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1924 Ford Model TT - heavy duty truck

Texas Transportation Museum, San Antonio

As of 9/22/07, this vehicle is running for the first time in twenty years.
See below for pictures & text

MTT2

This vehicle was donated to the museum in the early 1980s. It was only driven at the museum once or twice before it was put on permanent display. In 2007 some members of the local Ford Model T club, the "Ford Ts of Texas," volunteered to help the museum to get it operational again. The vehicle is essentially complete, though it does have a later carburetor from a Ford Model A, the vehicle that replaced the Model T in 1927. The grand old truck saw sunlight again for the first time in many a year when it was pushed outside and moved to the museum's work building. We are delighted to announce that it was running again within a few weeks.

Seeing sunlight for the first time in twenty years

Out and about under its own power

On 9/22/07 Daniel and Mike of the "Ford Ts of Texas" swung by in a 1926 Ford Model T light pick-up and a 1926 Ford Model T open sedan with the intent of getting the museum's 1924 Ford Model TT truck running again. They removed the incorrect Ford Model A carburetor and modified inlet manifold and replaced them with proper Model T parts. They replaced the spark plugs and wires. They cleaned some light corrosion of some electrical parts, drained the oil and performed some other light but important tasks. They drained out the old oil, put water in the radiator, some gas in the tank, installed a battery and lo and behold the old truck fired on the first stomp of the starter button and started on the second attempt. After tinkering some more, it was decided to see if the truck's transmission was capable of moving the truck. One thing led to another and, even though the carburetor was not properly hooked up and the brakes were questionable at best, before you knew it the truck was out on the museum's grounds, moving under its own power. Though more work needs to be done, everyone involved was pretty elated at the level of success on the first day. Watch this space for more news and pictures.

In early June 2008, after more work and expense than anyone anticipated, the vehicle finally made its debut on the public roads of San Antonio and drove like a thoroughbred champion! With its Ruckstell rear end in the high position, the old truck is quite capable of going over 30 MPH. Since September 2007 it was in and out of the shops for a whole host of necessary repairs. The source of a horrible noise coming from the engine was found to be a modern rough thread nut that somehow made its way into the oil pan. It came loose from the sediment after the engine warmed up. The front end was stripped as well. Removing some of the bearings was as feat in and of itself because apparently the last person to touch them was the factory employee who fitted them in 1924. The last piece of the puzzle was the electrical system. The engine might run but not very well. Museum members Tony and Hugh took everything out to check and clean all the contacts and trouble shoot the system. Once everything was hooked back up the engine sounded great. Now the truck can go to high ratio without stalling. The biggest kick was when the Ruckstell was put into high and everything still worked. And, it was found, this old T can scoot right along!

Public debut, June 2008

Finally, just in time for one of the biggest public events in the San Antonio calendar, the Folklife Festival at the Institute of Texan Cultures, held in the middle of June every year, our 1924 Ford Model TT was ready for prime time. Almost. The truck was unable to make it on the downtown cruise with other Model Ts during TTM's "Model Ts @ TTM" show in May though it was on display. Following that the final work to make it ready was completed except for one important element, the tires. Their deteriorated state became unavoidable during a trial run around the block, a ten mile jaunt that is quite taxing for old cars, with some long hills and plenty of traffic lights. An attempt to use some other Model T rims and tires failed as this truck uses an unusual size but fortunately, in the nick of time, we found someone in town who had a pair of the correct front tires and a company willing to fit them. (The rear tire aren't good but they had to suffice because none could be found in town.) Once fitted, and this is a short phrase for a lengthy process, the truck was taken out for another reliability run and this time it ran even better. What a difference the new rubber made. So, we were off to the races. Or, more accurately, the Folklife Festival. The truck made the trip downtown pretty well and was seen by tens of thousands of people. However, it was on the trip back to the museum, past the Alamo, as light was falling, virtually all the way up hill, that the old TT really showed its mettle. The more this truck is driven, the better it seems to run. Also, the driver gains experience and can get a better performance. The truck threw off its reserve and took those hills in its stride. Now we can't wait for its next adventure.

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