The Ford Barn

oldmotorsguy · 07-13-2014, 06:21 PM

...or not. I recently purchased a 1925 Ford Model T Coupe, and I need to know if the 1925 cowl had a dummy' cowl vent lid. This lid is where the 1926 and 1927 gas filler cap are accessed from, but my lid does not function. There are also kerosene lamps on each side of the windshield, they appear to be poorly mounted and should not be there, but I do not know for sure.

Additionally, it has the oval gas tank under the front seat, and coil box on the inside of the firewall where pre 1926 coil boxes should be.

I have Googled photos of 1925 Coupes, and a few of these photos have this lid, many do not. Was this possibly the pre-cursor body design for the upcoming body style the following year? Or do I have a 1926 or 1927 cowl that has been fitted onto a 1925 car?

I have attached a photo that shows this dummy lid and lamps. Thoughts?

stevests · 07-13-2014, 06:35 PM

That should be a functional cowl vent - my wife's '25 Coupe had one. There should be an adjustable lever just behind the instrument board to operate and adjust the opening range.

Stinch · 07-13-2014, 07:59 PM

The 1924 and 25 model year coupes had a functioning cowl vent. Steve describes it well. I have some pictures of my '24 vent somewhere and can post if it can help.

The same model year coupes did not have those cowl post mounted lamps when they left the factory.

Would like to see more pictures of your nice car.

Rich

redmodelt · 07-13-2014, 08:27 PM

Only the basic non starter models would have cowl lamps. Someone has added them to your car to make it look older. They are too high as mounted anyway. My op would be unless you really like them I would remove them. The coil box would be correct.
Re gas tank see below.

Stinch · 07-13-2014, 08:44 PM

24-25 coupes definitely had an oval tank under the front seat and not a square tank in the trunk.

oldmotorsguy · 07-13-2014, 08:53 PM

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Lamps - I am not married to them, and could remove them. Or in other words, I could take them or leave them, as they are worth about $90 a pop on eBay in their current nice condition. Then I would have two ugly threaded studs sticking out of my posts. Perhaps pop carriage bolts in the holes and paint the heads black?

This car is ultimately for sale. In you op, and you are in my shoes, do they detract from the value, as mounted currently? How much lower would they have been? Any lower, and the kerosene bowl hits the cowl. I don't suppose there are any photos of a 25 coupe with lanterns around anywhere...

oldmotorsguy · 07-13-2014, 08:55 PM

Stinch and Redmodelt: who is right? Redmodelt is positive this car had square tank in the trunk. Stinch is positive it came with oval tank under the front seat(which is still has). Both are senior Ford Barn members and both have one month seniority on me, so I must defer to their immense wisdom, but who is right? They both can't be right.

I say a cage match is in order, only one can emerge alive.

oldmotorsguy · 07-13-2014, 09:07 PM

See additional photos. Car is fairly nice, but needs a ton of work on the little stuff, I drove it into my garage, so that is saying something.

It leans demonstrably to the drivers side. I looked at the springs front and rear and all seems in order. Is this easily correctible, and how did it get that way? Was the previous owner a 600 pound sumo wrestler, and the springs just gave up?

Previous owner welded a plate to the spare tire rack for a ball hitch. I am wondering whether this would be something that would add value down the road, or should I scrap it and return it to original.

Stinch · 07-13-2014, 10:02 PM

In my humble opinion, the cowl lamps detract from the value. If I were buying, I'd wonder what else was done. No big deal to correct anyway. The trailer hitch would do nothing for me since the car is already heavy, towing anything would be a chore.

As for the oval tank knowledge, I own a 24 T coupe and have studied them almost nonstop for over a year. For additional reference, see this post by "Hap" http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages...tml?1185982157

Stinch · 07-13-2014, 10:20 PM

The cars tilt could be from the head of spring bolt slipping out of the square hole in the cross member. Most of the time that's the problem. Careful though, if the spring bolt head hole in frame has gotten bigger from being loose for so long, that is a harder fix since the proper repair would be weld the hole to its original size.

redmodelt · 07-13-2014, 10:36 PM

The tank under the seat is correct. I just looked up. Down for the count on this one!

oldmotorsguy · 07-14-2014, 06:02 AM

Dump the cowl lamps, huh? Can anyone else corroborate that cowl lamps were not original to a 1925 Model T Coupe?

I am certainly going to dump the trailer hitch. With this car weighing in at around 1800 pounds, that poor little 20 HP engine couldn't pull a fat girl off a tricycle, as they say down south: it has all it can handle just getting the car up to 35 mph, much less trying to tow something. Consider it gone...

fordman67 · 07-27-2014, 11:26 PM

The coul lights have to go. They just look terrible imho. But that's just me...I would have them on fleabay so fast your head would spin. Great call on the hitch...some people....grrr

Willie in Houston · 07-28-2014, 11:13 AM

As someone aready posted, Cowl lamps were used on non starter cars. I think the mounting brackets are incorrect. The lights should be lower and to the side of the car, not mounted on the front.
Safety to me is a big issue and the cowl lamps make a good place to add turn signal and by adding a second one on the rear, you have some almost correct looking signal lights. I also put brake lights in the rear lamps. (Dual element bulbs)

07-13-2014, 06:35 PM	#2
stevests Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Longbranch, Washington Posts: 513	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... That should be a functional cowl vent - my wife's '25 Coupe had one. There should be an adjustable lever just behind the instrument board to operate and adjust the opening range.

07-13-2014, 07:59 PM	#3
Stinch Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Connecticut Posts: 220	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... The 1924 and 25 model year coupes had a functioning cowl vent. Steve describes it well. I have some pictures of my '24 vent somewhere and can post if it can help. The same model year coupes did not have those cowl post mounted lamps when they left the factory. Would like to see more pictures of your nice car. Rich __________________ E30 68-B Cabriolet

07-13-2014, 08:27 PM	#4
redmodelt Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland OR Posts: 6,342	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... Only the basic non starter models would have cowl lamps. Someone has added them to your car to make it look older. They are too high as mounted anyway. My op would be unless you really like them I would remove them. The coil box would be correct. Re gas tank see below. Last edited by redmodelt; 07-13-2014 at 10:35 PM.

07-13-2014, 08:44 PM	#5
Stinch Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Connecticut Posts: 220	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... 24-25 coupes definitely had an oval tank under the front seat and not a square tank in the trunk. __________________ E30 68-B Cabriolet

07-13-2014, 08:53 PM	#6
oldmotorsguy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Crossville, Tennessee Posts: 157	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Lamps - I am not married to them, and could remove them. Or in other words, I could take them or leave them, as they are worth about $90 a pop on eBay in their current nice condition. Then I would have two ugly threaded studs sticking out of my posts. Perhaps pop carriage bolts in the holes and paint the heads black? This car is ultimately for sale. In you op, and you are in my shoes, do they detract from the value, as mounted currently? How much lower would they have been? Any lower, and the kerosene bowl hits the cowl. I don't suppose there are any photos of a 25 coupe with lanterns around anywhere...

07-13-2014, 08:55 PM	#7
oldmotorsguy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Crossville, Tennessee Posts: 157	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... Stinch and Redmodelt: who is right? Redmodelt is positive this car had square tank in the trunk. Stinch is positive it came with oval tank under the front seat(which is still has). Both are senior Ford Barn members and both have one month seniority on me, so I must defer to their immense wisdom, but who is right? They both can't be right. I say a cage match is in order, only one can emerge alive. Last edited by oldmotorsguy; 07-13-2014 at 09:10 PM.

07-13-2014, 10:02 PM	#9
Stinch Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Connecticut Posts: 220	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... In my humble opinion, the cowl lamps detract from the value. If I were buying, I'd wonder what else was done. No big deal to correct anyway. The trailer hitch would do nothing for me since the car is already heavy, towing anything would be a chore. As for the oval tank knowledge, I own a 24 T coupe and have studied them almost nonstop for over a year. For additional reference, see this post by "Hap" http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages...tml?1185982157 __________________ E30 68-B Cabriolet

07-13-2014, 10:20 PM	#10
Stinch Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Connecticut Posts: 220	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... The cars tilt could be from the head of spring bolt slipping out of the square hole in the cross member. Most of the time that's the problem. Careful though, if the spring bolt head hole in frame has gotten bigger from being loose for so long, that is a harder fix since the proper repair would be weld the hole to its original size. __________________ E30 68-B Cabriolet Last edited by Stinch; 07-13-2014 at 10:31 PM.

07-13-2014, 10:36 PM	#11
redmodelt Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland OR Posts: 6,342	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... The tank under the seat is correct. I just looked up. Down for the count on this one!

07-14-2014, 06:02 AM	#12
oldmotorsguy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Crossville, Tennessee Posts: 157	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... Dump the cowl lamps, huh? Can anyone else corroborate that cowl lamps were not original to a 1925 Model T Coupe? I am certainly going to dump the trailer hitch. With this car weighing in at around 1800 pounds, that poor little 20 HP engine couldn't pull a fat girl off a tricycle, as they say down south: it has all it can handle just getting the car up to 35 mph, much less trying to tow something. Consider it gone...

07-27-2014, 11:26 PM	#13
fordman67 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Evansville IN U.S.A. Posts: 395	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... The coul lights have to go. They just look terrible imho. But that's just me...I would have them on fleabay so fast your head would spin. Great call on the hitch...some people....grrr __________________ 1925 tudor (restoration) 1941 tudor"street rod" project1964 fairlane tube chassis "street car" 1996 f-350 crew cab 4x stroker! Na, I dont like working on cars...I exist for it!

07-28-2014, 11:13 AM	#14
Willie in Houston Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 252	Re: 1925 Model T Coupe oddities.... As someone aready posted, Cowl lamps were used on non starter cars. I think the mounting brackets are incorrect. The lights should be lower and to the side of the car, not mounted on the front. Safety to me is a big issue and the cowl lamps make a good place to add turn signal and by adding a second one on the rear, you have some almost correct looking signal lights. I also put brake lights in the rear lamps. (Dual element bulbs)