Model T

This picture was taken nearly 20 years ago.

My wife bought this model T from my cousin Wes Gates a few years ago. It had belonged to a neighbor who had use it as a pickup, it was originally a touring car. Wes and I have worked on it when I visited him at the Gates Farm, which is a century farm stared by my Grandfather and Grandmother. The land has passed down through three generations, Wes' son Spencer is now farming the land. I rode in this Model T about 20 years (1990) ago when Wes' dad my uncle  Johnny was an expert on Model T's because when he was a youngster of the 3 gates brothers and in their day they drove fixed up and had fun in these cars.

this picture was taken about 1990

As you can see it had wire wheels  in those days. When I bought it the wire wheels were still on the car and the wheels belonged to one of the neighbors. We had to get some wheels and we prefered wooden spoke wheels to match the rear wheels. Wooden wheels were acquired and a couple of tire were replaced, this was a couple of years ago. The car still needed tires and tubes for the front wheels. I procured tires from Sacramento Vintage Ford but they wre having difficulty getting tubes so I called Ken in Beverton at Ken's Beckers model T store. We needed a fan belt as well but since I work with leather doing saddle and tack repair, I made a new fan belt from 10oz vegetable tanned leather as per Wes's measurements, it worked out great.

this picture was this past year 2011

We took the coils over to ken's and he tested and adjusted all four coils. We checked the timing, and the wiring. Put gas in out temporary gas tank strapped to the windshield and hooked up the battery , which had been charged earlier and tried to start it. No luck not even a spurt or pop. We made a few more adjustments and scratched our heads a lot. We then decided to tow it around the farm lot and get it started that way.

It was to no avail. the old car would not even make a sincere effort to run. There were several suggestions of a bad timer, that is what the distributor is called in Model T lingo, but it was time fro me to move on go home and continue my trip and then back to California. I did find a rear seat frame and the back rest for a Model t in the barn and ask Wes if it went with the car and he said yes I could have it. I was in our motor home and could not take a piece as big as the entire rear boy section of a model T. My wife came and looked and said "why don't you take it apart and there is room in the rear compartment of the motor home. I did and there was so I brought those parts home with me.

the rear seat frame and back rest 2011

There is a couple of door pillars as well very important pieces.

When we arrived home I unloaded all of the model t stuff and reserved a horse stall for this project. Of course it was to small already before I started oh well. I have a friend who has a saw mill and will do custom lumber at a very reasonable price. I contacted him and put my order in for som good Black Oak lumber for the sills. The model t has a wood frame that runs parralell with the steel frame and above it slightly. the entire body can be removed by releasing 6 bolts
(I think).
I have started working on the wood parts of the body using oak and maple lumber from my lumber pile in the wood shop. The body is made of wood and then the skin was placed over the wood shell and crimped onto the wood. My project will be difficult as the crimps are alredy in the metal and the rotten wood has to be removed first and then the new wood fashioned and installed and fit.

This is an example of the right rear door wood frame.

Wood plans are available from Leon Parker in Kentucky. I have purchased his plans and am on my way, slowly. I have used some of my firewood, yes we burn Black Oak for heat, by splitting it down with the log splitter and then squaring it up with a table saw and next the band saw. Works good for short pieces. It will be a lot faster when my dimension lumber arrives.
 December 8 2011
I have the promise that the wood pieces I have ordered will be here ant the end of the week.
There are a few problems it seems the rear end parts i have belong to a 1923 car and the chassis is a 1921 car. I have consulted Leon Parker the wood plan provider to get an opinion about this potential problem. However the plans and reference manuals most always include both dates. Henry was a tricky fellow though and made changes whenever he felt it was necessary, not at the need of nay year. The newer models were call "Improved" cars and it could be at any time of the year.
The project is moving along but very slowly The back rest is finished and the bullet holes have been mashed shut but are still eyesores on the rear of the body piece I have. Al of the metal parts I have have been treated with naval jelly to prevent further rust and then primed with oxide red primer, ugly looking stuff, but it protects the metal.