Odometer 56281
Trip meter 0
Port Orford, OR
Been a while since our last post- time to catch up. We are spending most of the summer at our Northern roost in Oregon.
I admit to being anxious to get here because I have an exciting project awaiting me. At the end of last summer a good friend left a Model T Ford in our garage for me to "have fun with". We did have fun motoring around and learning how to drive it, until one day it wouldn't go into reverse. I took off an inspection cover on the transmission and discovered that something was coming loose and pieces of metal were being churned up into the transmission bands.
On our stay with Ralph and Ann at their home in New River, AZ last March I went through a course of Model T mechanic's school, courtesy of my good friend Ralph. The hope was that I would be ready to tackle a minor engine overhaul on the 1919 T when we got back to Oregon.
The engine needs custom side adapter to fit on the engine stand. A typical modern engine would mount up from the transmission end. T engines need to mount from the side. I welded up this adapter with help from a good buddy here who has a lot of steel stock "left overs".
The engine needed to be held in a nose down configuration in order to remover the transmission, and get to the magneto, where the magnet retaining plates were breaking loose.
I decided that I wanted the engine to look spiffy when the repairs were finished, so I elected to clean and paint the parts as I took them off. Having the hoist and stand meant that I could do the work by myself, working my own hours.
Once I got to the flywheel and the magneto magnets, I replaced all the attaching screws and peened over the ends to keep them from backing out of the tapped holes in the flyweel.
I really needed a dial indicator and a milling machine to set the magnets all at the exact same height, but alas, not having the above, I did what any T owner would have done "back in the day" and rigged a contraption to get me as close as I could, and hoped that would do. So using a laser level and a belt sander, I put it back together.
I found just the color I wanted for the engine block and had Jackie at our local auto parts store order me a couple of spray cans in an engine enamel. I also bought some semi gloss black for the frame and other supporting elements.
I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice to say there was a lot more work involved than I want to showcase here, which culminated in THIS!
The engine looks and runs beautifully. I involved Joan in many parts of the rebuild and the re-install and she was a real trooper, pitching in to hold, turn, carry, crank, etc, as requested, when requested. Joan and I relined all the transmission bands with wood linings and got them installed in the transmission before we reinstalled the motor.
My mentor Ralph arrived in town at about this time and assisted me with the tuning and timing to get it running like the little tractor she is.
Over the summer we also purchased and installed 4 new tires, and upholstered the seat back and bottom.
Trip meter 0
Port Orford, OR
Been a while since our last post- time to catch up. We are spending most of the summer at our Northern roost in Oregon.
 |
| 1919 Model T Roadster |
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| Magnet retainer plate found in transmission |
On our stay with Ralph and Ann at their home in New River, AZ last March I went through a course of Model T mechanic's school, courtesy of my good friend Ralph. The hope was that I would be ready to tackle a minor engine overhaul on the 1919 T when we got back to Oregon.
This car is 98 years old and the last time it has been maintained is somewhere back in the 60's, so the bolts are rusty and everything is caked with mud and congealed grease and oil. I rented an engine hoist and borrowed an engine stand to be able to pull the motor out and get it mounted to where I could further disassemble it.
 |
| Model T engine on a custom mount |
 |
| Lifting the transmission off the engine |
The engine needed to be held in a nose down configuration in order to remover the transmission, and get to the magneto, where the magnet retaining plates were breaking loose.
I decided that I wanted the engine to look spiffy when the repairs were finished, so I elected to clean and paint the parts as I took them off. Having the hoist and stand meant that I could do the work by myself, working my own hours.
 |
| Setting the magnets on the flyweel |
Once I got to the flywheel and the magneto magnets, I replaced all the attaching screws and peened over the ends to keep them from backing out of the tapped holes in the flyweel.
I really needed a dial indicator and a milling machine to set the magnets all at the exact same height, but alas, not having the above, I did what any T owner would have done "back in the day" and rigged a contraption to get me as close as I could, and hoped that would do. So using a laser level and a belt sander, I put it back together.
 |
| Primed and painted the block |
I found just the color I wanted for the engine block and had Jackie at our local auto parts store order me a couple of spray cans in an engine enamel. I also bought some semi gloss black for the frame and other supporting elements.
I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice to say there was a lot more work involved than I want to showcase here, which culminated in THIS!The engine looks and runs beautifully. I involved Joan in many parts of the rebuild and the re-install and she was a real trooper, pitching in to hold, turn, carry, crank, etc, as requested, when requested. Joan and I relined all the transmission bands with wood linings and got them installed in the transmission before we reinstalled the motor.
My mentor Ralph arrived in town at about this time and assisted me with the tuning and timing to get it running like the little tractor she is.
Over the summer we also purchased and installed 4 new tires, and upholstered the seat back and bottom.
 |
| 1919 Model T Running Gear with 1923 Roadster Body |
All the restoration work was immensely satisfying, and I'd do it again in a second, but the real fun in this T is in the driving!
Joan and I have a standing appointment at 3-4 in the afternoon, we take off in the T, usually with friends. We take a "tour of the town" which is a leisurely drive around as many of the roads, streets, and avenues as we can find. It's a fun and relaxing way to find out what's going on in town. We always get in a stop at the Port and watch the activities for a while and scan for whales in the bay. Summer brings our local pod of whales in very close- sometimes only 50 ft from the docks.
Ah the life!
Your Traveling Friends
Jeff and Joan
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