Model T upholstery help continued...

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Model T upholstery help continued...
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin Vowell, Pacoima, CA on Thursday, May 31, 2012 - 04:29 pm:

A few months ago I started on my seat upholstery project. I would have liked to buy a kit from Classique, but, well I just couldn't afford it at this time. I posted my solution here and asked for help with a few dimensions. From all the helpful info I got I made up this diagram:



I got a heavy grade duck fabric that was on sale (because I couldn't afford vinyl), some Nu-foam padding and some muslin for under a hundred dollars total. I cut out my pieces, made the seat top sandwich (fabric, .5 foam and muslin backing) for the channels. It was then that I found that my wife's machine couldn't handle the thickness, so I hand stitched the channels.



After finishing with that I proceeded to make the skirt or box panels and sewed my trim to them first. Well here we go again, my wife's machine couldn't handle that either, so I had to hand sew those too.



When it came time to join those together, guess what my wife's machine couldn't also do? And yes I was left with hand sewing that too. Since I have all this evidence that my wife's machine is totally useless, I resorted to sewing the skirt and top together by hand. I was really pleased to see that it actually fit.



As soon as I get some hog ring pliers I'm going to pull the cover down to the proper size.

What I need to know now is, the backrest. What is the bottom of the fabric cover nailed to or is it hog ringed to the springs? If it is nailed, how much slack do I leave for the seat to fit into the seat box? If any of you gents could possibly shoot a couple of pictures of how your touring's (my car is a 22 touring) front seat backrest is installed I'd appreciate it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Thursday, May 31, 2012 - 05:06 pm:

there is a piece of wood that goes across the top of the seat box. Don't pay attention to the plywood bottom that doesn't belong there. You can see the piece here. I think it's 1 1/2 by 1 1/2 by 36 or so.

1220113


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Thursday, May 31, 2012 - 05:09 pm:

The fabric is nailed to that piece starting in the center and working your way to the corners. Make sure you have no padding in the bottom 4 inches of the seat back or you will never get the bottom seat cushion in place.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin Vowell, Pacoima, CA on Friday, June 01, 2012 - 03:56 am:

William, is the fabric pulled taunt or left slightly loose? Do the buttons hold the fabric to the padding? Or do they serve some purpose? I'm trying to make up my mind about the buttons, I've counted 72 of them on the cars I've seen. Oh and one more question, was yours a Classique kit? Was the backrest panel sewn to the side panels or was it all one piece? Please look at my diagram and tell me if I've got it right.



I'm also undertaking to make my own interior panels (I decided that pockets would be a nice accessory).


I think I'm correct, but I won't really know until I set to making it, this one is for the front only and I'm working on the rears, the drivers side panel and the cowl panel.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Friday, June 01, 2012 - 07:34 am:

The buttons appear to keep the "sandwich" of fabric, burlap, padding from moving around.

Mine was is a Classtique kit. My backrest, if I remember correctly, came with the side pieces sewn to the middle section. It needs to be installed all at once. You start nailing at the bottom, in both directions evenly. It's only pulled taut from the TOP of the seat back, not the bottom. The middle of the panel is determined only using the spring portion of the covering, but the sides (being already attached) will line up with their nailing blocks, too. The side panel of the backrest needs to be nailed at the front of the seat arm rests perpendicular to the body with the first channel being 4 inches wide so make sure the end channels have enough material to fold under to nail in place.

The piece of wood you nail to, will either have to be bolted to the seat box or riveted to the seat box. Mine is bolted with two stove bolts that I really do need to tighten up.

In the Classtique kit, the interior panels are made from card board in the shape of the doors, driver's side fake wall, and corner of the passenger side cowl section. The drivers panel and the cowl section had a strip of material to "finish" the ends that were exposed. The door panels were made to fit to the inside of the turned lip on the doors with the material left raw to cut later to the shape of the door. Then the finish trim was nailed in place.

Don't forget the fabric is glued to the cardboard.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Travis E. Towle on Friday, June 01, 2012 - 07:47 am:

what year? i have a 1926 roadster kit i can photo for you. and the wood kit to.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Travis E. Towle on Friday, June 01, 2012 - 07:52 am:

sorry just read your year.


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration