Earlier, I felt like I regular showman: "come one, come all - watch the skinny guy crank-start a Model T and NOT break his thumb/hand/arm!" Yeah, no kidding, every time I fired up that T the crowd formed. They loved it - the sound, the rocking of the car, the smell(!), and it restored my confidence in modern folks having any interest in ancient technology. Even greater crowds formed when I crank started it. It was hilarious - I mean, literally shouting encouragement and cheering when it started! (once with just half a crank since it was near the top of the compression stroke; that's when I almost lost my hand/arm, but the crowd didn't know it).
The car ran OK on the way there - terribly hot day, but I felt more confident than the previous year. The drive home was memorable. She ran like a champ, and began to sound better (louder) and better (even louder) the closer I got. I realized the exhaust manifold was coming undone. It sounded great - a regular banger hot rod sound! I took to alternately revving up and down the T as we cruised past people or through quiet neighborhoods. I chalked it up to analyzing the motor unimpeded by the muffler stifling the motor's sound.
So, when we got to my uncle's, I checked under the hood to discover the situation highlighted in the photo below: the nut that attaches the exhaust pipe to the exhaust manifold had come undone and traveled all the way down the tailpipe to the muffler! So I was running her home with open exhaust - that's why she sounded so good! It's an easy fix.
Saturday begins my two-week thrash on the hot rod, beginning with checking the junkyard flathead for compression and oil pressure. Hopefully this weekend I can get her to fire with (some) carburetor and with my uncle's distributor on the 2-bolt timing cover that I'll need to install on the flathead, replacing its 3-bolt cover, since the old-timer here in town is rebuilding my carbs and distributor (I hope; he wasn't feeling well this week).
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