98C’s has some Company

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cessna170bdriver
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98C’s has some Company

Post by cessna170bdriver »

This is 98C’s little (but significantly older) brother. They won’t be living together full time; I was just seeing if they were compatible. It’s a 1925 Model T Ford Express Wagon I picked up in Illinois yesterday. I wanted something less commonplace than a golf cart on which to get around the airport, and I think this fulfills that desire nicely.
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Miles

“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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GAHorn
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by GAHorn »

HA! Does it have the same PULL-STARTER? :lol: (oh…wait…it’s probably not “original” … and the T-model had a hand-crank.). :mrgreen:

Watch-out for those brakes..they ain’t too good!
Your airport looks pretty level so you likely won’t make the same mistake my Mom made when she drove one in Lompoc California….. going down-hill she made the mistake of trying to down-shift…missed the shift… ground the gears….and the old Ford took-off building-up speed waay-beyond its design… almost wrecked…but she found a freshly-plowed field and steered into that to come to a stop. :lol: (Jamies Mom was riding with her and said she was certain they were both gonna die!”)
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
hilltop170
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by hilltop170 »

That is cool Miles!

Just be careful not to “throw your back out” cranking on it!
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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cessna170bdriver
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by cessna170bdriver »

GAHorn wrote:HA! Does it have the same PULL-STARTER? :lol: (oh…wait…it’s probably not “original” … and the T-model had a hand-crank.). :mrgreen:

Watch-out for those brakes..they ain’t too good!
Your airport looks pretty level so you likely won’t make the same mistake my Mom made when she drove one in Lompoc California….. going down-hill she made the mistake of trying to down-shift…missed the shift… ground the gears….and the old Ford took-off building-up speed waay-beyond its design… almost wrecked…but she found a freshly-plowed field and steered into that to come to a stop. :lol: (Jamies Mom was riding with her and said she was certain they were both gonna die!”)
George, your mom must have been in a Model A or some other vehicle with a more conventional transmission. The Model T has a 2-speed planetary transmission, the bands of which are controlled by foot pedals; no sliding gears to crash and no way to miss a shift. Clutch pedal all the way down is low, and fully releasing that pedal shifts to high, with neutral somewhere in the middle. There is a hand lever that, when placed in its middle position, holds the clutch pedal in neutral for starting. There’s a separate pedal for reverse.

Also, all Model Ts did have a hand crank, but all of them from 1919 on also had electric starters. I haven’t quite hit on the right combination for a quick cold start, so I’m glad mine has the electric commencer. I’ve used the hand crank twice when it was warm, and it started on the first pull both times. You just have to remember to fully retard the spark for starting!

You are very correct about the brakes; the best advice I’ve been given so far about driving a model T is to drive it like it doesn’t have any brakes. The service brake pedal operates a band in the transmission that just grabs the output shaft. 8O One experienced Model T guy told me it takes about 800 feet to stop from 35 miles an hour, which is about top speed on level ground with no wind.
Last edited by cessna170bdriver on Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Miles

“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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GAHorn
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by GAHorn »

Yes, I gave the short-version of the story…You busted me! (and tells us your expertise and knowlege of old Fords) :wink: . it was my Uncle Vance’s 1928 A-model. LOL
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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cessna170bdriver
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by cessna170bdriver »

GAHorn wrote:Yes, I gave the short-version of the story…You busted me! (and tells us your expertise and knowlege of old Fords) :wink: . it was my Uncle Vance’s 1928 A-model. LOL
I’m definitely NOT an expert, but I have been drinking through a firehose lately while learning about them.
Miles

“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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daedaluscan
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by daedaluscan »

What fun! I have always wanted to own a model T.
Charlie

1956 170B C-GDRG #27019
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cessna170bdriver
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by cessna170bdriver »

daedaluscan wrote:What fun! I have always wanted to own a model T.
Ford built over 15 million of them and there are still a LOT of them out there, so they’re not hard to find.
Miles

“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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daedaluscan
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by daedaluscan »

I know it, but I have way too many projects already, and too little time:)
Charlie

1956 170B C-GDRG #27019
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cessna170bdriver
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Re: 98C’s has some Company

Post by cessna170bdriver »

daedaluscan wrote:I know it, but I have way too many projects already, and too little time:)
Good for you Charlie for knowing when to stop. I bought the express wagon just as I was ramping back up on my RV-7 build. Then, a friend sends me an ad for a Cabin Waco in Kenticky… :lol:
Miles

“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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