MTFCA Forum

I completed the seat cushion assembly a month ago but ran into some trouble with the back assembly kit. Then we got cold weather early so I couldn’t do anything in my unheated garage here in Rochester. So I asked a local shop to fix my messed up job.

I had to order another back kit as there were too many holes in the first one. The upholstery shop did a very nice job based on photographs I supplied of original unrestored seats. There was one glitch, two pleats with buttons were not spaced the same as the rest in the sewing so there is a slight rumple in the button areas at that spot. I’m ok with it. My sense is that my 1923 runabout was the cheapest car they made at the height of production. Not being perfect might actually be more authentic!

They installed some hidem trim which is wrong for where it will show and when I install the top won’t be needed. But it’s nice and “trim” now.

Very nice! Looks just right.

Looks great.

Mark, Very nice job, I'm Impressed. Looks like a picture of perfection.

Looks very nice Mark!

Here is where the pleats were not sewn at the same width as the others. So, there are a couple of rumples. I suspect they will settle over time.

Mark, if you hadn't told us we would not have known where the wrinkle was!

Nice job by the way.

Mark , my wife is a professional upholsterer, she often uses a heat gun on low setting to smooth out wrinkles, i've seen amazing results of her wielding that paintstripper, but be carefull, don't heat up the fabric too much, it must not get hotter than you can hold your hand on it without being painfull (about 60C /140F)

The only pleat that was sewn all the way to the top was the center one. All the rest were sewn about two inches above the buttons, and then folded the rest of the way. That way, the installer could easily make corrections. Another thing a lot of restorers fail to understand, is there is no stuffing past the height of the rear seat cushion. That allows the cushion room to fit in position.

I’m actually pleased with the overall results. From what I’ve seen in vintage photographs and pictures of unrestored cars the details were not so uniform so it can be difficult to point out areas that are “not right.” I think it’s more important that the work is consistent throughout the installation. I asked that no extra padding be installed and that the top of the back not be flat but with a slight convex curve. Also that the armrest not be over padded on the top and inside areas. And I got both details as I wanted.

Larry and I talked about the angle of the row of buttons on the sides is not as pronounced as some, but it actually looks very much like my original upholstery before I removed it. But those buttons are lower as with the backrest. But it looks cohesive. So ... overall it’s a real improvement from the holes and broken springs I have been sitting on. It’s below freezing in the garage and I suspect the seats will look different in 90 degree weather this summer.