MTFCA Forum

We got new snow last night. It was warm enough to start the T and go to breakfast but the snow was wet and the T settled in a different spot in the back yard. I will move it when the snow freezes enough.
Welcome to the new Forum. It seems to work great.
Rich

Thanks Kim.
No pictures and few smiles today. I was getting a bit surly after not driving the T for 2 weeks. It was stuck and then I had a lifting/bending restriction for a week. It was time to get it out for a breakfast ride today. A bit of rocking was required to get moving. There is a magic rpm for moving in the slushy stuff in the yard. Too fast and you slip, to slow and it kills. Once on pavement we were fine.
"Like blood to a Vampire" T driving is.
Rich

Each day driving in the winter presents different challenges. Last night's 12° left the jack (not under the car) frozen and the tires frozen to the ground. Fortunately the Coupe started easily. A 2 foot berm had been plowed between the yard and the alley. I haven't used that exit for 3 weeks. It was frozen solid enough to vault over without getting high centered. The impact landing was a little tough to steer out of but I maintained control. Joy wasn't with me for this trip. Thank Goodness.
Returning was a little slower and I got high centered on the berm. I rocked back and forth to no avail. Attacking with a shovel as much as my new aortic valve would let me didn't free up the T either. The third choice was to break out the manila rope and give the wheels a few wraps. That turned out to be the trick. I plowed the T to it's favorite spot only to find one rope had come untied and wound itself tightly around the brake drum. All the protrusions around the backing plate had a death grip on the rope. Eventually I was able to unwind it. Kneeling on the snow had produced a wet enough knee to require a change of pants. Also in the process all four lug nuts had loosened.
I'm just sharing this for those who can drive in the snow.
Rich

I havnt had mine out this winter. Its stored in my cargo trailer so I have more room to work on the TT project. If you look at photos of my RPU you will see a piece of rope hanging on each side from top saddles. Its works great for snow. Glad someone is getting to enjoy a winter ride. By the way next time Im expecting a photo of that winter fun!

OK Dallas. I don't usually take snow pictures when it's gray and dirty but Joy says that's just me. #;O)
The berm melted some and we whitled it down shoveling and driving over it but it still is an obstacle. Look what the camera took today.

OUCH.....That looks like it isn't going far....But at least it isn't on the road.

Thats funny how the spokes disappear when the wheel is spinning. Gets me every time Rich.

I have never seen the camera capture it this way before. It caught most of this with no blur. I'll bet Mark Osterman could explain it.
Photos are always a surprise.

I'll bet "Hallmark would buy that middle photo (T in the trees).

Rod

Thanks Rod, I'd let it go cheap. ;O)

No, this isn't the first photo. It's new this morning. More snow but it is sloshy gooey stuff. I can't see the other drivers smiling today but Joy says they are. She's a brave girl to ride with me. So far this keeps running and the tires are up.
Rich

I love it

Richard, you must be light on your feet, I see no tracks in the snow but I see you in the coupe. Maybe its a painting? Maybe Joy made you sleep in the T? At any rate, I like to see your adventures in that little tuff coupe!

Dallas, there are lots of tracks around back where it was wet. I jacked the car a little higher and checked the gas in the tank in the trunk. It was like stepping in 5" lemon meringue pie. Fluffy white on top, soggy mush below that soaked right though my shoes. The car slid off he jack but started anyway. Tomorrow it will be frozen so I will enjoy different problems.
Still the best fun.
Rich

Thursday and Friday were 0°F and -4°F respectively. There was no buss from the coils at day break either day. By noon Thursday it would start but the melting earlier in the week had rendered it frozen to the ground. I had enough HP to break the rear wheels loose but they just spun in place. I wasn't willing to clean the timer or extract the front wheels either day. At 12°F this morning it started fine and we took it out. The doors had frozen shut with ice that had gotten it. I found a tool that works both for prying the trunk open and chipping ice from the running boards. Leaving the key in the lock prevents much ice getting into it. The jack and the rear brakes ice up from time to time but still work with a little force. Folks still seemed to enjoy seeing the car out. I'm glad some others are enjoying theirs and sharing pictures.
Rich

Today I learned that if one door freezes closed and can't be kicked open from the inside, driving over uneven ground will jar it enough to be opened. That of course assumes you got in the second door. Ice formation is due to the rain rail separating from the roof. My choice of pine for the wood structure allows the nails to work loose more easily. The result is a hole you can fill with epoxy (when warmer weather comes) and press the rail rail back in place. This results in a fix almost as good as using hardwood. It cracks me up sometimes when this old Coupe even starts. The engine has been messaged 3 times since the 1950s. An old school mechanic had sanded the rod journals round an put it in a '27 pickup. A friend drove it until he could rebuild a correct engine for it. We tried to sell the engine for his widow after he passed but no sale. I refreshed it and put it in a roadster but it burned oil. When I built the Coupe in 2012 I put rings in it and rounded the journals a little more. I hadn't planned to use it much but it is a great little car for winter. The loose fit in the cylinders makes it much easier to start than my rebuilt engines. Most of us are driving much better Ts than folks were in the 1930s. Driving it every week also makes it easier to start. I enjoy having these insights the Coupe gives me.

Rich

The old ones are actually the best!!!

from one guy to another

Well people look at me funny when I tell them I like loose engines and cast iron pistons. I don't often mention it. Although I am enjoying several rebuilt engines I know there is a lot of use in the old ones. What I appreciate is being able to see both sides of the coin.

Rich - A very enjoyable thread that I'm sure many others enjoy as well,.....nice pictures too!

Your description of the "fix" for the rain rail nail holes, etc, etc,...reminded me of a favorite quote that I got some time ago from someone on this forum:

"Nothing is as permanent as a temporary "fix" that WORKS! (:^) ..... harold

I like that Harold. Any good restoration should leave you with some simple chores to take care of later.
Rich

If the bore is good, I like cast iron pistons. I have run Ts both ways, rebuilt with fresh bores and new aluminum pistons, and good original old engines with good original bores, mew rings. They run great! Loose, tired engines, a little different, but still good for a lot of wonderful miles. And smiles.

Now I get it.

I hate to throw anything away if I can see some use left in it. My garage is full of shiny rebuilt cars. It just seems like piecing some cars together out of the stuff I can't sell is a good idea. These old engines can always be rebuilt later when we have gotten all the miles out of them.
I'm glad you've enjoyed them too Wayne.

That's two things that don't go together for me- snow and smiles. 80 degree temps and I'm grinning like a mule eating saw briers though.

When you grow up and learn to drive - I mean REALLY learn to drive - in snow, it really is no big
deal. Other drivers who DID NOT learn to drive in the snow are the problem. We have several feet
on the ground right now and it is coming down in giant balls. You'd think everyone had never seen
this stuff, by the way they are driving !

39°left the car sitting in a pool again. The jack sunk but wasn't needed. I parked on higher ground after our trip so it hopefully won't get frozen to the ground. The warmth is nice. Sorry for your fellow drives Raoul. Spring's just around the corner.
Rich

Today we noticed some ice inside. Either an ice dam formed allowing the water to migrate up between the top fabric and the wood or it is some condensation. I was too lazy to jack the car today but at 14°F it took off after several revolutions and some temporary firing. I believe parking the T facing the sun lets some morning light warm it. This could be as good as being in the garage.

Rich, I learned almost sixty years ago to face a vehicle to the south if it has to live outside. Keeps the cold northwest wind off of the engine and lets the sun help warm it. Dave

It seems obvious David but I hadn't thought of it until recently. With -8°F this morning I didn't try the Coupe. This was colder than yesterday when it didn't start. It has made us appreciate the Tudor in the garage which we took to breakfast today. You can't have all the wonderful aspects of a Model T in just one car I'm afraid. Hopefully this is the last of the below zero weather for this year.

Another Winter for driving fun! We were lucky today that it was warm enough for the Coupe to start and cold enough to get some traction out of the backyard. It was too cold to start the Tudor last week for Christmas guests to ride in. Not much snow then but 4" or so now.

Like the photos!
Even If I re-babbitt and bore the 25, it is still going to have cast iron pistons. (its got updated valves now) It's not bad running and has good compression. Between the 21 with aluminum and the 25 with cast iron, there is just a difference in how they sound and run that can be felt. The 21 is maybe more peppy but the 25 is just sedate like a grand old lady going down the road.

Isn't it nice to have both to compare? I had no idea that I would put several thousand miles on this old engine when I put the Coupe together. Iron pistons, two piece valves and 56-year old tires get me around town just fine. All year round.
Don't throw anything away!
Thanks
Rich

Winter is a little tough for me. Getting the T out a few times each week makes it more tolerable. I wasn't sure the Coupe would buck the drifts this morning. The snow got warm enough to be slippery yesterday but with a little rocking and some shoveling it was persuaded into the front driveway. Driving to breakfast is always great fun and those we see there often have smiles, cameras and stories.
The low RPM just before the engine dies gives the best traction or bite.
most of you know that. I also inspected the snow load on the '14 Touring. The new irons and bows are doing fine. I mentioned collapsing old irons on my '25 many years ago. (On Steves disassembly and reassembly thread) Rich

Yeah Rich, that’s a lot of weight on your touring top !!
Looks like fun in the closed car, too much salt here...

Said it last year, but I'll say it again......COOL!!

I think they use Magnesium chloride here. It is tough on underside finishes. My Tudor shows some signs of surface corrosion underneath after a dozen Winters. It is mostly around moving parts like shackles, brakes and steering joints.I didn't treat the rusty coupe with anything and can't see any noticeable change in the 7 years we have driven it. I don't think there will be any failures for salt in my lifetime. I do keep the nice cars off the road most of the time. A wetter climate might keep the salt moister and therefore more of a problem.
I used to drive my '65 pickup to work every day and rusted out floorboards 3 times in 30 years. The T's don't see that kind of driving. Perhaps 1000 miles a year on the Coupe and maybe 30 miles on slushy salt.
I have enough axles to replace anything I wear out. The fun always trumps the threat of danger.
Rich
Cheers to you who drive in the snow or enjoy the thought.

Fun trumps it! Im with you Rich. The calcium chloride dust retardent for our road I think is worse than the salt. Oh for good old oil! I figure if I drive the T enough, they wont feel the need to use the modern stuff. Have you seen the streets at OCF toward the end of the weekend?

While corrosive chemicals on the road aren’t the best thing for a Model T’s underbelly, I don’t think they get as much exposure as newer vehicles with all-steel body pans. Driving mud, snow and slush, I’ve never seen where much of it gets above the splash shields. Most of it spatters on fenders and running boards’ undersides, making it fairly easy to hose off. Besides that, a properly leaking Model T has its own defense against a hostile environment. Most of the working chassis should be well protected by a generous coat of oil !

The weather roller coaster is swinging back to winter this weekend....no snow now !!
Mine is crippled with the rear axle apart, but Bill stopped over with his 26, since it was 52 today !!

That's a good looking Touring.

It's ironic that the messy oil and the congealed dirt which forms clods around the gaskets and moving parts is a great protectant of the chassis. We work so hard to keep it from detracting from the car only to expose parts to the elements.
I just use that for an excuse not to over clean.

Rich Eagle wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 15, 2020 4:32 pm

I just use that for an excuse not to over clean.

it’s the art of intelligent neglect
Practicing it can enrich your life !

EnRiched it is.
The Coupe wouldn't start yesterday after a 2°night and 11°. About 10° warmer this morning the accumulated gases in the combustion chamber from yesterday fired right off and we got off to breakfast and back before they advised no travel in Idaho Falls unless absolutely necessary. There are 3 foot drifts in the backyard where I usually park the T but a spot out front has minimal snow so I will keep it there for a while. The 25mph wind keeps the snow off the car.
Life is good!

Snow to ice to rain to 30 mph wind and10 degrees tonight. All winter has in one day!

We drove the Coupe to breakfast today as we often do. However we ordered ahead and picked it up. They said they were about half of normal. Still it was great to take the T for a spin. Old photo, not much snow left.
Rich

All the neighbors went up to the hills camping yesterday and we woke up to snow this morning. While we sometimes get a last sprinkling on Easter or Memorial day or even 4th of July it's always a surprise. I guess the lawn can wait a day or two and I'll draw and play with carburetors today.