Since I’ve got the front floorboards out, I’m eyeballing them trying to figure out what needs to be done. They are solid wood (ash?) and have been patched numerous times. The sheet steel trim metal looks to have some metal fatigue cracking, lever trim is riveted on while the pedal trim is held on with woodscrews. The larger piece has a considerable amount of wood carved away to provide clearance for the hogshead, and it’s structurally weakened the piece —it seems solid when it’s in place and supported by the hogshead.
So I’ve got questions:
Is the apparent need to relieve room for the hogshead a common problem with floorboards?
Is the lever and peddle trim metal supposed to be screwed on or riveted on?
There is a front floorboard joining bracket, but I see these are listed for 26-27 Ts, not 24s so would the bracket be considered original or not? It sure looks like a really good idea!
Thanks for the pics. No, it is not common to have to carve on the bottom of the front floor board for hogshead clearance. Looks like a previous owner(s) modified and spliced the floor boards for some unknown reason. Here is a picture of new 1925 touring car front floor boards from Jon Anderson. Royce, are closed car front floor boards somehow different from open car boards?
One other detail - the metal trim around the pedals and brake lever were originally attached using hollow tubular rivets. Starting in late 1924, there was a metal draft deflector on the bottom of the front floor board, very hard to find. A similar, but wider deflector is more common and came on 1926/27 cars.
Hmmm…the positive ground is currently attached to a screw holding the transmission door. Maybe the wood was carved away to clear the cable fitting?
I’ll have to check this out.
I hope this T is an early 1924—one less part—the draft deflector— to hunt for!
Just so you know, Model T Fords left the factory as 6V, negative ground. If yours is positive ground, a previous owner switched it over for some reason.
This is going to take some exploration to figure out what exactly went on.
I have a feeling that it’s going to be a very interesting last week of the year.
Thanks Royce, I had a suspicion that closed car floor boards would have a different shape. In any case, Jon Anderson will be the go-to source for the correct floor boards.
My Fordor has a Ford Faithful Oiling System and the clearance is needed to accommodate the outside oil line running to the transmission door.
I found this picture online which is kind of self explanatory
Quite frankly I was amazed that I was able to download and attach this without the help of my son as I don’t do computers very well!
This raises more questions though:
I think that I should probably keep the Ford Faithful since it is obviously a period accessory, but is it compatible with the transmission oil screen I was considering installing?
If it’s not compatible, which accessory of the two would provide the greater benefit?
Regarding the floorboards, if I order new floorboards is there a more elegant way of relieving the required clearance (maybe with the application of Prussian Blue and a Dremel?)
OR should I simply reinforce the old floor boards and cover them up with carpeting?
I noticed that Eckler’s offers a repro of the Ford Faithful—currently out of stock—that has a screen for band lint. I don’t know if my original has this as I haven’t opened her up yet, but if it does
I also notice the draft deflectors. If they are original or not I have no idea. The deflector on the passenger side is still covered with that crusty old green outdoor carpeting.
Eckler’s service has historically been terrible, if you choose to deal with them call and make sure that the parts you want from them are really in stock, otherwise they’ll put you on infinite back order.
I heard that Eckler’s was recently bought out by Turn5, which may or may not be a good thing, but will surely introduce even more uncertainty.
Good to know!
Lang’s also has Ford Faithful oiling systems listed, but neither supplier lists the individual parts in case I need just the screen.
I’m hoping that wouldn’t be the case.
My more immediate concern is what to do about strengthening the floorboard or what to do about clearance for the outside oil line if I need to replace the floorboards with a new ones.
It looks as if one of the old floorboards was patched with Durham’s Putty and painted over.
I’m beginning to think my floorboards aren’t original for a Fordor. Maybe that is why they required a bit of surgery so the Ford Faithful oil line would have enough clearance
