MTFCA Forum

1912 body seats have a over hang (but not a hangover? ) at the armrests. My mystery early seat is no exception. What is a good way to support the sides and front of the seat? Just cut out a piece of birch 3/4 plywood seat footprint to put under it then cut some interior windows maybe? In some pictures such as the 1912 model T at the volvo museum has what looks like shelf brackets to hold it up. That doesn't seem too sturdy to me.

Yes. The seat needs to be attached to a base board, as you suggest making. The board would extend slightly, (maybe 1/4"), beyond the edges of the seat and have rounded edges. A good grade birch plywood, as you suggest, should work. Originally, the base would have been constructed out of several pieces with lap joints at the corners. Consctructed almost like a traditional wooden door. The "shelf brackets" you describe are the usual type of attachment, but the brackets are heavier than your typical hardware store shelf bracket. Wood screws coming up through the bottom of the base board can also be used, but are not sufficient by themselves to attach the seat. Think of getting rear ended while on the road and choose brackets strong enough to withstand a reasonable "hit" without allowing the seat to easily separate from the car.

Thanks, what should I do for a lip that keeps the seat bottom from sliding forward? I am thinking nail or screw some molding on the leading edge of the base as some photos seem to indicate but what kind and size?

This is about the clearest, highest resolution photo of a 1912 body and seat that I can find: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/18151858 ... -l1000.jpg I wonder if the trim on the leading edge is something like a closet rod half round? I have nothing in my possession to use as an example.

Ignacio,

The Orange and Blue "major" hardware stores sell round hardwood stairway bannisters that might meet your needs.

Best of luck,

Dom

Built what I think is a good base. I set the seat back on construction paper and traced it out. Then cut a template from that out of the paper, trace it out on a piece of birch plywood and cut it out. The fit seems good. I was able to take off the shard remains of the original base relatively easy by un-screwing it with care. This probably isn't a Ford seat but it should be good enough.

Looking good!

Here are some image of the supporting brackets on both front and back seats on my late 1911:
before restoration there was a bunch of extra angle brackets:
Note the side or the seat angle out and are not 90 degrees.

I hope these images help.

Don't forget to make a small lip for the hatch cover on your seat riser for the cover and cut out the gas cap hole.

-Keith

Keith many thanks on the pictures. Mine is very similar but not the same which makes me think it is something else, I've heard Buick. The mounts for a top are threaded and they angle out parallel to the ground whereas the Ford ones stick out and are straight up and down. That said, good ideas for front reinforcement with the angle brackets. One day I would like it to have a top but I don't really know how that is going to work since I so far haven't been able to positively identify this seat. I've brought it to the upholsterer Friday so here goes...

Your build is progressing nicely and the seat looks good. I would like to suggest that you round off the corners on your plywood seat bottom on the front so you don't catch your legs on it getting in and out of the car.

Thanks, I have an upholsterer who removed the original cover and is going to make a new one. However, the seat body is back to me for continued refurbishment and painting, toothpick the tack holes, repair the damaged or missing wood, fill holes. Here is the interior of the mystery seat. I am wondering if I can or should change out the existing mystery top body brackets for known Ford top body brackets. The 2 front body brackets have been scalped at the base. The 2 rear ones are intact. Not seeing anything on Lang's that would do the job. I have 2 weeks to figure that part out.

It looks great. Is that black plastic sheeting on the inside backrest? If so should I be doing that too and why?

KWTownsend wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 25, 2021 12:24 pm

Here are some image of the supporting brackets on both front and back seats on my late 1911:

1911 front no upholstery.jpg
front seat cover closed smaller.jpg
back seat hatch open.jpg

before restoration there was a bunch of extra angle brackets:

body front driver.jpg
1911 back seat.jpg

Note the side or the seat angle out and are not 90 degrees.

I hope these images help.

Don't forget to make a small lip for the hatch cover on your seat riser for the cover and cut out the gas cap hole.

-Keith

Ignacio-
The black that you see is the painted surface of the inside of the sheet metal. It was painted (along with all the body irons) before the woodwork of the backrest was done. The outside of the sheet metal was left in grey primer, which I re-painted with black primer, before painting the car with midnight blue.

I wanted you to see some of the jerry-rigged extra supporting brackets that had been in place before correctly restoring the body.
-Keith

My mystery seat irons have been scalped. Are Ford ones available for a top? I have 1 week.

ivaldes1 wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:55 pm

Thanks, I have an upholsterer who removed the original cover and is going to make a new one. However, the seat body is back to me for continued refurbishment and painting, toothpick the tack holes, repair the damaged or missing wood, fill holes. Here is the interior of the mystery seat. I am wondering if I can or should change out the existing mystery top body brackets for known Ford top body brackets. The 2 front body brackets have been scalped at the base. The 2 rear ones are intact. Not seeing anything on Lang's that would do the job. I have 2 weeks to figure that part out.

I would weld/bolt/rivet a "foot" to the base of each of those original brackets and use those to attach the seat to the base. In other words, just replace what someone has "scalped" off in the past.

This seat might be it or at least close: https://bransonauction.com/wp-content/u ... dster.jpeg

Or this: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/9c/88 ... e12962.jpg

Rear seat from a Model 10 Buick is what I had in mind.