Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

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Topic author
bmklawt
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:13 pm
First Name: Bruce
Last Name: Klawiter
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Touring
Location: Holland MI

Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by bmklawt » Wed Jul 05, 2023 3:03 pm

Hoping I can find someone in West Michigan, Holland to be exact, who can teach me to drive my newly rebuilt 1927 Touring and also help me correctly adjust my bands, brakes and whatever needs adjusting, I've only driven a few blocks and I'm quite terrible at it.


mike catlin
Posts: 94
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2020 9:53 am
First Name: James
Last Name: Catlin
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 depot hack

Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by mike catlin » Wed Jul 05, 2023 3:39 pm

Contact Gord Koll Grand Rapids Michigan


Jerry VanOoteghem
Posts: 4082
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:06 pm
First Name: Jerry
Last Name: Van
Location: S.E. Michigan

Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Wed Jul 05, 2023 4:02 pm

mike catlin wrote:
Wed Jul 05, 2023 3:39 pm
Contact Gord Koll Grand Rapids Michigan
From the MTFCI website chapter listings...

Gordon Koll
1424 Perkins Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505


Luke
Posts: 617
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:04 am
First Name: Luke
Last Name: P
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926
Location: New Zealand

Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by Luke » Wed Jul 05, 2023 5:29 pm

Bruce,

I imagine that Mike and Jerry have good reason to suggest Gordon as a possible contact, hopefully he's able to help.

If that doesn't work out for any reason you can simply use the 'search' option on this forum and put in various towns nearby and see what comes up. Once you find a likely person you can click on their username to find out a little more and send them a message.

I know nothing about the geography of Michigan but in a few minutes of looking (and with reference to OpenStreetMap) I've located some forum members who, in my view, would be within an hour or so driving distance to you. With luck the promise of cake + beverage and the chance to fiddle with a T along with imparting some knowledge could entice the most recalcitrant to assist ;)

Luke.


zdillinger
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 1:33 pm
First Name: Zachary
Last Name: Dillinger
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Ford Model T
Location: Charlotte, MI

Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by zdillinger » Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:23 pm

bmklawt wrote:
Wed Jul 05, 2023 3:03 pm
Hoping I can find someone in West Michigan, Holland to be exact, who can teach me to drive my newly rebuilt 1927 Touring and also help me correctly adjust my bands, brakes and whatever needs adjusting, I've only driven a few blocks and I'm quite terrible at it.
If you can't find anyone closer, I live over near Lansing and could make a drive over to give you some lessons.


commoncents05
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:12 pm
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Mundt
Location: Lowell, Michigan

Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by commoncents05 » Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:21 pm

You may want to check out the Model T Driving Experience at the Gilmore Car Museum. I took the class last year with my dad, and it was a lot of fun. The instructors are all volunteers who own their own Model T(s). Very helpful at my answering questions as a prospective Model T owner.

https://gilmorecarmuseum.org/learn/mode ... experience


Topic author
bmklawt
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:13 pm
First Name: Bruce
Last Name: Klawiter
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Touring
Location: Holland MI

Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by bmklawt » Sun Jul 09, 2023 10:39 am

Will definitely have to hit up the driving school, adjusted the brake rod length and think I have that worked out, everything else seems to be adjusted right, appears most of the problem may be I just don't know how to drive a T.
Does anyone have an email for Gordon Koll?


Model T Mark
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Eyre
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1913 Touring 1914 Touring and Roadster 1915 Touring 1926 Roadster
Location: Battle Creek Michigan

Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by Model T Mark » Sun Jul 09, 2023 12:41 pm

I do he is a close friend. Email me through this site.
Mark

User avatar

Atomic Amish
Posts: 164
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:15 am
First Name: Jason
Last Name: Kuczynski
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Antique Vehicle Mechanic at Greenfield Village
Location: Detroit, MI
Board Member Since: 2003

Re: Looking to find someone in west Michigan to teach me to drive my Model T

Post by Atomic Amish » Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:33 am

I'll second the driving school experience. My wife and I took the class in 2016 and it was a great way to spend an afternoon.

The hardest part for me driving a T so infrequently is trying to 'forget' the muscle memory of driving a modern manual transmission car. I always want to jam the low pedal all the way down on a panic stop, but that puts it in low, not neutral. lol My wife did way better driving the T around because she doesn't have that reflex.
My other car is an Amish Drag Buggy.
Barnstormers VSC
Si vestri 'non prius novissimo
Celeritate Est Vita
Antique Vehicle Mechanic- Greenfield Village

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