Tack Strip?

Discuss all things Model T related.
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
User avatar

Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Tack Strip?

Post by Oldav8tor » Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:32 pm

I'm re-upholstering my 1917 Touring. The tack strips that run around the top edge of the seats on the outside of the sheetmetal have seen better days. Fordwood advertises a synthetic, moldable replacement. Has anyone had any experience with them? Can you suggest an alternative?
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


Russ_Furstnow
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:01 am
First Name: Russ
Last Name: Furstnow
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909 Touring, 1913 Touring, 1914 Runabout, 1915 Coupelet, 1916 Coupelet
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
MTFCA Number: 28
MTFCA Life Member: YES
MTFCI Number: 10546

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Russ_Furstnow » Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:45 pm

RV Anderson's brother, John, does a wonderful job reproducing wood tack strips. I replaced the tack strips on my 1915 runabout with Johns tack strips, and they fit great. I think if you contact RV, you can get John's contact information. I hope this helps, Russ Furstnow


Russ T Fender
Posts: 404
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:39 pm
First Name: Val
Last Name: Soupios
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '10 touring, '12 touring, '13 hack, '14 runabout, '14 touring, '14 speedster, '22 centerdoor, '27 touring
Location: Jupiter Florida

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Russ T Fender » Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:46 pm

I used it when I redid the top and upholstery on my '14 Runabout. It moulds easily with a heat gun and holds tacks and staples just like wood.


Allan
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Allan » Sun Apr 26, 2020 1:52 am

Or, you can make your own using laminated plywood strips. Wrap a firm piece of cardboard around the body panels and trace a pattern for the corner pieces. These will be a shallow S shape. I cut these 3/4" wide so I could trim them back when they are finished. Clamp them around the body panels as a former to check the fit. Then glue them together, again using clamps and the body as the former. I staggered the lengths so I could make an overlapping joint with plain timber between the two corner pieces.

On my 1915 tourer I had to make 8 corners, as there was a strip on the outside of the panels to tack the upholstery and on the inside to stiffen the panels/body. Laminated timber is remarkably strong. Custom fitting them in this way makes for a neat fit.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

User avatar

Henry K. Lee
Posts: 5339
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:09 am
First Name: Henry
Last Name: Lee
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Many
Location: South Pittsburg, TN
MTFCA Number: 479
MTFCA Life Member: YES

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Henry K. Lee » Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:12 am

Allan’s method I have used for years with outstanding results. The lamination method with proper glue will outlast solid wood, plus does not fracture from body movement and fatigue.

Hope this Helps,

Hank


John kuehn
Posts: 3907
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Kuehn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 19 Roadster, 21 Touring, 24 Coupe
Location: Texas
MTFCA Number: 28924

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by John kuehn » Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:34 am

I used the Fordwood synthetic moldable replacement in my 21 Touring rebuild and it worked fine. You use a heat gun to mold the material around the seats then screw it down.
If the material would have been avaliable in the Model T era Ford would have probably used it
because of its moldability.


MWalker
Posts: 474
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:49 am
First Name: Mike
Last Name: Walker
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1916 Roadster Pickup
Location: NW Arkansas
MTFCA Number: 314
MTFCA Life Member: YES

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by MWalker » Sun Apr 26, 2020 9:11 am

The plastic tack strip works great. Lang's has it for a lot less money than Fordwood. It helps to use a router to round some of the edges.


Dallas Landers
Posts: 2786
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:26 pm
First Name: Dallas
Last Name: Landers
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 26 Rpu, 23 TT, 24 coupe,
Location: N.E. Indiana
MTFCA Number: 49995

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Dallas Landers » Sun Apr 26, 2020 9:37 am

I used a plastic 1x4 from the lumber yard. Cut width, formed with a heat gun and painted it black with krylon paint.

User avatar

John Warren
Posts: 1069
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Warren
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 14 Roadster, 25 Pickup , 26 Canadian Touring , and a 24-28 TA race car
Location: Henderson, Nevada

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by John Warren » Sun Apr 26, 2020 10:58 am

I cut a piece of HDPE heavy wall pipe length wise. Works super
24-28 TA race car, 26 Canadian touring, 25 Roadster pickup, 14 Roadster, and 11AB Maxwell runabout
Keep it simple and keep a good junk pile if you want to invent something :P

User avatar

Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Oldav8tor » Sun Apr 26, 2020 11:05 am

All very, very helpful. A lot to digest. Looking at the profile of the strip on my car, it appears to be square. I don't know if it is original. Does anyone know what the profile of the tack strip is supposed to be on a 1917 Touring? I know some cars have a tack strip with a rounded edge. I did acquire the metal strip that screws to the trim strip and doesn't seem to conform exactly with a square strip.
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor

User avatar

KWTownsend
Posts: 1122
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:51 pm
First Name: Keith
Last Name: Townsend
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: late 1911 touring, 1915 runabout, 1919 touring, brass speedster
Location: Gresham, Orygun
MTFCA Number: 14778
MTFCA Life Member: YES
MTFCI Number: 16305
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by KWTownsend » Sun Apr 26, 2020 11:46 am

Tim,
If I remember correctly, the tack strip is 3/4" square.
I'm glad you have the metal piece for it. The correct term for it is "rear curtain to body retainer." It is often simply called the 'rear curtain trim.'
You are correct the rear curtain trim is more of a C shape than L shape, but that is so there is a little extra room for the top material,

Here is an original which replaced my home-made trim.
1919 touring rear curtain trim and old.jpg
here is an discussion about it from a few years ago:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/41 ... 1403715316

The rear curtain trim is held in place with #8 French head screws (oval) 3/4" long.

Please let us know which material you end up using.

: ^ )

User avatar

Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Oldav8tor » Sun Apr 26, 2020 9:44 pm

Interesting observation about my tack strip. About half the brass screws that would have held a metal strip were still in place, minus their heads. I wonder how that happened?

Right now I’m looking seriously at making my own strip from the composite material others have mentioned. I’m going to get a piece from Lowe’s and give it a try.
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


Allan
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Allan » Sun Apr 26, 2020 10:30 pm

My Canadian 1915 tourer had square strips, approx 5/8" square. The body panels had a bead rolled in the top, and plain flat steel about 3/4" above the bead. That flat section was sandwiched between two strips which were bolted together using 3/16" metal threads. When the upholstery was fitted, it was tacked to the vertical face of the outside tack strip, and you could still see the underside. Laminated ply gives great rigidity, never splits, and holds tacks well.

Hope this helps,
Allan from down under.


Altair
Posts: 365
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:52 am
First Name: David
Last Name: Menzies
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring and 1915 Touring both Canadian models
Location: British Columbia
MTFCA Number: 27825
Board Member Since: 2012

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Altair » Tue Apr 28, 2020 2:07 pm

I have 15 rear wood strips and they are made of four unique pieces of 3/4" material, inside, outside left and right. These are salvaged pieces and I plan to design a mold and make myself a set.....
Attachments
DSC04708.JPG
DSC04714.JPG
DSC04710.JPG
DSC04709.JPG


Jerry VanOoteghem
Posts: 2952
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:06 pm
First Name: Jerry
Last Name: Van
Location: S.E. Michigan
MTFCA Number: 24868

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Tue Apr 28, 2020 6:29 pm

Tim,

I don't know what's correct for a '17, but my '21 had a steel channel that the tack strip slid into. The tack strip was in 2 pcs., right & left. Each half slid into a channel with s "C" shaped cross section. The open side of the "C" was where the wood was exposed for tacking. There was very little left of the original "C" channel, so I made a replacement using hollow, square tubing. I cut open one side to create the "C". It was a bit heavier gauge than the original channel but added lots of strength to the seat back! You see many seat backs that are badly bowed out due to the lack of this reinforcement. The wood tack strip alone doesn't offer enough support and I'm guessing the poly stuff offers even less.

User avatar

Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Oldav8tor » Tue May 05, 2020 9:04 pm

I've bought some cellular PVC and am getting ready to try it. I've been advised that over time and heating/cooling cycles it doesn't hold staples or tacks as well as wood. Does anyone have any long-term experience using cellular PVC as a tack strip who can tell me whether the tacks and staples loosen up with time?
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


Allan
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Allan » Tue May 05, 2020 10:25 pm

If the bodies you fellows are working with are anything like the Canadian body on my 1915, the wooden tack strip and the backing piece on the other side of the strip are both structural members in that they stiffen up the panels, nut just take the nails for the trim. Do any of the suggested alternatives do the same?

Allan from down under.


R.V.Anderson
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:01 pm
First Name: R.V.
Last Name: Anderson
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914, 1920, 1923, 1923
Location: Kennedy, NY

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by R.V.Anderson » Wed May 06, 2020 1:00 pm

Allan has a very valid point. I have heard, reliably, that the main issue with the plastic is that it softens just a little when it gets warm in the sun, enough so that some of the support for the panels is gone, allowing distortion, with resulting paint damage. YMMV.

User avatar

Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Oldav8tor » Wed May 06, 2020 5:15 pm

PVC is far more flexible than wood would be so I also question the level of support. I understand that tacks driven into it will loosen over time as the material expands and contracts with heat...more so than wood. Thus the reason for my question. I want to do this once and do it right so I appreciate the comments.
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


Jerry VanOoteghem
Posts: 2952
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:06 pm
First Name: Jerry
Last Name: Van
Location: S.E. Michigan
MTFCA Number: 24868

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Wed May 06, 2020 5:30 pm

Oldav8tor wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 5:15 pm
PVC is far more flexible than wood would be so I also question the level of support. I understand that tacks driven into it will loosen over time as the material expands and contracts with heat...more so than wood. Thus the reason for my question. I want to do this once and do it right so I appreciate the comments.
Tim,

I addressed this very thing in my post on 4/28.


Scott_Conger
Posts: 6431
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:18 am
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Conger
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13, '15, '19, '23
Location: Clark, WY
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Scott_Conger » Wed May 06, 2020 7:25 pm

Jerry

I read Tim's question and then your 4/28 response. With all due respect, I do not see how that reaponse answers his question. I am still left wondering, too. Color me stupid, I guess. Perhaps you could explain it in other words.
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured


Jerry VanOoteghem
Posts: 2952
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:06 pm
First Name: Jerry
Last Name: Van
Location: S.E. Michigan
MTFCA Number: 24868

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Thu May 07, 2020 10:42 am

Scott_Conger wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 7:25 pm
Jerry

I read Tim's question and then your 4/28 response. With all due respect, I do not see how that reaponse answers his question. I am still left wondering, too. Color me stupid, I guess. Perhaps you could explain it in other words.
Scott,

It was really Tim's first sentence, with regard to stiffness, that I was addressing. It kind of referenced Allan's 5/5 post, to which Tim's first sentence was a response.

I would never color you stupid! What color would that be anyway? :)

User avatar

Topic author
Oldav8tor
Posts: 1930
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Juhl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
Location: Thumb of Michigan
MTFCA Number: 50297
MTFCI Number: 24810
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Oldav8tor » Thu May 07, 2020 10:54 am

After a lot of thought I changed directions and ordered a set of steam-bent wood tack strips from Jonathan Anderson. I think the wood will have more strength than the PVC composite. The back of the front seat in particular definitely needs some stiffening. I may do something like Jerry did or ???
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


Allan
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Tack Strip?

Post by Allan » Thu May 07, 2020 8:34 pm

Wise move Tim. The body panels need all the support they can get.
Allan from down under.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic