Front seat removal 1946 Ford convertible.
 

Good afternoon,

I want to have the front seat cushion rebuilt. How does it come out? Do I have to remove the entire seat or or does it come out the same way the back seat cushion does? I know there are old threads on the subject. I tried the search function but none were displayed.

Additionally The convertible top will not come up. Two men swearing mighty oaths can get it up and latched. The motor works and I can hear the pump. It will come up a little then drift down when I release the switch. First step is to check hydraulic fluid.

I believe that the rear seat cushion comes out by pushing the cushion back and lifting the front, exposing tabs that hold the back, so I can get at the reservoir, correct?

Thanks,

tony

Re: Front seat removal 1946 Ford convertible.
 

it doesn't come out the same way as a back seat cushion on my '41 convertible. i recently had the entire front seat removed. and its bottom is bolted to the frame.

removal involved two bolts and nuts on each side and whole lot of wrestling to get it out if
attempting to do it alone. :)

BTW the top on mine is entirely driven by electricity. it involves no hydraulics AFAIK. i suspect the '46 is driven by an electric pump driving hydraulic cylinders. but i can't say for certain.

Re: Front seat removal 1946 Ford convertible.
 

Good evening Huey,

Thanks,

I thought that might be the case with the seats. I'll get it in the air and get the seat out and i nto the hands of a local upholsterer.

Yes my top is hydraulically driven. I'm looking for a manual covering the top. Once I get the front seat out it'll be a lot easier to attack the rear and the lift arms, etc.

tony

Re: Front seat removal 1946 Ford convertible.
 

Remove the panels on both sides of your rear seat and the cylinders will be exposed. If your system is still using brake fluid it may be coroded up in the cylinders. You can unpin one end of the cylinders and try running them in and out to see if they are sticking. There is a lot of good information in the Canadian Service Bulletins on how they system operates.

Re: Front seat removal 1946 Ford convertible.
 

While the seat is out, take that golden opportunity to wire brush the floorboard and apply a generous coat of Rustmort. Your Ford will thank you for it.

Re: Front seat removal 1946 Ford convertible.
 

Good morning,

Jim, the top goes down quickly and stows flat. Raising it is the problem. It goes up a little way then quits, like the reservoir is low. I can hear the pump running. Revving the engine doesn't help. Battery is fully charged. It also binds on the trim piece on the drivers side. I forced the linkage past the jam. If I release the button the top slowly drops. I needed help getting the top up. First check will be the fluid level and go from there.

Alan. Hello from a few miles south of Eureka. THe floor pan and under carriage are pristine. After thirty years of collecting and restoring several cars a couple of Cadillacs, a Packard and Chrysler New Yorker, all pre or early post war I was finally able to buy a made car. It is restored to a pretty high standard but not without a few problems. The top which I wasn't told about along with a rear window regulator that has a problem. Window won't go up and down using the regulator. The gear train (if it has one, I don't know if its cable driven or not) stripped I don't think, more likely a rivet or pin has broken and the lift arms aren't moving. It goes up and down by hand.

It has a Mitchell O/D and full tool kit which sold me on it. THe previous owner showed and toured.

THanks for your replies.

tony