Wib takes a Model T lesson

monvalleyadmin July 13, 2014Feature

Wib Caldwell’s Model T driving Lesson or,

What you have to do when you buy a type of car you have never driven.

by d tomasic

It was spring day like you would hope to remember, blue skies, birds chirping, and warm with a breeze that carried just a hint of seasonal blossoms.  Although Wib has owned his 1917 Model T for about six weeks, he had not driven it.  In fact Wib had never driven a Model T ever.  With all the needed repair work completed this very morning at Skip’s Restoration in New Salem, the car that sat dormant in an Elizabeth garage for many years prior was again ready to ply the byways; this time with Wib behind the wheel.  Skip Seaton saw to the necessary repairs to the car and was enthusiastic at giving Wib his first Model T driving lesson.

The Model T’s method of operations is less than intuitive to anyone with only later conventional car experience.  It has three pedals like a common manually operated transmission equipped car, but clutch brake and accelerator, although present, are not in the usual places.  It has three pedals:  the left one is low, neutral and high gears, the center is reverse (that can be engaged at any time) and the right most pedal is the brake.  There is a tall hand operated floor mounted combination neutral-hold and parking brake lever just to the left of where the driver puts his feet.  The accelerator and spark advance are accessed by hand and are located just below the steering wheel.  Model T’s of 1917 and later were equipped with a battery starter that is convenient to a heel for starting. Of course the hand crank is there in case of a low battery.  And so goes Skips explanation of how to drive the Model T.

The controls are actually easy to understand, but putting their understanding into a smooth innate operation takes some practice.  With explanations complete, Wib and Skip with me in tow piled in to the black beauty and head to the local fire hall parking lot for the introductory portion of the lesson.  There was some comment about checking how much gas was in the tank.  Skip said “we ain’t going that far.”  Nothing hampered the two block ride to the open lot.  At the lot Wib took the controls and with a little time to acclimate was tooling around the parking lot like any NASCAR pro, smooth continuous left hand loops.  Satisfied with the Wib’s progress Skip directs Wib to the road course section of the lesson.  The first part was downhill.  Wib got the hang of using the brake and the reversing pedal to slow the car’s speed pretty well.  An uphill portion came next.  Not so familiar with the car’s early need for shifting into low we labored heavily up a steep hill until just about at the top the car’s engine just stopped and it would not restart.  Skip remarks, “I think I know what the problem is, we’re out of gas.’   So we do a one point 180° turn and coast to the bottom of the hill, pulling off into a convenient turn off.  While waiting for rescue fuel via Skip’s wife Deb, Sskip confesses that this was the third time this week he has ran out of gas.  So much for Skip’s estimation of “we ain’t going that far”!

Once re-fueled we set off again up the hill and a five mile cross-country excursion by the end of which Wib was showing considerable competence.  Although not quite ready to drive it home, Wib was now properly indoctrinated in the how-to’s of Model T driving.  A little practice is all it will take.