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Well, we took the battery up to NAPA, they tested it and it was so dead, it would not even pass through a jump from another battery. So we reluctantly purchased a new battery and put it in the car and crossed our fingers, thinking this was not going to solve anything, but remove one item from the check list. The engine turned right over. A little starting fluid and it started right up after sitting for a year. Ran it up to the car wash, filled up the tank with ethynol free gas and parked it back in my friends garage. After taking a photo, of course. Thanks to all who helped.

I'll take the old battery in and have NAPA test it and replace it, if necessary. It was set in the battery box with the negative ground cable toward the radioator and facing the engine block with a secondary ground wire coming off the negative terminal and bolted to the passenger fender. The positive terminal was towards the firewall and block with the positive cable going to the solinoid mounted on the passenger fender as well.

I am researching a new battery for this car. What is the correct group for the Edsel Ranger with the E400 engine? Group 29 is the only group number I can find on the web. I will take the old one with me to have it tested and if I need a new battery, make sure it is the same size. It is a tough one to find one in stock. 29NF? Commercial battery?

Well, we went through everything this aftermoon with the meter and it all leads us to think it is the starter. Resistance, or lack of, all look good on the negative and positive side. Since the "hot" comes off the starter to run the horn and lights, that would help explain why they get low and go out then trying to start the car. Think it's worth pulling the starter and hving someone go through it. It's a T bird police engine in the Edsel, so we'll have to research how to pull the starter. Weill keep you posted for others with same problem down the road.

Working on a friends 58 Edsel while he is laid up. I have no history with the car so don't know what the bench mark is. Won't start and sounded like dead battery as the solinoid would click when the key is turned, but nothing else. Fully charge new batter and new solinoid installed, same thing. Turn key and rapid buzzing or clicking from the solinoid. So my first thought is short in starter. But, with key off and lights on, when I honk the horn, the lights go out and the horn sounds barely activated. So, some sort of massive drain on the battery. It's still fully charged and jumping form another vhicle changes nothing. If it's a starter issue, why the drain on the lights and horn with the key off? Does all the power go through the starter? both battery cables look new and connections are good, tight and clean at both ground crossmember, fender bolt and solinoid on the fender. Where should I look? Thanks in advance.

The time frame of the car is WWI. And that is what a family member is remembering, but I cannot find any civilian reference to any war time shortages of rubber during WWI so I don't know why the tire would be stamped "military" I do not find any military specifications for tires to indicate that military tires were of a thicker ply, different treads, etc. The use of any vehicle in WWI is rare. The Model T ambulance is the most widely used vehicle, but Ford made the car, not the tires. Can't imagine they would take the time and effort to put a different tire on the 2,500 chassis that were used as ambulances vs. the 16 million they made for civilian use. Too bad no serial or DOT numbers to give an idea of the manufacturer date.

Newbie to this forum, so I'll post a photo or two if I have to later. I have a Model T project that the two front tires are smooth, no tread, 30x3.00 tires. On the outer sidewall it is U.S. Tire and U.S. Rubber with a federal looking seal on it. On the inner sidewall it does not have the U.S. Tire andU.S. Rubber embossing, but is a raised area stamped with the word "military". What little I know about the US tire industry during WWII is that they would not have made this tire for a 26 year old car, or if they did, would not mark it "military". Another forum has suggested that it must fit some srt of military trailer, hand cart or possibly even an aircraft, but I cannot find anything about this tire. It is a tube type clincher tire. Any thoughts about the "military" stamping on this tire? I'll hang up and listen.