The Path Forward — 4 Hrs
Decisions to Make
Executive Summary
Approximate USD cost associated with the choice of parts. I have focused on Safety, Reliability and Period Correctness.
Radiator — $2,700
Wheels and Tires — Tires $1,800. Buffalo wheels $7,500.
Steering Upgrade — $290
Coils — I don't know yet, probably around $200 each
Auxiliary Brakes — $1,200
Safety Hubs — $700
This list is not comprehensive. I have endeavored to include the high dollar parts. The prices do not include shipping or labour.
Radiator
Options
Send the rad to Don’s Radiator in Lethbridge and have him replace the core. The radiator will cool well but it will still have big dents in the top.
Purchase a new flat tube radiator from Brassworks. These new radiators cool well, they look period correct and are reinforced in the places that normally fail. $2,700 USD plus shipping.
Recommendation — purchase a new radiator from Brassworks. Deliver time 12 to 14 weeks.
Side note. The Model T has a non pressurized open coolant system, so you should be able to remove the rad cap when the engine has been running without steam and water exploding in your face. Don’t do it. It could ruin your vacation.
Wheels and Tires
The tires are 60 years old, they look perfectly good but I am concerned that the cotton belts in the sidewall have deteriorated. A flat means a flat bed return to home. The original tires may be OK for short trips but a flat would put you on a flatbed truck. Switching to wire wheels gives an easy way to swap in a spare if you have a flat.
Recommendation purchase new tires, tubes and rim liners. ~$1,800 USD plus shipping. Keeping one of the original tires as a spare will save about $300 USD.
Side note. Towing a Model T is a BAD IDEA. If the engine isn’t running and you tow it with the rear wheels on the ground the transmission will not get enough oil and the bushings will be destroyed. If you tow it backwards with the front wheels on the ground the threaded front wheel bearings will tighten and seize causing the tires to drag on the pavement or the wheel hubs to split.
The wood spokes look solid and may be adequate for short trips but are questionable, for a Model T tour for example. Originally, the rims and spokes were painted body colour. Currently, there is nobody in western Canada rebuilding early (wood-fellow) Model T wheels.
Options
Fill, sand, prime, paint and pinstripe the original wheels — high labour cost, possible safety issue.
Ship the wheels to the States to be rebuilt — safer wheels, but expensive, and I am still looking for a builder.
Purchase Buffalo Wire Wheels — Buffalo’s are a rare, desirable and period correct accessory. Most expensive option.
Recommendation — I like the Buffalo wheels. They look good and make it easy to change a flat tire. I have a source and will work out a price.
Side note. As I teenager I made a sharp right turn at the bottom of a steep hill with 4 softball players in the box of our 1926 T pickup. There was a massive cracking sound and the spokes of both rear wheels disintegrated dumping the ball players on the pavement. The boys were ok but my pride suffered because there was a cute girl in the front seat with me.
Speedometer
Russ Furstnow from Flagstaff Az will restore the speedometer to new condition and supply the missing cables, gear etc. Estimated cost $1,200-$1,400 USD.
Steering
The 5:1 set (introduced in 1925 for use with balloon tires) is a common "safety" swap for drivers wanting easier, less "darty" steering. It requires changing the steering shaft, the three planetary gears, and the internal drive pinion. $290 USD for parts. It could be that the steering was upgraded in the previous restoration. I will check.
Recommendation — upgrade to the 5:1 ratio. No one will know but the driver, and maybe the odd white knuckled passenger.
Side note. If the tire rod, drag link pitman arm and lower steering bracket are mis-matched the steering can move “past center”. When you turn the wheel past center the car will start turning the opposite direction.
Coils
I have been under the impression that Heinze coils were inferior because they would not “stay in tune”. Recently Mike Kosser developed a test instrument to properly tune these coils. I spoke with Mike and a fellow named David Woods. They both are convinced that the coils can be properly tuned. They also feel that the coil secondary windings either have failed or will soon fail. The K-W master vibrator was answer to the faint Heinz coils. It is not currently working and even if it was working the coils will need a full rebuild.
Options
Hire Peter Anderson (local T guy) to tune the coils using an electronic tester and hope the secondary windings don't fail. Later note: the windings are poor in two of the coils.
Ship the coils to David Woods in Lansing Mich and have him do a complete rebuild.
Install an Anderson or E-timer. The Anderson Timer is about $100 USD. The E-timer is $1,000. E-timer, set and forget.
I will rig up a 1926 coil box with know good K-W coils to get the car running and check out the mechanical systems.
Recommendation
Have the coils professionally rebuilt ($?) put some miles on the car with the the Anderson Timer and if it doesn't measure up, replace the Anderson with an E-timer $1,000 USD and put the Anderson under the seat as a backup.
Side note. When I was in junior high school, the senior boys created a Spook Alley for Halloween in a darkened school hallway. The younger kids were challenged to go down the hallway holding on to the metal handrail. Part way down the hallway the senior boys had placed a burnt out mattress spring on the floor. When the kids began walking on the spring, the seniors connected power to the model T coil they had hooked up to the handrail and the mattress spring.
Auxiliary Brakes
Options
Small drum Rocky Mountain brakes - good going forward, bad going backward poor in the rain. Because of the addition of a large drum they will not look period correct. $1,200 USD.
A-C Brakes — reasonable going forward and back, they use small drum so they will look correct. ~$1.200 UDS
Sure Stop Disk Brakes — best braking option, slightly more expensive, will not look period correct. $1,500 USD. There may be a conflict with the Buffalo wire wheels.
Recommendation — none yet. I want to examine clearance issues with the wheels.
Side note. As a teenager, while showing off in our T pickup, I spit the rear end pinion gear at the top of longest, steepest hill in our town. No pinion gear —> no transmission brake — greasy small drum wheel brakes; the trip down the hill was terrifying. Fortunately at the bottom of the hill the rear end “grenaded” and the wheels locked up.
Rear End
If the rear end has babbitt thrust washers I will replace them. The car has been well restored so I believe the rear end is in good shape.
It is not common for a rear axle to break but it does happen. If it does the rear wheel falls off. Many of our club members have installed “safety hubs” that support the rear wheels. There are two benefits to safety hubs: they dramatically reduce the chance of an axle breaking, and if it does, the wheel stays in place. I will check to see if safety hubs will work with Buffalo wheels. Safety hubs are about $700 USD.
2026-04-10 - Update — rather than safety hubs I can install new axles. There are a couple of advantages: they are 1/16 “ longer and allow for more brake drum clearance. New axles are about ⅓ the price of safety hubs.
Recommendation
The best option is A/C brakes and Buffalo wheels with new axles.
Autobody and Paint
I can’t give an estimate at this point. The sheet metal is not flat and I will need to do hammer and dolly work to level it out. This requires removing the upholstery. I will remove the body and powder coat the frame and suspension parts. I will also add the, frame to body bracket, that Ford put in place late in 1913 to keep the body from cracking.
Drive Train
It looks good. I recommend replacing the valves if they are the original two-piece variety. This will involve removing the engine. We can replace the head with an early high compression low head which will give more power and be period correct. These are rare but I have good leads for the rare parts.