MTFCA Forum

Because we tow on a flat open trailer, we'd like to have a boot for our car.

We looked into buying one, but Cartouche is out of business and Classtique Upholstery is quoting a November delivery date. I guess we could have one made locally, but I like the idea of making it.

I am capable of making one, although it'd be helpful to have a pattern--or just advise from someone who has done so in terms of any pitfalls I might need to look out for.

My current plan is to fit an old sheet set to make the pattern and then sew from that.

Who has made their own and has wisdom to share? Or has one and is willing to share some closeup pictures?

Thanks so much!

p.s. we tow on a flat open trailer because our towing vehicle can't tow a heavier trailer

I used brown craft paper for my pattern. Did it years ago it worked great. Lightly taped the parts together to get a good fit and transferred it to some Naugahyde I had. Stapled it together inside out at first to check the fit then sewed it up. Sorry no existing pics but it was really OK.

Beth, I towed my runabout from FL to WY on a UHaul trailer. Folded the upper windshield down and used 18" wide stretch wrap around the lowered top...many layers. Towed just fine. Just be sure to put a sandbag (child's sandbox sand) on the floorboards and remove the seat cushions. No problem.

We stopped for a stretch in Wind River Canyon

My dad has the original factory top boot for his 1917 touring.

We still used it up until about ten years ago when he made another one using the original as a pattern. The only concession he made was he couldn't find the correct width webbing for the straps so he used folded and sewn naugahyde.

Click on this link to see the original and reproduction boot:

https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/1 ... 98530.html

I don't know if 1923 Fords came with top boots from the factory. Larry Smith would probably be the expert on that subject.

Prototype 1.0 is complete, other than the common sense fasteners (waiting for them to be delivered).

It's a bit sloppy--doing clean corners when working with angled edges didn't work as smoothly as a simple box cushion does .

I used cheap vinyl fabric I got at Joanne. It was $9.99/yard and I had a 40% off coupon. I figured that for a prototype, I don't need it to be as sturdy as a final product. I also sewed most of it with my serger, which I may not do for a final version.

For travel tomorrow, we're going to follow Scott's advice and wrap the top with mover's plastic.

I'm documenting what I'm doing, and I'll post my process when I've gotten to the Final Version. Prototype 2.0 is an August project--I want to do another cleaner version with $6/yard fabric before I buy the good stuff.

Thanks for everyone's input!

The 1915 and earlier factory boots utilized common sense fasteners on the left and right sides.

The factory 1916-22 boots did not utilize common sense fasteners. Even though your car is a '23 and I don't believe Ford provided top boots for the 23 through 25 model years, you may want to consider not using common sense fasteners.

Be aware that nobody makes/sells a correct factory top boot.

Also worth mentioning: leatherette top material is the preferred because it doesn't stretch like leatherette upholstery material. Two Model T appropriate top materials are readily available: Turf Grain and Colonial Grain. Turf is a better match to the original.

I made a boot from an original NOS 1917-22 boot. I fits perfectly. The only thing I chose not to do was put the common sense eyelet in the center of the rear curtain as was done originally. I'm only using the left and right straps. I used the turf grain material. Honestly, I would like to a little more work on this for the future, to have the boot fit like a 26-7 where it covers all the sockets as well. That will be a project for the future.

I have a canvas top boot for my tourer On long distance tows I have a tonneau cover which covers all of the cabin. This is fixed in place by the existing side curtain fittings. It keeps wind, rain and prying eyes off the interior. At the back, it goes on over the top boot edge, so the top boot does not belly up in the wind, and ant\y rain is swept clear of the car.

Allan from down under.