MMVII
Published by the T Fords of Texas, San Antonio
2 CENTS










T Fords of Texas Member Tom Campbell

Castroville

1911 Roadster, 1915 Touring Car, 1925 TT Cab, 1926 Roadster, 1926 Tudor

Almost as much of a surprise to himself as anyone else, Tom went out shopping in 2005 for another antique tractor or parts for his existing collection of seven old John Deeres, and came home with the remnants of a 1915 Ford Model T touring car. While he himself had not driven a T in decades, Tom had several good friends with Ts, and they seemed to be having a wee bit more fun with their vehicles than was possible with a tractor, so he decided to join in, the hard way. Almost immediately, Tom began a meticulous restoration. Before long, needing space for more Ts, the tractors, once his principle focus, were sold off one by one.

Tom Campbell driving his 1915 Ford Model T touring car on Alamo Plaza in San Antonio
Tom Campbell with his 1915 Ford Model T touring car and his 1926 Ford Model T runabout at the San Antonio Ford Model T Show at the Texas Transportation Museum
Tom and Sharron Campbell in their 1915 Model T touring car outside a log cabin Tom built near Castroville
Tom Campbell with his 1926 Model T C Cab 1 ton truck at an event in Lavernia, Texas
In 2007 he saw a banner for the first ever San Antonio Model T Show at the Texas Transportation Museum and ended up joining TFOT where he now one of our most active members. He leads an annual tour of Medina County which is one of the best activities in our calendar. As you can see in the pictures below, he has already restored a 1925 1 ton C cab truck, a 1926 Roadster and a 1911 Roadster. His latest acquisition, as of March 2012, is a 1926 Tudor coupe, which is a closed vehicle, which will allow him to drive a T all year round.

Tom and Sharron Campbell with their 1915 Model T touring car in Castroville at the beginning of the Medina County tour which Tom leads
Tom Campbell wining a trophy for his 1915 Model T touring car at the Shriner charity car show in San Antonio
Tom Campbell in his 1915 Model T touring car during the Medina County tour which Tom leads
Tom Campbell's first three Model T restoration projects
Tom Campbell with his 1911 Model T roadster at a Shriner charity car show
Tom Campbell checking a tire on his 1915 Touring Car during the 2012 TFOT Medina County Tour
Tom and Sharron Campbell with friends during the 2012 TFOT Medina County Tour
Tom Campbell at Lonnie Haller's old time gas pump during the 2012 TFOT Wilson County Tour
Tom Campbell ariving at the 2012 antique aircraft fly-in at Kingsbury Aerodrome
Tom Campbell. right, with the mayor of Bandera, April 2013
Tom Campbell tweaking his 1915 Touring Car, April 2013
Jerry King and Tom Campbell and their Ford Model Ts at the Pioneer Flight Museum Antique Aircraft Fly-In, Kingsberry Aerodrome 2013
Tom Campbell with daughter Debora during the T Fords of Texas Spring Tour, April 2014
Tom Campbell with Mac Morris, owner of the Lone Star Bakery, during the T Fords of Texas Spring Tour, April 2014
Tom and Sharron Campbell during the T Fords of Texas Spring Tour, April 2014
>Tom Campbell with his 1926 Ford Model T roadster at the 2014 Shriner Car Show
>Tom Campbell accepting an award for his 1926 Ford Model T roadster at the 2014 Shriner Car Show
A gaggle of Ford Model Ts at Tom Campbell's house in Castroville
Tom Campbell with his "new" 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2014 Texas T Party in San Angelo
Tom Campbell and passenger in his "new" 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2014 Texas T Party in San Angelo
Tom and Sharron Campbell with their "new" 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2015 TFOT spring tour
Tom Campbell with his "new" 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2015 Shriner charity car show
Tom Campbell in his 1915 Ford Model T touring car during the 2015 Medina Lake tour
Tom Campbell with his 1915 Ford Model T touring car during the 2015 Castroville 4th of July parade
Tom Campbell with his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2015 San Antonio Ford Model T Show
Tom Campbell with his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2015 Texas T Party based in Uvalde
Tom Campbell with his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2015 Texas T Party based in Uvalde
Tom Campbell with his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2015 Texas T Party based in Uvalde
Tom Campbell with his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2015 Texas T Party based in Uvalde
Tom Campbell with his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2017 TFOT Spring Tour
Tom Campbell in his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2017 TFOT Spring Tour
Tom Campbell in his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during a 2017 4th of July parade
Tom Campbell in his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2017 Texas T Party
Tom Campbell in his 1926 Ford Model T Tudor during the 2017 Texas T Party
Tom Campbell with Janie Neunhoffer between his 1926 Ford Model T and George Wilson's 1921 during the 2017 Texas T Party
1911 Model T Roadster restoration project

For his fourth major restoration project, Tom chose to make a 1911 roadster complete with single rear seat. While many reproduction parts are available most hobbyists like to keep as much of the original vehicle as possible. It would appear in this case, however, that all Tom started with was a 1911 chassis and engine. But no one should be dismissive about the commitment of time, money and effort involved in taking on a project like this. It does however, recreate a rhetorical quandary. In the antique car community we like to say it's a long time since the factory made a new Model T. But folks like George are actually making them almost like a cottage industry. Ford himself, master of mass production, would undoubtedly be amused and delighted, if his choice of subject for his own heritage center is any guide.
Chassis and engine for Tom Campbell's 1911 Model T roadster project
Chassis for Tom Campbell's 1911 Model T roadster project being restored
Body work for Tom Campbell's 1911 Model T roadster project being installed
>Body work for Tom Campbell's 1911 Model T roadster project being installed
>Body work for Tom Campbell's 1911 Model T roadster project being installed
>Body work for Tom Campbell's 1911 Model T roadster project being installed
>Tom Campbell's 1911 Model T roadster at the Alamo
Tom Campbell with his old 1911 Ford Model T roadster during the 2019 Texas T Party
1915 Model T Touring car restoration project

This was Tom's first restoration. Most people would not even recognize what he bought as any kind of car, let alone one capable of winning prizes in a field of worthy competitors. It takes the eye of an artist and the soul of a poet to look beyond the pile of rusty, rotten remains to see the potential. And an understanding wife! The car had to be rebuilt from the ground up but you would never know it when you see see Tom merrily tootling done the road in his fine automobile.
This is how Tom Campbell's 1915 Model T touring car looked when he brought it home in 2005
Preparing the chassis for Tom Campbell's 1915 Model T touring car which can be seen on a trailer in the background
The front axle of Tom Campbell's 1915 Model T touring car
The engine for Tom Campbell's 1915 Model T touring car during restoration
Reconstruction of Tom Campbell's 1915 Model T touring car
Reconstruction of Tom Campbell's 1915 Model T touring car
Reconstruction of Tom Campbell's 1915 Model T touring car
Tom Campbell's 1915 Model T touring car acting as a bridal limousine following its restoration
>Tom Campbell giving rides in his 1915 Ford Model T touring car during the 2013 San Antonio Ford Model T Show
1925 Model TT C Cab 1 ton truck restoration project

This was Tom's second T restoration. TTs are a little different from regular Ts. They have a longer, stronger chassis, and a different rear end, geared lower to allow the same 20 HP engine to move a ton of freight. Introduced in 1917, the Ford introduced the C cab in 1924. It was not a popular design and only lasted two years. Folks preferred to have an enclosed cab which would be built by a local company, which s why you se so many diverse cab styles on these trucks which were often sold as a chassis / engine combination only. As often happens, C cabs today are highly collectible, which makes the investment in this one a very sound decision.
This is how Tom Campbell found the 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck
Tom Campbell's 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck in his garage. You are looking at the front end. The cab has been removed and lain on its back on the rear of the chassis
The restored chassis of Tom Campbell's 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck
Cab restoration in progress on Tom Campbell's 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck
Cab restoration in progress on Tom Campbell's 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck
Engine restoration in progress on Tom Campbell's 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck
Restoration in progress on Tom Campbell's 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck
Tom Campbell's 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck waiting for its new bed
Tom Campbell's 1925 Model T C cab 1 ton truck fully restored
1926 Model T Roadster restoration project

This was Tom Campbell's third major restoration project. The original components were either completely restored or replaced. Once again he took what appeared to be little more than junk and turned into (back) into a handsome vehicle capable, in this case capable of being driven all the way to Bastrop from Castroville for the 2011 Texas T Party. All told, he and George Wilson in his 1921 Model T Center Door, also rescued from a similar fate, drove over 600 miles with no mechanical issues to report.
Chassis for Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster
Front axle for Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster
Body for Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster
Work in progress on the body for Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster
Restored engine and chassis for Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster
Restored engine and chassis for Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster
Restored body work on Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster
Body painted and seat installed on Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster
Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster fully restored
Tom Campbell's 1926 Model T roadster fully restored
>Tom Campbell with his 1926 and 1911 Model T roadsters at a Shriner charity car show
Tom Campbell with his 1926 Model T roadster at a Roaring 20s fashion shoot, March 2012

CONTENTS

Front Page

Section A
Section B
Section C
Section D

Published by the T Fords of Texas, San Antonio's Ford Model T Club