MTFCA Forum

I just added a starter to my 17 touring and now need ideas of where to mount the choke rod inside of the body. I do not have a dash like the newer cars have. a good explanation and pictures would be great. thanks in advance
harold musolf III

If your carb is later version with double-end choke lever, seems rather easy to run a choke wire up into the car via the slot where the carb adj. rod now rides.

This photo of a period belt starter being installed on a non-electric T, but you may can see the extra wire running up and into the slot in the wood firewall, that is likely the new choke wire.

I have the same thing....a '17 touring with a starter added. The setup is similar to a '19 or '20. When I had my Holley G carburetor overhauled by Russ Potter I asked him to add a double-ended choke lever which allows the attachment of a choke wire from the front by the crank and from the panel. The latter used a bell crank (yellow arrow) attached to the carb choke lever at the bottom and to a pull rod inserted thru the firewall and terminated with an aluminum knob (green arrow). I was able to purchase both from the vendors although I had to shorten the pull rod and re-thread it to attach the knob. You can see the choke knob in the second photo at #7.

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For Dan,

Nice photo. Note that it also is a 1917 –you can see the electric light switch to the left of the coil box insulators. That was discontinued on USA cars with the introduction of the combination horn & light switch (For of Canada continued that push-pull light switch for a few more years).

For Tim,

Nice description.

For Harold,

Lang’s has most of the parts listed in their catalog –

Bell crank is part 4583 see: https://www.modeltford.com/pl.aspx?t=s&v=4583&page=1

Priming choke rod with knob – goes through the dash to the bell crank – available in several sizes – from 7 ½ inches to 20 ½ inches – the 7 – ½ inch one is shown at: https://www.modeltford.com/item/4588D.aspx

Choke wire from the carb to priming bell crank on the engine side of the firewall 4589B at: https://www.modeltford.com/item/4589B.aspx

Depending on the type of carburetor you have, Lang’s has some of the dual arm levers available. And of course, you can place a note in the Classified Parts section for used parts if you need to or if you prefer. .

Note Tim has a metal firewall that was used by Ford as a replacement for the low wood firewall. It would have already had the holes drilled (punched?) for the bell crank to be mounted. But that same bell crank was mounted to the wood firewalls starting in 1919 when a starter was supplied. Below is a photo showing that bell crank on a wood firewall from around 1920. It is from the Jul-Aug 1979 "Vintage Ford" page 16, and is used by permission.


Tim shortened the rod on the inside by cutting off the end with the threads. I think you could probably cut off the other end and re-bend it – depending on which is easier for you to do.

If you decide to go with the 1919-1925 original style bell crank, pull rod on the inside, etc. just ask someone to give you some measurements for where the parts would be located on your wooden dash. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Or as Dan mentioned you could run a wire to the carb (you will probably still need the two lever arm on the carb – so you can choke it from the front if you are hand cranking or from inside the car if you are using the electric starter.
Good luck with your upgrade.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5

Hello Harold,

What I do is just use a 26/27 mixture/choke rod (4129C) with associated components (4591) and shorten the rod to the desired length.
You will need to change the spray needle in the carb to 26/27 type (6213B etc) or
I have also seen an adapter that bolts to the top of the earlier carb spray needle and has the swivel setup for 26/27.
It is not hard to make the adapter using a 4132.

Sorry I do not have photos readily available.

Terry

When I installed the starter on the 1914 speedster I was faced with the same problem, made worse as I wanted to keep the same carb which only had the control for the radiator check. So I made a swivel arm from the manifold stud pulled from the firewall which thru the swivel pulled the choke forward. Don’t have any pictures because I later switched to a Stromberg OF.

well thank you all for the answers. I have most of the items everybody has mentioned, but was more interested in how do you or did you go thru the wood firewall. It looks like I will just drill a 1/8 inch thru the wood and stick the choke rod straight out of the dash next to the coil box. it looks kind of funny , I was hoping someone would have a more era appropriate install other than it just sticking straight out . once again thank you all for the info
Harold III

My 18 came to me with a 70's repro newer wood firewall as they thought it was a 22 or 23 (engine serial).
There was sort of a hole there next to the carb adjust slot so I grabbed the drill, opened it up at a steep angle, ran a wire up and put a loop on it. Myself, I'm not real keen on adding "modern" bellcranks and such.

I used the mixture control rod to go through the firewall just enlarged the hole in the 1915 dash and made a tube over the mixture rod and a second brass knob.

Peter, can you post a picture of what the choke rod assembly you created looks like on the motor side of the firewall, please. Frank

My '18 TT engine had been replaced with a '23 engine. Whoever did it installed a solenoid on the firewall for the starter, low and to the left of the steering column. In order to be able to reach the solenoid button and choke at the same time a piece of bailing wire was used as a choke rod. A hole was drilled in the wood firewall, one end of the wire was fastened to the carb and the other end was unceremoniously tacked to the firewall.

It was totally hobo but was somehow fitting for an old orchard truck. The funny part was that the starter never worked, so my grandfather, my uncle and I always hand cranked it from 1946 to this day, making the choke wire pointless. There was another piece of baling wire from the carb going forward to the lower right corner of the radiator.

Frank,
Here is the motor side. Hopefully the photo will load, sometimes they don't for what ever reason
If not email me and I will send it to you direct.

Actually, I have a wood firewall. The photo I posted is not of my car. I used a small router bit to make a slot in the wood because the push rod doesn't move straight back and forth. On the inside the slot is covered by an oval shaped brass disc with a centered hole.

I've attached a drawing that may help. It's referenced to the cabin side of the firewall.