MTFCA Forum

More years ago than I care to admit, we bought the place next door as both a financial investment (rent the upstairs and basement suite) and a lifestyle investment (nice garage in the back yard for you know who). The rental happened soon enough but I never got around the building the playhouse out back until last fall. We excavated for the foundation in late September 2018 and I pronounced the place finished this Wednesday afternoon at 16:40. Aside from the dozens of things I would do differently next time (and there won't be a next time!) I'm still pretty tickled with the outcome.

The contest involves the second photo. How many Model T parts can you find in this picture?

Bathroom,the 1 thing I wish I had in my shop.I keep the wheels hot on my golf cart "making the trip" back to the house!
Don't get used to how much space you have,it gets GONE fast!

Looks like this could turn into an "iron-man" contest?! How many T pieces in the little iron man standing on the corner of the mezzanine. I am not even sure that any of the pieces are model T, even the gear eyes? I see two engine valves, but they look too large to be T.
The large gasoline (could be water or chemical?) tank looks like it is from an ALF, so not model T Ford. The round gasoline tank behind that large tank is model T, along with its visible mounting bracket could be counted as two T pieces. I also wonder about the hat hook(?) hanging out from the outhouse door. Could it be a top prop nut? (Probably not)

Chris,

Looks great! I really like it!

Could you please share some of the dozens of things you would have done differently?

I’m in the planning stages for a new building and I’d love to hear them.

I see a beautiful American LaFrance. What year and type?
What is the Chief's car? KisselKar?

: ^ )

Keith

Beer in the fridge

Thanks Wayne, figured you would chime in. Right on with the T gas tank and yes the big tank is LaFrance.

Also right with the "iron man". Photos below, he has triple gear eyes and sits on a ring gear base. Nothing else T that I know of. Interesting story about this fella — like many of us, I have a number of trophies around the place, unloved and collecting dust, but this is one is special. Friend Jerry and I earned this Trouble Trophy at the Northwest Vintage Speedsters Annual Endurance Run several Labour Day weekends ago.

Ed, most of the things I would do differently are minor items, but the biggies for me are

1. Less windows: I got carried away because I could, but have since frosted the two you see in the first photo. They face north so don't contribute much light and zero interesting view. More wall display space would have been better. I'm fortunate to have two more garages next door where we live so I'm not hurting for shelf space.

2. The floor: I like the look and it's great for entertaining (we had a neighbourhood Halloween party there in October) but even being careful it's going to take a beating over the next years. Again I've got the other garages next door for the dirty work but I'm getting tired already of being careful in this one. Old carpets will feature prominently when I do tear-down etc of the LaFrance.

3. Floor elevation: You wouldn't know it from the photos but the place should have been built about 3" higher elevation and I would have had an easier time with grading for drainage.

Keith, the Lafrance is a 1916 6-cylinder and destined to become a fire-breathing speedster. The Chief's conveyance is indeed a KisselKar, 1912 Model 4-50. Fun car and a strong runner with 373 in3 and factory overdrive on 37" tires.

Mack, the bathroom is one of the coolest features. Again, great for entertaining, doubles as a mini museum and features a WW1-era bowl and 1908 tank. You can see the manufacturing date stamped into the top of the tank case. The copper liner and most of the hardware inside is original.

Still one more T part to identify in the second photo above...

Are the iron man's legs and nose a modified front wishbone?
Allan from down under.

So what's in the jar? Nice Shop, congratulations.

Hi Allan, Iron Guy’s nose is the head end of a railway track spike. Legs are heavy bolts. I think his only T parts are eyes and base.

Thanks, John. What’s in which jar? The one by the coffee pot has coffee grounds in it.

One more T part in the second photo. It’s an important one, car will probably start and run without it, but rather poorly...

I think what Wayne saw as a prop nut is a model T engine valve over the coat rack. I also see something next to the light over the sink but it is small and will not show detail on my computer so no idea what it is. Other thing farther out from the light looks like a door knob. Strange place for it if it is.

DING! The win to Wayne and Bob.

Gizmo by the door is a rubber-tipped T valve door stop.

Under the compressor closest to the light is a valve handle for the compressor drain which is then plumbed into the vent stack.

Doorknob nearby is now a push-pull affair to operate the compressor isolation valve.

Cool details!
Just gonna say it. Really neat toilet! Nice find/save! And ya can sharpen a pencil while in there!
Looks like a dream shop to me.
Oh. I might steal some ides.

I bet that door stop shows up in a lot of T shops after this! Already thinking of a way to modify it for mine.

That IS a neat door stop! Are the springs from a model T hood hook? (Probably not, most hood hook springs wouldn't quite fit over a valve stem)

Very nice.

I’m hoping to have something similar soon.

Duey, I would like to have your enthusiastic endorsement of my vintage toilet printed, framed, and presented to my bride.

Wayne, the springs are just a couple from the misc springs box. In the Model T spirit, there is a cotter pin in the keeper hole.

Here are the final (so far) T parts repurposed for the shed... running board shelves over the workbench and a Model T rad fan behind the Dodge rad shell which conceals the exhaust fan. When the exhaust fan is on, the airflow causes the T fan to rotate slowly.

FWIW (very little) the heavy screen inset in the rad shell is expanded metal window screening we salvaged from the old Packard plant in Detroit a few years ago.

So nobody got them all! I like the shelves, somebody should have spotted that. The fan? Well hidden.
Thanks for the fun!

Prob'ly best not to go that far but here's a VERY simple pdf for your wife!
Form follows function they say but I haven't passed function quite yet.
Still a real cool Multi-National piece of wood, copper, brass and porcelain.

If you want to take the cistern to the next level (they still make them) - https://www.thomas-crapper.com/ No I'm not pulling your chain - it comes with one
Give credit to the inventor Thomas C....

Thank you Duey... but sadly, she remains unconvinced.

Chris,
Love the new home for your speedster an its friends.
I have a vintage oak tank top that you can have if you want it. It may be that you prefer showing off the inner workings of the toilet and I can understand that.
The top dimensions are 23"×8.5". You can check it out when you come here in September. Jim

Thanks Jim, that might be just the ticket. Looking forward to our visit next year.