01-13-2013, 12:19 AM | #1 |
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68A seat base
I am almost done with building a new seat base frame for my Aug. '29 Cabriolet (no glue, no screws yet). I mostly built it using dimensions measured or extrapolated from my original seat frame.
I do not know about all the other cabriolet fixed seat bases; but what is interesting to me is that mine was built as two separate assemblies. The upper base is to mount the spring assembly; and the lower base assembly sits directly on the seat riser, and the finish layer of fabric is attached to this lower assembly. The two assemblies are screwed together as can be seen below, 4 screws per side. The stacked assemblies with original seat base spring are shown below As can be seen, the spring mount assembly is a couple inches shorter front to rear than the lower base; but the back corners of each line up pretty well at the back edge. ...and the new spring base. I duplicated two 1" holes found at the front, but have no real knowledge as to their purpose. My guess is they would be for jigging up the base and spring assemblies during its original construction. My old spring assembly has a front to rear slot that lines up with the holes. Two additional holes were originally drilled part way through this cross piece near the center of the board, on its upper side. ...and the new seat riser assembly. the bottom outer edge of each was routed down about 1/16" by about 3/4" + wide. I am guessing the upper, spring mount assembly was partially upholstered after the spring was attached, but without the finish layer of fabric. There is some fabric left between the two wood assemblies on my original, but scraps of the original grey check fabric are attached to the bottom wood assembly's routed edge. the two assemblies stacked, upside down. I would welcome any comments on how you think the seat base was originally covered. While I am not doing a real restoration, I am always interested in how everything was originally assembled. Fellow Ford Barner - Eystein helped with photos and dimensions of other cabriolet seat bases and he is currently building a seat base for his cabriolet. It was not evident if other cabriolets originally had this two assembly manner of seat base construction. |
01-13-2013, 01:02 AM | #2 |
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Re: 68A seat base
Someone else will need to chime in with specifics. However it appears you have an original spring base as well as an extra spring base from a later 68-B with adjustable seat carriage.
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01-13-2013, 01:43 AM | #3 |
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Re: 68A seat base
It sort of looked like two bases stacked to me also, but since the car has been in my family since day one, and with me since '59, I have my doubts that anyone would have made that sort of modification. Almost all the years before me it was driven solely by my grandmother in very rural northern CA. It is unlikely that she would have ever made that sort of change, or even had access to parts from another cabriolet. ...but it is strange! I would like to hear from others.
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01-13-2013, 05:54 AM | #4 |
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Re: 68A seat base
Russ,
I've been meaning to Email you about this, but have been to pressed for time lately. Now, I hear what you are saying about the known history of your car in the family. However, the idea that the seat has been repaired by superpositioning a frame with springs from an adjustable seat model is very attractive. The second frame looks very much like that of an adjustable seat model. Please see the attached photo from an adjustable seat model that I have measured up. I think you should take care using the springs that you have got, as I think that the springs for the adjustable seat model are smaller than for the fixed seat model. I have got some fixed seat repro springs from Snyders in transit. They should arrive within 2-3 weeks. If nobody have posted the dimensions of the springs by then I shall measure up my repros for you |
01-13-2013, 09:20 AM | #5 |
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Re: 68A seat base
That is some nice wood working. JMO
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01-13-2013, 10:39 AM | #6 |
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Re: 68A seat base
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Bandsaw? Milling machine? Bigger saw? Terry |
01-13-2013, 11:17 AM | #7 |
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Re: 68A seat base
What we see in this photo is original '29 grey check seat trim which is different from later grey check. The piece remaining here is the actual finished edge of the seat cushion cover. This type of edge finishing was not used elsewhere with seat fabric.
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01-13-2013, 03:03 PM | #8 | |
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Re: 68A seat base
Quote:
I did not properly recreate the joints in my upper assembly (possibly for a 68B?). A smaller table saw could have done those joints (maybe 7 or 8"), but I did them the same as joints in the lower piece. |
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01-13-2013, 03:12 PM | #9 | |
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Re: 68A seat base
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01-13-2013, 03:29 PM | #10 | |
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Re: 68A seat base
Quote:
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01-13-2013, 03:49 PM | #11 |
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Re: 68A seat base
Thanks to all for the great discussion.
I am becoming convinced that my upper assembly is likely from an adjustable seat 68B. I would not have assumed that a broken seat would have been repaired by my grandmother taking the effort, or having been able, to find a cabriolet seat. Must have been a cabriolet in the junk yard at the right time. That could also explain why one door had a rough wood inner panel and the other door had a stamped inner panel when I got the car in '59. Maybe after I get my new spring, I will be offering up a new 68B seat base, cheap, for pick up. Ha ha! |
01-13-2013, 04:01 PM | #12 |
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Re: 68A seat base
Just wondering, is the Lebaron-Bonney this style or the later style? ...and is the finished edge material a sort of thin black vinyl wrapped over the edge?
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01-13-2013, 04:13 PM | #13 |
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Re: 68A seat base
LB makes kits for both types but in either case they are made with extra fabric which is simply cut off after installation. The original cover should have edge binding sewn on similar to the edges of carpet or convertible tops. I don't know if anyone has done it like the factory other than myself.
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01-13-2013, 04:29 PM | #14 | |
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Re: 68A seat base
Quote:
I find it fascinating as i study the various parts of the Model A that such a high level of effort went into the finish quality, such as this bottom of seat edge that goes virtually unnoticed. I was planning to see if my upholstery guy can economically do such an edge, when I get to that point. Eighty years later you can still see that quality! |
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01-13-2013, 05:35 PM | #15 |
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Re: 68A seat base
Marco, would this be the same for my adjustable seal in my 30 Town Sedan?
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01-13-2013, 06:14 PM | #16 |
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Re: 68A seat base
Marco,
I remember having observed the same treatment of the seat cover edge as you describe on photos of original seats. It must obviously provide for a more durable fixation of the cover to the frame. Now the big problem that I can see is how du you fit the cover. It seems that you will have to precut the material to exact dimensions and sew on the edge binding before tacking. How can you get the cover even in this way. Seems that you have to tack the material on to the frame as LB-b suggests then trim the material, remove all tacks and cover and sew on the edge binding, refit and retack. Having trimmed off all surplus material, how do you pull the cover tighton the frame without any surplus material to pull ? |
01-13-2013, 08:55 PM | #17 | |||
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Re: 68A seat base
Quote:
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01-13-2013, 09:44 PM | #18 |
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Re: 68A seat base
I should have noted (even though we've drifted off-topic), when I was doing this stuff I basically marked the padded spring where seams needed to be. I pinned each of the sections in place and marked them one by one. All sections were trimmed to their marks and the entire cover sewn, finished, and installed. It doesn't require all the steps as altering the work from someone else. That isn't to suggest it's either fast or easy because it isn't either!
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01-14-2013, 02:26 AM | #19 |
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Re: 68A seat base
Here are some pictures of an original June 1928 Tudor rear seat, if they are of any help. Where the cloth is fastened over the wood, the wood is recessed a little. |
01-14-2013, 09:38 AM | #20 |
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Re: 68A seat base
I am thinking that there is no saying that Russ's top frame does definately come from a Cabriolet. Probably, the garage owner who fixed the seat at some time just told his apprentice "Go and find me a good Ford seat cushion over at the scrappers" So I guess it could be from any model A body style. I am glad to hear that Marco thinks that my seat frame is correct for a Cabriolet, as I have got a friend who is building an adjustable seat Cabriolet and who probably will have that frame. Now incidentally, he has also got a 160-C and we were comparing the seat frames last week. If memory serves me right, it did look like Russ's top frame. (without the wider section that my frame has got to the front of the carriage side panels)
[QUOTE=Marco Tahtaras;571254]Actually I'm a little confused by the shape of Russ' frame as the Coupe type carriage required the shape Eystein shows in post #4. It is relieved on the ends to clear the end panels of the carriage. The Fordor models also had a relief but shaped differently as the carriage ends were quite a bit different. There must be a Sedan version I don't recall since that is definitely a seat base for an adjustable seat. |
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