MTFCA Forum

Can someone please post a clear picture of where exactly the woven rear curtain straps are supposed to attach to the touring body? I know the early style L shaped saddle bracket is where the D ring attached on 1921 and earlier T’s, but I don’t think that will work on the later straight style brackets. Help!!!

Later style? 23 body? One man top. Double sewn material strips goes from top bow to seat back. Tacked on about 5" from outer corners.

It has the later style body with the hole in the panel for the straight top saddle bracket, and it’s a two man top. It came with two woven straps attached to the rear top bow with footman loops and D rings at the other end, but the previous owner had cut two small slits one the top of the rear seat and had some kind of stretchy loops barely holding the footman loops. I didn’t think this was the correct set up, as there was no tension on the straps when the top was up: the only thing keeping the top in place are the tacks on the back of the rear seat. So do I tack the footman loop to the tack strip?

Here is a picture of the straps I have

Double sewn material strips goes from top bow to seat back. Tacked on about 5" from outer corners.
My "20" is a 2 man top on a 23 body with the straps as I described, same as 23-27. Not saying my 20 is correct.
Its called "the monster" for a reason

So the D ring is incorrect? I didn’t see any woven straps without those rings in the supplier’s catalog: do I just cut off the D ring? And I’m assuming when you say to tack it to the seat back it gets tacked before the rear top panel gets attached to the tack strip.

For a later body with two man top, modify the straps for footman loops at the bottom, and a buckle midway up to give adjustable tension.

Where would I put the lower footman loops: back seat top?

The guy to contact is Mike @ Classtique. He is very helpful & can sell you anything you will need.

That being said, let me elaborate what I was trying to tell you. There are 2 about 2" wide cotton straps that hold the bows in position front to back. Its pieces of that same strap material that hold up the rear bow. Attached to the top bow & down to the seat back. Visible on the inside. They take up the function of the narrow straps you have now. I would lose the straps you have now.

The bottom footman just attaches to the tack rail on top of the upholstery.

You can remove the d-rings from the straps and put footman loops in their place as posted earlier. You don't have to un-rivet and re-rivet the straps. You can cut the d-rings.

I'm not an expert but I presume you screw the lower footman loops into the tack rail in the same location where the top saddle bracket irons protrude from the upholstery on the bodies that use the earlier style top-saddle brackets and D-rings. That means they are outboard from the edges of the rear curtain. It also means the geometry/orientation of the straps is relatively the same as the cars that have the earlier top-saddle brackets and utilize D-rings. Hopefully your straps are long enough.

Hope what I posted above makes sense. And, to repeat, I am not an expert and I do not know if what I posted is factory correct.

You may want to do more research to get a definitive answer.

Unfortunately, RV Anderson, the person who did a lot of research on the cotton webbing windshield and rear curtain straps and used that information to manufacture faithful reproductions, passed away. He most likely would have had the correct answer.

Ok, now I understand; thanks John! I’ll contact Mike at Classtique to see if he will sell me just that cotton strapping. This also explains why the parts suppliers don’t list a rear curtain strap for T’s after 1921!

This working drawing of '20-'21 touring top may help, shows the center line distance of the upper footman loop on the rear bow. The lower looks to have an offset, but could help locate that footman loop on the rear tack rail.

I am basing my response on my 21 Touring Top that I installed in 1971 with a kit from Carters. It came with the straps and Buckels and footman loops both ends. I replaced that top with a Classtique Top two years ago. The Classtique Kit only came with the web straps to be nailed on with no adjustments. I purchased the straps and hardware at Ace Hardware.

John, any idea where I can find that cotton strap?

Bill,
I found a supply of cotton webbing at my local ACE Hardware. I found the rivet fasteners at Hobby Lobby. I reused the buckle from my old top.