model A rumble seat now with pics

[leather]

Hi,

How is the material attached around the bottom of the frame in a 1931 ford model A rumble seat?

[MinUph]

leather,
  I would imagine it is tacked. I believe they used wood framing back then.

[SHHR]

I've seen two ways on them depending on the manufacturer. Ford used Briggs and Dearborn to make their bodies, anyway one way is the frame has pointed tabs that hold the material like the teeth on a blind tack strip and the other way is hog rings. Most of the time you'll have to use hog rings or glue the cover on because all of the tabs have usually long ago been broken off or rusted away. Another way if you have the room is to use screws to attach a piece of plywood to the bottom or back of your frame and staple the cover to that.
Kyle

[leather]

nothing to hog ring to and no teeth.


http://n.b5z.net/i/u/10004516/i/pdir/341/i/2-dsc01532.jpg?ab=3


http://n.b5z.net/i/u/10004516/i/pdir/341/i/2-dsc01534.jpg?ab=3


http://n.b5z.net/i/u/10004516/i/pdir/341/i/2-dsc01535.jpg?ab=3


http://n.b5z.net/i/u/10004516/i/pdir/341/i/2-dsc01536.jpg?ab=3

[Peppy]

Cut a 1/2" plywood base and screw it to your spring unit thing somehow. Staple the skin on.

Alternately- hog ring it to all those springs. I like staples myself.

[hdflame]

I'm sure someone will step up that knows how the original ones were done, but I don't see why you couldn't pull the cover around the bottom and hog ring it to the springs and frame underneath.  I would think that's the way it was done??

[leather]

The car the seat is going in is pretty high end...theres a thousand ways i could do it. I need the right one.

[baileyuph]

Gosh, I did a 29 convertible with the rumble seat within the last 10 years and I am trying to remember that specific issue.  I believe that there is a clip that Ford used and it was supplied by Lebaron Bonney.  You might be able to get your information from them, it is possible they sell a book.  That isn't a guarantee if the kit wasn't bought from them.  Their information was essential in the car I did.

It definitely wasn't a piece of plywood, further it won't work on the car, because the seat is curved, not flat (backrest) and more critical is the car space will not permit an additional layer of wood.  Those cars were small, there isn't a lot of extra space in them.  It was a challenge installing the seats restored to originality, so adding something to take more space would have been a stopper in my case.

I have pictures of the car but of course not the bottom perspective.  Hog rings were not used by ford, the clips I used enable a lot cleaner installation without tearing holes in the material.  Further, my research indicates hog rings were not in vogue at that time as they were by the 50's.
Lastly regarding hog rings, they will cause undue stress, laterally on the coils.  I suppose it can be done but from my experience on that one, I would keep trying to learn what Lebaron Bonny provides.

My experience was with a collector of about 10 to 12 cars (not all old Fords) who lives within 10 miles.  I will see him at the club meeting this week.  Perhaps I will get my memory jogged and possibly he will still have all the Lebaron Bonny documentation I used.  So TBD.  He might suggest I stop by and look at the seats?

As a comment, those cars are not easy to put together as it might seem with the objective of getting them close as possible to original specs.  Can't believe how small car interior is and the exacting details were required. Most inclinations think the cars are easy to restore, some parts may be but others did offer challenges.  They were accomplished using hand techniques.  My hat goes to the craftsmen of that time.

I did the car from the floor thru the top installation, glass and more.  Like I say, once I lay my hands on the parts, the memory will be more accurate about the seat upholstery installation.

This is just another experience,

Doyle

[leather]

Wow... thanks Doyle. Im going to give lebaron a call. The customer bought the frames from snyders antique autoparts in ohio. 

[BigJohn]

I spent more time riding in the rumble seat than working on it, but as I remember ours didn't look anything like this. Are we sure this is an exact duplicate of the original?
                             
                                         Big "dumb" John

[ncydmn]

     The original spring frames had a tack strip crimped into the channel of the frame.  Most of the reproduction seats don't have this.  From the looks of the covers this is a custom street rod you are doing and the need to stay true to original is not needed.  I just hog ring all mine to the spring right next to the frame.  The spring is crimped into the side frame and cross supports so it won't effect its performance at all.  You may want to put welting or 3/8" covered sponge rod around the sides and top of the backrest.  The originals had this and I use it on all my customs.  This will finish the edge and keep from having a gap between the frame of the seat and the deck lid.  Hope it helps, Roy.

[ncydmn]

     Had a picture for you but it would help if I included it. 

http://roykeithclassics.com/rumble_springs.html