I'm trying to restore my late uncles 1921 db touring car. It has no interior and I have no parts to work from. I have 1/2 of a front seat sping. What i need to know is what is under the backs of the seats. I would think there would be springs. If so I would be looking for set to send to Snyders to have new ones made I also have a old set of 2" boards in a cross pattern someone told me these maybe the spring back? any help would be apperciated
thanks

I hope this helps. This is my late '22, which is like a '23. I should think your car would be similar.



Keep us posted, and let us know how you're coming on the restoration and if you have any more questions.

Thanks for the great picture. Boy it answers alot of questions. Did you get new seat springs made? What do the brackets that hold the seat boards look like. Sorry for all the questions (there will be more)thanks for the help

No, my springs and the rest of the seat underthings were in good shape. The original seats were stuffed with horsehair (how original do you want to be?) The brackets are just pieces of thin sheet metal bent in an "L" shape with the short side screwed under the tacking strip and wood screws into the seat boards, which are made of hardwood. You are going to have fun finding hardwood of that dimension, as well as learning how to steam bend the tacking strip. Have fun.

Hi- normally there would be individual springs for the backrest, not an assembly of springs. These are fairly light springs, but large in dimension, and they are attached independently to the back boards, maybe 3 to 5 inches apart. They are then tied together on the top, with a special knot, and tied both horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, so that they do not move. The upholstery, comprised of burlap, backing, stuffing, and leather, in that order coming out from the springs, is then laid over the springs. Hope that description helps. David Coco Winchester Va.

thanks for the help. Do you know of a suppler for the springs for the back of the seats and how many are there? DO you have any pictures of springs and knots
Dbbilly after looking at your picture I see that I have the rear wood for my car But I don't have the front. If you could I need the diminsions for the front wood seat back with the spacings if you can. my uncle took this car apart over 25 years ago.It's like putting a puzzle together with no picture. I'am trying to do as correctly as I can
thanks

Sorry, but I'm afraid I would just be guessing if I tried to give you the dimensions, since my car was re-upholstered back in 1986.

thanks anyway that picture helps alot. I'm still trying to find out more about the rear seat springs. my plan is to try to have the car running for the memorial day parade. my uncle was the first selectmen of our town and was in the parade every year.he can't but his car can be in the parade this year. also looking for a set of top irons for the 21
thanks

"also looking for a set of top irons for the 21"

I found that the correct top saddles were the hardest part to find for my car. I was just really lucky to stumble across a pair. You are pretty much unable to lower the top without them, aren't you? And they weren't standard equipment. I think that is why they are somewhat rare. People have given me copies of plans for how to adapt different types of top saddles for the DB by using standard hardware. (I can show you the plans if you want.) I tried adapting a Maxwell top saddle to the DB, but the height didn't come out right the first time I tried it. I didn't try it again because I lucked into the correct saddles. It would probably take 2 or 3 tries to get the height correct (time consuming).

DBbilly I'm lucky that I do have a set of saddles that my uncle got with the car. I do have parts for an early top but they need alot of help. What do you have left on your car to get it on the road? I still have to find someone to do the interior here in CT. I would like to find someone that has done one of these car before

do you need irons or saddles. Two different things

jan If i,m right the saddles are what the top rests in when the top is down. tell me if i'm wrong. What I need is the top irons that holds the top when it is up I have parts to an early set. thanks for the help

Tim, did you get the pics and measurements I sent you of the wood?
What you are talking about is the top irons, then the wood bows go across between them. The saddles is what the top rests in when down.

Hello Tmarvin
I live in CT and I am in the final stages of restoring a 16 touring car. I am having the upholstery finished as I write this . I have a guy in CT doing it as original diamond tufted horsehair filled. Is that correct for your year also?? I think so. If I can be of help let me know. I also have had my top irons restored by Johns Enterprises in Ca. Took 9 mos but they are perfect as new. I have a second set of irons that need full resoration I could sell that to you after I use the top that remains on it for a pattern when I have my top done. The irons that I sent to John needed full restoration as well./ For that he charged me 650
bob
bob

Yes dave I did. It showed me that I have more steaming to do also along the bottom the seats Thanks for the pics. What does your wife think about the new furniture

bob where in CT do you live. I live in colchester. I have been told that the early dbs are diffirent then the later one. But I would still like to see your car thanks

sorry bob I replyed to you yesterday but must of never hit submit. Where do you live in CT. I live in colchester. I was told that there is a change in the top irons in 21.I still would like to talk to you. my email is hpmarvin@comcast.net thanks tim

hi
I live in New fairfield Just outside of Danbury . The car is up in Litchfield county at the upholtsery guy. Likely a month or so till I get it back down here depending on how fast he gets it finished. I did not know when they changed the top irons, I guess when they tilted the windshield back. Mine is the straight windshield BUT you should check with someone about that to be sure . My phone is 203 746 7080
bob

You are correct the saddles are what the bows rest on when they are down. There are six parts to a top starting with the top fabric, then the top pads, top straps fit under the pads and run front to back, top bows, top sockets that the end of the bows fit in and then top irons that the sockets fit to.

Thanks jan I am going to look at a 23 touring this weekend make sure I take my camera. Still trying to find out more about where the tack strips go for the interior. it seems like every car I look at has no wood left or just had a new interior installed and they didn't take any pictures. thanks for the help

My '22 touring car had been in dry storage for over 50 years before I bought it, so the tacking strips were in excellent condition and I was able to re-use them. As I recall, from when I restored my car over 20 years ago, if you didn't already have the tack strips, you would have to steam bend them to fit in their metal channels at the top of the seat backs. There are small holes in the bottom of those channels. You drill holes in the tacking strip at the location of these holes and insert a small, round head machine screw through the the tack strip from the top, then through the hole in the bottom of the channel, and secure it with a lockwasher and nut under the channel. The round head machine screw was counter-sunk into the tack strip until its top was flush with the top of the tack strip.

I have not done the interior of a Dodge but I have done plenty of other cars and they are all very similar. I have done plenty of Model T's and I am currently working on a 1923 Moon. What I have found is that the comment that DBBilly stated is always the same. There is a channel on the outside of the car. Into the channel is a wood tack strip. I have found that you can use a modern tacking strip material that is used in modern convertibles. It is a plastic material and I put it into the groove instead of wood. This material will allow you to use staples to hold down the material. Then your seat material is stapled to the tack strip, then the top and last is the hideum welting. I may have some picture of one the cars and I will go back through my files. Have a nice day

Does any one have an old seat back spring that I can use. Or how many are used in both front and rear seat backs

Hi
I know its not original but my '23 Touring seat insides are high density foam with no springs at all. Same with the side panels. I found the foam is good because it never loses its spring and the front seat was custom made to get better visability.
I will get some images up shortly.

Mr.Wollam,
Could I also get a picutre/drawing/measurements of the front wood header bow? Who-ever made mine made it out of PINE! Obviously is is broken an barely hanging in there.

Thanks in advance!

Richard

72caddy, sorry but I do not have a complete touring top or the front header. The wood I was sending pics of to Tim was for the back of the front seat. I too will be needing a front header for my 20 touring when I get around to doing the top for it.

Well, I have the bits and pieces from mine. SO maybe I 'll do a drawing and send it on...

hello
I have just completed the interior as original on my 1916 touring car. I live in CT. Iposted you before I got the car back. It was done in Washington CT . Here is a link to the interior. IT WAS PRICEY!!! This is diamond tufted leather horsehair stuffing. I have pics of all the details of the seat construction if you need it still.
<www.geocities.com/bob487thbg/interior.JPG>
bob

Bob,
MORE PICS!! I can't be the only one here who'd like to see more details.
David D.
16 Touring

This is my '23 with the high density foam seats. [/img] [/img]

I always thought that a car was not supposed to be over-restored. Especially an honest car like the DB.

nice car john neat to see another color then black. Did it come with tan interior or was that what you liked. I have had alot of help getting my car together from reading this forum and great people like vern & flo at romar. the db chatroom is a great place to get help too

Bobs1916, all I can say is WOW! That's beautiful.

That green is an original color here is Australia. I went for the tan interior to brighten the car up a bit. I didn't want it to look like camo.
You are right about this forum. I wish it was around 34 years ago when I started this resto.

David
I am not sure what you would like to see so here is a picture of the rear seat back prior to upholstering
http://www.geocities.com/bob487thbg/dbp2.jpg
I do have photos of all stages of the frame off restoration and if you would like a specific area I will try to oblige. If you would like general before and afters I can likely do that as well.

I have a '21 touring that was restored in 2000. Checkout my flickr.com page for photos. http://www.flickr.com/photos/richn/sets/72157603305896122/

I have also created a Dodge Brothers group on flickr.com and have invited anyone to post pictures of their Dodge Brother cars, signs, parts, literature, etc.


http://www.flickr.com/groups/742566@N22/

Feel free to open a flickr account (free) and add your photos.

Here are a few more photos of my '21. Includes some close up of interior.

http://www.photoworks.com/share/shareLanding.jsp?shareCode=A8C48D2BD64&cb=PW

Excellant!