MTFCA Forum

It was just a curiosity thing on looking up what engine parts could be bought after the end of T. 1928 parts books, USA the choice of re-building was 5 different Over Size pistons or a complete engine, less starter for $125.00
The 1928 over-seas parts book, Ford Canada, no option of a complete engine but 15 Over Size pistons.

Ford sold T parts into the 40’s. I believe the last T engine number was stamped around 1948.

Kerry,

The 1930 USA Ford Price List of Parts has that same new Motor Assembly less starter for $125. And page after page of parts for the T. The 1927 cars were only 3 years old at that point. There are 54 pages of all sorts of parts for the T in the 1930 parts list.

Page 536 of Bruce McCalley (R.I.P.) 's book "Model T Ford" has lots of new (not rebuilt but new) engines assembled with decreasing numbers each year. In 1930 they produced new T engines every month with 586 Jan 1930 and down to 1932 in Dec 1930. (The actual low month in 1930 was was Jul with 90 produced and the high number was 634 in Apr 1930.

In 1931 same ref: new engine assemblies every month.
Jan 135
Feb 141
Mar 108
Apr 97
May 36
Low was Aug with only 7
High was Sep with 152

For 1932 only 5 produced; 1933 21; 1934 51; 1935 44; 1936 18; 1937 29; 1938 9; 1939 15; 1940 4; 1941 7 (last entry Aug 4, 1941)

In the mid 1960's you could by reground crankshafts with matching sets of rebabbitted connecting rods a somewhat famous JC Whitney catalog along with several other pages of parts for the Ts. And several companies had gone around to the Ford dealerships buying up the NOS Model T Parts and selling them. Mark Auto Company is one that comes to mind. Again in 1967 the the 1927 Model T was only 40 years old. That's a 1982 car today. So while Ford probably did not continue to stock lots of replacement parts -- they were available aftermarket both replacement and NOS in many cases.

I still have folks ask me about my old cars and I tell them about the Ts. And they will ask me "What about your VW?" Oh that? That's a 1970, it is my modern car...

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

Thank you, Hap, your a wealth of information!

I would guess that many small town Ford agencies had NOS T stuff on hand well into the early 1950s. The local Western Auto and White's Auto had NOS in the 1960s. Sears sold stuff into the 1960s for obsolete cars. Older wrecking yards in rural areas often had stacks of early stuff.

Herb Singe bought a crated T from Morris Chamberlain of Chester, NJ in 1950 for $100 and totally restored it for $675.

Herb was former president of the NJ AACA. He passed in December 2020

In the 60’s and 70’s I would get JC Whitney catalogs from time to time in the mail and could buy them on the magazine racks at 7-11 stores also. At the time it was probably the most common parts source for Model T’s I knew about.
You could still get a few T parts at Wards, Western Auto and Sears.

Marks was a good source too. Seems like you could get a T short block from JC Whitney but I do know for sure you could get ‘reconditioned’ T transmissions from JC Whitney for 75.00 as I was going to buy one but decided not to because I thought the price was to high.

The latest Ford parts book I have is 1941.

Montgomery Wards was selling parts for many years. This 1967-8 catalog was on eBay. Sears Roebuck also sold tires, coils and rebuilt engines I believe in the '60s. I'm not sure what other years.
Donnie Brown scanned this '22 catalog for the forum.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/59 ... 1480122954
Western Auto too carried on into the 60s with some T parts.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/33 ... 1372914982

Neat old parts book! A while before you had the area code with the phone number. And was used with a rotary dial phone too.

Well up to the mid-1930 there was advice on keeping the T on the road.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1936 ... -my-lovely

""I see by the new Sears Roebuck catalogue that it is still possible to buy an axle for a 1909 Model T Ford, but I am not deceived. The great days have faded, the end is in sight. Only one page in the current catalogue is devoted to parts and accessories for the Model T; yet everyone remembers springtimes when the Ford gadget section was larger than men’s clothing, almost as large as household furnishings. The last Model T was built in 1927, and the car is fading from what scholars call the American scene—which is an understatement, because to a few million people who grew up with it, the old Ford practically was the American scene.""(E. B. White, 16 May 1936)

The prices of used Model Ts actually went up in the thirties, probably because of the cheapness of repair during the depression.

Bob – thank you for the kind words and your kind help years ago loading Ghost (a 1915 Centerdooor). I hope all is well with you. I’m getting over Covid and I’m thankful most of that is behind me.

George -- I always enjoy E. B. White’s article in the May 16, 1936 issue of “The New Yorker” “Farewell, My Lovely!” A fun read at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50 ... 1446267619 And under the name of Lee Strout White he and his friend also published a very very small book “Farewell to Model T.” (See the posting at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50 ... 1446267619 )

Does anyone remember the story below about parts and perhaps remember where it was published?
One of the books I’ve read had an interesting true story of two guys taking a trip back around 1938 plus or minus a couple of years. They were driving a 1926 or 27 touring and the rear axle went out for some reason. They went to the city dump to look for a replacement rear axle. That was the dump – Not a wrecking yard. They were looking for the 1926-27 large drum rear axle in usable shape. They weren’t just looking for any 1926-27 axle. They were looking for a T with that axle that was already turned upside down to make it easy to remove the axle. And they found one. Removed the axle and installed it in their car and completed their trip. WWII removed so many of those “spare parts cars” from the sides of the roads and the famer’s fields.

If anyone remembers which book or magazine that story is in, please let me know. I would have guessed the book “Tin Lizzie” by Philip Van Doren Stern, but skimming through it I did not see it, but I may have missed it?

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

I recently found this Ford circular from 1929 that encouraged dealers to look after Model T owners.

Sorry for some of the pages being cut off...the pages bigger than my scanner lol

How interesting to read the form letters and marketing suggestions of FMC at a time so long ago! Thanks for sharing Michael. And Henry Ford’s commitment to continue to produce T parts “as long as there is one Model T still on the road” well,... we’re doing our part

I think they'd have done well to add some copy to the effect that a family's present Model T would make a dependable and low cost "second car" should they choose to purchase a new Model A. A farm family might consider a new Model A, AA, or pickup truck and retain their aging touring car or roadster could serve as a cheap and reliable pickup/second car/ute with an inexpensive mechanical refurbishment. At any rate, reaching out to keep cost concious users in the Ford family was a good idea, especially after October, 1929.