MTFCA Forum

When you take off and put on your top boot, do you loosen and tighten some sort of tension adjusting strap? Or once a tension adjuster is set, do you ever move it? I'm not worried about "what is original," I'm wondering about functionality.

Do I need an adjustment to loosen and tighten each strap, or would a set-length strap with just a snap to attach it to the seat frame suffice?

: ^ )

Keith, that is why they have always punched holes in leather straps!

I have long straps on the front of the boot that run down the back of the back seat and go under it where I use common sense fasteners to secure it. Before I added the fasteners, the boot blew off twice while driving.

The sides of the boot have the same type of fasteners that I undo to remove the boot .

Hope this answers the question.

I do not loosen and tighten mine. Once I got the adjustment right I leave it.

My boot has common sense fasteners at the end of the straps that attach to the underside of the body wood where the rear cushion tapers down. My straps have no adjustment and the boot is pretty secure even when trailering. When its cold, attaching the straps can be somewhat of a chore to get attached, and a little bit the opposite when its hot but . . . . .

Keith:

The original short top boot cotton webbing straps that are fastened to the bottom of the seatback in my '17 roadster and my dad's '17 touring have serrated buckles. That allows you to have the long straps on the top boot as loose or as tight as you want them.

When you tighten up the center strap from the bottom of the top boot that goes through eyelets in the rear curtain and the top of the boot, that snugs up the bottom of the boot and eliminates the sag.

See this thread where I show a buckle from my dad's car and a buckle from my car. Note that in this example, the boot on my dad's car is the reproduction that he made so he compromised on the long strap by making it out of leatherette. However, the strap and buckle in the car are original, factory issue. Note that when my dad bought the car from the original owners in 1949, the short straps were laying in the tray under the rear seat with the original top boot - they had never been installed. He installed them with screws.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/33 ... 1374595508

Other folks with pre-1914 cars have posted leather straps with traditional belt buckles on them so the long straps require punched holes.

Bill Elliot shows an original short strap with serrated buckle from his '14 Ford along with new ones from Classtique in the link below:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/59 ... 1455820509

I believe Classtique puts a snap on one end so you can run a nail or screw through it hen you fasten it to the bottom of the seat. It keeps the strap from opening up and splitting or breaking.