Model T Restoration

Four Corners Car Collectors Show

2010-09-29T17:51:00.009-06:00

We took the Model T to the Seventh Annual Four Corners Car Collectors show in Farmington on Sunday, September 19th. This was a large show (187 entries) with 22 different classes. They placed the Model T in the 1910-1940 Stock Pickup class. Here it is parked at the show.

It attracted a lot of attention from young and old alike. The fellow in the red shirt in this picture was a high school coach at Tribune back in the sixties, so he was familiar with western Kansas. The lady in the picture remembered when her parents traveled in a similar Model T truck.

Here's a picture of a 1940 Ford pickup with a vintage travel trailer. They were parked close to where we were.

Galena with the Model T.

And here's a picture of her favorite car at the show. She liked the black cherry color. It is a nice paint job!

This is a Model A coupe that was one of the restored originals.

The Model T took first in its class as well as the "Best Ford" award. This is the "Best Ford" award.

We had a great time at the show and enjoyed looking at all the other cars. We also discovered that we should take something for shade. We did think to take chairs to sit on, but were in the sun most of the day. We'll figure it out eventually. The new pickup towed the trailer with the Model T in it very well, so that made me happy!!!

Fiestas de Cuba

2010-09-12T18:29:00.009-06:00

We took the Model T down to the Fiestas de Cuba parade and car show on Saturday. Fiestas de Cuba is a organized by the Immaculate Conception Church and raises funds to support the Immaculate Conception School. Galena rode with me in the parade, and threw candy to the children along the street. Here're a couple of pictures of us in the parade. They're much the same, just taken at different locations.

Here's one of the lineup at the car show. It was a car, truck and motorcycle show, and was open to all kinds from antiques to hot rods to low riders.

Smokey Bear was at the Fiesta, too. He's meeting some of the local children.
The Model T drew a lot of attention and a lot of questions. It took second place in the truck class, and "Best of Show" overall.

Here's a picture of the 55 Chevrolet pickup that took first in the truck class.

It was a long day in the sun. Here're Galena relaxing with Sophiah after we got home.

Wichita County Fair ....

2010-08-02T17:06:00.017-06:00

Galena and I loaded the Model T into its trailer and headed out Tuesday for Leoti.

After a long day on the road, we unloaded the Model T in Dad's garage and parked the trailer.

Then we took off Wednesday morning for Clay Center, where we visited with some of Galena's family that she hadn't seen for several years, including her 94 year old Aunt Jessie.

On Thursday, we returned to Leoti and met up with the rest of the family at the afternoon "burger burn" at the fair. Friday we attended the Old Settlers' breakfast at the senior center. We spent the afternoon at the fair, then went to the rodeo in the evening. We had a great time showing off the Model T to family members. Dad demonstrated how they used to crank the engine to start it. He also gave me some pointers on shifting the auxilary transmission without grinding the gears and adjusted the carburetor so it ran smoother. The engine is running better as it gets a few miles on it.

Looking her over ....

Here's Galena with the Model T and her purple Wichita County Fair t-shirt and 4H hat.

New and Old ....

We made a sign for both sides telling about the history.

We're all ready for the parade.

Saturday morning Dad and I took the Model T to the parade staging area, then drove it along the parade route, throwing out candy to the kids.

After the parade we had a great time giving rides to everyone who wanted one.

Sunday morning we loaded it back up and started home. The road home was as long as it was coming, but we did manage to find a smoother route. We had a fabulous time with family and the fair, even though it was a year later than we originally planned. The wait was worth it !!!

Getting Ready for the Fair

2010-07-18T18:49:00.006-06:00

Wow!! I can't believe summer is going by so fast. We still have lots of things we want and need to get done, and time is slipping by.

The Model T is nearly ready for the fair. I cleaned it up, cleaned up the tires and waxed the sheet metal. It shines up really nice. Here're a couple of pictures.

We took it up to Clear Creek picnic area for a birthday party Saturday, and got caught in a rain shower, so now I need to clean up the wheels and tires again. It was a nice slow shower, and much needed. It's starting to shower a little in the afternoons.... not much at all so far, but it cools it off really nice and makes the air smell fresh and clean.

I'm planning to replace the grease in the Warford transmission with John Deere's Corn Head grease. I haven't been able to find any around here, but the John Deere dealer in Alamosa has some, so we'll pick some up on the way to Rainbow Lake later this week.

Like a lot of other people in New Mexico, we've been visited by a bear. He made a mess of our deck while we were in Colorado last week, then came back for more twice after we got things cleaned up. Game and Fish is supposed to bring a trap if they can find one that's not in use. Here's a picture Galena took .....

We've learned not to keep anything at all that he might be interested in out in reach, which includes Sophiah's food. Sophiah is confused about where he's supposed to eat, but he'll figure it out I'm sure.

Spring has Sprung and Summer's Just Around the Corner .....

2010-06-10T20:19:00.009-06:00

We had the honor of a visit by Dad and Lois earlier this week. It was great. We enjoyed lots of visiting, rides in the Model T and some sight seeing. Galena and I got some high-level lessons in how to play "Up and Down". Maybe (with a lot of practice) we'll be able someday to achieve a level where we can offer some competition.

It's turned off warm, dry and windy this spring. The fire danger level is currently "Very High" here. There were a couple of fires started by careless Memorial Day Holiday campers, one of which burned nearly 2,000 acres of forest near Fenton Lake. We're anxiously awaiting some moisture.

Here's a picture of Dad and Lois heading out on a ride in the Model T.

And here they are returning from a spin around Deer Lake.

Here's a picture of them with the truck just after unloading it from the trailer.

Galena was so busy taking pictures we didn't get her in any of them, so here's on of her on the couch on the deck with Sophiah the cat.

A nice picture of Teakettle Rock that Lois took:

Galena, Dad and Lois at Abiquiu Lake.

As I said, we had a great visit. We're looking forward to more family time at Rainbow Lake in July, and at the Wichita County Fair.

April Showers .....

2010-04-18T16:34:00.002-06:00

Spring has definitely arrived here in the Nacimiento Mountains of New Mexico. All the snow here is gone, with the exception of some of the shady areas. The grass in the meadow is greening up, helped by a little over an inch of spring showers Friday evening. I'm working on a long list of projects that need to be completed by the end of the summer. Hopefully, we'll find time for some summer fun, too. I brought the Harley home from Rio Rancho, where I had it parked for the winter at a friend's house. I did manage a good ride to Farmington last week so I could get it serviced and ready for upcoming rides.

I've been working a little on the Model T. I took the hood off and took the panel I damaged last summer in to be repaired and repainted. I plan to install a generator and complete the wiring for the headlights this summer. I made a spare tire mount for the trailer, and plan to wire it for 115 volts and put in a storage cabinet/work area.

I'm still agonizing about what to do for a tow vehicle/daily driver. I looked at the 2011 Super Duty pickups, but am not impressed by what I read about the 6.2 liter V-8 they're replacing the Triton V-10 with. It is rated for more horsepower, but less torque than the V-10, but the part I don't like is it develops maximum horsepower at 5,500 RPM and torque at 4,400 RPM. That's winding it up too tight as far as I'm concerned. Also, I'm reluctant to spring for a vehicle that has a first-year engine. Guess I'm just too old fashioned. I'm going to have to do something soon, though.

Galena and I are looking forward to going to Colorado sometime this summer. The kids gave us tickets on the Durango-Silverton Railroad, so we'll definitely include that in our plans, in addition to Rainbow Lake in July and the Wichita County Fair.

Come On, Sunshine !!!

2010-03-12T14:14:00.004-07:00

After eight inches of new snow Tuesday night and another twelve inches Wednesday night, the total so far this winter is now 105 inches. Wednesday and Thursday were plowing days. I haven't got the meadow plowed, as the snow is too wet and deep. I guess if I want to get anything out of the meadow I'll have to dig it out by hand. I don't want to use the Bobcat, as the ground isn't frozen and the Bobcat is pretty hard on muddy ground.

I shoveled the snow away from the north side of the garage again. Hopefully, this will be the last time and the weather will warm up enough to melt it down. There's so much snow piled up there now that it's difficult to throw it that far. Here's a picture of how it looked after I finished shoveling...
and here's how it looked about twenty minutes after I finished shoveling.

There's supposed to be another storm on the way Sunday night. I hope it doesn't drop too much more snow. I'm ready for spring.

Is Winter Almost Over ???

2010-02-05T18:14:00.006-07:00

It's been a long time since I updated this blog. There's nothing new to report on the Model T, as it's stored in the trailer for the winter.

January was pretty snowy here this year. So far we've had a little over sixty inches of snow this winter, with more than half of it coming in January. We're expecting another storm this weekend. So far I've managed to keep it mostly under control. Here's a picture of me using our neighbor's Bobcat to push the snow back and pile it higher.

He lets me use the Bobcat if I keep the road to his cabin open. It comes in handy when the piles of snow get too big to move with my ATV. The only disadvantage to the Bobcat is if you get it stuck, it's stuck good. The snow on the north side of the garage is up to the roof, so I have to shovel it away after each storm so the snow sliding off the roof has somewhere to go.

I opened the trailer to check on the Model T. Here's a picture I took through the front door of the trailer.

I'm getting anxious to get it (and the motorcycle) out, but it may be quite a while before I can do either.

On my way to Albuquerque last week I took this winter picture of Cabezon Peak.

Looks pretty cold !!!

It's beginning to look like we're going to use up all the firewood that's stacked on the deck by the middle to end of March. I hope the snow melts enough to uncover the wood by the garage. Otherwise, I'll have to dig it out from under the snow.

Ready for Winter

2009-11-09T18:31:00.005-07:00

Yesterday we loaded the Model T into the trailer for the winter (depending on the weather). I still have a couple more things that I intend to do on it, but plan to leave them until next spring or summer.

Here's the trailer hooked to the blue F-150 and the Model T behind ready to load.

This picture shows Model T going up the ramp into the trailer.

And here it is in the trailer and strapped down.

This will probably be the last post to this blog for quite a while. My plan for next spring is to finish wiring the lights, add a generator, make a new floor mat, and (maybe) make a second set of sideboards to go on top of the existing ones.

And There Was Light ....

2009-09-16T16:46:00.004-06:00

Today I managed to get the headlights working. I decided to run them off the battery instead of the magneto, as I couldn't find anywhere to get bulbs to run them off the mag. Also, the replacement switch is wired to use the battery. I still need to figure out how to get the headlights to dim. Right now the lights are bright regardless of which position the switch is in. I figure that's a minor detail. Here's a picture with the lights on.

I've been working on replacing the oilers on the suspension and steering, but ran into a problem with the small ones on the spring shackles. The ones I ordered that are supposed to fit are too big to go in the holes. It seems to be another of those instances where the reproduction parts don't quite fit correctly. I've run into that with several other parts, too. A couple of times I've had to give up on the replacements and make the part from scratch, but don't think I can do that with the oilers. At least it's not a major problem.

The next step is to see how easy it is to load it in the trailer and take it for a short trip to see how it pulls. I'm not sure when I'll get that done. I've got several chores that need to be done before it starts snowing, so those will come first.

The next major project is to build a second set of side boards to go on top of the ones I built. It will probably be a while before I tackle that. I did find a picture of a 1926 TT with a grain bed, complete with the second sideboards and endgate. The endgate looks to be just as Dad remembered it. Here's the picture I found ...

Blurry Vision, Floats That Don't and an Other Stuff ...

2009-09-07T19:35:00.010-06:00

It's been a long time since I updated this blog. My detached retina is healing nicely. I still have some of the gas bubble in my eye, which is frustrating. It was supposed to take around four weeks to disappear. Yesterday was eight weeks and it's still not gone. I did get to come home after four weeks, though. I'm still on medication to keep the pressure down at this elevation. Most of my vision appears to be returning ok, but I'll have to have a new prescription to adjust to the change made by the detached retina. That can't happen until the bubble is all gone. Meanwhile, the vision in my right eye is pretty blurry.

Ronney and Karen were kind enough to go to Aztec to pick up the trailer for the Model T. I haven't loaded it in the trailer yet, but it should work fine.

The day after I came home from Albuquerque I took the Model T out for a short drive, then parked it in the garage. The next morning all the fuel had run out on the floor. Luckily, it only had a gallon or so in it. I fiddled with the carburetor, but to no avail. Fuel kept running out. I removed the carburetor and cleaned the float valve, thinking that there had to be some foreign material in it that was not letting it close. When I put it back on, still the same problem. After a lot of head scratching, I finally figured out that the float was full of fuel. This was on a newly rebuilt carburetor! I called the supplier and they sent me a new float. It seems that their rebuilder uses the old floats when rebuilding them. After receiving and installing the new float everything's fine again. Now I'm working on the headlights. I have them all rewired, but am going to have to order new bulbs from one of the parts suppliers.

Ronney, Karen and kids stopped by this afternoon on their way home from camping this weekend. I gave them all a ride in the Model T, so have some pictures of that.

Here're Rylee and Chase ...

And Karen ....

And Ronney.

I tried to get Ronney to drive it, but he said he isn't ready just yet.

Galena and I went over to Jemez Springs, then on up to Bandelier National Park yesterday. On the way, we stopped at the Valles Caldera and I took this picture of her by one of the signs. That's really some beautiful country.

A Major Setback ....

2009-07-20T09:17:00.002-06:00

Well, things took a turn for the worse about a week ago. Last Sunday I woke up with about a third of the vision area in my right eye black. After some calls to doctors, etc., we met the on call doctor at Eye Associates of New Mexico at their facility. Following examination of my eye he determined that I had a detached and torn retina. He called the retina specialist. She confirmed his diagnosis and scheduled me for retina surgery that evening. She repaired my retina with a laser and put a gas bubble in my eye. Everything's going well, but I'm not allowed to go above 7,500 feet, so we're stuck in Albuquerque for a few weeks.

Also, the trailer I ordered for hauling the Model T has been delayed, so it's uncertain whether or not it will arrive in time for the Wichita County Fair. Ronney has offered to pick up the trailer and the Model T and tow them to Leoti, but it depends on how things go time-wise. We'll have to wait and see.

The Model T is all complete and ready for the fair, but I had dismantled the coil box on Saturday to put new wood and insulators in to see if I could prevent it from arcing. I didn't get it all back together, so the coil box is in pieces. If everything else works out, it shouldn't take very long to put it back together.

So, that's the current status. We'll have to wait and see how things work out.

More to follow .....

(Mostly) Done !!!

2009-07-09T19:46:00.006-06:00

Today I finished the last of the major jobs -- the bed. The endgate and front board are all finished and assembled, and the metal trim on top of the sideboards and the front board is installed. There may have been metal trim on the endgate, too, but I don't have that, so it will go without for now. Here's a picture of the whole truck as it looks now.

And here's a front view.

This is a closeup of the bed.

And the end of one of the cross rods, which also shows the trim on the top edge of the sideboard. I still have to trim the ends off of some of the bolts that are too long and then touch up with black paint. Most of the touch up is to the bolt ends and screws that didn't get painted. There are a few chipped area on the body to touch up, too, but they're pretty much areas that will just get worn off again.

It's really rewarding to see it this complete. It has been a long, long project, but seeing the end result makes it definitely worth it.

The next hurdle is to see if the trailer to haul it in gets here in time. As it stands now, it's scheduled to be complete July 17th, and will hopefully be in Aztec for me to pick up the 20th or 21st.

Front Board and Tailgate Built

2009-06-25T15:35:00.004-06:00

Today I finished building the front board and the tailgate. Everything appears to fit fine and work as it should. Here's a picture of the tailgate in place in the closed position.

And here's one with the tailgate partially open.

The tailgate is built as dad described it to me, and the latch is my design. I doubt that the latch would hold up for long under harvest use, but for the light duty it will encounter in retirement, it should do fine.

I've dismantled them now and am in the process of applying the finish. Meantime, there are still a few small things to do. Additionally, Galena has a list of honey do's as long as my arm, so maybe I can work a few of them in, too. We're going to Inlow to see the rest of the family for a few days sometime Saturday. Mike, Dana and boys are coming in from Alabama, so everyone is getting together to visit and see them.

Sideboards

2009-06-23T14:49:00.004-06:00

Today I got the sideboards installed. Now that they're in place and aligned, I can get the measurements for the front and the tailgate. Here's a picture taken down by the windmill.

And here's one from a little closer showing the sideboards.

I miscounted the number of bolts required, so will need to pick up some more the next time we're in town. I'm hoping to get the front piece and the tailgate built this week so I can start putting the finish on them. It takes six or more days to complete the finish, as I put three coats on each side and each coat requires 24 hours drying time. Once that's done and they're installed, all the major work will be complete. As you can see, the hood is off, as I'm working on one of the panels where the paint got cracked. I'm trying to fix it myself, but my paint and body talents are pretty limited. Also, I need to do some touchup in several places, then give it a good cleaning before we'll be ready to hit the road.

Battery Box Built, Bed Floor in Place ....

2009-06-11T18:24:00.005-06:00

This has been a pretty productive week. I built and installed the battery box early in the week. Here's a picture of it on the truck.

Yesterday I spent the day screwing the floorboards to the bed frame. Everything went smoothly. The tongue and groove boards Charlie and I made last week worked great. Here's a picture of the bed before finishing. The screw holes are plugged and all the holes are drilled to fasten the sideboards to.

This picture is of the bed after sanding the floor and the first coat of finish. I also glued up the pieces that will be the front and the tailgate.

Galena and I took it out this afternoon for its first drive on the highway. We went up to the top of Senorita Divide and a little way down the other side. The total distance was maybe three miles. It ran well. I think I may need to adjust the coils, as it runs better on the battery than on the mag.

Saw dust and more sawdust .....

2009-06-04T20:08:00.005-06:00

The last few days have been spent making sawdust. I've taken three large bags to the dump, and have one more to get rid of after today's work. Today Charlie came over and helped me work the oak lumber into tongue an groove boards for the floor of the bed and the sideboards. That took all day, but now the boards are ready to go.

Here's a picture of the setup we used. The poor little Makita table saw was overworked pretty badly, but made it through. Charlie's help was critical, as I couldn't have worked the eight foot boards by myself. This pile of sawdust is in addition to three bags that came from the thickness planer. I'll also have a sizable pile of oak scraps for kindling next winter, as well as several larger pieces for future projects. I also have a lifetime supply of beautiful sticks for making kites if anyone's interested.

Here're the boards we produced. The narrower ones on the far left and the narrow stack further right are for the sideboards. The three short boards are for the end gate, and the glued up short wide board is for the front of the bed. The double stack of wider boards on the right are the floor boards. The old bed makes a great work surface.

The next step will be to lay out the floor boards, bottom side up, and apply three coats of finish to them. After that I can start screwing them to the frame of the bed. Of course, the side boards and end gate have to be glued up, the cut to their final size before finishing. I'm also continuing to work on sandblasting and painting the metal parts, and still have to build the battery box.

The Bed Frame is (mostly) Complete .....

2009-05-31T17:29:00.003-06:00

The main supports for the bed are bolted in place, and the cross supports are nearly done. They need one more coat of finish before I can install them. Here're a couple of pictures:

The next step is to cut the pieces for the floor to width, plane them to the proper thickness, then mill tongues and grooves into the edges. After that I'll finish them, then screw them to the cross pieces. I'm not sure if I'll get all that done this week or not. I need a few more boards, which I plan to pick up on Tuesday.

Building a new bed...

2009-05-22T17:11:00.004-06:00

This week I started working on the new bed. So far I've cut the boards for the main beams and the four cross supports and planed them to size. The next step is to make the final cuts to shape and drill the holes for the bolts that hold the frame together. Here's a picture of the main beams and the 2x4s that will make the supports.

and here's a picture of the old main beams and one of the original cross supports that I'm using as patterns for the new ones.
Next week's project is to finish these pieces and install them on the truck frame so I can build the floor of the bed on them.

A Major Step Complete !!!

2009-05-13T16:37:00.009-06:00

Today I finished installing the new top. It seems like it took a long time, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I have a few pictures I took along the way. The first two are of the bottom layer of muslin from the inside, then from the outside.

The next layer was chicken wire, but the picture didn't turn out. After that was a layer of foam rubber.

Then I draped the final layer over the top and parked it in the sun to warm up for a while.

The final step was to tack on the molding that covers the staples to finish it off.

The new floorboards are also in place now.

I thought I'd throw in a picture of my new center pivot irrigation system, too.

That's it for now. I struck out last Friday on wood to rebuild the bed. However, I talked to a friend who told me about another source that he uses, so I'm going back this Friday to see what I can find, and to get a haircut, which I need in the worst way.

First round of carpentry is done

2009-05-01T14:48:00.003-06:00

I finished the wood work on the top this afternoon. Next, I'll put on three coats of the same finish I used on the spokes, then see how good I am at upholstery. Here's a picture of the top as it looks now.

And here's what it looks like sitting on the cab...

I've been having trouble finding new round head and bevel head slotted screws. All the hardware and home supply stores seem to have only phillips head screws. Next week I'm going to Albuquerque to check at a fastener supply store, and to see if I can find a source for the wood to rebuild the bed. I received the new floorboards this week, so need to finish them and put them in, as well as install a battery box. So far the battery is sitting on the floor on the passenger side of the cab. In addition, I'm still working on cleaning up the metal parts of the bed, so there's plenty to do.

Bending Bows ......

2009-04-24T09:49:00.007-06:00

It seems like it's been a long time since I updated this blog. I have made some progress, but building the new top is slow work (for me, anyway !!!). Additionally, there have been several other things going on that have taken up some of my time.

The outer frame of the top is complete, assembled and sanded. Here're a couple pictures of just the frame sitting on top of the cab.

Now I'm working on the curved bows that go across from right to left. Each one has to be curved differently. The process I'm using is to soak the bows one at a time, then place them on a simple jig that holds them to the correct amount of curve while they dry. The back one is done and in place on the frame, and the front one is on the jig drying while number three is soaking. Here's a picture of the jig with a bow in place.

and here's one showing a bow being soaked (in the pipe, which is full of water), while another one dries on the jig.
I'm also doing some work on the bed. I've removed some of the metal parts and have been sandblasting them. Here's a small sample of what they look like after blasting.

That's it for now. I'm hoping to have the wood part of the top all assembled and be started finishing it by the end of next week.

Decision Made .....

2009-04-07T06:42:00.004-06:00

Well, after looking at the old top and doing some research, I've decided to rebuild the top of the Model T using new wood. I found plans for doing that on the Internet from a fellow in California that has done it. He included measurements for all the wood pieces. I emailed him with some questions and he responded with some suggestions. Thanks, Bob !!!! We're going to Farmington tomorrow for Galena's appointment with the chiropractor, so I'll see if I can find some oak to use at Home Depot or Lowe's.

Here're a couple of pictures of the old top ...

It looks like this week is shaping up to be pretty busy. Galena's off work Thursday, Friday and Monday, and we've already got Thursday, Saturday, and Monday filled up with errands, etc. Also, we're going to Karen and Ronney's Sunday afternoon, and I need to take the bike to Farmington for the 1000 mile service. I'm not sure how we will fit all that in !!!

Looking Better !!!

2009-04-02T18:22:00.007-06:00

This week I finished installing the hood, the windshields, the back glass, the doors and the headlights. The hood still doesn't fit as good as I would like, and I can't get the movable portion of the windshield to go completely closed, but I'll work on them more later. Here are some pictures of it as it looks now....
These first two are outside the garage. I try to take it for a short drive every day so the engine will get broken in.

This is a front view inside the garage....

and this is Sophiah after a hard day of hunting mice (or maybe just lying around the house).

Next week's project is to work on the top. I'll get it down tomorrow so I can assess what I need to do to the wood. I have new padding and top material to put on it waiting. I'm hoping I can use at least the main wood parts by sanding and painting them.

Brrrrr !!!!

2009-03-27T15:28:00.006-06:00

This week's efforts included finishing up the back of the seat and installing the fenders and running boards. Those went well. However, I'm having trouble getting the hood to fit right. I'm not sure if the radiator is a little out of square or just what. Here's a picture showing the results to date....
The next picture shows my helper for the week posing with the truck. Ronney, Karen and kids are at Roosevelt Lake in Arizona for spring break fishing and visiting with Ronney's family, so I have a garage dog for a little while. It was pretty cold yesterday and today, so work was minimal. The low last night was 3 degrees, and we got five inches of snow. The moisture is certainly welcome, but I wouldn't mind if it was a little warmer.

Next week I plan to install the windshields and rear glass and finish installing the hood.

It Lives ! ! ! !

2009-03-20T18:38:00.004-06:00

Rossi came up this morning, and after installing the bendix cover and a little fiddling with various things, it fired up. It took a little doing, but with his knowledge of Model Ts and my mostly watching him work, the engine smoothed out and began to purr. We tightened up the screws and bolts to stop the worst of the oil leaks, and greased the fan, which was making a lot of noise. We probably ran it on and off for an hour or so. Then we took it for a spin. He drove first to show me how it's done, then I drove it with him instructing me. After that, he left for home. I'm sure glad he came up to help me, as I would have been in trouble otherwise.

After Galena got off work, she took a couple of videos. They're really big files, so it may take a while to download them. The first one is of starting the engine.... I think I'll keep the starter. It sure makes it a lot easier to start.

And the second is of the Model T coming up the driveway.

Next week I'll work on the hood, try to fix the back of the seat, and maybe put on the fenders and running boards.

More to Come .....

2009-03-18T15:27:00.002-06:00

Rossi came up this morning. We installed the starter, but he forgot to bring the cover that goes over the starter bendix, so we couldn't start the engine without it running oil all over everywhere. However, we did turn the engine over enough to get oil flowing and everything lubed. It was pretty dry from sitting so long. We checked the coils to make sure they are working. Everything appears to be a go. He's coming back Friday morning with a cover so we can start it up. I have to go to Albuquerque tomorrow, and will be gone all day.

I had an enjoyable time visiting with Rossi. It turns out that he knew some of the same people I did back in the sixties. He was into super modified racing, so knew Charlie Strance and some of the others that had race cars.

I did work some on the bed. I'm trying to decide whether to rebuild the whole thing or just fix it up enough that I can paint it for now.

I'll update the blog Friday afternoon to let you know how it went. It looks like it ought to go fine.

Musical Chairs

2009-03-17T15:17:00.005-06:00

Rossi is coming tomorrow to help me get the engine started. Meanwhile, I've been sandblasting some of the tools that we found in the old garage on the farm last week. I need to put together another parts order so I can put the windshield and the back glass in. I need new gaskets for the glass as well as the "h" rubber that goes between the upper and lower panes of the windshield. I need a number of new screws that go in the door hinges and latches, too. Some of them I can find locally, but a few are odd shaped, so I'll have to get them from one of the Model T parts suppliers. Here's a picture of the tools I've cleaned so far.

This afternoon I spent shuffling things around. I loaded the Model T grain bed onto my trailer with the tractor, then put it on some saw horses under the leanto on the side of the garage. I spent more time hooking up and moving trailers than moving the bed. Here's a picture of the bed loaded on the trailer and strapped down.

This is the bed on the sawhorses. Now I'll be able to take off the metal parts of the bed to sandblast and paint them.

Here's a picture of the rear of the bed with the Kansas antique plate. ELRJ stands for "Earl, Evelyn, Larry, Robert and Joann.

I hope I have time to update the blog tomorrow to report how it went starting the engine.

Makin' Time !!!

2009-03-05T16:35:00.005-07:00

I made pretty good progress this week. I completed the majority of the wiring, installed the dash and seats. The carburetor finally arrived today, and appears to be in good shape. I got it installed this morning and put some gas in the tank to check for leaks. There weren't any, so I went ahead and poured oil in the crankcase and coolant in the radiator. Still no leaks !!! So now I'm ready to see if it will run. However, that will have to wait until week after next, as we're going to Kansas next week. I talked to Rossi Morris, and he's going to bring a starter up after I get back and help me see if it will run. That will be a major step!

Here's the engine with the wiring and carburetor in place.

This is the dash. The picture's a little hard to see..... too much black I guess.

And here're the seats. They look good, but I've got to do some work on the top of the back seat. The upholstery was over the metal strip that bolts into the body, so I had to cut some of it off. I'll have to figure out some way to fasten it down better.

I spent most of today cleaning the garage, which was badly needed. There was a lot of dirt and dried mud on the floor from parking muddy vehicles inside over the winter. I may try to work on the seat back tomorrow if I can find some kind of cement to fasten it back down.

Back in Business

2009-02-26T19:16:00.005-07:00

I got two parts orders in this week. The first included the fan belt, radiator hoses and a few small parts for the emergency brake. The second had most of the wiring looms. I was able to install the radiator and radiator shell after putting on the fan belt and the crank, so that was a significant event. This picture shows the engine and radiator. Of course, the carburetor from Mac's is still missing, but hopefully it will be here by the time I get the wiring in place.

Here's a picture of the coil box with its cover. There were a couple more coil box covers in the stuff Bob and I found in the garage on the farm. This one was in good shape, and had rounded corners. The other two had square corners. I don't know which one (if any) was on the truck originally.

This afternoon Ed and Charlie came over and we lifted the body onto the frame. It's bolted onto the body mounts, but I still have to install the bolts that fasten the body and firewall together. Then I can install the support rod between the firewall and the radiator so the hood fits properly.

This was a short "work week". I had a doctor's appointment in Albuquerque Tuesday and Galena had an appointment in Farmington yesterday afternoon, so that pretty much shot a day and a half. I decided to go back to Albuquerque this morning to get some new tires on my pickup, as they were getting pretty thin. Tomorrow I'll go to Santa Fe for a military and veteran appreciation at the state capitol. So far next week is looking better, so maybe I can get more done then.

I Need More Parts !!!!

2009-02-20T20:01:00.002-07:00

I've been working on a lot of little things, but don't have much significant progress to show. I'm waiting on a couple of parts orders so I can get on with it. The first one is due in Monday, and will include the fan belt and radiator hoses so I can finish up the front of the engine and install the radiator and radiator shell, as well as a pawl and a couple of pins that will allow me to complete assembly of the hand brake and related parts, and to finish hooking up the steering mechanism. Once I get that done, I intend to call on a couple of the neighbors to help me lift the body onto the frame. I also have an order due in later in the week that includes all the wiring harnesses. I've rebuilt the coil box and bolted it back to the firewall. The coils that Dad had in it appear to be in really good shape, so I intend to use them as they are.

I talked to Bill, one of the tech support people at Lang's Old Car Parts in Winchendon, MA. He was a great help and provided a lot of information on which wiring parts I need for a Model T that doesn't have a starter, generator or battery. He also suggested that I install a "hotshot" battery, which is just a six volt dry cell battery, to use when starting the engine. It is switched in for starting, which means that you don't have to spin the engine so fast to generate the initial spark with the mag. Once it starts, you switch the battery out and it runs off the mag. Sounds like a good idea to me. That's what the "Batt" and "Mag" positions on the switch are for. My intention is to keep things as much like they were originally as possible.

That's it for this week. I'm sure getting tired of sandblasting little parts like nuts and bolts, but the blasting cabinet is really a big improvement over trying to clean them with a wire wheel. Hopefully I'll have more progress to show next week.

Slow Going (and Cold !!!)

2009-02-13T16:52:00.002-07:00

Well, it's Friday and I haven't got as much accomplished as I had hoped, but I am making progress. The weather has turned cold with lows in the single digits and teens, but yesterday and today were clear and sunny, so it warmed up enough that I could work in the afternoons. I bought a light fixture when we were in Farmington Wednesday, and installed it yesterday in the sandblasting cabinet. It made it a lot easier to see what's going on in there. I've mostly been cleaning and painting parts again. It takes the paint a long time to dry with such cold weather. I bolted most of the engine parts on, but I'm going to have to wait until I get some parts to complete it. The gas tank is in place, as are the firewall and steering column. I received a rebuilt carburetor from Mac's, but it had been handled pretty rough. The choke lever and the mixture adjusting screw were bent, and the throttle was really hard to open and close. I'm sending it back to see if they can't do better.

Here's what progress so far looks like.....

I'm aiming to have the body on early next week, and then can work on it while I'm waiting on the next parts order to get here.

So, that's it for this week. Happy Valentine's Day to all.

One Step Back . . . . .

2009-02-10T16:28:00.005-07:00

Slow progress so far this week. I have managed to paint a lot of parts so they're ready to bolt on. The weather has turned cold again, with around eight inches of new snow, which translates to a lot of time on the four wheeler pushing snow around. Yesterday, my air compressor went down. After a little investigation, I found that the pulley on the motor was loose and spinning on the shaft, and the key was missing. I happened to have some 3/16" key stock, so was able to make a new key, clean up the shaft and the slot in the pulley, and tighten the allen screws as tight as I dared. The compressor is back on line, so I can get back to cleaning parts. This morning one of my neighbors called to ask if I could help him troubleshoot problems he was having installing a winch on his ATV to raise and lower his snowplow. Turned out that the winch control relay was bad, so we'll have to wait until they send a replacement to get it working.

It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow before another winter storm front moves in on Thursday. Tomorrow will be a short day as Galena has an appointment with a chiropractor in Farmington, meaning I'll leave early to go with her. In the meantime, here are a couple of pictures of the snow. The first one is looking south from the deck toward Bluebird Mesa.
And the second one is looking out the upstairs window down Senorito Canyon to the west.

Engine and Transmission Installed

2009-02-06T16:08:00.003-07:00

I bolted the engine and transmission into the chassis this morning. It went smoothly. Then I spent the rest of the day cleaning parts so I can paint them Monday. Right now my back is sore from bending over the sandblasting cabinet for so long, but all the major parts are now clean. Next week I hope to get the rest of the parts on the engine, the radiator and steering column installed, and maybe the firewall.

Until next week .....

Model T Re-assembly is under way at last !!!

2009-02-05T15:25:00.001-07:00

My Model T Restoration Project

This blog allows you to follow the progress as I reassemble a 1924 Model T Ford C Cab Ton Truck. This truck was purchased new by my Grandfather and used by him and my father and uncle as they farmed in western Kansas from 1924 until it was retired from use sometime in the 1940s.

Here's what the Model T looked like when I brought it back from Kansas in 2004. As you can see, it was in pretty good shape and all complete. It was virtually all original, and was last driven in the early to mid sixties. It had been stored indoors from then until I brought it to New Mexico, but had set outside on the farm prior to that. Bob and I used to play in it when we were growing up in the fifties. I don't know if it was garaged in its early life or not. My Grandpa, Arthur Wiles, bought it new in 1924, and my dad, Earl, drove it on the farm when he was growing up.

I started taking it apart about two years ago. This picture shows it with the hood and bed removed.

And this one shows all the sheet metal removed. The cab is still sitting on the chassis, but it has been unbolted from the frame and moved to the rear.

A closeup of the engine and transmission just before they were removed.

I found a retired machinist who specialized in rebuilding Model T engines and transmissions. This shows him with the engine when I went to pick it up after he finished rebuilding it.

I took all the sheet metal parts to a company called "The Gentle Stripper", where they bead blasted them. Then they went to Sunport Restorations, a body shop that specialized in restoring sheet metal. There all the parts were straightened, the rusted areas were cut out and repaired, and everything was painted gloss black. Here's the cab after I brought it home.

I also took the larger pieces like the frame, front and rear axles, springs, etc. to be sandblasted at Albuquerque Monument Company. Unfortunately, they were not quite as gentle there. The parts were clean when I brought them home, but the rear axle had been handled pretty roughly. The radius rods were dented and the brake backing plates were bent.

After I brought the chassis parts home, I painted them black with POR15, a specialized (as in EXPENSIVE) paint that dries very hard.

Finally the weather warmed up enough in mid-January that I can work in the garage without freezing. I started the reassembly process. After mounting the tires and reassembling the wheels, I finally have a rolling chassis !!!

Today I cleaned up the Warford auxiliary transmission and bolted it on behind the Model T transmission.
So, that brings us up to date. The project for tomorrow is to install the engine and transmission into the chassis. More to follow .......