Braking test for Ford Model T
- Thread starter mercman from oz
- Start date
Flathead Fever
Well-known member
That photo reminds me of my first drive in a Model T. It was on a steep street like that one in the photo. We were zooming along going downhill and the light at the bottom of the street turned yellow. The driver said to me, "were passed the point of no return". We were a long way away from that yellow light, then it turned red and we were still had a way to go. We sailed right on through the intersection. It made wonder how any of those Model T bodies survived.
rotorwrench
Well-known member
Model T owners learned to anticipate better as a general rule but there have always been risk takers. Before rocky mountain brakes, folks would hit the brake pedal and yank back on the e-brake handle. That's all there is and it ain't much. Avoiding steep inclines wasn't always
practical but I imaged they did that if it was possible.
practical but I imaged they did that if it was possible.
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That hill looks like the ones we have in San Francisco. I have a Center Door thats been
in the family for 75yrs. My Dad way back when put a 26-27 ruckstell rear end in it with Rocky Mountain brakes for going up and down those hills. And yes sometimes you also needed the E-brake along with the Rockies when we had Mom and Dad and four kids in the car....... I've been cranking this car for 60yrs....
in the family for 75yrs. My Dad way back when put a 26-27 ruckstell rear end in it with Rocky Mountain brakes for going up and down those hills. And yes sometimes you also needed the E-brake along with the Rockies when we had Mom and Dad and four kids in the car....... I've been cranking this car for 60yrs....
rotorwrench
Well-known member
My Grandparents lived up on mount Blanca in Colorado during the summers back in the 30s. They only had a basic touring car full of kids but there were several times that they had to negotiate steep grades by using reverse and backing up. That way they would be able to steer better if they couldn't make it all the way up for one reason or another. The roads were working around the big sand dunes there and some were pretty sandy. One way or another, they always made it up to whatever camp they were using at the time. My Mothers youngest sister was born up there. Things were pretty basic back in those days.
redmodelt
Well-known member
True but every little bit helps!
rotorwrench
Well-known member
The higher compression would definitely help with slowing down with the throttle on minimum. Some extremely worn engines, not so much. It all depends on how much momentum there is.