Work Party at the Azevedo's Garage

Larry hosted a work party on Saturday, December 10th.  The turnout was great, with around sixteen Tin Lizzie members and family showing up to work on their own projects, help out other members with theirs, or assist in the rebuilding of the Model T engine to be raffled nationally for the 2012 MTFCA Business Meeting.

Joining a Tin Lizzie activity for the first time was Orlando Ortega Jr. of Portales (in Eastern New Mexico) who has a 1924 touring and a 1921 runabout.  To his knowledge, they are the only Model T's in the vicinity of Portales.  He had joined the Tin Lizzies earlier in the year and had been in contact with Kirk Peterson via the Internet where Orlando and Kirk are frequent participants on MTFCA forums. Senior Club member Clarence Schritter had also done engine work on Orlando's runabout a couple of years previously.  On this Saturday morning he was in Albuquerque and found his way to Larry and Lorna's house in Corrales - the site of the Tin Lizzies work parties.  For the first time since he acquired his two T's, had he had the opportunity to talk to a large group of people with the same obsession with these old, charming, tough, and quirky cars!  Orland had to start on his three-and-a-half hour drive home before lunchtime but went away determined to join more Club functions in the future.

Tim O'Brien was assembling the pistons and rods on his 1923 fire truck engine - a project he had been working on with Larry's and his fathers help.  Tim's son Zack (Neil's grandson) was busy studying and playing outside in the snow with a large radio-controlled truck he had just acquired.

Tim assembling his 1923 engine

Close-up of the fire truck engine

New member Orlando talking to Neil

Zack

Tim and Zack assembling the radio-controlled vehicle

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Larry was busy babbitting a fourth main bearing that had been cleaned and media blasted by Jahn Wright.  After the bearing was poured, Neil O'Brien finished the part on the lathe.  Steve Suttle was cleaning up and media blasting a four-dip pan for the engine to be auctioned. Don Mitchell continued  rebuilding a period water pump for his 1926 Tudor.  The Duncan's had purchased a correct spare tire carrier for their 1920 touring that needed cleaning and straightening.  Mark had a front and rear fender that needed rust removal by media blasting and wire brushing.  John Seawell had brought a torque tube for his speedster project.  A previous rebuilder had inserted a steel/babbitted bushing into the tube and it had lodged so tightly that even heating the area with a torch didn't loosen the parts enough to press it out.  Larry chucked the tube into his large lathe and bored the offending bushing out!  It will be replaced by a stock bronze bushing of the correct diameter.

The work party was a great success and a lot of work was accomplished.  As is customary, the club enjoyed a delicious lunch together, lively conversation, and generally had a grand time focusing on T's.

Thank you to Larry and Lorna for making it possible!

Larry preparing to pour babbitt into the fourth main bearing.

Jahn tracking the babbitt temperature

Kirk and Tom Miles observing Larry's babbitting process

Steve, in a Model T-obsessed moment, ready to attack Vernon!

Kirk and Orlando

Larry at the grinder

Orlando showing John photos of his runabout and touring cars on his laptop.

Larry and Vernon

Larry and Don

Larry and John working on John's speedster torque tube

Don and Don!

Paul and Marilyn

Mark media blasting a fender

Neil machining the fourth main bearing

Vernon heating up John's torque tube in an effort to free-up a stuck bushing.

Lunch time in the barn

Paul working on the spare tire carrier for his 1920 touring.

Larry boring out the stuck bushing while John and Don sand the torque tube exterior.

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