HISTORY OF THIS 1927 MODEL T #147707590:
When I bought the car from the 2nd owner this is what he related to me.
The car was born on Feb. 7, 1927 and was bought by the Cramer family at
Don Neher Ford, 2820 Broadway, Oakland, Ca. It was driven to their farm
in Delano, CA where it was used for 26 years doing light duties around the
farm and to drive into Bakersfield on the weekends. The car served them
well until a new 1953 Ford took its place.
The car was then stored in an auxiliary barn on their farm until the second owner,
Joe Robins, discovered it in 1996 and after a long persuasive process a deal was
struck. Joe moved it to his home in Sacramento, CA with the hopes of restoring
the car in his spare time. Over the years he managed to take it totally apart and
strip off all the old paint work. He found it to be a Numbers Matching car with
Absolutely NO Rust. But failing health prevented him from going further with
the restoration and advertised the car for sale in 2019. As soon as I saw the ad,
I made arrangements to meet with him and after seeing how Very Nice and
Original the car was, I immediately bought it.
After it arrived at my home in Marina, CA, I decided to give it a total comprehensive
restoration with reliable touring in mind.
The engine was rebuilt by the renown Ed Katzorke. He found very little wear,
the cylinders were bored to .020 over to make them perfect. It has new aluminum
pistons, stainless steel Chevy valves and keepers, adjustable lifters, new valve springs,
280 “Stipe” camshaft, new cam bearings, new rod and main babbit bearings
(the rods have oil dippers). It also has Lang’s Left and Right (30ACC & 3081ACCP) inside
oil lines for better “Oiling”.The original steel large cam gear and the small crankshaft
gear were retained as they only had a 1/2 of 1 one thousands (.0005) wear. The head was
shaved 1/16 to boost the compression a bit.
The transmission was rebuilt by Dan McEachern. New Kevlar linings and all
new bushings were installed, the magnets were removed for quicker pick up
and replaced with “oil slingers” for excellent oil splashing. Then all was balanced.
The other items that needed machine work were done by M&M Machine in
Salinas, Ca.
The larger parts such as the body, splash, fenders and running boards were
painted by Spectrum Auto Body in Salinas, Ca using Dupont Centari Acrylic
Enamel with a hardener. All other smaller parts were painted by me using the
same paint. The engine was painted with the very tough Bill Hirsch engine enamel.
All new wool upholstery with a rear window “silk” shade was installed.
New Top and Sun Visor “Grain” material with extra heat insulation was
put on.
I and a friend who is another Model T enthusiast did the assembly with the
strictest regards to “Henry s” original specifications coupled with fine detailing
as can be seen in the pictures.
Here is a list of the added “Goodies” it has.
1) Fuse block – for wiring and fire protection.
2) Main Battery Cable Cut Off Switch – Added Protection and Helps
The Battery Keep Its Charge Over Long Storage Times.
3) All New Wiring Throughout – For Definite Fire Safety.
4) Vintage style “Satellite” speedometer – it is extremely accurate and NO
cable or gears to foul around with.
5) Jewel dash light – really pretty at night and lights the amp gauge,
speedometer and floor.
6) Leather Steering Wheel Cover – Better Grip On The Wheel With A
Softer Feel For LESS Driving Fatigue.
7) Brake light switch – the tail light has a 2 filament bulb – good to let
people know you are slowing down.
8) NOS gas gauge – No More Guessing – No More Sticks To Check The Level!
9) Oil sight gauge – No More Crawling Under To Foul Around With Those
Petcocks!
10 New “Flat Tube” radiator – Much Better Cooling.
11) New water pump with 180 degree thermostat – No More Overheating
Even When Crawling Through A Whole Parade.
(Comes With 1 Spare 36″ Belt)
12) New distributor – Much Smoother And More Reliable Engine Operation.
(Comes With A Spare Cap, Points, Condenser and Rotor.)
(They Are Also Readily Available From Auto Parts Stores and Lang’s Old Car Parts.)
13) New Style Semi-Conductor Cut Out – No More Battery Boil Overs.
14) New Style Oil Fill Cap With Breather Hose – Directs Those Oily Fumes
Out And Down Away From The Engine Compartment.
15) New Glass Gas Fuel Filter with Shut Off – Lets You See How Clean The
Bowl Is and The Shut Off Is A Great Safety Item.
16) New Tires – with proper alignment for many many years of touring.
17) New Timken Front Wheel Bearings and Races.
18) New Exhaust From Engine to Rear Bumper. The muffler is an “Easy Flow”
from Summit with less back pressure for more horsepower but sounds
like a stock muffler.
19) Larger Intake Manifold – It really does give the engine a better power curve.
20) Hand Operated Windshield Wiper.
21) Left and Right Side Outside Rear View Mirrors With 130 Degree Visibility.
22) Left and Right Running Board “Ford” Step Plates.
23) Moto Meter with Dog Bone Accessory Temperature Gauge.
24) Front and Rear Stainless Steel Bumpers – Saves Those Fenders From Dents.
25) New Battery – You are good to go for many years.
26) New Cab and Trunk Carpet. Looks good and Insulates road noises.
27) New Color Matched Seat Belts – Great For Extra Safety.
28) All New Safety Glass – An Absolute Must!
It now has close to 500 miles on it and it has been driven very carefully to
keep the RPMs down so that it would break in properly.
As you can see, the restoration came out Quite Well – It does run as Good As
It Looks – Very Smooth and there are NO squeaks or rattles in the All Steel Body.
I had planned on driving and keeping this car for a long time so I didn’t cut
any corners and invested almost 39,000 into it. But age and some health
problems are starting to take a toll on me so I need to scale down a bit and find it
a good new home.
If owning a basically Brand New Ford at a Great Price is of interest to you,
come and take a look and go for a drive – You Will Not Be Disappointed!
Now for the legal stuff.
As with all older cars, it is to be sold “As Is” with no warranty either written or
expressed.
The Buyer is responsible for all shipping costs and/or taxes that are
applicable in your state.
If you are financing the car, please be sure your funds are available
BEFORE you bid.
I am sure you can understand, but the car can not be released until all
funds are received and credited.
Thanks for looking! And Again, You Are Welcome To Come See and Drive.
Or please feel free to call me. 831.601.1924
(But Please Before 10 PM Pacific Time).
Happy “T” ing, Dale
