MTFCA Forum

We had a meeting with Amish churches tonight at the firehouse concerning our yearly fish fry that they help with. After, we visited in the parking lot as they were interested in checking out the TT. My neighbor is the Bishop for the one of the 8 churches. As he was pulling out in his buggy I joked and asked if he wanted to race. He laughed and said maybe another time. I started the TT and got out to light the rear lights and headed home. About a mile out of town I caught up with him. I pulled down on the throttle and pulled out to pass when he put that horse in high gear. We were neck and neck. The horse at full gallop and the TT with throttle at wide open and timing full advance. He couldnt pass me and I couldnt pass him. It was a real nail biter for about 200 yds. If the stop sign hadnt come up on us I may have put the Chicago in overdrive and smoked him. We were both laughing so hard there was no loser.

I thought about it the rest of the drive home and wondered how many times 100 years ago that scene played out. I guess fun is what you make it. It was amazing how loud horseshoes are on ashpalt. I am used to clip clop clip clop but at a full run it was much louder that the TT. I guess not too many T vs horse races anymore. Anyone else ever experienced that ? Im sure there are a few.

TOO DAMN FUNNY! I wish I was there!

Dallas do not put me speed dial for bail money, All my money is in a sailboat! Still laughing very hard! Middle age children.., there is no hope!!! We are doomed!

Still Laughing!!

Only you Dallas!

It was a hoot. Levi had as much fun as I did. I knew I should have hooked up my cutout on my apco muffler!

Dallas, too funny!!!! Did you tell him you still had another gear to go or are you going to challenge him to another race? Never thought about a TT as being a sleeper. Dave

Best story in a long time Dallas !

Guess we need to remake “The Beep Beep Song”

What a fun mental picture; nay, mental video you’ve given us this morning ! Many thanks Dallas !

Truly an example of what owning a Model T or TT does to your mind and sense of humor. What a wonderful time.
Rich

Awesome!

The only thing missing from that story is me riding along and laughing until my belly hurt.

Rich Eagle wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:10 am

Truly an example of what owning a Model T or TT does to your mind and sense of humor. What a wonderful time.
Rich

So true. Owning and driving my T has been one of the best things I've ever done. I've always had interactions with folks in my newer old cars, but the T illicits more geniune smiles and cordial interactions with the public than all of the other ones combined.

I swear the horse was smiling as much as the drivers. I wasnt worried about a speeding ticket.
As a matter of fact the local law clocked me on my way to the FD last summer and said he had to turn off his blower for A/C in his car to clock me at 18 mph.

You have to know where Dallas lives!! Bud.

Rich, we need a picture of this one.

I would like to put in an order for a Rich Eagle painting of this!

That's awesome Dallas !!
I suppose you were hangin on for dear life or I'd razz you for no pictures.

I needed a good belly laugh!!!

What an amazing spectacle that must have been! It's not only the English that are mad!!!

The image created in our minds is far better than anything a mere mortal could put on paper.
I'm glad so many have seen it as wonderfully as I have.
I will leave it alone for now.
Thanks for the mental picture Dallas.
Rich

No photos Dave. Kelly and I took the TT to town for supper tonight. On the way home, my racing buddy flagged us down. His wife made us a peach pie. I thought he wanted a 2nd round. We had a good laugh. I think he had the sleeper Dave because his wife heard us talking and said she wondered if we raced home as I went by about a minute befor he got home!

That horse spooked a few weeks ago and ran over Levi with a double buggy. Broke 3 ribs and a vertabra in his back. Now I call him speedbump Bontrager. He said he even plows his garden with that horse. Now thats proof TT's are slow! Cant beat a plow horse.

You may have horsepower like 20 hp, but you be playing with a brute of 1 hp!

Dallas

Maybe you and speedbump Bontrager need to switch seats for a short run. Exhaust might be a bit different for ya.

I NEEDED that laugh today!
Tough people and good fun!

A fellow Barnstormer was just here picking up a car he purchased and is driving it back to Massachusetts. He was super pumped because they got to cruise "Woodward" last night with it. I guess being from Detroit, I'm jaded, because your story sounds like a lot more fun.

Thanks for the smile. Can't wait to see ya next year, and hopefully bum another ride in the 'race truck'.

jk

Looking forward to it Jason. Not sure we will see this tho.

looks like someone is getting ready to pick a fight.., or race! Just flirting!

Sizing up the competition .

Now you are going to have to pack an Amish race buggy on that trailer when you come to OCF. Wonder if they will let you bring a horse?

Dallas, don't forget to add that you have a Rocky Mountain "Six Speed" transmission that you could add to the TT for other competition. Dave

Be careful with that 6 speed, your competition might hitch up a second horse to his team... leave you eating horseshoe dust!

Dallas is not telling the whole story.., why is he taking a photo from that far away aimed at the rear of the buggy? They say one photo says a thousand words!

Hank! Shhhh!

Susanne, Amish church was at the end of my road yesterday. The TT was in the yard as most went by my place on their way to church. Several two horse rigs went past. Amish version of reving your engine I guess!

To paraphrase a quote by two famous brothers from Chicago...

"We've thrown a shoe!"
"Is that bad?"
"Yep."

LOL

Dallas;

You’re around Kendalville, aren’t you? I’m wondering what road you were on and where, I’m usually in that area visiting family a few times a year. All of my wife’s family is in NE Indiana. Their last name is Bontrager..... sorta like Smith in most places!

That really was a great story!

Bontrager narrows it down a bit. Maybe 200 families in my county! Could have been your family I raced? Levi Bontrager was his name.
I am 12 miles N.W. of Kendallville. The rece was on 400 East outside Wolcottville. Close to Bells Garden greenhouse. Look me up when you are in the area. I would like to meet you.

Dallas was trying to determine the ratio in that rear differential by counting how long it took for those spokes to go around, and measuring the distance from that mailbox for one revolution. He is also checking how true the wheels run on those axles, so he knows how balanced his wheels have to be on the truck. Might need to run down to Kentucky to have Bill Stipe spin balance his wheels.

Hey, dont let the orange triangle fool ya, those things are fast !!

I can almost hear it! Amish drive by shooting. TT paddy wagon in hot pursuit! Klik klop klik klop bang! Gerr! Here I come. Pow bang floating valves!

Ya tie some and ya lose some...

Here is a TT race story from back in day. This took place in late 20’s. My Dad and his brother went swimming At the reservoir in Shirley Mass and were hitching a ride home when a family friend stopped in TT to give them a ride. After mile or so Dad said Howard ( his brother) made the statement “I can run faster that this”. Owner of TT replies “like He$$ you can” Howard jumps off the running board, races the TT about 50 yards out running it, then starts there waiting for it and jumps back on to the running board. Both parties swear it happened.
This was same brother that rowed T car on to top and shook it to recover the lost band nut and washer he dropped into transmission. But that is another story! Dan

Dallas you always find the way to make me laugh and smile. Thank you for that, very cool people at MTFCA.

This should make it faster!

MORE STICKERS, MORE STICKERS!!!!!!

I've got ABRA (Amish Buggy Racing Association) certified roll bars on mine. I'm certified up to 23mph.

IT'S OFFICIAL! NASCAR is not going to like this.

NASCAR may not like it, but NASHORS* will...

* - (North American Speedy Horse Omnibus Racing Society)

And the TT owner will rue the day when someone tells them to "Get a Horse"...

Twice I've been clocked at 48 on flat ground. That's all she's got, until I get the
Lincoln installed. I prefer to keep it down around 30.

Burger, your in if she can break 18 mph.
The ABRA rules are few.
Run what you brung or trot what you got.

MORE STICKERS MORE STICKERS!!!!!!

Are you still running 7:1 gears ?

No Buerger. 5:1 gears.

I got 23 mph in my TT downhill (really) via an iPhone app. I had more throttle but I really didn't want to push it much further.

Some of you might recognize this guy. I think he is going to buy a buggy and horse and look for a race.