MTFCA Forum

Wondering if this is an early Ford seat, or from another company. Original paint is white. Yellow portions are Bondo added later. Original leather color appears to be dark green. There are female screw-in receptacles on both sides at the wrist and shoulder locations, plus several smaller ones on the top rear along with footman's loops. Inside dimensions from side to side is about one yard. Thanks

I don't know but there is someone looking to build a seat for his; viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20964 This might just be the thing for him?

John, I am also educating myself on seats for Hay Wagon to Speedster project with the discussion linked above. I have some seat measurements enumerated on the other thread but I am by no means an expert. My answer to the question is it Ford? is: could be.

Doesn’t appear to be Ford based on rolled plate at the top for tacking.

I am pretty sure it wasn't Ford. But hey! There were only several hundred other automobile manufacturers at that time!
IF (big IF again) the original 'color' was white? That would be very unusual. White as a 'color' wasn't practical in the dusty environs of the era, and wasn't culturally desirable in the USA in those days. It might make more sense if the white is a repaint, or some early form of primer (the term "in the white" meaning an unfinished body didn't come from nowhere!)

IF (again) it was originally white finished? One likely consideration would be Buick. For just a very few years, around 1910, Buick had a "White Streak" series of models. They were one of the very few automobile manufacturers in the USA that actually finished (those White Streak models ONLY!) cars in white before the late 1930s. At least in any significant numbers. There were always exceptions.

Around 1978 I bought a old T speedster body with a seat shaped a lot like the seat in the pictures. The long time car collector friend that I bought the body from said that he had built the T speedster in 1960 for his son, when his son was in high school. He said that the seat was from a 1909 Buick. That seat had the same shape in the back and sides but didn't have the round top mount bracket at the side as shown in the pictures. I am sure my friend was correct in saying the seat I had was from a Buick but I don't know for sure about the seat in the pictures.

I am now the proud owner of this seat. I am still wondering what it is? I've reviewed pictures of early Ford seats but they don't seem to have the 3 socket pattern that this one does for a top. Ford's seem to have a straight bar that the top bolts on to not sockets. The arms hang over the 1912 body a bit but it should be an ok fit otherwise. It is all wood with body filler repair. The corners look damaged. The upholstery is leather and looks like horse hair inside. Unknown if this the upholstery is original or not. The upholstery is old but not 100 years looking old. Any identification info for this is appreciated.

Horsehead wrote: ↑

Sun May 09, 2021 10:13 pm

Wondering if this is an early Ford seat, or from another company. Original paint is white. Yellow portions are Bondo added later. Original leather color appears to be dark green. There are female screw-in receptacles on both sides at the wrist and shoulder locations, plus several smaller ones on the top rear along with footman's loops. Inside dimensions from side to side is about one yard. Thanks

More pictures. In the last picture there is a wood plug that may have had something to do with a top? I am wondering how to repair the seat especially the corner damage.