MTFCA Forum

I was on my way home yesterday thinking it was a nice day for a drive in a 106 year old car. Then I got to thinking, the majority of the car is from 1914, but I assembled it over many years. I bought a frame and axles for $75 when I was 14 and shortly thereafter found an engine, a 1914. Now it was an original engine and aluminum hogshead, but I had to buy a correct pan, head, fan, and water inlet since it had a water pump. Do that’s parts from 5 different cars just in the engine.
The rear axle is the same way. I used the axles and differential but had to buy 12 rivet housings, etc.i figured parts from 7 cars were used in my rear end.
Using this system, I made a list of how many cars went into each component of my car, not counting reproduction parts since they were never on a car.
7- engine
7- rear axle assembly
1- frame
4- running board brackets
1- motor mount
1- rear spring
1- front spring
6- front axle assembly
4- wheels
2- original hubcaps
2- spring shackles
3- fenders
1- splash shields
2- running boards
1- carbide generator
2- horn
2- hood and former
5- lights
3- body and turtle deck
2- windshield
3- fender irons
5- steering column
5- top irons
2- drag link and tie rod
1- muffler
1- mag post
1- carburetor
7- speedometer assembly
3- coil box and switch
That’s 86 different cars just for major components I can think of not counting things like the 4 coils or 4 exchange rods or mag coil.
Just something I thought about on my way home yesterday and thought it’d be interesting to break down.

I am in the finishing stages on a 14 with similar findings. 15 frame, 17 motor with 14 serial number, ruxstell, disc brakes, touring body of a 21 since that was all I could find after several years of looking, 27 split rims, parts from roughly 25 different people on this website from carburator to fenders to splash aprons to seat springs to headlights. Johny Cash specials are all over the place, just some don’t admit to having one. Just drive the wheels off of it, have fun, show it to everyone with pride and remember that most 106 year old cars are the same, especially if they were restored to ? ORIGINAL ???? Looking shiny and all but a pile of parts from who knows how many cars that the owner will never devoulge to. Just a thought. Frank

Cory,
I have 2 Model T’s (cobbled together) as some say but as you said built up from parts.

My first T was the 24 Coupe which I inherited from my Grandfather in 1959 and it was a complete car.
The other 2 are built up from parts. My 1919 Roadster was a main body shell I bought for 25.00. The fenders, frame and engine came from various places. I bought a garage full of T parts that took me 3 trailer loads to haul home. My other parts came from auctions and swap meets.
My 21 Touring came along later as a rusted out body that was set off in a pasture and the frame wound up as a trailer years and years ago.

I soon learned from going to swap meets that I wasn’t the only guy who started out with just a frame or partial body. My guess there are a lot of those cobbled together cars out there that were built up from the best parts that could be found. I know I did.

About the only parts on my 1921 that were original to the car are: block, frame, front fender irons, running boards and maybe the hogs head. Everything else was too far gone to repair with my skill and tools at the time.

This car was made from parts from my friends collection, strangers from swap meets and Hershey
and oof course new parts from Langs, Snyders and chaffins Oh and from members on here, like hank lee
and the body was home made. I stole the idea from the movie "river runs through it"
The engine must've been a replacement and never restamped, but the car is titled as a 1923.
It grabs a lot of attention and im slowly venturing further from home. I think the furthest ive gone is 4 miles?
This is a great post.

As far as my cars go I did try keep them period correct as much as I could. The 19 and 21 I have are around 95% or more correct according to their year and body style.

Actually...many more than we might think?

When I started in this we all were fortunate to know someone who was hands on first person dealer Model T “mechanics”.

I asked one of those guys how they ever made Ford time study since I was having trouble getting within 3-4 times the minutes posted.

He giggled and said, you wanted kingpins replaced? You got a rebuilt front axle from the last guy! Same thing with rear ends. On major work, you got the last guys! In and out, then in the quiet times we’d do the rebuilds on the bench.

I had no reason to doubt him and while that may have been true for the Agency he worked at, I could see others thinking the same.

Curious subject tho’

It could be that the dealers, agency’s, independent garages and etc. would have parts ready to go and rebuilt for T’s as time went on. Since many of the parts and assemblies would work on different model years of a T it’s probably why many cars aren’t exactly as they should be according to the purists in the hobby today.
People wanted their car running and driving and if your car got a windshield frame with the later style hinges on it then so what. Just a thought but it probably happened more than we think. And that’s just 1 part that would interchange.

I built a car from parts, and there is certainly way more parts required than what you listed.

This was once my 1922 Woody (see avatare photo)
The only positif thing was: There was paperwork with the engine.

Andre
Belgium

Buying a complete car has been usually out of my budget. These three were pieced together from parts. The Coupe had most of the body panels in a lot for $20. The '09? has repro radiator and fenders. I made the body. The '14 was pieces gathered over 30 years. Sheet metal and frame mostly came from one pile. Back posts of the Coupe and the '14 show the sheet metal was bent, twisted and holes rusted through. Several restorers had passed the parts by as "not restorable.". These two came from the same place as fairly complete cars. $50 and $75 in the '60s. Barn finds by today's standards. The Speedster had numerous bodies on it before I got it. The Tudor had a Roadster body on it which I traded for a Touring body. 3 Tudors bodies plus some extra panels went into the finished body. Now that I can afford a complete car I have run out of space. The searching and resurrecting of less than perfect parts has been a wonderful pastime for 50+ years. I am not sure I would appreciate and enjoy them as much had I been able to buy better cars to start with.
Rich

Good point Rich E.
After a while a lot of people could go out and buy a nice T. But also a lot of people wouldn’t have the time or money and maybe not even enough nohow to build one up from parts.
Not trying to run anybody down but there is a satisfaction in knowing that you did something that not everyone wants to do. Or at the very least some of it.

This is an old thread but I wanted to leave a comment. Rich Eagle who posted earlier in the thread was a friend of mine and passed away in 2024 and I now own the ‘09 touring. Regardless of how much of the car is original and how many different cars the parts came from I wouldn’t be happier if it was a completely original car. I take pride in the fact that I knew a man with the skills and know how to create such a wonderful car from practically nothing. The craftsmanship of his work is superb. He built the entire body from drawings, including the hinges, handles, hardware etc. and did the upholstery and top himself. He also made the hood. Even though the build is over 20 years old and has been driven thousands of miles it is still for the most part nearly flawless. My wife and I have enjoyed driving it over 700 miles since buying it in June.

Sometimes where the different parts came from is a more interesting story. My 1912 chocolate van was built up from an original photo. It came from everywhere!
I started on it when I discovered the very rusty engine in a wrecking yard while I was there to retrieve a pair of front Hayes wire wheels from under an old trailer.
The E&J sidelights and the Heinze colibox and three coils came from Salem OR. On t
hat trip I also dug up the E&J tail light and the muffler in Spokane.
The rear axle.housings were retrieved from
a fruit orchard, along with the radius rods.
The frame, front axle and other bits were part of a truckload of stuff I bought from a collector who was closing down his repair shop/service garage.
The complete steering column was traded for 1915 one. It was in storage in a house roof space.
I can't remember where I found the rear fenders. They are original Duncan and Fraser items, as shown in the original photo.
On a tour once, my wife needed a toilet stop. While she was occupied, I discovered a sulky stored in a close by back yard, complete with rear Hayes wire wheels. I traded some much more fitting wooden spoked wheels to go on the sulky. I have never not stopped for a break ever since.
Most of the rest is handmade to drawings made from the photograph. Allan from down under.

bjesolin wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 19, 2025 10:57 pm

This is an old thread but I wanted to leave a comment. Rich Eagle who posted earlier in the thread was a friend of mine and passed away in 2024 and I now own the ‘09 touring. Regardless of how much of the car is original and how many different cars the parts came from I wouldn’t be happier if it was a completely original car. I take pride in the fact that I knew a man with the skills and know how to create such a wonderful car from practically nothing. The craftsmanship of his work is superb. He built the entire body from drawings, including the hinges, handles, hardware etc. and did the upholstery and top himself. He also made the hood. Even though the build is over 20 years old and has been driven thousands of miles it is still for the most part nearly flawless. My wife and I have enjoyed driving it over 700 miles since buying it in June.

It is wonderful to see/read that one of Rich E's favorite model Ts is being well cared for and enjoyed today! He was a very special man, in so many ways. A lot of people on this forum will miss him for a long time.

Thank you for posting this.

bjesolin wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 19, 2025 10:57 pm

This is an old thread but I wanted to leave a comment. Rich Eagle who posted earlier in the thread was a friend of mine and passed away in 2024 and I now own the ‘09 touring. Regardless of how much of the car is original and how many different cars the parts came from I wouldn’t be happier if it was a completely original car. I take pride in the fact that I knew a man with the skills and know how to create such a wonderful car from practically nothing. The craftsmanship of his work is superb. He built the entire body from drawings, including the hinges, handles, hardware etc. and did the upholstery and top himself. He also made the hood. Even though the build is over 20 years old and has been driven thousands of miles it is still for the most part nearly flawless. My wife and I have enjoyed driving it over 700 miles since buying it in June.
IMG_0250.jpeg

He was truly an artist, in every sense of the word. An artist in countless mediums.

Yes, a great loss. Most of our cars will outlive us. Back in 2019 when that was posted, I was still in the beginning stages of this nine year journey and see how much appreciation goes into something you put together yourself. I'm not 10% the craftsman he was.

Thinking about this finished T, it came from a lot of other T's. But it also came from objects that are not a Model T: metal roofing, men's room paper towel dispenser, bed frame angle iron, telephone communications box, steel wall studs, iron gate, steel beam, washing machine, church pew, mattress, felled pecan tree, several other trips to the scrap yard, and...many rolls of wire flux.

Ford built Model Ts out of mass produced parts. Parts were produced, mostly in-house, without any regard for which particular car they would become part of. The number of original factory assemblies remaining in the world today must be very small. The largest number of original factory assembled units is probably located on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, lost during transport to Europe during WWI.

I never had the privilege of meeting Rich Eagle, but I'm certain that he was one of a very rare and fine kind.

The body on my car is from two bodies. The engine and an extra block came with it. I traded four clincher wheels for four mis-matched demountable wheels. One reproduced back panel, two straight windshield stansions and a rebuilt set of top irons.

I built my 25 pickup from parts,, over 7 years. I also made sure the nuts and bolts were all period correct for the car.

Only parts of my 12 original to the car are the frame, rear spring, steering column and headlamp forks. The others are correct for the year tho. The fenders came with it but were too far gone to use.

I thought about Rich last night as I was finishing a carburetor and needed a throttle stop screw and I had gotten several bags of different length screws, steel and brass, of the correct diameter and threads per inch.
I’m building a speedster now and will say that it’s a lot easier to build a factory correct car from parts where everything fits, the holes line up and you don’t have to fab parts from scratch. I’m about finished with the motor and built a stand for it. Then a couple days ago I realized that it’ll be a while before the car is ready for it so I built a makeshift firewall out of things I had laying around. I bought that coil box for $10 at Chickasha a couple years ago because it had an original switch plate correct for my 14 which has had that repo cover on it you see here since 1994. So I’m still replacing non-correct parts on my 14 after 30+ years. I used a lot of the non-correct parts to build a 1921 pickup. So it’s parts here and parts there swapping around and I’m sure I’ll never get completely finished with any of them.

Most Model Ts have a provenance like great-granddad’s rifle:

It was given to him on his twelfth birthday and he carried it his whole life long. When he was twenty-one the old flint lock was changed out to a cap lock. By the time he was in his forties, the riflings were pretty much wore out, so he had it re-barrelled so it would shoot straight. When he was sixty-two, he fell with it while chasing a five-point and split the stock. Gunsmith in the next town over fit a nice one with some checkering. Yup, that’s the very gun he was given as a lad.

My C Cab truck I also built from parts, 1924 cab-1926 car chassis- un stamped motor & trans. Titled as a 1924, I get lots of compliments but also lots of fun driving tours, meeting new & old friends along the way. Some people say that's a truck Henry Ford should have built!!! John M - Mich

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 20, 2025 7:47 am

bjesolin wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 19, 2025 10:57 pm

This is an old thread but I wanted to leave a comment. Rich Eagle who posted earlier in the thread was a friend of mine and passed away in 2024 and I now own the ‘09 touring. Regardless of how much of the car is original and how many different cars the parts came from I wouldn’t be happier if it was a completely original car. I take pride in the fact that I knew a man with the skills and know how to create such a wonderful car from practically nothing. The craftsmanship of his work is superb. He built the entire body from drawings, including the hinges, handles, hardware etc. and did the upholstery and top himself. He also made the hood. Even though the build is over 20 years old and has been driven thousands of miles it is still for the most part nearly flawless. My wife and I have enjoyed driving it over 700 miles since buying it in June.
IMG_0250.jpeg

He was truly an artist, in every sense of the word. An artist in countless mediums.

I purchased a couple of his paintings as well. He literally had them stacked all over in his house.

For those interested in seeing Rich Eagles work here are more photos of the “09” touring.

And more

I built my T's from parts, and I enjoy them. The storys of how i came about some of the parts gives the T's a story of sorts. Some may frown on cars built from parts but they can always find me a 100% original car and donate it to me.

Ford built them out of parts, too!

My 25ish touring car came to me with a mix of 24 and 25 parts with a replacement block. It wasn't correct and I found it easy to enjoy without being worried about perfection. I loved that car, learned a lot about Ts and met great people. It was presentable and a great car for touring. Fun to have one others could sit or ride in with no worries.

Just saying...

There may have been 15 million Model Ts produced,

But I am certain that there are now a greater number of 1914 Model Ts than those produce by the FMC in 1914.

Drobnock wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 21, 2025 2:43 pm

Just saying...

There may have been 15 million Model Ts produced,

But I am certain that there are now a greater number of 1914 Model Ts than those produce by the FMC in 1914.

You mean 15's. 14's ain't so easy to fake.

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 21, 2025 2:44 pm

Drobnock wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 21, 2025 2:43 pm

Just saying...

There may have been 15 million Model Ts produced,

But I am certain that there are now a greater number of 1914 Model Ts than those produce by the FMC in 1914.

You mean 15's. 14's ain't so easy to fake.

A '15 with a '14 engine block is a '14 according to ......

No, we go by model year. Many models Ts have engines from other years, that does not change the model year. It is inetesting that some people want to make the T seem older when it is what it is.

Coincidentally, I own one of those early 15's. Block is 10/2x/14 cast date. The body looks 14.(big cherry wood firewall). Front fenders are browed, rears are curved.
It's an early 15. 15 model according to period literature.

The later bodied cars are/were converted to 15's.
A new member has an awful mix of a 23 touring body with the metal dash & rectangular switch plate & ammeter. Generator block.
15 hood former, brass radiator & 15 fenders. Calls it a 15. It's really a mongrel/Heinz 57.
Further adding to the old adage - "There's more 15's now than were produced in 15."

Daniel Boone's ax has had seven new handles and three new heads.

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 21, 2025 4:42 pm

Daniel Boone's ax has had seven new handles and three new heads.

So did Washington's axe.

How far can you stray?

Drobnock wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 21, 2025 3:14 pm

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 21, 2025 2:44 pm

Drobnock wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 21, 2025 2:43 pm

Just saying...

There may have been 15 million Model Ts produced,

But I am certain that there are now a greater number of 1914 Model Ts than those produce by the FMC in 1914.

You mean 15's. 14's ain't so easy to fake.

A '15 with a '14 engine block is a '14 according to ......

Just Saying - but what do I know -- see: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Ca ... frontcover

See Douglas VS Insurance (1921) pp 529-531.

About the same as “how many licks it takes to get to the tootsie in a tootsie pop”?

Not only is every model t part in this car unrelated but the model a parts are also unrelated so each and every part literally came from a different car, and it’s not even finished yet!

Start with a semi used up repro '09 runabout w/mother in law seat. (June 2006)

Add frame and pieces, from all years, modify or clone for early look, found parts at swap meets and eBay.....

Body on frame, then insert the engine. Add repro fenders and aprons.

Final bling (windshield and radiator and head lamps only really correct '09 pieces)..... and done.... in only a couple of years (April 2008)

Rich P. Bingham wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 20, 2025 2:34 pm

Most Model Ts have a provenance like great-granddad’s rifle:

It was given to him on his twelfth birthday and he carried it his whole life long. When he was twenty-one the old flint lock was changed out to a cap lock. By the time he was in his forties, the riflings were pretty much wore out, so he had it re-barrelled so it would shoot straight. When he was sixty-two, he fell with it while chasing a five-point and split the stock. Gunsmith in the next town over fit a nice one with some checkering. Yup, that’s the very gun he was given as a lad.

Personally, I subscribe to the “Continued identity theory” regarding the Ship of Theseus paradox, which basically says that as long as all the parts aren’t replaced at once, the item retains its original identity. A real-life example is my 1955 Cessna 170 that in 2014 was hit on the ground by another airplane and for all practical purposes was destroyed, but over the course of 33 months had about 75% of its components replaced and emerged (in my eyes AND those of the FAA) as the same airplane it’s always been.

I am 65 years old. My Dad was hauling in model T stuff before I was born in 1960. I can guarantee you that a vast majority of model T’s out there were put together from parts. Very few are the complete original car even if the guy tells you otherwise. We pulled many bodies out of washes, took wagon boxes off of frames and got engines off of feed grinders in the barn or sawmill. Throw it all together and list them for sale in Hemmings motor news back when Hemmings was the size of readers digest. You could go knocking on doors asking “do you have any model T parts you would sell”. By noon you would have a pickup full of T parts and have less than $20 in the whole load.

Those were the fun days of the hobby, finding the stuff out in the wild.