Learn Me: Model T (Take 2)

Alright, so finances are looking up, garage space has been acquired, I'm almost ready to start on my first real project.

The story: So my grandfather was killed in an accident about 8 years ago, and was a big vintage Ford guy. We got his '28 A coupe and unfinished '19 Model T speedster. I'm now in a state where I'm nearing the ability to at least start on it as a project.

But I'm missing one crucial bit: knowledge.

I have no idea where to get parts, and a huge lack of drivetrain knowledge (as shown in my last post on this).

Initial recon shows that the engine seems to be seized, as it was stored in the garden for 8 years (Cost of original engine/tranny package? Model A swap?). Some neighborhood kids seem to have been playing on it, and shattered the windscreen (I thing flat laminated glass could replace this easy, no?), and have damaged who knows what else. And finally, the coils were stowed in the toolbox attached to the car (d'oh) and are in bad shape due to heating/cooling/moisture.

So GRM, can you point me in the right direction?

Edit: I'm in the Great White North as well, so no parts from the southern states unless I have to.

check out the forums at--

www.fordbarn.com

Get a copy of Hemmings ads. I think 1/3 of it is all ads for this car.

Macs and a bunch of other guys sell the repair books. They are nicely illustrated, usually with a guy in dress paints and a tie doing the work.
The cars are simple and fun. Parts are super easy to get, and cheap. Have fun.
A quick google will give you far too much info.

I don't think I would give up on any T engine unless it had a hole in the side of the block. Open it up, soak everything in Marvel Mystery Oil and let it do it's thing for a week or so. Since they use babbitt bearings, when they go bad, you just make new ones.

I imagine that this is not an original Speedster and that the original body was removed. If that's the case and you don't care about originality, look at Rootlieb. I think their Speedster kits are the best looking, even though the fenders are unique and don't represent something that existed back in the day. Model T purists don't really love Rootlieb stuff for that reason, but screw 'em.

http://www.rootlieb.com/html_files/mt_spd_kit/mt_spd_kit.html

I'm probably going to check out a 1917 Speedster today. I prefer pre-'15 cars, but I'll take a look anyway. After a hundred years, people don't always know exactly what they have.I know that the seller has multiple engines, but I don't know what it would take to ship one to Regina. I'm sure that there are more engines in your area than you could possibly imagine.

Rxbalt wrote: So GRM, can you point me in the right direction?

We work for pics.

There is so much interest in these cars ,at least for the Model A that there is a new engine available with pressure oiling and filter plus balanced crank etc. but it still looks like an A engine except fot the full flow oil filter.

These engine are so basic, with such low specific outputs, you can treat them as big, water cooled lawnmower engines. That is, even completely loose, with pitted bores, smoking like a freight train, they will still run ok. Pull the heads off the engines to see how bad the bores are, fill the bores enough to cover the pistons with your penetrating oil of choice, PB blaster is what I recommend. Set the heads back on, wait a week. If wiggling the crank back and forth with a wrench doesn't free it up, put a block of wood, the bigger and softer the better(you want to distribute the shock you are going to put on the piston), down one of the bores closest to tdc and begin hammering. Once you get the rotating assembly free, odds are the valves will be sticky, again with the penetrating oil, and GENTLE hammering with a soft object.

Generally a better idea to remove the rod caps to isolate the crank+other 3 stuck pistons first. Then soak with your choice of penetrant. I've used Mopar "Heat Riser Solvent" for decades for this purpose based on favorable results, but Aerokroil is good too.

Allow to soak for a few days - heat the block w/ a propane torch now and again. Then put your block of wood atop the piston, and use a steel plate w/ holes drilled to match the head bolt holes, 4 studs and 4 nuts w/ washers as a press. Do each piston in turn then run a flex-hone through and see what greets you.

These things are lower precision than steam engines, so a quick hone and rings and you're probably good.

In reply to Woody:

I'm pretty sure this is more of an amalgamation of parts, rather than a true speedster, so originality isn't an issue. I think I'm gonna keep it open wheeled if I can, though. Something about how it is now just does it for me.

In reply to slantvaliant:

I'm working on finding pics, strange how few I have of my dear lawn ornament.