MTFCA Forum

I'm getting ready to install the Classtique backrest upholstery on my 1915 runabout project. Before I do, I was wondering if anyone can tell me if this is the correct backrest spring, or if this was someone's attempt to make one as a replacement many years ago. Here is a picture of the backrest spring after I removed the old seat back upholstery.

Thanks,

Neal

That single row backrest spring is a 1914 style. Depending on the model year of your T, it could be correct for early '15.

Typical 1915 style is a one-year only design, shown below:

Thanks for the picture Dan. My runabout is an early 15 model (based on the engine serial number), so it sounds like the spring could be correct, as mine is a single row with 6 coils like your picture shows. I heard that Ford would use up old stock at times. My foot pedals have the letters on the foot pad, which were serialized out during 1915 also.

This what I found during the rebuild of the drawn 1914 runabout in 2016. The runabout was build in September 1914, may be an early 1915 model.

Good luck
Andre
Belgium

P.S. For the rebuild I had two pair of helping hands

I ended up ordering a 1915 backrest spring from Snyders that looks like the one in Dan's and Andre's pictures. It wasn't that expensive, and I think will result in a more comfortable seat and a better looking installation. The old installation looked pretty bad with the springs that low. I would've needed to add more cotton batting to round it out more, and the springs would still be hitting lower than where they are shown for the 1915 spring.

Thanks for posting pictures Dan and Andre!

Neal

Dan,
I'm curious of where the image for the backrest spring for 1911-1914 came from.
I know that type was used in 1914. I have never seen a 1911 with any spring. I would think 1912 was the same as 1911. I have no idea about 1913.

???

: ^ )

Keith

Keith

there is no spring in the backrest of a '13. Just padding. If you went to grade school and were made to walk with a book on your head, you'll find it to be just fine. If you've spent your life slouched, texting into your phone, you'll be very uncomfortable.

I think it may be more involved than just when the car was assembled. In your photo Neal, your seat has the wooden cover over the gas tank. It also appears to me to have a wooden seat frame rather than a metal seat frame. In 1915 Ford USA was purchasing the bodies from out side suppliers. From the single photo you posted, I would guess your body will also have a "B" stamped into the seat riser as shown below:

That photo and the next one are from my May 1915 "cut off" body that was made by Beaudett (also spelled Beaudette and referred to as Pontiac in most of the Ford USA documents). It came from an unrestored 1915-6 cut off was turned into an express wagon. The windshield brackets were changed out to the later mid-1917 to 1922 but the body is clearly a 1915-16 without the half moon cut out above the coil box etc.

That body also had the single row of springs about mid way up the back rest. From the newer looking wood (not painted) I suspect someone added that piece -- but the rest looks original to me.

The body tag shows 5 15 224857 and is easier to read when you can change the angle you look at it.

The cut off body that is on my 1915 has the metal seat frame and metal gas tank lid. It appears to use a different spring for the back rest. Both of those cut offs are the front section of a touring. The second one I still have not figured out which of the 5 or so 1915 body makers produced it.

But please let me know if your car does or does not have a "B" stamped on the front seat heel panel (where if you are sitting in the car the heel of your foot could hit that panel if you kicked backwards.)

Respectfully submitted (in several sections as I am still learning how to keep the photos in the order I want them)

Hap l9l5 cut off

Hap,

My runabout body has the Beaudette "B" stamped on it. The seat back spring may have been original, but it was attached to a board that was then screwed to the original body wood. This appears to have been done when the car was first restored many many years ago. I installed a new 1915 seat back spring from Snyder's that showed up today. It looks much better, and will provide much better shaping and support than the old one did.

I'll probably start installing the seat back upholstery tomorrow night. Can anyone tell me if the edge of the driver's side seat back upholstery overlaps the side kick panel, or does the kick panel overlap it? The kick panel has excess vinyl to trim on installation, followed by the welt strip. My 21 touring has the kick panel overlapping the seat back upholstery, but I'd like to find out what the correct order is before I install either the back upholstery or kick panel.

Thanks,

Neal

I finished installing the upholstery back this weekend. I am so glad that I replaced the old 1914 era seat back spring with a new 1915 seat back spring from Snyder's. I think the final result looks so much better than the old installation. Certainly more comfortable. I think whoever restored this car 50/60 years ago probably got the old seat back springs installed too low.

Now on to the top installation! I'll put the welt strip around the outside of the seat back upholstery at that time.

Nice!

Neal-
It is looking good. Is the end roll of upholstery leather?
The back of the rear curtain is trimmed with a metal edge piece, not welt strip.
: ^ )

Keith

Thanks for answering my next question Keith! My runabout has that metal retaining strip, but the previous restorer sandwiched it between the upholstery back and top. I was wondering if it actually mounted like you showed in the picture that you posted.

You're lucky to still have that. Many if not most have gone missing over the years. Mine required reshaping in a press and some by hand, to get it to fit nicely.

You're lucky to still have that. Many if not most have gone missing over the years.

I didn't even know about that strip until Neal asked about it. Just one more thing about my 1915 that's incorrect. Sigh...

I had also emailed Mike at Classtique's, and he confirmed that the metal strip goes on the outside. I had sent him a picture how mine was installed when I took it apart, and he said that he'd never seen it installed that way.

Steve

you appear to have an early '13 style roll-up rear window top, which for driving, is a most desireable feature, in my opinion. It would not have the steel moulding. My '13 was made in very early February '13 (with a Jan 1, engine) and has that top. As an aside, I have all titles from all owners including the first title issued in early '20's by state of Indiana. It's a dandy car.

Now, I am NO expert on tops. I've seen dealers selling roll-up tops supposedly correct all the way up to '16 (which I think is not correct). Others state that the roll-up window lasted only until '12. At February , my car was a few months into the '13 year and has factory braces in the rear doors and is a pretty correct car from what I can tell (and it has roll-up window in rear). I love it for touring.

And for complete clarity on my first post, my car with that strip is a '19 roadster.

I understood the roll-up was not correct for 1915, but I wanted it for the combination of shade and moving air for summer driving, and I was willing to sacrifice correctness for comfort. I've been replacing a lot of incorrect parts with 1915 stuff, but on the top I went the other way.

Steve

I think it was a wise choice for touring. My dad did the same thing on his '24 and loves it. In FL, our '13 was the most comfortable T we owned, for summer touring.