Dear Model T’ers Everywhere, July 15, 2003

"Magneto generated electric lights are indeed the acme of perfection in automobile lighting. The ingenuity exercised in causing automatically the lights to subside when the car is in motion, thereby compelling slow and careful driving, is to be commended. Furthermore, should you, through the dim haze, discover an obstruction, you can stop the machine and at once you will find the obstacle bathed in a flood of light, where it may be analyzed and studied with due deliberation!" (Funabout Fords, by J.J. White, The Howell Co., 1915) .

At our July meeting we started off the evening with plans to the various 4th of July Parades. Jack Mahaffey & Marquise and Don Larson were going to the Geneva Parade where you compete with horses and children on their trikes and bikes and later reported they had a great time. Mike Story, Judie and Nanny, and Jack Whitt took their 16’s and went to the Celebration parade where Mike had the pleasure of chauffeuring the oldest lady in the township and Jack Whitt had a car full of some of the youngest! Everyone had a great time, and Jack and Mike were presented with centennial wrist watches and key chains from the Ford Motor Company's 100 year celebration -- sure wish you could have made that event! The Larson’s and the Story’s also went to the 4th of July celebration on the 6th of July at the Winter Park High School and gave Model T rides for everyone that wanted one.

"Wally" Walt Schneider brought in a great tinkering tip and showed us the tool that is used for pouring babbits and caps – now all we have to do is get the materials and talk Wally into doing it for us!

Richard Fortner showed us the new and improved K.C. Warford transmission that he had just purchased for his roadster. He said that the drive shaft has to be shortened about one foot to install it and how important it is to install it correctly to eliminate any bearing problems. Jack Whitt had also just recently installed one in his 16 and really loves his too. Vince Leffler had helped Jack install his and Vince has one of the original K.C. Warford transmissions in his 23 roadster pickup. The new ones really are much better and shift so very smoothly. Richard also presented us with a wiring mechanism that will turn your magneto into a generator very inexpensively. For more information and a copy of the design give Richard a call or email him at RfordT20@aol.com or if you really want a quick response email Carol at Carolfortn@aol.com

We purchased a new TV with a built in VCR and CD player so we can now look at just about any format of video that anyone brings in for our entertainment time. By the way Richard Fortner also has our complete video library for anyone that wants to check out a video for a month (Free to all members).

Gene and Marilyn Roy gave a nice report on their tour to Georgia, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and all of the wonderful sights that they saw including a Pioneer Museum, Mt. Rushmore, Rapid City, Glacier National Park, Butte, and Yellowstone – 7,800 miles in three weeks! We should have all gone too. Speaking of tours …..

Walt and Angie reported that we will have a tour starting from their place in Deland on September 27th, it will be about 100 miles. So, lets all get those T’s running and on the road. Give them a call or email them at angnwal@mpinet.net. We have also extended this invitation to the Fun T Club of Central Florida. A nice practice run will be to the Model T Ford Club International tour in Dearborn that about 4 families will be attending.

Nancy and Joe Kaiser have kindly volunteered to head up our annual Christmas party again – can’t understand why anyone would want a houseboat – There’s just no place for the T!

Vince and Gail Leffler are also planning on a little overnight tour for us up to St. Augustine around November/December time frame …. Stay tuned to tour……

MAKE a grea"T" day!

Mike Story, President, 407-678-5477, email: mjstory@quixnet.net

Copyright© 2003 -Modet T Ford Club of Central Florida - All Rights Reserved