My 1914 Project
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Topic author - Posts: 391
- Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:51 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: O'Neil
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1923 Runabout
- Location: Klamath Falls, OR
- MTFCI Number: 18018
- Board Member Since: 2005
My 1914 Project
Early in December I bought a car that had been in the Orange County CA T Club since at least the mid 1960s. I have the receipt for the CA Horseless Carriage plates dated from then. As I understand the story, the car was restored by Woody Coate who passed in 1969. He was said to be an expert Model T mechanic who was very generous with his time helping others with their cars.
The car has been sitting for some time and may not have seen much service in recent years. It was not running when it arrived but didn't take much work to get it running and driving. The motor runs quietly and has reasonable power. I can only compare it with my '23 Runabout with a fresh engine.
The car looks pretty much as the book says a '14 should look with some notable exceptions. It has a motor with an electric starter & generator. There is no discernible serial number but the casting date looks to be 1919. The pan is a "4 dip" version. There is a Ford Faithful oiler on it. The brake pedal sticks too far back for comfort, further rearward even than the reverse pedal. Removing the transmission door reveals that there is no brake band fitted! The handbrake is laughably useless so only the original set of Rocky Mountain brakes is stopping the car. This will have to be changed, I like having the Ford brake working "just in case."
I am told by a knowledgeable pal that the frame & rear axle are later.
The car came with all sorts of accessories including a Ruckstell, double wishbone for the front axle, a set of Hayes wire wheels with demountable rims, a Warner 26 Speedo from 1912, an Aermore exhaust whistle and an E-Timer. It has an original set of the cans on the side. The water one has rust holes, the oil & gas ones have what must have been fuel & oil at some point in the past.
The car is a good driver with tight steering and few squeaks & rattles compared to my other T. It has a mild shimmy from time to time. The top has two seams that need to be restitiched. It runs along very happily at 25 - 30 mph according to the speedo.
I have spent my time tinkering with the car mechanically, lubing & greasing things & polishing the well tarnished brass. It sure looks better!
I have about 75 miles on it during weather windows. Last weekend the temps got up to the mid 40s and the car went out to get good & warmed up to aid in flushing the radiator. We have a lot of great Model T roads in the area. The pictures below were taken on one of them. Some of the pictures have Mt. Shasta towering in the distance some 75 miles away. We are in for some more winter weather over the next week or so.
The car has been sitting for some time and may not have seen much service in recent years. It was not running when it arrived but didn't take much work to get it running and driving. The motor runs quietly and has reasonable power. I can only compare it with my '23 Runabout with a fresh engine.
The car looks pretty much as the book says a '14 should look with some notable exceptions. It has a motor with an electric starter & generator. There is no discernible serial number but the casting date looks to be 1919. The pan is a "4 dip" version. There is a Ford Faithful oiler on it. The brake pedal sticks too far back for comfort, further rearward even than the reverse pedal. Removing the transmission door reveals that there is no brake band fitted! The handbrake is laughably useless so only the original set of Rocky Mountain brakes is stopping the car. This will have to be changed, I like having the Ford brake working "just in case."
I am told by a knowledgeable pal that the frame & rear axle are later.
The car came with all sorts of accessories including a Ruckstell, double wishbone for the front axle, a set of Hayes wire wheels with demountable rims, a Warner 26 Speedo from 1912, an Aermore exhaust whistle and an E-Timer. It has an original set of the cans on the side. The water one has rust holes, the oil & gas ones have what must have been fuel & oil at some point in the past.
The car is a good driver with tight steering and few squeaks & rattles compared to my other T. It has a mild shimmy from time to time. The top has two seams that need to be restitiched. It runs along very happily at 25 - 30 mph according to the speedo.
I have spent my time tinkering with the car mechanically, lubing & greasing things & polishing the well tarnished brass. It sure looks better!
I have about 75 miles on it during weather windows. Last weekend the temps got up to the mid 40s and the car went out to get good & warmed up to aid in flushing the radiator. We have a lot of great Model T roads in the area. The pictures below were taken on one of them. Some of the pictures have Mt. Shasta towering in the distance some 75 miles away. We are in for some more winter weather over the next week or so.
The man with a watch always knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
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Topic author - Posts: 391
- Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:51 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: O'Neil
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1923 Runabout
- Location: Klamath Falls, OR
- MTFCI Number: 18018
- Board Member Since: 2005
Re: My 1914 Project
A few more pictures from the same spot
The man with a watch always knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
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- Posts: 4308
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
- First Name: Steve
- Last Name: Tomaso
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1919 Centerdoor, 1924 TT C-Cab Express, 1925 Racer
- Location: Longbranch, WA
- MTFCA Number: 14972
- MTFCI Number: 15411
- Board Member Since: 2001
Re: My 1914 Project
Pretty nice looking ride there Paul - I also have a '14 Touring just up North a ways !
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- Posts: 2778
- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:13 pm
- First Name: Tom
- Last Name: Rootlieb
- Location: Ohio
- MTFCA Number: 440
Re: My 1914 Project
Nice car, nice weather, nice scenery. What’s not to like? Great photos of the whole experience. I’m jealous.
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- Posts: 913
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:32 am
- First Name: Ignacio
- Last Name: Valdes
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1924 Touring
- Location: Houston, Tx
- MTFCA Number: 50406
- Board Member Since: 2016
Re: My 1914 Project
Great car, gorgeous brass. The wheels are 1926-27 'buffalo' wheels.
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- Posts: 4308
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
- First Name: Steve
- Last Name: Tomaso
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1919 Centerdoor, 1924 TT C-Cab Express, 1925 Racer
- Location: Longbranch, WA
- MTFCA Number: 14972
- MTFCI Number: 15411
- Board Member Since: 2001
Re: My 1914 Project
Paul states that the demountable wheels are Stewarts - they appear to be 30 x 3.5 - kinda rare !
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- Posts: 1419
- Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:29 pm
- First Name: Ed
- Last Name: Martin
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1909 Touring
- Location: Idaho
Re: My 1914 Project
He states the wheels are Hayes.
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- Posts: 3284
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:43 am
- First Name: Larry
- Last Name: Smith
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 13 Touring, 13 Roadster, 17 Coupelet, 25 Roadster P/U
- Location: Lomita, California
- MTFCA Number: 121
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- MTFCI Number: 16310
Re: My 1914 Project
It's amazing the people that post on here that don't know what they are talking about!
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- Posts: 3284
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:43 am
- First Name: Larry
- Last Name: Smith
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 13 Touring, 13 Roadster, 17 Coupelet, 25 Roadster P/U
- Location: Lomita, California
- MTFCA Number: 121
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- MTFCI Number: 16310
Re: My 1914 Project
I apologize for my post above. I didn't intend to offend anyone! I just couldn't resist!
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- Posts: 4308
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
- First Name: Steve
- Last Name: Tomaso
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1919 Centerdoor, 1924 TT C-Cab Express, 1925 Racer
- Location: Longbranch, WA
- MTFCA Number: 14972
- MTFCI Number: 15411
- Board Member Since: 2001
Re: My 1914 Project
Me too - I had "Stewart" on the brain !
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- Posts: 2778
- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:13 pm
- First Name: Tom
- Last Name: Rootlieb
- Location: Ohio
- MTFCA Number: 440
Re: My 1914 Project
I started learning about these cars when I was around 14. I’ve been working on that learning curve for about 57 years now. I’ve learned that for every one thing I know to be correct, there are two things I didn’t know or my assumptions were incorrect. I now know I will “Never know it all”, so I comb these pages and am still being surprised by the new things I learn.
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Topic author - Posts: 391
- Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:51 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: O'Neil
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1923 Runabout
- Location: Klamath Falls, OR
- MTFCI Number: 18018
- Board Member Since: 2005
Re: My 1914 Project
Even in winter, this area has beautiful scenery and its not hard to find places to drive a Model T without getting in anyone's way. Its mostly farms & ranches around here. I often go for many miles without having to stop and only rarely get passed by other vehicles.
I have wanted a touring car for some years. Originally I was looking for a late teens - early twenties Hudson Super Six. These are wonderful cars, big, powerful & sturdy. I already have a 1929 Hudson Super Six Town Sedan which has been a wonderful tour car over the years. After 15 years of mechanical agony with my "Problem Child" the 1923 Ford Runabout, it has finally come good and been a reliable & enjoyable tour car. It still has issues with brass in the oil at changes so the maladies may not be over. The next change will tell if this is still a problem.
The point here is that I have been having so much fun with the Ford (when it ran) that I started to think in terms of a Model T touring car rather than another Hudson. The parts situation is certainly easier with a T and the T clubs are fabulous support.
I started looking for a T touring with an eye to buying one later this year after I got better settled in my new home & business location. I had in mind another '23 or at least a black radiator car as I had no interest in polishing brass and the brass cars tend to be spendy. This '14 became available within the OC T Club. It has a long history with the club and was equipped with everything I wanted or needed and some things I would never put on myself. It was built at a time when the original items were readily available.
After dithering for a week or so I contacted the owner & we arranged the purchase. Since the, I have been tinkering with it and giving it a good going over to see what I have and what it needs. I see many signs of careful workmanship and some signs of some work a bit less so. For example, on removing the transmission door I had to remove the oil line for the Ford Faithful oiler. It was loose, not hand tight, loose. The door itself had a modern screen with a magnet cemented to it with some sort of hard black gasket sealer that will need to be chiseled off to clean the screen. Happily, the screen is clean with no magnetic fuzz is on the magnet.
The man I bought the car from liked the patina of the polished brass and he never polished it. I thought about leaving it that way but ended up giving it a good polish by degrees. I found that I like the look of the polished brass with the shiny black paint and did not mind the work. It was fun to see the brass come to life under the polishing cloth.
I have wanted a touring car for some years. Originally I was looking for a late teens - early twenties Hudson Super Six. These are wonderful cars, big, powerful & sturdy. I already have a 1929 Hudson Super Six Town Sedan which has been a wonderful tour car over the years. After 15 years of mechanical agony with my "Problem Child" the 1923 Ford Runabout, it has finally come good and been a reliable & enjoyable tour car. It still has issues with brass in the oil at changes so the maladies may not be over. The next change will tell if this is still a problem.
The point here is that I have been having so much fun with the Ford (when it ran) that I started to think in terms of a Model T touring car rather than another Hudson. The parts situation is certainly easier with a T and the T clubs are fabulous support.
I started looking for a T touring with an eye to buying one later this year after I got better settled in my new home & business location. I had in mind another '23 or at least a black radiator car as I had no interest in polishing brass and the brass cars tend to be spendy. This '14 became available within the OC T Club. It has a long history with the club and was equipped with everything I wanted or needed and some things I would never put on myself. It was built at a time when the original items were readily available.
After dithering for a week or so I contacted the owner & we arranged the purchase. Since the, I have been tinkering with it and giving it a good going over to see what I have and what it needs. I see many signs of careful workmanship and some signs of some work a bit less so. For example, on removing the transmission door I had to remove the oil line for the Ford Faithful oiler. It was loose, not hand tight, loose. The door itself had a modern screen with a magnet cemented to it with some sort of hard black gasket sealer that will need to be chiseled off to clean the screen. Happily, the screen is clean with no magnetic fuzz is on the magnet.
The man I bought the car from liked the patina of the polished brass and he never polished it. I thought about leaving it that way but ended up giving it a good polish by degrees. I found that I like the look of the polished brass with the shiny black paint and did not mind the work. It was fun to see the brass come to life under the polishing cloth.
The man with a watch always knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
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Topic author - Posts: 391
- Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:51 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: O'Neil
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1923 Runabout
- Location: Klamath Falls, OR
- MTFCI Number: 18018
- Board Member Since: 2005
Re: My 1914 Project
Steve - I would love to see pictures of your '14.
The man with a watch always knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
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Topic author - Posts: 391
- Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:51 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: O'Neil
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1923 Runabout
- Location: Klamath Falls, OR
- MTFCI Number: 18018
- Board Member Since: 2005
Re: My 1914 Project
I believe the wheels to be Hayes. There are two hubcaps that say Hayes on them, the other two are plain. I mounted the plain pair on the rear axle. The demountable rims have 30 x 3.5 tires on them. Any idea when they were made? I can guess they might be later after the time when Ford offered demountables as an option.
The man with a watch always knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
-
- Posts: 4308
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
- First Name: Steve
- Last Name: Tomaso
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1919 Centerdoor, 1924 TT C-Cab Express, 1925 Racer
- Location: Longbranch, WA
- MTFCA Number: 14972
- MTFCI Number: 15411
- Board Member Since: 2001
Re: My 1914 Project
A little history: original car was located in Ballard, WA in the mid sixties, original wood & most sheet metal with the exception of the running boards, original JNO lamps, all of them, re-upholstered & painted in late sixties and inspected & licensed by the Washington State Patrol - we're the third owners.
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- Posts: 208
- Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:24 pm
- First Name: Warwick
- Last Name: Landy
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1916 LHD USA Touring 1916 RHD Canadian Touring 1916 Pickup
- Location: Trarlagon Victoria Australia
Re: My 1914 Project
Wow Paul, you have a beautiful "Car". I thought when I saw the thread title you might have a pile of parts that you are restoring. Not much "project" about your T, just a lovely car to drive and enjoy.
The Hayes wire wheels look very nice and are a pretty rare accessory wheel.
My observations from afar, over the years is the the CA based early cars seemed to have all manner of modifications and alterations applied to them to make them faster,safer and better driving cars? Not sure what the motivation was but I guess freeways and more traffic was a main motivating factor.
Easy to return most T's to stock and original if that is your desire, or just use and enjoy and appreciate the more recent history and mods that apply to a yours cars life.
Drive and enjoy.
The Hayes wire wheels look very nice and are a pretty rare accessory wheel.
My observations from afar, over the years is the the CA based early cars seemed to have all manner of modifications and alterations applied to them to make them faster,safer and better driving cars? Not sure what the motivation was but I guess freeways and more traffic was a main motivating factor.
Easy to return most T's to stock and original if that is your desire, or just use and enjoy and appreciate the more recent history and mods that apply to a yours cars life.
Drive and enjoy.
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Topic author - Posts: 391
- Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:51 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: O'Neil
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1923 Runabout
- Location: Klamath Falls, OR
- MTFCI Number: 18018
- Board Member Since: 2005
Re: My 1914 Project
Thanks Steve for posting the picture. There is some sort of cover on the wheels behind the hubcaps. What are they?
The man with a watch always knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
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Topic author - Posts: 391
- Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:51 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: O'Neil
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1923 Runabout
- Location: Klamath Falls, OR
- MTFCI Number: 18018
- Board Member Since: 2005
Re: My 1914 Project
Thanks Warwick, the car is pretty nice but has plenty of room for mechanical improvement.
In the early days of the Model T hobby the accessories were readily available at swaps & from other club members so many of the cars done then were loaded with original rather than reproduction items. No car back in the day would be likely to be kitted out this way.
There was also a trend that I'm not sure what to call. Many Ts were turned in to "clownish" vehicles with all manor of horns. Many cars in our Orange County Club were done like that and at the start of tours we would drive around the Orange traffic circle blasting the various horns to amuse the onlookers & ourselves. I'm guilty of this myself.
This '14 has the standard bulb horn which is rather quiet, the Aermore & a wolf whistle.
There are all sorts of history to work toward preserving or recreating. Show room new is one, old & well used is another. For my '23 I aimed for a car that would not attract attention if it was set on a street 5 years after it was built. Not new, but not a wreck either.
I'm not sure where this '14 will be headed but one possibility would be to preserve it as it is to honor the early days of the Model T hobby.
In the early days of the Model T hobby the accessories were readily available at swaps & from other club members so many of the cars done then were loaded with original rather than reproduction items. No car back in the day would be likely to be kitted out this way.
There was also a trend that I'm not sure what to call. Many Ts were turned in to "clownish" vehicles with all manor of horns. Many cars in our Orange County Club were done like that and at the start of tours we would drive around the Orange traffic circle blasting the various horns to amuse the onlookers & ourselves. I'm guilty of this myself.
This '14 has the standard bulb horn which is rather quiet, the Aermore & a wolf whistle.
There are all sorts of history to work toward preserving or recreating. Show room new is one, old & well used is another. For my '23 I aimed for a car that would not attract attention if it was set on a street 5 years after it was built. Not new, but not a wreck either.
I'm not sure where this '14 will be headed but one possibility would be to preserve it as it is to honor the early days of the Model T hobby.
The man with a watch always knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.
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- Posts: 468
- Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2019 9:09 pm
- First Name: Kenneth
- Last Name: DeLong
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 touring,1915 roadster
- Location: Wheeler, MI
Re: My 1914 Project
That red paint really looks nice!! Bud.
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- Posts: 4308
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
- First Name: Steve
- Last Name: Tomaso
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1919 Centerdoor, 1924 TT C-Cab Express, 1925 Racer
- Location: Longbranch, WA
- MTFCA Number: 14972
- MTFCI Number: 15411
- Board Member Since: 2001
Re: My 1914 Project
Those are accessory spun brass hub covers - sure "dress up" the wheels - I have sets of spun aluminum ones on my Racer & the Centerdoor (before the Buffalos went on !)