1928 pickup seat backrest removal.

[chrisabes]

I have just started cleaning up our second Model A, a 1928 pickup. I can't work out how to remove the seat backrest. It appears to be hinged at the top as I am able to pull the bottom of it forward. It appears to be attached to the rear of the cab frame by the seat material.
Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[JTW]

In its normal installed position - push down on the top of the cushion, in the area of the 2 metal tabs that are bolted to the metal rail at the rear of the cab, and then pull forward and release. At the bottom area of the back cushion there also should be 2 downward facing metal hooks bolted to 2 of the wooden slats the support the back cushion. They hook to the metal cushion frame and keep it tight to the wooden slats. You also push down on the cushion to release it from these. Too dark to get a picture right now to make this simple to understand.

 

[Neil Wilson]

For the 82-A closed cab, in my experience, the two upper retainers need to be loosened to allow the top of the seat back to be moved forward. Once the top is free of the upper retainers, the seat can be lifted up and off the lower retainers.

The attached photograph shows the 82-A closed cab seat back retainers.

 

[chrisabes]

Thanks JTW & Neil, I will have a go today and see how I get on. Unfortunately, the seat cover is damaged so will have to be removed for repair. Will let you know how I get on.

 

[chrisabes]

A quick update on the seat back removal.
On close inspection. I found that the seat fabric was attached to a wooden framework by staples. This required four lots of staples to be removed as per the attached photo's. The springs were then exposed allowing me to finally remove it.

 

[Bob C]

This link to Brent's web site has some pictures that may help.
http://www.model-a-ford.com/proj_13.shtml

Bob

 

[JTW]

A soft top cab is slightly different than the closed cab pickup. The soft top/open cab has a wooden rail that is bolted to the top of the back metal panel. This piece of wood goes the entire length of the back. It is wider than the metal flange that it bolts to. Running the length of the area where the seat is, there is a groove on the bottom side of this wood piece. To install a seat back you would hook the bottom side of the cushion on the 2 hooks on the lower part of the seat braces as shown in Neils pictures above and then push the top back to the wood rail, then down and in so that back side of the seat frame snaps into that groove. It would appear the the seat that you have is something that was cobbled to gather by someone in the past or was the way it was done on export pickups. The tops were also nailed to the outside of this rail. After looking at the pictures of the seat frame and foam padding I vote for "home made".