'30 Roadster seat questions

[roll of the dices]

Hi all, I am about to start doing the upholstery for my roadster and will be starting with the seat. I can use some help.

This is my 1st time ever doing upholstery but with my dad's help, I am confident we can get it done. I am planning on keeping it as original looking as possible with the tuck and roll, and will be using cotton batting for filling.

I do have a couple of questions and hoping someone can share some insight.

The original seat that came in my roadster is long stripped from the original material and I can't use it as template anymore. Dumb move in my part trying to avoid rats making a nest out of it :-)

My seat came with 11 pleats. Most of the pictures I am able to find as reference have 13, or 18 pleats. Most of the pictures show 18 pleats...which one is correct?

My other question is with regards to the lower band on the bench seat.
My seat had a one piece band with a piping below the top edge (about 2"-3") from the top edge. Almost looks like a pillow top.
Most pictures I find, show the band as a 3 piece band with a french seam on the front corners and a piping right at the top edge. Which one is correct?

Thank you in advance. I am not sure if the upholstery on my seat was original or maybe it was recovered along the way.

Adding pictures to help explain. 1st 3 pics are of my seat, before I took it apart, and last picture is from the web.

[Bob C]

If I'm reading the Judging Standards correctly the Standard Roadster had 11 pleats.

[fundytides]

Are you working on a Standard or DeLuxe Roadster? The old seats that you show look correct for a Standard with 11 pleats while the blue car that you show is difinetly a DeLuxe with 18 pleats. There are also differences in the color, seam patterns etc. The top frames and windshields are also very different between Standard and DeLuxe cars. The Judging Standards published by the Model A Restorers Club and the Model A Ford Club of America would be a good investment to guide you through this and other issues that you will encounter as you work your way through a restoration. Good luck@!

[Planojc]

Looks like your transmission is not original, so do the upholstery however you want it. From what I can see at the top pf the B pillar, you have a standard roadster so eleven pleats would be correct.

[roll of the dices]

Thank you all for your replies.

Deluxe vs Standard. I didn't think or know that could make a difference in the pleats of the seat.

Planojc, please educate me, what about the B pillar helps one identify it as a Standard roadster?

My car came in pieces so I assumed it was a deluxe based on the top frame and lower upper stanchions that came with it.

[Bob C]

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The Standard Roadster has different top bows and taller windshield among other differences. Standard on the right.

[California Travieso]

Deluxe has cowl lights and the standard does not. Your body looks like a Brookville with the metal floor that the previous owner chopped up, as Planojc pointed out, to fit a nonstandard transmission.

What do you want to do with it? Do you want close to original or modified?

David Serrano

[mcgarrett]

The Deluxe Roadster windshield is about an inch lower than the Standard and the top irons are different to allow for the lower windshield height and do not interchange with the Standard. Also, the rear top iron on a Deluxe is chrome plated with exposed finished wood trim overlaying the chrome - as in the photo of the blue roadster in your original post.

[AzBob]

That 1st picture looking at the door said Brookville to me as well.
Taking a second look, there appears to be an absence of a gas tank.

[gdmn852]

Hello, the standard roadster have a black top and is similar the 1928-29 models , the interior is not leather but rather the simulated imitation, with the 11 pleats, and black cardboard like door panels, interior is always black on a standard. A 30 Deluxe has a slightly lower top as described in previous post , top is of a tan material , interior are brown - tan color with leather used on seatings surfaces with greater amount of pleats, door panels are brown imitation leather. Also a 30 would have a single driver side side mount spare , rumble seat and luggage rack , introduced later in the 1930 model year, would have the round type speed o meter. Windshield and stanction are also about inch and half shorter on deluxe. 1931 Deluxe in pictures, incorrect color and non original grill guard.

[gdmn852]

Hello, the standard roadster have a black top and is similar the 1928-29 models , the interior is not leather but rather the simulated imitation, with the 11 pleats, and black cardboard like door panels, interior is always black on a standard. A 30 Deluxe has a slightly lower top as described in previous post , top is of a tan material , interior are brown - tan color with leather used on seatings surfaces with greater amount of pleats, door panels are brown imitation leather. Also a 30 would have a single driver side side mount spare , rumble seat and luggage rack , introduced later in the 1930 model year, would have the round type speed o meter. Windshield and stanction are also about inch and half shorter on deluxe. 1931 Deluxe in pictures, incorrect color and non original grill guard.

[roll of the dices]

Thank you so much for for taking the time to reply. Love to learn about my roadster
You all got me thinking now! Brookvile, standard roadster? :-) and here I was thinking I had a deluxe.

Here is a couple pictures of the body. It had the holes for the cowl lights, supports and signs of previous wiring. Body is put together with rivets, and rust holes that looked too old to be a Brookville :-)
There is a body number stamp on passenger side, front cross rail lower part of the bench seat. There is another stamp on the rear side of the gas tank.

The top that came with it, is the scissor style, with the wood bows, and the main legs were chrome in an earlier life.
The lower stanchions were both brass and the upper stanchions were 12" or so in height, It didn't come with a windshield. That and an engine were missing when I purchased.
That's what led me to believe I had a deluxe.

It came with a rear mounted spare tire, which I now read was on the standard model and a now the seat which looks to be also an standard feature. The rumble seat matches the front seat and that has 9 pleats.
Maybe previous owner had a standard and was in the process of making itnto deluxe? I got it in pieces and couldn't talk to the original owner when I purchased.

Anyone knows the width of the pleats for the deluxe seat? I am ssuiming 2"-2.25" to make up te 18 pleats

[gdmn852]

Also most of the Brookville bodies I have seen used a lot of spot welds rather than riveted together, one picture of door area shows riveted brace at upper cowl , steel floor may have been added to original body, original floor of course were wood. Look around firewall, and subframe, originally they are all riveted. Sorry for duplicate post above.

[gdmn852]

Hello again, I think you are right, looks like a original body to me too , the top Irons that you show are deluxe , I was trying to see if the trunk area had a flat floor or angle type , if flat would have been a trunk. I am trying to restore my 31 roadster, more I work on it more I find wrong! Good luck on your project!

[Bleedblue4life]

That seat bottom has the correct seam location for early 30 standard roadsters. It was changed to the top edge later. No upholstery company makes it correct for a early 30 standard roadster.

[Planojc]

What you have is a standard roadster with a deluxe top and cowl lights added. Several things point out to it being a standard, the curve at the top of the pillar where the door closes, having a rear tire mount, plus the eleven pleats on the seat. Many standards have been converted to deluxe this way, mine included and for me nothing is wrong with it. Make it like you want.

[Keith True]

What is the difference in the B pillar for the DeLuxe? That is something I've never heard about.I was not aware Ford used different dies and pressed out different parts for the two models.Where can I find documentation on this? I have a new set of judging standards,I'll have to open them up to see if I missed that over the years.I owned a June of 30 Standard,and a Jan of 31 DeLuxe.My 31 used a rear mounted spare,as Ford went back to that for the DeLuxe in 31.

[Bob C]

There was a change to the B pillar in July 1930 to the open cars. It went
from curved to flat.

[Keith True]

I'm aware of that change to the open cars,but I didn't see anything pointing it out to be just for the DeLuxe or Standard.

[roll of the dices]

This is so interesting. I am surprised by all the changes that were made from the standard to the deluxe model. I actually like the simplicity of the standard model.
My roadster is almost done and built it to be a deluxe, since i though that's what I had.

I guess I am better off switching gears and doing the seat upholstery to match a deluxe.

Can someone please let me know the width of the pleats on the deluxe model?