MTFCA Forum

Does anyone know if the seat springs were originally painted ? mine were so rusty that I could not tell, so am installing new ones and wondering if they should be painted first. Thanks

Should be coated with an enamel. If they start to rust, they will break down the burlap and cotton.

All the Best,

Hank

They will rust if not painted.


The spring just under the compression press sure looks black painted.

I'm fairly certain they were dipped in "japan" black. I know that even if they were not, I would still paint mine, if they didn't already come from the maker painted. I doubt if even a Grand National judge would be loosening a corner of the upholstery to peek under it.

The springs in my car were definitely painted. They are steel and will rust. New springs have aluminum frame but springs are still steel. Need paint for sure.

Not sure why Snyder's does not paint their springs, they should or at lease offer it. Thanks, I will be painting them.

Springs that I have gotten from Snyder's in the past have been painted.

: ^ )

Like R. V. Anderson stated dipped.


Now please do not laugh to hard with this trick.

As a young man (age 14), I wanted to learn upholstery. We had one of the best in Northern California, Baron’s Top and Upholstery. Old Man Rex Brown showed me this trick.

Gave me $15.00 to go down the street and get a quart each of gloss black enamel and mineral spirits.

He grabbed two commercial garbage bags and put one in the other. Thinned the enamel with about 25% of the thinner. Poured the 40 ounces of paint in the double bagged contraption and said, go and get all those springs and do this to them one at a time.

Installed one at a time, sealed the end, rolled them around on fresh mowed grass area in all directions. Laid them out on a drop cloth. Did every spring with about 16 ounces left. Coats very well and the soft enamel really helps, does take a good four days to dry but has excellent results.

All the Best Folks,

Hank in Tin-A-See

The seat back spring in my 24 Coupe was painted. It had a thin coat of black paint on it. It looked like the paint drip dried on the spring. It was original to the car. The 2 seat cushion springs weren’t painted. They were rusted.
The burlap cotton cover that was under the upholstry had a stenciled black T part no. on it. I sent a pic of it to Dave Sosnoski to use in his book he was putting together about 23-25 T Coupes and their construction.