MTFCA Forum

My wood tack strip for the back seat of my 1916 T Touring is bad and needs replaced. Has anyone used the plastic ones available for a fraction of the price? I am not worried about original, you will not see it anyway. do they bend in shape OK with a heat gun? Are they easy to tack to? Would you recommend them? Can it be purchased locally or do I have to go to Langs?

Yes - I purchased composite boards from Lowes, cut them to size on a table saw and used clamps and a heat gun to shape them to the car. Don't get the "wood" too hot, it doesn't take that much to bend it. I started from one end and worked my way around. I was able to do a whole seat back with one piece. It's held up very well. Note: I cut some pieces of angle aluminum to place between the clamps and the "wood" to distribute the clamping force. If you don't do this you'll leave dents in the "wood."

I should point out I tried steam bent wood first and was not happy with the result.

I have used the pvc boards as well. You can use a hair dryer or heat gun to help the plastic make the bends. The pvc seems to hold staples well. I have not tried to use upholstery tacks. I have found that the pvc does not hold screws too well.

I have used large round head tacks and have noticed no tendency to work loose. I have used a few screws on the rear retaining strip that holds the bottom of the vinyl top to the rearmost seatback and they appear to hold as well. I also have a few machine screws through the metal retaining strip so the screws aren't all that is holding it.

I cut a composite board 3/4 x 3/4 and bolted it starting in the center in the back, heated it with a hair dryer and it worked great. Thank you very much.

I took a piece of popular and bent it around and screwed in place. Popular was the original type of wood used in my 1916 touring.
If you take a 2" piece of PVC and cap one end and put a FIP adaptor and plug on other end you can put the wood in 2 pieces in. Next fill with ammonia.
After letting the wood soak for a day or so it will bend like butter. Much better than steam. Ammonia smell goes away quickly. I started in the middle of the back and installed screws as I went around to sides.

Household ammonia? I never heard of that one. I'll have to try it sometime.

"Has anyone used the plastic ones available "


Yes they work great, you will have to heat and shape it though.