Is it worth the drive?

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colonelpowers
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Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2020 8:04 pm
First Name: Joshua
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Tudor
Location: Marion, Virginia

Is it worth the drive?

Post by colonelpowers » Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:20 pm

When I bought my last T, about 2 1/2 hours from home, the purchase included 3 partially disassembled engines, a pre26 transmission, a few pans, a rear end, some oval gas tanks and some other random bits. I was just getting over surgery and alone when I picked up the car so I left the parts for a later time.

Everything, except the car, had been left outside uncovered for decades. Every engine has the head off and is very rusty; and everything else is about the same, weathered and rusty. It would take a 5 hour trip to go get the parts in a truck that gets about 15 mpg (plus meals). Is it worth the trip? My car is an improved car and so far as I can tell everything left came off of earlier cars than mine. I wouldn't want to let them be scrapped if someone could use them and I did buy them in the deal but I can't decide what to do. What would y'all do?


tdump
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by tdump » Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:25 pm

They are not making this stuff any more,and crankshafts may be reusable and son on. I would go get them if for no other reason than to prevent the scrapage. To much of this stuff has been scrapped and that is why it is harder to find.
If you can't help em, don't hinder em'


John kuehn
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by John kuehn » Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:28 pm

It would depend how badly rusted and pitted the parts are. That can be the deciding factor.

But Ford doesn’t make those parts anymore. I’ve seen some heads and various engine parts that can be reusable. But not all.

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Craig Leach
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by Craig Leach » Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:46 pm

If you have the time to pick it up. The space to store it and you wont hurt yourself picking it up There may be a diamond in the rough
or two. If you have a pickup that will haul all of that & get 15 mpg don't sell the truck! Pack a sandwich or two.
Craig.


tdump
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by tdump » Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:53 pm

Yea, I will agree,my newest truck only gets about 14 loaded or empty, so yea, make some bologna sandwiches and put some ice in a cooler for cold drinks and ride!
I have traveled further for less,but it later paid off as i was able to use some of the parts I got on my project.
If you can't help em, don't hinder em'

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TWrenn
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by TWrenn » Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:17 am

A 5 hour trip in beautiful hilly Virginia for those parts? You betchya! ROAD TRIP!


Norman Kling
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by Norman Kling » Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:52 am

I would get the parts. I have a lot of spare parts, either from cars I have worked on and removed for better parts, or some which were for sale many years ago. I store some parts under the house. These would be body parts and fenders. Some crankcase. Even one hogs head which has a hole in it from a magnet which got away. Might need the pedals or cams from it? In my shop, I have more of the mechanical parts which I use from time to time either fixing my car or helping a friend fix theirs. I also have a complete engine which ran when it was removed. That one had a bad tooth on the flywheel. I was going to fix it but went to a swap meet and someone who was a very good machinist had one the same year for sale complete with the transmission, so I bought it and am still driving it after 30 years. That used engine will go with the car it came out of when the car is sold someday because of the engine number on it. So if you plan to be in the hobby for many years, keep what you can. The gas tanks might be beyond repair. Sometimes a good radiator shop can boil them out and seal them. No good if rusted out.
Norm


JohnM
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by JohnM » Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:16 pm

Joshua, it seems that you are not really interested in the parts, that's understandable. Not everyone has the space or desire to have a pile of rusty iron even if it is worth saving. But, talk is cheap. If it were me, I would offer them free to someone you trust will actually go pick them up. Parts saved, everyone happy.


John kuehn
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by John kuehn » Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:32 pm

It won’t be to long that T parts wont be found here and there. If possible someone ought to pick them up. There are probably some still usable in weathered piles like that.

The old saying “ one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is still true!


noelchico
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Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by noelchico » Thu Feb 02, 2023 7:47 pm

If you don't want them, perhaps contact a closer T club to see if someone would like to save these parts.


Topic author
colonelpowers
Posts: 128
Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2020 8:04 pm
First Name: Joshua
Last Name: Powers
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Tudor
Location: Marion, Virginia

Re: Is it worth the drive?

Post by colonelpowers » Thu Feb 02, 2023 9:34 pm

I talked to the man I bought the car from tonight and told him that I was going to come and get the parts. Who knows there might be some gem that I overlooked. Anyway, if anyone is in need of a engine project, I would probably be glad to give them one. A friend of mine also has a 17 chassis with a rebuilt engine that has also been sitting outside for 20 years that I need to pick up too. He had it rebuilt for a car he was restoring then decided that it was too hard to start so he didn't use it. If someone needed one, that might be an easily saveable engine ( it is stuck at the moment).

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