1930 Buick - Question about the rear seat.

[michaelod]

There is some information that I am in urgent need of with respect to the rear seat of my 1930 Buick model 68 5-window coupe. I am in the midst of reupholstering my back seat and I need to know what the backside of the rear backrest looks like. Although this is not a common model, others should be similar and I am primarily interested in the construction techniques. The springs of my backrest have no wood frame on the side facing the trunk and I am trying to figure out if it supposed to have one as most of my interior was missing when I purchased the car and the termites had a field day back there. It sure would make reupholstering the thing a lot easier if that was the case and I had something to tack to. I am attaching a picture of mine so you can see what I am referring to. These are put together with “marshall units” which are all the small individually wrapped coil springs. I have stabilized all the springs that were popping out the back side with the spring tying twine you see in the photo, but need to know if the whole spring unit is attached to a wood frame before I attempt to reupholster it.

Thanks,

[keiser31]

These are from my 1929-31 Fisher Body Service Manual. They may help. I would think that it would absolutely need wood to support the cushion.

Edited November 26, 2011 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[michaelod]

Thank you sir, that helps a lot. A previous owner had the backrest reupholstered at some point in time without any wood frame attached. Everything was just hog ringed on to the edge wire and it looked horrible to my eye.

Looks like I will need to build a frame for it.

[michaelod]

Just thought I would update this thread. The 1930 Buick rear seat backrest was upholstered in a way that is not readily apparent. I have looked for some time to discover how that task was originally accomplished but have never seen any detailed photos until now. Don Palmer of Ontario Canada was kind enough to tear the original upholstery of his car apart to document the construction techniques for me. The photos were very informative as I did not realize that the backrest was partially upholstered in place rather than pre-assembled and then simply mounted to the car. Thus there is no wooden frame internal to the spring per-SE. I am going to post those photos here in case someone else may find them of use. These pictures are from a 1930 Model 58, but are relevant to my Model 68 and perhaps other years/models as well.

Thanks,

Edited November 28, 2011 by michaelod (see edit history)

[michaelod]

Last couple of photos in the sequence.

Thanks,

[keiser31]

Thanks for posting those photos. I love to learn.

[Guest jules greenway]

these sort of photos are so useful-would it be possible to put them in archive on the website for everyone to access in future-like a library with various categories such as Interior Trimming etc?

cheers

Jules

[keiser31]

these sort of photos are so useful-would it be possible to put them in archive on the website for everyone to access in future-like a library with various categories such as Interior Trimming etc?

cheers

Jules

My photos or "michaelod's" photos?

[Guest jules greenway]

I was referring to the ones Michael posted, kindly supplied by Don Palmer, but your ones could be equally useful thanks

Jules

[michaelod]

Jules,

I would be more than willing to archive these on this website however I am not sure where I would put them. Note however that I have created a photo album of these pictures on the 1930 Buick Yahoo Group.

Thanks,

Michael

[Bob Engle]

My 32-58 is upholstered in the same manner. I was not sure because it had been reupholstered sometime in the past and I wasn't sure that they had followed teh original procedure.

Bob

[Guest outlaw car man]

These photos may possibly help. I'm illustrating a 1933 Buick rear seat, Sedan.

The rear seat back, is mounted to a frame, that has a hook on the top and three legs on the bottom. The seat is mounted in the car, complete, resting on two side rails, hooked to a latch on top and the three legs are bolted to a piece of wood mounted to the floor

The pictures will show it better then I can write.. One is the rear showing the side rails and the bottom wood piece in the open rear end

Another is the seat propped up on the front seat ( covered) -You can see the three legs it's resting on over a piece of carpet.

study these see if you can pick something up.

Sandy Jones

OCM

[michaelod]

Sandy,

Thanks for posting those construction details on your 1933 Buick rear seat. That method is a variation on a theme which seems to be the general way the rear backrest was done in most of these cars as far as I am able to determine. Contrast that with the picture I am attaching of a 1931 Model 96 which is basically the same car as my 1930 Model 68, the only significant difference being the fact they went to an 8 cylinder engine and synchromesh transmission in 1931. Although this one has been reupholstered, notice the rear backrest is trimmed all the way across the top of the backrest. This is due to the fact that the backrest is upholstered in place using the rail just below the rear window to tack the fabric into with the trim covering the line of tacks. I am clear in my own mind now how they did it, but why they would deviate from the process that is more common in the sedans and other coupes is still a bit of a mystery to me as it clearly would be easier to upholster out on the bench as opposed to doing it with the backrest in place. I suppose in one sense the question is a bit like asking how many angels can dance on the head of a pin but on the other hand I would like to be as true to the original upholstery techniques as is reasonably possible on my car.

Thanks,

[Guest outlaw car man]

I see what you mean, they put a piece of Hidem over the top of the rear seat to cover the tacks.

My rear seat was taken apart, springs restored where needed, then upholstered and installed.The springs have a little metal code ring on them as to position. My front seat still had a piece of paper saying something like Michigan Spring Company or such.

I don't understand why the seats would be finished in place, seems like they could be finished on a bench, installed, then use the Hidem to cover tacks where needed ? Everything on my 33 Sedans seem to be just a bit different then the other Buicks of the era. So ....?

Glad you got it figured out, nice car, like to see photos in progress-

Sandy Jones

OCM

, notice the rear backrest is trimmed all the way across the top of the backrest. This is due to the fact that the backrest is upholstered in place using the rail just below the rear window to tack the fabric into with the trim covering the line of tacks.Thanks,