Guest Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 was the rope handle a factory standard in all buicks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teamsterdug Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 All I can say is that both the '38 I have now and the '53 I had until recently are equipped with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ray Newport Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 My 49 Roadmaster is factory equip with the rope handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 My 47 4 door has them, My 50 4 door Special has them but my Wagon does not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 14, 2003 Share Posted January 14, 2003 only thing i know is that My seats are original and havn't been recovered after an inspection by a specialist. i was just wondering about the rope thingie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 20, 2003 Share Posted January 20, 2003 my 1950 buick 41d four door did not have one....but it's a three speed manual.there is one for sale on ebay right now, but i don't know what they mount to on the back of the seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomE_1953 Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 All I can say that I now own a 1953 and remember riding as a child in my aunt's 1954 Caddy and pulled on the rope in her back seat like I was riding a horse (giddy-up pardnar) and pulled it out of the holder. When I look in the back seat of my '53 that memory haunts me. First thing I tell people who sit in the back seat is, "DON'T TOUCH THE ROPE".I asked what the rope was used for (surely NOT a safety feature)and somebody told me that women used to take off their gloves and hang them over the rope. I recently found a pair long gloves (garage sale) and hang them on the rope at car shows.Wanted to share my 'rope story' with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tin_knocker Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Your rope handle is properly known as a robe cord. Its purpose was to hold a rather heavy blanket for winter use by the back seat passengers. Some people called it a horse blanket and I imagine that horse blankets were sometimes used. As car heaters got better the backseat robe wasn't needed and the robe cord was eliminated. I have seen ads for blankets to hang on your robe cord, but I can't remember where. I think they were a smaller size blanket to be convenient for that purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr. Solutions Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 While I can't agree or disagree about the rope usage, and I too tell people not to touch it (dirty paws and all that), I can confirm that in my beastie the rope is SOLID. So solid in fact that I frequently lifted the entire seat using that and nothing else if I wanted to move it around in the garage when nobody else was home to help me.So, IMO, the rope was used as a handle for getting OUT of the car, when a back seat passenger would pull themselves forward on it whilst getting out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 my 1950 buick 41d dose not have a rope. was in only for supers and roadmasters?i thought it was uses to work your butt across the back seat when you were the one sitting in the middle.it's a long way to the door from the middle of that bench seat... about 15ft. i would guess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tin_knocker Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 I should have mentioned that I took my information from the 1937 - 1938 Fisher Body Service Manual. There is a robe cord in my 37 Special and they were in my fathers 38 Chev. It was indeed handy for my grandmother to exit the rear seat and I can also testifty that the back seat was cold in the winter. I was told that before and possibly after the war, car dealers sold lap robes as an accessory, but I don't know if they were a factory item or not. Maybe this was more prevelent here in the north as lap robes were not that important in warmer areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PL50 Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 My parents had a 1950 Buick Special, and it had that rope. Big heavy thing, same color as the car. I used to lie down and sleep in the back seat holding on to it. I loved that rope! It was like a security blanket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frame30 Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Where can I buy a new rope? Have not found a source yet. Cheers from Alberta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 (edited) 20 hours ago, frame30 said: Where can I buy a new rope? Have not found a source yet. Cheers from Alberta. It,s just a sash chain inside a rubber hose covered with material. A 1/8" wire hook/loop attaches to the ends of the chain and a machine screw passes through the end escutchions and the hook and screws into the seat back. My 55 buick has them. The seat frame was pre drilled and tapped for the anchors..trick is finding the end escutchions..bob Edited January 29, 2020 by Bhigdog (see edit history) 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan O Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 Three escutchions are on eBay right now for 1949 Buicks from a seller know as Budville. Fusicks sells reproductions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 2 hours ago, Dan O said: Fusicks sells reproductions. I could not find them in his online catalog. Buick, Olds, or Caddy............Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan O Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Saw them in a current Fusick catalog last week. Do not have it with me and am traveling. ebAY: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-1949-Buick-Seat-Strap-Bezels/312846130210?hash=item48d7151c22:g:Qf0AAOSw~QVdzbtP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Not a problem. Don't need any was just curious. thanks..............Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 I bought a set on ebay 5-6 months ago. The guy had several listed. None available right now. Were NOS with estucheons and all. Just have to keep your eyes peeled Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 (edited) The escutchions are the key. Everything else is easily fabricated. Sash chain from near any hardware store. Any available rubber hose that will fit in the escutchion. Hook ends made from 1/8 welding rod. Cover with your material. The seam is pulled together with a baseball stitch. Making them was actually a fun project......bob Edited February 6, 2020 by Bhigdog (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 I have extra sets of the escutcheons if needed by anyone Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 (edited) I was wondering if windlace material with hose inside would work. Mine(originals) look like windlace material. Do the finish work with a sewing machine. Edited February 6, 2020 by avgwarhawk (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan O Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 (edited) I happened to be in my car today and snapped some photos from 1949 76S of the robe cord. Here is a shot of the original rubber hose cracked open to show the flat sash chain inside. Also, the wrapping material is seen in second shot - it is vinyl similar if not the same as that used on and the seat shell or base and door panels. Edited February 8, 2020 by Dan O (see edit history) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 8, 2020 Share Posted February 8, 2020 Its commonly known as sash chain....bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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