J.B.Bane Wrote:
=======================================================
> Cool how the T hobby is carrying over into NG
> Diss. 35+ years ago on a tour with a cousin in
> his 1915 touring with Warford 3 speed, which was
> under, direct and over also equipped with a 3-1
> ring and pinion if I recall correctly, we hit
> something over 50. This was on Hwy 95 S. of New
> Meadows, Id. A pickup was pacing us to give us
> the speed. We had the top down and the wind
> resistance unexpectedly folded the windshield back
> at the hinges. It was really scary to me at that
> speed. Later we blew a front tire also doing
> something close to 50 somewhere between Weiser and
> Emmett, Id. Hard to believe we lived to tell
> about it. The tire came clear off the rim and
> continued down the hwy ahead of us. This was a
> non-demountable. Clinchers are hard enough to
> mount flat on a floor, but on a front rim with the
> wheel not totally rigid due to movement at the
> spindle, it was a bit of a fiddle.(polite phrase
> for pain in a..) Luckily it was the pass. side so
> we weren't hanging our bums out in traffic while
> we fought the spare tire on. My 25 touring with a
> Ruckstell and standard ring and pinion would roll
> down the hwy around 40 which was about as fast as
> I wanted to drive a T.
A Model T with wood spoke/military wheels can be iffy at higher speeds although people do it. That may be one reason that Ford redesigned the T in the final two years, 1926 - '27. The car was wider with the gas tank in the cowl and you could get the stronger metal spoke wheels like the Model A's have. The Model T speedster/racer guys used them as well. I wouldn't mind having a TT truck, especially a C cab, but I'd put the heavier wood spoke wheels on the front like the ones that came (stock) on the back.
Speaking of wheels, the Maine two-foot SR&RL was concerned about tracking with their T inspection and track crew cars so they upgraded the wheels from pressed Fairmont style to heavier cast wheels. They found that the cars stayed on the rails better at higher speeds when working through curves.
