MTFCA Forum

I purchased a 1916 Touring. It came with only 1 seat cushion. How do I know if it is for the front or back or will it fit either? Here is what Langs has to offer for the back rest for the front & rear:

Seat Backrest Spring, Touring and Roadster Front Backrest Item Number: TS7028 Year: 1914-1916 $99.00

Seat Backrest Spring, Touring and Roadster Rear Backrest Item Number: TS7030 Year: 1914-1916 $91.00

Much cheaper than Snyders, does anyone see a problem with these?

Does the seat I have look usable? I can get more pictures.

Snyder's is the manufacturer of seat cushion springs. That's exactly how they got involved in Model T parts, they started making seat springs....... I have no idea of the source that langs or any other supplier would have.

The springs are the foundation of the seat. Compromise on quality/price/construction, and you will likely regret doing so later on.

Allan from down under.

Andy


As others mentioned, Snyder's mfg the seat springs in house, and makes them for all.

Your Lang's part numbers are incorrect, you will want the '16-'21 versions, Langs # TS7034 front, $166 and TS7032 rear, $135. These prices are the same as Snyder's and part numbers are the same.


Here are the dimensions for your front cushion spring.

Andy mentions backrest springs not seat cushion springs...

Andy,

"IF" repeat "IF" the seat spring you show is for a 1915-25 Model T touring, it is the bottom spring that you sit (called cushion in the Lang's catalog). But just looking at the photo I cannot tell if it is a front or back seat bottom spring or what year range it fits. It might even be a seat spring to a different make of car. Dan’s illustration shows the dimensions for one spring above.

"IFit is a bottom/cushion spring from a Model T Touring -- you can put it in the back seat and then put it in the front seat and it will fit one place much better than the other as the body gets wider as it goes from the front to the back. That will tell you which one it is for but will not necessarily tell you which year range it fits. .

Please also see the postings below:

Good info on 1916 seat springs:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1500752595
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/17 ... 1295095136

Below shows what is believed to be original front seat of car the back rest spring for a 1915 that does NOT have the curved spring attaching the spring to the top of the back rest. Those are in Blackie.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1331537191

Below shows where the seat springs that came with the car were not the correct ones:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/17 ... 1306812740

Below shows that sometimes the body on the car is later than the engine in the car etc.
It is a 1917-20ish body shown on an earlier chassis – but it has good photos of the seat springs (And they may have been used in some 1916?)
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1342818826

Good luck with your car!

Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off

I recommend getting the correct springs from Snyders. Better to do the job right the first time instead of having to do it again in a few years and wish you did it right the first time.

Mike

Well, the seat cushion spring in our 26 runabout , in plain terms ,is completely shot. I feel that I've " bottomed out" more often than the car has, paved roads or not. Recently I called Upholstery Mike at Classtique and he will be installing new upholstery on a new seat spring for us. He was very thorough asking his questions and having a conversation with him only increased my reliance...looking forward to a smoother riding Model T. Mike, thank you in advance. Bob Jablonski.

Well, I am happy to report an update on our Runabout seat .....two days ago we received a seat composed of a brand new spring and upholstery and extra padding supplied by Classtique Upholstery. The work that Mike does is absolutely first class, I say this because I have seen other seats of lesser workmanship and quality and they do not compare with Mike's results. I admit I did reupholster the seat that was in the car and to be honest I really didn't know what I was doing even with the enclosed instructions.. but that was 15 years ago. I did see on YouTube videos of Mike's work at our model T museum, and visualizing his explanation and work convinced me to order. During our phone conversation, he did ask several fitting and important questions and I am totally satisfied.... Thanks again Mike and I am totally satisfied.

On the later cars the area under the seat had a cross piece of wood which supported the center of the spring. On the earlier cars like yours, there is the gas tank under the seat cushion. You need a base under the spring to keep the spring from sagging down to the top of the gas tank. I think there might have originally been a sheet of steel under there with a hole for filling the gas tank. You could also use a quarter inch plywood there. If you put the cushion in without support, it will sag and hit the top of the tank.
Norm

Hi Norm .......if the gas tank were under a front seat you're absolutely correct.. this is on a 26 Runabout, touring car is similar, the gas tank is in the cowl. There is a wood support across the center in the seat frame that the cushion will rest on along with the metal flange of the seat frame support for the spring assembly. The original spring assembly physically fell apart giving no support. The new upholstered spring I have now is like driving a new car.

Hey Andy 2794 .... How did you make out getting new seat springs for your car ??

I was able to purchase front & rear top springs, bottom springs for the rear, I still am looking for front bottom springs. TY.