Not a summer course announcement...

[xp_cyclops]

But a potential summer... activity, let's call it. A friend of mine happened to mention, in the course of an email exchange on a completely unrelated topic, that he happens to know someone who has a 1921 Ford Model T that he's looking to sell. It's not in good shape, so he's not asking very much for it. Apparently this person was intending to restore it himself, but due to some health problems has decided that he can't take on the project after all.

I won't deny that the idea kind of tickles me, but it's not something that I want to take on all by myself, either. So... would anyone be interested in doing something like that, if I bought the car? I just thought it might be something that could fill up some free time this summer. And the Model T's a pretty cool car, really.

Comments

[x-siryn.livejournal.com]

I would be interested, Mr. Summers. I like old cars.

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

What Terry said. This sounds like a lot of fun. :)

I assume we can get it in any color we want as long as it's black? :)

[x-mirage.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested, have some experience in older cars. older being from teh 1970's but they're about as different from cars today as the 1920's cars are from the 70's.

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Well, you learn something new every day... I hadn't realized that, Terry.

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Ah, Jamie. Occasionally you really tickle me. :)

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

I've never had experience with cars that old myself. It'd be a learning experience for all of us.

[x-siryn.livejournal.com]

There aren't so many around that it comes up very often. But I think they're neat.

[x-mirage.livejournal.com]

can't be hard if we got the parts, I mean, they made those cars a long time ago when they barely had electricity and running water.

[x-dazzler.livejournal.com]

I'll stop by to look now and then? Cars that can be driven around are my thing, more than anything else. Most particularly fast cars. ;)

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Well, I doubt this one'll be too fast, even when it's all restored... okay, so I've obviously made up my mind here, heh. But it'll be damned pretty. You just wait and see.

[x-dazzler.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Pretty cars are nice too. How fast can one of those go? Asketh the vintage cars ignoramus. :)

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

A standard Model T with an 'authentic' engine should be able to manage 30 to 38mph comfortably. If we wanted to juice it up a little, we could give it a better inlet and exhaust manifolds, maybe even an aluminum cylinder head with an increased compression ratio. That's the sort of thing they do to these cars when they want to race them... oh, bad thought. Even so, that only means they can manage 50 mph.

[x-dazzler.livejournal.com]

Dude. Um, Scott? Can you try that in English? Cause I sorta kinda get that (only not much) and Haroun is going to make me swallow a few books on the stuff now and cry out "Augh woman! You shame me!" am sure but, yeah.

...in short, you tinker with her, you can up the speed from 30-38mph to 50mph?

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

There's a Model T racing circuit? That is quite possibly the coolest thing I've heard today.

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

That is what I said, yes.

[x-dazzler.livejournal.com]

You're laughing at me, aren't you?

[x-mirage.livejournal.com]

as long as they don't play chicken.

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

You have a very low opinion of my sense of self-preservation, don't you?

[x-dazzler.livejournal.com]

Absolutely.

You're so laughing at me. Meanie!

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

With you, Alison. Really. Not everyone speaks car. I know that.

[x-dazzler.livejournal.com]

Yep. Laughing at me.

So getting you for that!

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

I have little enthusiasm - or time, right now - for the reassembling of ancient vehicles, but I'll put my hand up for helping to manufacture any replacement parts that can't be procured elsewhere. :) I think I remember my way around the workshop, and I'm sure Forge and I between us can manage pretty much anything that those actually doing the work might need.

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

But you're going to bring Billy down from time to time so that his Uncle Scott can teach him to speak car while he's still at an impressionable age, yes?

And finding parts is often the tricky part with something like this - I mean, ideally we'd stick to originals but I suspect we may very well find ourselves taking you up on that.

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

I will certainly bring him down to see the car, and to try again to put his hand up Uncle Scott's nose when Uncle Scott holds him. I imagine the other workers on the car will find it most amusing.

And do let me know when you need replacements. Not only am I sure I can do it, but I have a student who really should learn some of the older mechanical styles as well as the most up-to-date. It'll be educational, I'm sure.