Royce Peterson – Page 9 – Model T Ford Fix

February 18, 2019

Rebuilding a Marvel Carburetor for Model T Ford

A Marvel carburetor in use on a Model T Ford.

The Marvel Carburetor Company started as somewhat of an afterthought. Burt Pierce of Batesville, Indiana was a friend and mentor to another pioneer in early automotive carburetors, George Schebler. Batesville is a sleepy little town about halfway between Cincinnati, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana. Schebler was working on a carburetor design that incorporated a spring loaded air valve that opened automatically as engine demand increased. Meanwhile Burt Pierce was working on a carburetor design of his own that used a hanging air control valve. As things developed over time, both men received patents on their carburetor designs and both became successful. Schebler found a partner, Frank Wheeler, and formed the Wheeler Schebler carburetor company in Indianapolis, Indiana. These carburetors became common on Stutz, Overland, and countless other brass era cars and motorcycles. Meanwhile Marvel carburetors became common on cars produced by General Motors.

By 1912 the Marvel company bought out Wheeler and Schebler. The Marvel Schebler company moved to Flint Michigan in 1912 to be closer to production of the General Motors cars and trucks that used the majority of its products. Wheeler Schebler continued as a brand, while Marvel and Schebler also continued to be a separate carburetor brands of the combined companies. By the mid teens there were both Schebler and Marvel accessory carburetors for the Model T Ford being built, and in the 1920’s a Wheeler Schebler carburetor as well. In this article we will rebuilt a crusty old Marvel carburetor of this era and bring it back to life.

February 9, 2019

Replacing the Fuel Line on your Model T Ford

A shiny new 1920 Model T Ford Center Door comes home for the first time.

The other day I went out to the garage with plans to go for a drive in one of the Model T’s. I was immediately confronted by a heavy gasoline smell. The first thought was to open the garage door to vent the vapors. Next I looked under the 1914 to see a drip pan under the car holding a considerable amount of fuel. Fortunately there was no fire! I had tried a newly rebuilt carburetor the day prior, and the fuel line evidently had cracked some time during or after my drive around the neighborhood testing the carburetor. The copper fuel line, of undetermined age, had failed as they always do. Time to make a new one from steel that won’t fail unexpectedly.

January 31, 2019February 11, 2019

Repairing a Kingston L4 Carburetor for your Model T Ford

A line of 1923 Center Door Sedans come from the upholstery area towards the final assembly line in the Highland Park Plant. Photograph dated April 2, 1923 property of the Henry Ford Museum collection. About half of these cars would be equipped with Kingston L4 carburetors when they left the plant.

Kingston introduced the final variant of it’s L series carburetor for the Model T Ford at the beginning of the 1922 model year. It was the iconic Kingston L4, used on millions of Model T’s and TT trucks from 1922 – 1927. A good performing carburetor, it provided years of trouble free motoring and simple design that could be repaired easily. Let’s take a look at how to restore one.

January 26, 2019February 11, 2019

Rebuilding the 1915 and 1916 Kingston Model L Carburetors

A Ford dealership displays the new 1915 Model T Couplet, Center Door Sedan, and Runabout in January 1915.

Ford was busy revamping the exterior “look” of the Model T Ford in 1915 model year. At the same time, subtle mechanical improvements were being implemented. The Kingston Model L carburetor was introduced about the same time as the new model and fiscal year. Because of its lower fuel inlet Ford engineers specified the Kingston L be used exclusively in the new Center Door Sedan, coupled with a longer intake pipe and heat tube which positioned the carburetor lower for better fuel flow.

January 20, 2019January 21, 2019

The Kingston Carburetor in the Model T Ford

A brand new two lever 1909 tourabout is missing the splash aprons for some reason. This car likely was delivered with a Kingston 5 ball carburetor.

A version of Kingston carburetor, made in Kokomo Indiana, was used on every year of Model T Ford. Like the Model T the Kingston carburetor evolved many times over the course of Ford production. Ford always had a secondary supplier for carburetors during every model year, as was customary. Kingston was sometimes the primary brand, other times it was the secondary brand in a given model year. The Kingston brand is the only carburetor manufacturer that was used during every model year of the Model T.

In this article we will examine the Kingston carburetors for the entire life of the Model T. This will provide an easy identification guide for the restorer or prospective purchaser of either a carburetor or a Model T. Having the correct carburetor for your car enhances the car’s interest to serious collectors. This of course makes the car more valuable.