome plating shop. The nickel they use doesn't stand up like the old stuff does. I have a couple of plating shops I use, and all I need to do occasionally is wipe it off with a soft cotton rag.

The Buckeye jacks with the Ford in block letters, and the number 00 were painted silver. The reproduction handles work quite well, but require a lot of fitting, and filing.

I assume you have a better pair of control rods to use?

I pulled an original differential apart a few years ago, only to discover both sides were in perfect condition! My thought on this is when the car was restored in the late 40's, they must have been replaced. This is a 1913 runabout I own.

Did anyone notice what that early Ford Buckeye jack sold for on ebay yesterday? Over $1,000!

I don't know why, but the 1926-7 issues are way more difficult to find than the earlier versions.

Why not try a combination reaming and facing tool. They are available.

Mark: Ford didn't offer a mirror until late in 1924, so the mirrors pictured above would be ok for your car. HOWEVER, the Trico mirrors that Ford did offer from 1924-1927 did not look like what is pictured here. They wrap around the top of the windshield and have two screw holes in the front too. Th...

Scott:
Please send me your email address, and I send you a check right away. Thanks

I believe Randall Anderson makes the correct bracket.

A friend of mine told me he uses straight Hydrogen Peroxide in his tank, and the lights burn much brighter. After use, he pours it back into the bottle.

I have a 17" type, and just keep waxing it. The Fordite still comes off, so I wear leather gloves when driving. I don't wish to paint it, because that will destroy the original look.

I have no proof on this, but I've seen a few of these. The late taillights used from 1924-1927 sometimes have a straight through socket similar to a headlight socket, which enables the owner to use a spring loaded plug of either one contact or two contacts. I have one of these in my 1925, and use it...

Show us some more pictures when it is done.

Beware of the dull black hides available today. You can still buy shiny black, but you have to look for it. Be sure to use the black metal topped pronged upholstery buttons too. A lot of T guys don't know that.

Would like to purchase an original authentic Rocky Mountain bell crank for the equalizer, or any other spare parts you may have.

I've been using New Day timers for over fifty years. For me they are the most reliable. I only need to remove them occasionally to rough up the surface, and blow out the dust. You must use a modern camshaft seal to use one however.

I will be attending. My problem is deciding which car to drive! Perhaps I'll take my '25 pickup pictured above, as I haven't had it out recently. The resort is a great place to stay. I was there recently at the AACA Western National Meet, and it doesn't get any better.

It will be great to attend your final pizza get together one last time. I admire the fact you three are giving back to the hobby this way. I've done business with all of you over the years.

Mark: I admire your determination! I wish more members would be like that. The one that really upsets me is the placement of the rear windows in 1917-1925 touring cars and roadsters. I took an adult school class in automobile upholstery, and learned a lot. If I was younger, I probably would have gon...

I'd like to thank Peter Eastwood for planning the best tour route ever! The only thing I dislike, and it happens every year, is people who own newer model cars, and are not invited, decide to crash our tour, and eat our doughnuts.

How do the tires do? I've driven in very little in snow. When I did, I drove very slow, and the wheels just sank through the snow to the pavement.

I have thought of using balancing beads, but don't know how. I really like the photo of the original Schrader valve stem comparison. I have never seen that one before. It is a real good piece to have.

If Jack would have done his homework when he started making the brakes, he would have found the brake pedal bracket and the equalizer. Instead he found a Bennett equalizer which is backward from a Rocky Mountain. Rocky Mountains use a cable, and pull on the brakes. Having to use rods just complicate...

The MTFCI did all of the bulletins a few years back. For reference it is great, but I disliked the fact they didn't reproduce them exactly like the original bulletins. The should have used the glossy paper, and punched the holes in the same location, and used the orange lines on bulletin #1, and blu...

Ford changed to steel bushings at some point. I prefer to use brass or bronze, so I don't wear the tie rod bolt. I ream them to fit the bolt, but facing is not required.

I have a complete set in an original binder. It took me several years to complete the set. I still have a few extras.

As Norman explained nothing is the same. The current Rocky Mountain brakes were copied from an original 1926 AC brake, and are not even close to a correct Rocky Mountain Brake!

I'm wondering how you propose to put grease through the oil cap on the timer? Since it is an oil cap, it seems obvious to me. Read the Ford Service book, and your instruction manual for the answer.

I don't know if I can post any pictures of this bolt, as they are now on the car! There are three on each side. The front and rear are the same size . The center one is about 1/16" longer. The early 13's had a much longer rear body bolt to go through the cast iron frame bracket. I had to have one of...

What is a JNO generator? Could it be Jno. Brown?

Perhaps many of you have noted my discussions in the past about original Schrader and Dill valve stems. You may have also noted that I prefer an 888 which is not authentic to a 777 which is. I have noted in the past why I prefer the 888 to the 777. For the first time I'm posting and example of these...

I recently acquired a POS 1915 touring, which is partially disassembled. The good news is, it's a real '15, not a conversion. Anyway, three of the body bolts were missing, and the early ones are a non standard size, using an 11/16 across the head bolt. Yea, I know I could easily slip in a 5/8 non st...

I used to teach high school. I took my T to school many times for demonstrations.

Most of the houses in my area had what I call a Model T garage. Room for one Model T, and that is all.

Let me know what you find. I recently did the hoses on my two '13s, and had the SAME problem. I found some plain red hose from McMaster Car that works, but would like to have the cloth hose too. I also learned from my experience the amount of hose supplied was not adequate for a '13-14. Perhaps it w...

Take a look at the second attachment posted by Mark Strange. It should answer a lot of questions for anyone doing research on a 1913, including the top for the roadster. One thing I would like to share, is the common sense fasteners for the side curtains were placed into the bow drill before being s...

Please forgive me if I'm wrong, but the bottom photo that Dan posted doesn't appear to be a 1915.

I'm no expert, but I did copy the original top exactly from my car. A '14 top would probably work, but is not correct if you are into authenticity. My cars top came out fine, and still has the original wood bows too. I placed original common sense fasteners in the correct locations as well. The top ...

I disagree with Dan's conclusion. I believe the above part with the hump is earlier. Why? Because Ford was always looking for ways to cut costs. I have a pair of NOS top to windshield clamps, and they have the flat wing. Doesn't the '26-7 open cars use the same one as the 23-5?

I used carburetor cleaner years ago. I put in a handful of CLEAN pea gravel and tossed it around. That worked for over 50 years until I got a bad tank of gas a couple of years ago. I took the tank to a local radiator shop to have it cleaned out, and here is where I made my mistake. Don't assume the ...

The only pleat that was sewn all the way to the top was the center one. All the rest were sewn about two inches above the buttons, and then folded the rest of the way. That way, the installer could easily make corrections. Another thing a lot of restorers fail to understand, is there is no stuffing ...

What does the Grand Poobah have to say about all of this?

Check with Langs. Don doesn't usually sell oilers that won't work! I've always had good luck finding originals at swap meets.

It's nice to hear Merry Christmas again! I guess it wasn't politically correct for awhile.

Keep us posted! There have been a lot of triple gear bushing problems in the past. Bob Bergstadt had the last batch made to Ford Z bronze specifications.

Dan, it looks like you have a Canadian Ruckstell.

I believe you can purchase Model A engine paint in spray cans from the A vendors.

Contrary to what Steve mentioned, the early cars used one bushing, the same length as the bracket.

Since you did not mention the year of your car, which is important, refer to the Ford Service book, and it will show you pictures of the correct placement of the oilers. The early T's use 1/8" pipe thread oilers.

I remember when I restored the bed on my '25, I needed to replace one of those. What a job!

Don't forget to pack the u joint area with a light grease.

Why not just install a firewall mount like a 13-15. You will have many choices. Stewarts are the most common. If you need everything, I would count on spending as much as $1000, but it probably won't be that much.

What baffles me is why both Rocky Mountain and AC repro's have chosen to use rods instead of the original cable set up's which is so much easier to do. It doesn't make sense to me. But what do I know? I have original Rocky Mountain brakes on three of my cars.

What annoys me, is I've never seen the high dome rivet for the handle reproduced, only the flat one! I wonder why?

Mark:
If you have a chance, come on by. Perhaps we can go to lunch or dinner?

Sure looks factory to me. I didn't know Ford was using aluminum magnet spacers that early?

Continental made engines for a number of different makes of cars. I believe a Jordan is one of them.

I wonder if that bus body is a professionally made body? It kind of looks home made to me.

A lot of American cars had free wheeling in 1932 and 33.

It would be nice if someone would reproduce the original correct Rocky Mountain Brakes that were cable operated. There are no problems with them! The same goes for the AC brakes. Why make something so simple, so difficult??????

It appears he is using a Ford battery box too. That's impressive.

I've been to every Hershey meet for 34 years, without missing one. I used to pick up NOS late hubcaps all the time for $10 each. That is getting harder to do. I've also found a lot of early hub caps there for what ever I had to pay.

Thanks for the note Bill. Phil and I were good friends, but due the distance from Los Angeles, I was lucky to see him once a year.

It's nice to see so many 1912's with the correct fore doors! Many people in my area have removed them for some reason.

Keith: Do you have a complete set now? I know that early stuff is hard to find, so I imagine you'll keep buying whatever you find.

I've seen those mis-labeled 26 curtains before. Owning a 1925, I've received 26 curtains before, and have not been able to use them. 1925 & 26 owners, take note! Thanks for posting Jim!

Keith:
Where did you find rubber stem tubes that fit through the opening in the felloe? I haven't seen anything since Schraeder made them that works!

It's too bad, and sad at that, that we have people in our society that don't feel this way!
Merry Christmas to all from a cold wet Southern California!

Another script detail is on the running boards. The Ford script on them is similar from 1913 through 1925, but entirely different styles over the years. The 1913's are similar to the hubcaps, and the 'F' got shrunk over the years. In addition, the 13-14 running boards had the holes for mounting the ...

I'll go along with Keith on that one. The RH cap that Jim posted looks like a cross over maybe? I know from all the hub caps I've collected, there were at least two different companies making them, or maybe more. I have two 1917 hubcaps. One has a black center, and one doesn't.

I don't know if anyone is making the correct side curtains for the 22-25 open cars. The original side curtains I have are almost as good as Jim's but not quite. Making these curtains was one of the most fun projects I've done. I strongly suggest making paper patterns for each of the curtains, so as ...

I'm glad the pictures of original side curtains were posted. As you can see, they are different from Carters. Also Ford did not use lift the dot fasteners.
They used Anzo fasteners, which are getting difficult to find these days.

Yup! That is the tool. Can't own a T without one. Like Steve said, I'm glad they are still available.

I've posted this information before, so here it is a different way. The first hubcap with the big "F" is a 1913. It is similar to the 1914 hubcap next to it. There is one more photo shot a different way. The 1914 hubcap was used at least through 1917, but was nickel plated. It may have even been use...

What I've been using for years is a special wire that looks like a modern speedometer cable, with a nub at one end that screws onto where the valve cap goes, and has a Tee handle at the other end. What I did this time to hold the tube in place is a rim nut screwed in upside down into the felloe. It ...

Just use the Ford Service book. You don't need drawings.

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