MTFCA Forum

I am in NW Florida, in Pensacola, looking for a quality shop to rebuild my '24 engine. It needs a valve job and I thought I'd get the hardened valve inserts. Why not go for a whole rebuild at this point?

I really need forum input on where to take my business.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Jeff Schroeder

Defining "whole rebuild" will go a long way in helping yourself find a shop.
There's a machinist near me in Coatesville, that people ship their T engines (and all kinds of pre-war I and II engines) from all over the country, to have him rebuild but I never saw him do a T transmission or a magneto.

I think I would go with the whole shebang, resurfacing the block, new pistons and rings, rebabbitted main bearings, valve seats, valves, rebuild transmission.

Ship it to Joe Bell, located in Tiffin Ohio. Joe is, simply put..."The Best". Many others on this forum will say the same. I would have no one else touch my engine but Mr. Bell.

You have several options - here are a couple ...

Denver, Colorado - Ron @ 720-220-4744

College Station, Texas - Ross @ 979-218-4083


FJ

Another vote for Joe Bell..... Here's what you do. Get in touch with Tim Morsher as he has a panel truck he's getting brought up from Ft Meyers to pretty close to Joe in Ohio in the next couple weeks. You would probably have to meet someone close to I-75 on their way north (or what ever way they're taking the truck). If you're not in a big hurry for the engine you can plan a trip to Hershey and pick up the engine from Joe there.

I can get it to Joe, but you need to be quick about it. Tmorsher@icloud.com

Where you said "Why not go for a whole rebuild at this point? " I can think of a reason not to. If your existing engine is fine you might get it back with almost no improvement, or find it is tight and doesn't hand crank any more.
If your engine is tired then you might find a rebuild is an improvement.

In my estimation, at least 1/2 of all T engine rebuilds did not need to be done. The Model T is an incredibly forgiving machine which responds well to maintenance and repair. Unless you have a cracked or sunken exhaust seat, you absolutely do NOT need hardened seats. In fact, if you need a valve job, it can be started on a Satureday morning and finished by Sunday night using a NeWay cutter and new valves (quicker if it is not your first time). Hardened seats are sold to people as a "fix" for unleaded gas...but guess what? There was no lead in the gas when the car was originally built! Hardened seats will restore a block with a cracked exhaust valve port if not too far gone, or restore height of a sunken seat, and that's about all they're good for in a T, but will lead to hotter running valves as the thermal efficiency of the pressed in seat is not as good as a solid block. Additionally, have you heard what an engine sounds like at 30MPH when one of those seats comes out of the block? It is not a pleasant sound, and don't for a minute think it doesn't happen.

Bottom line, if the engine is running without knocking due to bad bearings (which can often be taken up, without a rebuild), and there is a documented loss of compression isolated to one or more poorly seating valves, then do the valve job and go enjoy your car.

And if you're committed to "the whole shebang", then plan on $5500+, or for another fifteen hundred, you could buy a second running car.