MTFCA Forum

Should the center brace be centered or is it offset to handle all the g forces from the driver?
How does it attach at the top? Through the tack strip-metal-backrest frame? Bolt through all 3 ?

The new wood was purchased and I don’t have the old to go by

The brace attaches in the middle.

After you have the wood tack strip mounted, that is done with stove bolts, countersinking the single slot bolt head into the face of the tack strip, and then fastening on the metal upper inside with (lock washers optional) and square nuts.

Then mount the upper cross support in the same manner, nuts on the inside, the backrest 3 vertical strips (spaced evenly) are stove bolted to upper cross support and at the bottom cross support, by same process. That lower support is bolted to the seat riser rear.

Taper the ends of the vertical strips for a nice line up of the backrest spring, you don't want sharp square edges to be to the outside against the spring or in a way to make the backrest spring protrude forward too much.


Original wood shown below: Now, you can modified the Ford way, did this runabout with 4 vertical, figured my size needed more backrest support, plus left off the upper cross support wood to perhaps gain a bit more backrest room too

Dan
I like your modifications!
I may copy your design

After you fit the wood, be sure to remove it and treat the rust and at least prime the inside of the body. It's surprising how the body sheet metal can rust from the inside. Even seal off the seam where the two pieces of metal come together. Do the same for the inside of the doors and the under side of the body. I prefer to use a catalized acrylic primer for the work. It will seal the body better than sanding primer. In fact I use that primer for both inside and outside of the body and then if I need any fillers use after the first primer. After sanding the filler use sanding primer, as many coats as you need to get it completely smooth, at least for the outside. It is a big mistake to think that the finish coat of paint will fill any imperfections in the metal. In fact the gloss will make them even more noticeable.
Norm

Dry fitting everything. How tight do you tack the bottom of the backrest material? The seat cushion will push against it .

And how high do you hang the spring to get a good look on top?