New member with "new" 1922 Model T

[Kajtek1]

Hi, just bought my coupe at Copart auction and got really excited with it.
Copart let the battery comes to 0 volts, so I have to wait few days for new Optima to arrive.
In the mean time I tried to crank it and I could barely turn it over, when I think it need some speed to fire?
Anyway. Found answers to few questions I had already, so great forum, but 1 question is still not answered.
Are floor mats available anywhere?

[J Franklin]

I think you could find some. Check some of the supply houses.

[Kajtek1]

What supply houses?
Did anybody tried to start the engine by the crank?
I am pretty strong man, regardless the age and could not speed it up much. Seems the engine is having really good compression, that I can barely push.

[redmodelt]

Lang's, Snyder's Chaffin's etc.

You should only need about a 1/4 turns to start after priming. Starting on battery, only pull up. If it does fire, could back fire if timed wrong and really mess up your enjoyment! Coils or distributor? Suggest you get an owners manual, the suppliers carry them and read it if you are a first time T owner, they were written just for that reason.

[J Franklin]

When you get the mat buy an owners manual and a copy of the service manual.

Only pull up when starting with a hand crank.

[Kajtek1]

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Thanks guys. The PO was very organized person. Even he sold the car to a dealer and dealer send it to Copart, I got detailed starting instruction with spare keys taped to the page.
Car come with box full of original tools.
I check the supplies above and even parts have reasonable prices, all of them gouge me on shipping. Good to know they exist, but I will wait few days to see what else I might need to offset shipping charges.
Thanks again.

[Kajtek1]

Additional question about fan belt.
My car has new generation rubber fan belt, but I see leather belts are available.
That sure would add some cool factor to the car, but how is their reliability?

[J Franklin]

They are reliable. Be sure you get the right length. for your car.

[redmodelt]

Re "all of them gouge me on shipping." Most of the T parts dealers will work with you on shipping, esp if you call your order in. Macs might be the exception. It cost what it cost to ship and the price is not going down. I would not worry about things like the floor mat and fan belt till after you get the car running and learn to drive it. Because of the size of box for the floor mat, yes shipping can be high.

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by Kajtek1

Hi, just bought my coupe at Copart auction and got really excited with it.
Copart let the battery comes to 0 volts, so I have to wait few days for new Optima to arrive.
In the mean time I tried to crank it and I could barely turn it over, when I think it need some speed to fire?
Anyway. Found answers to few questions I had already, so great forum, but 1 question is still not answered.
Are floor mats available anywhere?

The cylinder walls may be dry from the car not being started in a long time. Try removing the spark plugs and adding a couple tablespoons of 10W (or 10W-30) oil to each cylinder. Let it sit a couple days and try cranking again.

[McMimmcs]

When I google Copart auction everything comes up “ salvage “. Was yours a salvage car ?

[Kajtek1]

No, clear title.
Copart mostly deals with crashed vehicles, but seems lately they take some other listings as well.
Funny I just read the title and issued in 2017 it says "original"
Here is another T coming on auction today, seems clear title as well
https://www.copart.com/lot/59649750/...mn-minneapolis
Another question. Where is headlight switch?
I do have kerosene light on door pillar, but main headlights are electric.

[redmodelt]

Should be the switch on the dash board where the key fit in. The handle is for lights and key for ignition. But without being able to see what's there just a guess based 1922 year. I would get any title issues taken care of before dropping a lot more money into it. The bidding on that 4 door is ball park maybe even high for what current market price is.

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by Kajtek1

No, clear title.
Copart mostly deals with crashed vehicles, but seems lately they take some other listings as well.
Funny I just read the title and issued in 2017 it says "original"
Here is another T coming on auction today, seems clear title as well
https://www.copart.com/lot/59649750/...mn-minneapolis
Another question. Where is headlight switch?
I do have kerosene light on door pillar, but main headlights are electric.

For my part of the country a $12,500 reserve and $19,000 asking price is absolutely outrageous.

[redmodelt]

The 12,500 is what the bids are up to and and am pretty sure the 19,000 is the reserve. Take a look at what the appraised value is, $32,600, now that is a joke! But hey I am not the one buying it, people should do their homework.

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

The 12,500 is what the bids are up to and and am pretty sure the 19,000 is the reserve. Take a look at what the appraised value is, $32,600, now that is a joke! But hey I am not the one buying it, people should do their homework.

We agree and I say appraised by who ??

[Kajtek1]

I think Copart is taking kbb values.
Looks like they take dealers resale quote, not wholesale.
What makes me wonder is that the car in Minnesota is having very similar "sellers notes" that mine in Oklahoma had.
Could be the same dealership in different states?

[redmodelt]

Just as a point of information, it is a runabout or roadster not coupe.

[Kajtek1]

Thanks. New things I learn every day.
Wikipedia calls runabout as car with no windshield, so sound like this is more a roadster.
Battery should arrive in 2 days, so it is getting exciting.

[t42]

I would suggest that you try to purchase Bruce McCalley's book "Model T Ford" The car that changed the world. Also available thru the Model T Ford Club of America I believe. This book is fantastic. All years are documented with all changes made over the years. I have had mine since '94 and still use it frequently. Best of luck with your new T.

[Kajtek1]

Hopefully last question before my manual will arrive.
How do you check motor oil?
I see fill hole in front of generator, but no dipstick?
I have small drip from front seal, what indicate oil in it.

[stevests]

There are 2 brass petcocks towards the rear of the crankcase on the carburetor side of the engine - oil level is midway between the 2 BUT it ALWAYS needs to come out of the bottom one ! Make sure they are both "clear" with a piece of wire.

[Kajtek1]

Originally Posted by stevests

There are 2 brass petcocks towards the rear of the crankcase on the carburetor side of the engine - oil level is midway between the 2 BUT it ALWAYS needs to come out of the bottom one ! Make sure they are both "clear" with a piece of wire.

Thanks. Took me a while to look under the car to find them.
Looks like my model is upgraded as I have sight glass for quick check.

[redmodelt]

Ford used both names for this style.

[29spcoupe]

Don't trust the sight glass. Glass could break causing you to lose oil or tubing on sight glass could get plugged with band lint and give you false reading. I lost the front rod bearing once due to false reading on sight glass.

[ChuckGalaga]

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Nice car! Love to see those early ones. So weird that you found it on copart! Did you search for it or just come across it randomly?

[Kajtek1]

Originally Posted by ChuckGalaga

Nice car! Love to see those early ones. So weird that you found it on copart! Did you search for it or just come across it randomly?

I bought boat at this copart yard and walking to the bathroom - the Ford was park in the garage.
I took a picture of it and went with my business, but kept an eye on it for about a month, when the auction after auction it did not sell.
Finally on last auction I was the highest bidder, still way low below reserve, but a day after we negotiated with the seller and he agreed to my offer.

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by Kajtek1

I bought boat at this copart yard and walking to the bathroom - the Ford was park in the garage.
I took a picture of it and went with my business, but kept an eye on it for about a month, when the auction after auction it did not sell.
Finally on last auction I was the highest bidder, still way low below reserve, but a day after we negotiated with the seller and he agreed to my offer.

One man’s passion is another man’s poison !

[mercman from oz]

What a great 1922 Ford Model T Roadster. You are one lucky man.

[Robert/Texas]

I like the looks of this 1922 roadster. It looks like mine except that it has a slanted windshield and mine is vertical. I think that this a later 1922 model. Also the previous owner painted mine red with black fenders and it has natural wooden wheels. I like all black better.

Robert

[Kajtek1]

Black cars don't work well in Las Vegas.
I had to abound black Mercedes as it was unusable 6 months a year.
Touching door handle could give you burns and then moving gear shifter was another story, even I had cotton towel over vinyl seats.
So Ford T will be designated winter vehicle.
In the mean time my new battery got stuck in Colorado in winter storm, but it made last night to UT, so did my new floor matt in another shipment.
Hopefully will get them both tomorrow.

[Kajtek1]

After long wait, the battery and floor mat arrived at the same time.
First blow back. I hook up the battery and it was sparking a bit, even I check the ignition and headlight switches were off.
So put the clamp on and few seconds later the floor mounted starter switch start smoking.
It is end of the day, so I put the battery on charger and left switch checking for tomorrow.
What is recommended tire pressure?

[redmodelt]

30 x 3-1/2 60 21" 30-35

[Kajtek1]

Thanks red.
I took old switch out and it looks like newer switch.
Evidently the insulator washers did not do good job and cable end touched the housing, what melted 1/2 of the switch.
I see new switch from modeltford would run me well over $30 and finding cheaper 6V relay, I am thinking about changing it to relay with dashboard mounted push switch.
Not matching the original, but updated system.
What you guys say? Shall I try to keep it original?

[Kajtek1]

For now, I jumped the switch.
Drained about a cup of old gas from carburetor bowl, I noticed about a tablespoon of water in it, check oil level and crank it.
Ignition lever at 1/4 and throttle at 1/3 per manual I have.
Gave it total about 2 minutes of cranking and the engine will not fire. It seems to crank faster after a while, what I think indicate oil getting to upper part.
Pulled the spark plug and it shows black, but good otherwise.
Now I am recharging the battery for spark test.
Can I use ether for start? Looks like there in no air filter, just intake shrouds wrapped around the exhaust?

[Kajtek1]

IT IS ALIVE
After testing the plug for nice spark, I start playing with timing lever and the engine fired up. Seems it runs the best with timing lever all the way down, what is inconvenient for driver.
Also gears operate differently than manual says.
When I let the hand brake go, nothing happens. When I push left pedal forward, it seems to get into high speed. Could that be 2nd gear?
The same with reverse, when I push the pedal it gets into pretty high speed, what with lack of mirrors can get scary.
I drove it on my yard only as with jump cable for starter it is not safe to take it to the street, but once I get the switch in order >>> LAS VEGAS HERE I COME.

[ChuckGalaga]

Originally Posted by Kajtek1

I bought boat at this copart yard and walking to the bathroom - the Ford was park in the garage.
I took a picture of it and went with my business, but kept an eye on it for about a month, when the auction after auction it did not sell.
Finally on last auction I was the highest bidder, still way low below reserve, but a day after we negotiated with the seller and he agreed to my offer.

Haha...that's a cool story. Glad someone who could appreciate it got it! Congrats on getting it running.

[J Franklin]

How you're describing the transmission and timing, don't kill anyone. While learning to drive it keep the handbrake lever in the neutral position until you learn the pedals. The handbrake lever filly forward and all pedals up is high gear.

[redmodelt]

When you release the hand brake, yes that is high. Yes it can get scary, in reverse if going to fast and real easy to loose control. Reverse should be with the engine at a slow speed, does not matter how many years you have been driving. That steering wheel can get pulled out of your hands real fast. That is the nature of a Model T steering geometry.

The timing on your T does not sound right. Starting on battery or hand cranking, the lever should be all the way up. I think it needs to be timed correctly. google "mtfca timing"

[Kajtek1]

Took it for couple loops around the block and it drives good.
I think I have bend wheel as it was wobbling, but I don't plan to drive it on freeways.
Ignition switch has bad contact on magneto side.
Lights work, but when ammeter shows discharge with lights, it is not showing charge. In tool box I found old VR in box labeled "electronic VR" so looks like PO was dealing with it before.
Ceramic coat on paint and 303 on tires and softtop.
Sure turned few heads and had cameras flashing.

[41panelmark]

Welcome to the affliction or disease. Very nice T.