Farmer fixes

[katy]

The oil return tube on our '31 CCPU has a piece of hose over part of it. I suspect that some previous owner had a short tube and needed a long one, so just cut it in half and extended it w/a piece of heater hose and a couple of clamps.
Now I just need to find a proper tube for it. Of course my spare is a short one.

 

[Willie Krash]

Done right !

 

[DJ S]

My newly acquired Tudor had tons of farmer fixes that drove me up a wall. One of them was an old manifold heater that had fallen apart numerous time in multiple spots. The previous owner used pieces of sheet metal and screws to hold it together .

There is also the crude do-it-yourself interior that was thrown together in the early '70s.

Oh yeah, and all the body filler that is basically holding the body together!

 

[dpson]

Perhaps this is an urban legend, but I recall hearing a story about a guy who bought a model A that ran, but ran poorly. He found there was no compression in one of the cylinders. When he pulled the head, much to his surprise, the piston and connecting rod had been removed and a round wooden post driven into the cylinder.

True or not I don't know, but it sounds plausible back in the days of "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."

 

[crock]

These are 2014 farmer fix's ( did not want to spend the money for horn rod and wire harness ) alum. Plate holds headlight switch, turn signal flasher and indicating lights , as well as a 12v recpt. For gps. Horn works with a button mounted to the steering wheel with a wire run up the steering column.

 

[Charlville]

My Sport Coupe has a hydraulic brake conversion done by a previous owner, here's the master cylinder fitting which is a bit farmerish

 

[TK in LA]

What are these? I think OJ concentrate cans. Now used as grease caps. Also a carb float for a gas float.

 

[modela@aol.com]

Awesome story! I say we need more of this stuff

Many years ago, I seem to recall a story that someone broke down with a main bearing issue on the drive to a National MARC meet. They dropped the pan and used their leather belt cut up to fashion a "babbit" bearing that worked good enough to get them there.

 

[captndan]

I don't know if a farmer did this or not. But I did see a Pierce Arrow with a carved wooden piston and a tin can lid on top nailed on. Honest!

 

[Domino]

Too many families still have a hard time paying rent, buying groceries, and getting necessities. Many of these folks are willing to physical work but the jobs aren't there. A few weeks ago a guy I know didn't have the money or credit to purchase a battery for his 18 year old only transportation car. he was stuck at Autozone so I made a deal with him. I'll buy you a battery and you come do some things around my house. I did and he did. Sad this happens in America. Most of us are blessed.

 

[Hoogah]

Radius ball socket bolts made with a welder and angle grinder, extracted from my Phaeton on the weekend, with their replacements.

 

[30 Closed Cab PU]

I was driving 'ol' 29 Nellie home from a parade when the flange on the tail pipe broke off and the entire exhaust system hit the pavement. I had a roll of tie-wire used for tying rebar in the trunk. I was able to tie things up and drive her home. I had learned alot during my penniless teenage years about keeping my old Ford Coupe wired together.

I saw a junked out A, exhaust must have had a hole or split, large tin can ends sawed off, can cut in half lengthwise, can wrapped around the exhaust, can then tightly wrapped with barbed wire, and each end wrapped tight again with barbed wire at the edge of the can to prevent the can from moving.

 

[Jwilli]

Paul from CT is "right on". It is easy to be critical from our 2012 perspective. I grew up in a depression family and remember well when a family conference was called for a big expense like $10. Not trying to be preachy but it is good to remember when families had a very difficult time making ends meet.

In those years in the south it was what we called make-do. Use what you have and hope it works.

 

[Terry NJ]

Sorry, I'm not seeing it The Banjo fitting is stock for that master cylinder and the mounting on the firewall looks like a pretty clean job. The guy probably didn't have access to another transmission mounted pedal and used the hanging style in place of it. Stock? no way! But it seems like a very professional installation.
Terry

My Sport Coupe has a hydraulic brake conversion done by a previous owner, here's the master cylinder fitting which is a bit farmerish