Posted by RedMF40 on April 17, 2018 at 06:56:53 from (96.255.217.114):
Carvel Minne was kind of enough to ask about the ’21 model T Touring that’s taking up space in my garage. So here’s the lowdown, with probably more information than you really want to know.
Bought the car non-running, had been sitting for about 20 years. Shortly after getting it home I actually fired it up, a noisy, smoky and terrifying experience. I’d previously had no experience with an antique car. I quickly shut it off.
Some issues that came to light right away:
No neutral in the tranny. Car was up on jack stands when I got the motor going, so that was good—because if you’re going to start this car with all wheels on the ground, you’d better be ready to go somewhere right away.
Pretty good clunk in rear end. Will need to come apart and renew whatever antique parts need to be replaced or rebuilt.
Brakes: Condition unknown. Probably doesn’t have any.
Tires and spare: All in good condition, tread-wise. Look very old, however. Probably needs all new tires.
Wheels: These are all wooden-spoke wheels. No, never had any experience with these, either. They are holding together, look dry-rotted. I’m guessing one good bump in my driveway and they’ll start coming apart. Old wood can be very strong, but maybe not THAT strong.
Interior: Let’s stick to the mechanical issues, ok? (actually, not terrible. Front seat is passable, rear seat has been eaten up by mice or squirrels or both. Nothing a heavy blanket won’t cure for the time being)
Motor: I didn’t run it long enough to know much about it. My friend who builds high-end restorations and street rods from original cars probably would not have started it to begin with. Knowing he would rebuild it completely, it wouldn’t matter to him if it ran or not. I’m not my friend. I wanted to hear it come to life. The radiator looks shot, however.
Body: I like the way it looks. I wasn’t looking to make a show car. It all holds together pretty well and looks straight. No major rust, and paint is faded but it’s there. If the mechanical restoration comes together so that I have a running and stopping car that can be driven more than five miles, the body will stay the way it is.
So, to help further my project and make contact with other like-minded individuals, I’ve joined the local chapter of the Model T club. Good move. Great people, very passionate about these cars, lots and lots of real-world knowledge and expertise. They’ve been a big help, although I really haven’t done anything with my car yet. Just knowing they’re there is enough.
So here is where I am: Car will need a lot of work and a big infusion of money to get it back on the road. I know this to be true. Time and money, the age-old dilemma. I can plug away at it, with help from the club, get the parts I need, and replace them and fix the car as time permits. OR….
Sell the car as-is. Take the money from the sale, make up the difference out of my own funds, and buy a running, driving Touring car. What prompted this shift in thinking was a Florida car like mine—but much nicer—that I recently saw for $9400. It sold pretty quickly—being advertised in the national Hemmings Motor News in the pages with the antique cars. My car—along with its intitial purchase price, would fast top out at $9400 or even more before it was roadworthy. What makes this option attractive is that the money may be more or less in the long run, but the savings in time would be enormous (yes, I like tinkering, but I’m sure ANY T would allow me ample opportunities to do that).
There is a third option, but I don’t know what it is. I guess I can just do what I’ve been doing—which is letting the car sit. I am not really attached to this car, but I’d like to see something come of it. No one who likes old Ford model Ts gets into them expecting a big payday. They are similar to old tractors that way. We like them for what they are—a throwback to a time not many of us remember. Just an iconic old car that somehow still gets down the road under its own power. On a more positive note, this car has a valid title and is legal in that respect. It’s often difficult to get a good title to an antique car. And soon I’ll get a lesson on driving a real, running model T, courtesy of my club.
Sorry for the novel, just thinking out loud here. I welcome any thoughts, from model T owners or anyone else. The attached photo is from a few days after buying it. Hadn't yet started it. It's a lot dustier now, with some stuff piled in front. Have had the car for about 4 years now.
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