MTFCA Forum

Derek Kiefer

I have tried to find the same information. The encyclopedia says single window for "later 1925" but no approximate estimation on when the change occurred. Is "later" the last half of the year, or the last month?

I assume mine should be single window with its May 25th 1925 engine assembly date.

Derek Kiefer

Vermont has closed that "loophole" so this is no longer an option.

Derek Kiefer

"Lawless" is one of my favorite movies, and has quite a few Model Ts I just watched "Babylon" recently, which I thought was lousy movie, but had a lot of T's and T-era cars. One scene used the same TT truck with the modern drivetrain (rear axle being visibly much later era) as was used in "Lawless"....

Derek Kiefer

It was a fairly common swap to a speedster or dry-lakes racer in the late-20s and early-30s.
It gave the car a more streamlined look of the fancy European racers of the day, on a American-car used-parts budget.

Derek Kiefer

I'd be inclined to keep the Whippet radiator & shell since it looks like it radiator has been on the car for a very long time... maybe since the car was built?

Derek Kiefer

All else being equal, a 1914 would be about 10-15% higher value than a 1915, in my opinion.

Derek Kiefer

Wish I could make it, but I haven't perfected being at 2 places at once yet...

Derek Kiefer

For clinchers, I'd trust tires made in 1964 more than tires made in 2023.
Once you put new ones on, you'll be replacing them a lot more often.

For 21" balloon tires, the ones made recently have been very good. I think mine are around 2017 Made in USA Firestones.

Derek Kiefer

This one happened recently too... driver of a stolen Hyundai hit a '64 Impala Convertible. Driver of the Impala died, thief fled the scene.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/car-thi ... 43031.html

Derek Kiefer

Where is it located?

Derek Kiefer

'11 Torpedo is, in my opinion, the most elegant and beautiful of all the "factory-built" Model T's

My dream T would be to find an original speedster with race-history with a Morton & Brett Speedway body, Fronty head, and Buffalo wheels.

Derek Kiefer

It's been a while since we've staged a photo, these kids are both teenagers now.

Derek Kiefer

Thanks for hosting, Bob!
I stopped in briefly, but couldn't stay long.

I really need to start bringing parts to sell again... shop's getting full!

Derek Kiefer

Dean Kiefer is in for 2

Derek Kiefer

People a lot smarter than me have said that the head numbers are not actually a date, but a reference to a mold number. I have also seen some low heads with 2 extra digits "13" after those numbers, which all seem to coincide with 1913 style heads (taller raised Ford script) I have always had my doub...

Derek Kiefer

Andy's father-in-law Roger called my Dad yesterday.

Andy passed yesterday morning.

Derek Kiefer

Andy will be missed. It was quite a shock to hear that he passed.

He did a lot for this hobby, including being President of 2 local clubs.

Derek Kiefer

My gut instinct on this one is that someone stole specific parts that they needed for their own car.

A typical opportunistic meth head would have gone for the scrap-value of the radiator.

Sad and infuriating either way.

Derek Kiefer

I was 11 years old when I went to the MTFCI Clear Lake, IA tour, and for my first time saw a loud, low, fast, red boattail speedster. I fell in love with that car and have wanted one ever since. In 2013, the car was listed for sale in the MTFCI magazine. I couldn't take off work, and was arranging t...

Derek Kiefer

Old photos of fire engines usually look black also, but we know they weren't.

Derek Kiefer

Jonah D'Avella wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 17, 2020 4:14 pm
Beside it it says 3 25 16 i think

You're missing one digit on your serial number. March 1916 is should put it in the 1.1 million range.

Derek Kiefer

I have the same wheels on my '25 Touring.
Most would never notice that they are Chevrolet wheels.

Derek Kiefer

Sold already. My mouse was hovering over the Buy it Now button several times, but I didn't pull the trigger.

Derek Kiefer

There's a Bugatti replica fiberglass body on an "A" chassis for sale in the Facebook group "Speedsters & Pre-War Racing Cars Only"
It's a private group, so I can't share it here unfortunately. Is he still looking for a body?

Derek Kiefer

As long as the cars exist, someone will have to own them... If there's no interest at current prices, they'll get really cheap and a new generation will find that there's cheap fun to be had, maybe as a novelty at first, but may grow into a passion. The hobby isn't going away in my opinion.

Derek Kiefer

The first picture also has a 2-piece firewall and what appears to be the longer Torpedo hood.

I agree it has 1-piece spindles, but arguably, some of the earliest '11 Torpedos should have had them.

Derek Kiefer

Looks like an '11 Torpedo in that picture.

Derek Kiefer

Looking forward to it!

Derek Kiefer

My phone pops up a notification every day to show me pictures I took on that date in previous years.
Today it reminded me I went to Gilmore exactly 2 years ago.

Derek Kiefer

title correction was easy in Minnesota when my 1925 was titled as a 1924, and again when my '55 Chevy had a "5" in the VIN where it was actually an "S" The T was done when I transferred it in my name with just a printed page from the MTFCA encyclopedia as proof of the year-error. (May 1925 serial nu...

Derek Kiefer

Take this seriously, a magnet coming apart will do a LOT of damage.

Derek Kiefer

It looks like a 1913 to me, judging by the doors.

Derek Kiefer

My response to that would not be appropriate for this forum.

Derek Kiefer

Did anyone take a picture from the rear? I'm curious what holds the rear TT axle in place, and if all the car's weight is suspended on the center axle???

Derek Kiefer

Looking forward to it.

Derek Kiefer

I'm undecided, but hearing that registrations are way up makes it more appealing.

Derek Kiefer

I'm 36, bought my first T at 17, and have been attending T events since I was 10. I'm married and have 3 young boys of my own now. I am also into 50s classics, 60s musclecars, and modern performance cars as well. I build, drive, race, and enjoy cars of all types. T club events are the most kid-frien...

Derek Kiefer

Yes, these quickeners CAN be installed backwards to slow the ratio. 1.5:1 installed backwards behind a 4:1 would make it 6:1, or forwards would be 2.66:1 ratio. This is the input/output ratio of the steering wheel and steering shaft, not the actual measurement of how much the wheels turn (pitman arm...

Derek Kiefer

The "bulged" splash aprons are not accurately reproduced, so those would have some value. I'm not sure how much though.

Derek Kiefer

There are a lot of better cars, more practical cars, faster cars, safer cars, more comfortable cars, easier cars to maintain, and cars that you can just do more things with than a Model T. It's completely irrational and irresponsible to own and drive one. If that rare person who is crazy enough to w...

Derek Kiefer

I have several axles with 26-27 spindles and none of them had the dip.

I had a 27 roadster, which DID have the dip in the axle.

Derek Kiefer

What do you have for exhaust?

My T has balanced crank, Z-head, 290 cam, etc. Top speed with the NH was 52mph. I put a Winfield 4H on a high-volume manifold, and went no better than 52mph... After I accidentally blew the muffler apart, I went 57mph with a bit more left in it!

Derek Kiefer

This probably won't be the most popular thing on this forum, but I stuffed some modern tech in a 50 year old car and have been driving it to its limits. EFI 383ci LS1 stroker made 434hp/449ft-lbs to the rear wheels. Lots of suspension upgrades, big brakes, and sticky tires make it handle quite well,...

Derek Kiefer

The 10-spoke front wheels on the first picture make me think Cadillac

Derek Kiefer

otrcman wrote: ↑
Tue Jun 18, 2019 9:36 am
Every time I open this picture my eyes go to that tree stump in the middle of the yard. Why did they cut it down ? Was is hit by lightning ? Did it die ? Roots in the cistern ?

My guess is it's the chopping block where they lopped the heads off of chickens.

Derek Kiefer

When I had a '27 roadster, I put one of my kids in the trunk to guide it while I pushed up from the bottom.

Derek Kiefer

I'd say fire, since all the wood, tops, and other soft-parts appear to be missing from all the cars. The only thing that seems out of place is that the tires are still somewhat intact.

Derek Kiefer

I believe you are talking about Dave Szumowski's version, rather than Mark Chaffin's.

Dave built a beautiful DOHC powered Model T speedster.

Derek Kiefer

The goal of many writers today is no longer journalism, but to sell advertising. Controversy is a quick and easy way to get the attention needed to get people to click on a garbage article, and boost those "page view" numbers in order to sell more ads. Politicizing it in a way to get people to argue...

Derek Kiefer

The encyclopedia lists production at 1415 Town Cars produced in fiscal 1913
http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/1913.htm

I don't know how accurate those numbers are, however, as it lists 0 in 1915, yet there are known original 1915s that still exist.

Derek Kiefer

A nice original just sold in Illinois about a month ago. Sadly, I saw the ad too late as it had already been sold.

Derek Kiefer

I wanted a $20k tractor and only had $10k liquid, but the banks wouldn't finance a tractor. I borrowed against my modern truck which was paid off a few months earlier. 3 year loan was financed at 2.9% for an auto loan compared to something like 8% for a personal loan, and completely hassle free unli...

Derek Kiefer

Anything other than a proper Model T serial number stamped on the block would be a red-flag for me as a buyer. Maybe not a deal-breaker, but definitely a red-flag. Incorrect stampings, made-up body tags, and other home-made identifications that are obviously not original all create a question of val...

Derek Kiefer

Owning a set of number stamps makes for a lot less hassle when dealing with incompetent bureaucrats...

Derek Kiefer

I will be there for a little bit early, but can't stay long.

Derek Kiefer

Everything from the front doors forward appears to be 1925 based on the equal-length door hinges, high cowl, tall radiator, radiator apron, and the shape of the front fenders where they meet the apron. (wheels and windshield excluded)

Derek Kiefer

Now that April Fools is over, everything on the internet is true again. With my 1925 Touring, I managed to tickle 60mph (GPS verified) with it for the first time in 2017, so I like to tell people that its 0-60 time is 92 years. :lol: I have been 140mph on a race track in a modern car, and 60mph in t...

Derek Kiefer

1900rpm is only 46mph. That's no problem at all with a balanced crank and professionally built engine. Still very smooth and quiet at that point, and not laboring the engine at all. Mine is smoother and quieter at that speed than a stock unbalanced T engine at 35mph. Mine starts to run a little hott...

Derek Kiefer

I'd argue that going 50mph on an open 2-lane highway (where traffic runs 60+) is no more dangerous than the risk of getting run over from behind while going 30mph on that same highway.

Derek Kiefer

I'd do a lot of things that many people wouldn't recommend... but I wouldn't do that with stock T brakes!

Derek Kiefer

I have always sold more before noon on Thursday than the rest of the weekend combined.

Unfortunately, I won't be coming this year.

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