Low mileage original T

Synchro909

Synchro909

Well-known member
As part of my duties within our club, I have just signed off on a 1924 Model T tourer going back on he road after being in the shed for a few decades. The current owner bought it in 1951 after it had been in a shed already for about 20 years. The current owner has all of the paperwork to do with the original sale and service records from new. The original owner drove it for a handful of years, then put it in the shed. It languished there till he died in 1950 and the estate was sold. The current owner knew of the car and bought it at the auction, drove it on a few rallies, then retired it to a shed again. Forward now to today and the grandson has had it gone through and is getting it on the road again. Estimates are that it has done no more than 10,000 miles and everything is original. What I'd give to have a car like that!
 
Everything is original? Even the thrust washers in the diff'? IDK man... not sure i'd want to drive it far with those.
 
Interesting that you "signed off" on a car as being roadworthy as part of your club duties. Is this an informal thing you do to help your members? I guess Australia is not litigation happy like here in the USA. If I were to "sign off" on a car, and then something mechanical went wrong causing an accident, you can rest assured a lawsuit would result.
 
I think that is just plain great! That would be cool to have a car like that. They do come up every so often. Google "mtfca; Rip Van Winkle" it's a 1917 with even less miles.
What dumb person said is a good idea. The babbitt thrust washers can just come apart and if they do you loose braking ability. I am doing a Ruckstell that had been sitting for a number of years, the babbitt thrust washer fell apart when the halfs came apart. It was so swollen that the axles no longer even turned.
 
Will N said:
Interesting that you "signed off" on a car as being roadworthy as part of your club duties. Is this an informal thing you do to help your members? I guess Australia is not litigation happy like here in the USA. If I were to "sign off" on a car, and then something mechanical went wrong causing an accident, you can rest assured a lawsuit would result.
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There is a special "Club Permit" scheme here whereby members of a legitimate club are able to get a permit to drive their cars on the road. My duty only extends to certifying that the owner is a financial member. I leave the safety check to someone with the appropriate qualifications. The safety check is the primary requirement, then membership.
In the case of this car, the guy who did the safety check also owns a Model T and was charged with recommissioning it. I can only assume he is happy with the thrust faces.
 
Synchro909 said:
There is a special "Club Permit" scheme here whereby members of a legitimate club are able to get a permit to drive their cars on the road. My duty only extends to certifying that the owner is a financial member. I leave the safety check to someone with the appropriate qualifications. The safety check is the primary requirement, then membership.
In the case of this car, the guy who did the safety check also owns a Model T and was charged with recommissioning it. I can only assume he is happy with the thrust faces.
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Ah, that's interesting too. So the only way you can drive an antique down under is if you are part of a club. That's gotta help your club membership! Some insurers here in the States require that the antique car be used "occasionally" and for "club functions", such as parades and tours. We get members who join the club when when they first get their car so they can say truthfully to the insurer that they are a club member, and then they never renew their membership.
 
Will N said:
Ah, that's interesting too. So the only way you can drive an antique down under is if you are part of a club. That's gotta help your club membership! Some insurers here in the States require that the antique car be used "occasionally" and for "club functions", such as parades and tours. We get members who join the club when when they first get their car so they can say truthfully to the insurer that they are a club member, and then they never renew their membership.
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The regulations vary by state here.

You don’t need to be a club member to drive an antique in the state of Victoria, but if you are you can take advantage of the associated permit scheme that gives you up to 90 days driving per year for a fraction of the rego/3rd party insurance costs.

If you’re not a club member, then you pay full price.

The club permit scheme is one of the best things to happen to the hobby in recent years, and it’s introduction a few years ago resulted in a fourfold increase in membership of the club to which I belong, and presumably a lot of cars coming out of storage!

Of course, there will always be those who try to bend the rules (e.g. by setting up a club consisting of your family only), but there is a high level of scrutiny to deter these dodgy individuals.
 
I have a 1913 with what I think are the original floorboards. There is a 4"x 4" cutout in the floorboard below the speedometer on the passenger's side . Why would anyone have done this?
 
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