The Ford Barn

eystein · 05-12-2014, 01:14 PM

I am trial fitting the material for covering the belt rail for a 1930 fixed seat cabriolet

It seems very difficult to put the material neatly on, as the material must cover a larger distance when wrapped around to the outside of the belt rail as compared to on the inside. This leads to some serious puckers forming from the corner of the belt rail and forward. Some questions :

1. What do you guys do to avoid this when putting on the belt rail upholstery ?

2. Le Baron Bonney supplies belt rail material in the same bedford cord material as on the seats. Is this correct ? I have a feeling that it should rather be a cloth like the one used to cover the bows. That material would also have stretched better in place I think. The JS does not give any definitive answer.

Please comment. Any original photos posted or sent to my Email would of course be welcome.

thanks,

Eystein Sedberg

Russ B · 05-12-2014, 10:03 PM

Eystein,

I was going to suggest Bob Johnson's cabriolet photos. I see you posted there as well. Mine is a 68A, but I bought the same bedford cord interior (used in the 68B) and a tan top from L-B early this year. I am not ready to install the top and package tray cover yet, but I see mine is the same Bedford cord material used at the back side of the package tray for wrapping the belt rail.

I was talking to my upholstery guy today about the issue of rolling this material around the belt rail. For the last cabriolet he did, a 68B, he ended up buying a more stretchy drab cloth to cover the belt rail, but some wrinkling is still inevitable with this material while trying to roll it over the belt rail corners. Alternatively for mine, he is considering cutting a separate piece, making a better fitting pattern and sewing a seam at the corner edges to make a good fit in the corner area. For me, a good fit is more important to me than JS compliance, as I am not really doing what most here at the Barn would consider proper restoration.

A seat issue, he installed the bedford cord seat cover kit on my seat frames with new springs. I have been driving the car a bit w/o top and feel the seat bottom, at the back, will be too high for my comfort once the top is on. I have made a new base frame and will be doing a foam based thinner, contoured seat bottom so I will sit at least an inch lower than I currently do with the Snyder springs. I bought a couple extra yards of tan Bedford Cord; but had not planned on using it so quickly.

Russ

eystein · 05-13-2014, 01:48 PM

Thanks Russ,

You're always helpful. I think that I will put one fold in the material at the belt rail corners on each side. Anyway, that will work much better with a thinner cloth.

Anyway, I am still very interested in hearing from those who know how it was done and which material was used originally.

LopezCarguy · 05-13-2014, 08:20 PM

You guys seem to know the name of cloth better than I, my 68A had original cloth on rails and bows, when I took it off I noted that it was sewn in a tube form...then slipped on/over bows and belt rail...don't know if this helps or is the answer to dilemma??

eystein · 05-14-2014, 05:29 AM

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Richard,

From what you are saying, the material covering the belt rail was the same as on the bows. This confirms my assumptions. I take it that the material was a thin, fine woven one, significantly different from what was used on the seats. Can you confirm ?

As to the material being sewed into a tube, that is what I have gatherez for the top bows. However, I really cannot understand how that could be the case for the belt rail covering. This covering needs to extend at least an inch below the belt rail wood, in order to cover all the way down to the package tray. I believe this was done by stretching the material over a cardboard piece. I cannot see how this could be done with the material sewed as a tube. Further, i cannot see how you would get in place all the bolts fastening the belt rail wood to the body edge metal with the wood already wrapped in a cloth tube.

Are you sure that the matrial covering the belt rail wood was formed like a tube ?

05-12-2014, 01:14 PM	#1
eystein Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 521	Belt rail covering material for cabriolet I am trial fitting the material for covering the belt rail for a 1930 fixed seat cabriolet It seems very difficult to put the material neatly on, as the material must cover a larger distance when wrapped around to the outside of the belt rail as compared to on the inside. This leads to some serious puckers forming from the corner of the belt rail and forward. Some questions : 1. What do you guys do to avoid this when putting on the belt rail upholstery ? 2. Le Baron Bonney supplies belt rail material in the same bedford cord material as on the seats. Is this correct ? I have a feeling that it should rather be a cloth like the one used to cover the bows. That material would also have stretched better in place I think. The JS does not give any definitive answer. Please comment. Any original photos posted or sent to my Email would of course be welcome. thanks, Eystein Sedberg

05-12-2014, 10:03 PM	#2
Russ B Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Millbrae, CA Posts: 504	Re: Belt rail covering material for cabriolet Eystein, I was going to suggest Bob Johnson's cabriolet photos. I see you posted there as well. Mine is a 68A, but I bought the same bedford cord interior (used in the 68B) and a tan top from L-B early this year. I am not ready to install the top and package tray cover yet, but I see mine is the same Bedford cord material used at the back side of the package tray for wrapping the belt rail. I was talking to my upholstery guy today about the issue of rolling this material around the belt rail. For the last cabriolet he did, a 68B, he ended up buying a more stretchy drab cloth to cover the belt rail, but some wrinkling is still inevitable with this material while trying to roll it over the belt rail corners. Alternatively for mine, he is considering cutting a separate piece, making a better fitting pattern and sewing a seam at the corner edges to make a good fit in the corner area. For me, a good fit is more important to me than JS compliance, as I am not really doing what most here at the Barn would consider proper restoration. A seat issue, he installed the bedford cord seat cover kit on my seat frames with new springs. I have been driving the car a bit w/o top and feel the seat bottom, at the back, will be too high for my comfort once the top is on. I have made a new base frame and will be doing a foam based thinner, contoured seat bottom so I will sit at least an inch lower than I currently do with the Snyder springs. I bought a couple extra yards of tan Bedford Cord; but had not planned on using it so quickly. Russ

05-13-2014, 01:48 PM	#3
eystein Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 521	Re: Belt rail covering material for cabriolet Thanks Russ, You're always helpful. I think that I will put one fold in the material at the belt rail corners on each side. Anyway, that will work much better with a thinner cloth. Anyway, I am still very interested in hearing from those who know how it was done and which material was used originally.

05-13-2014, 08:20 PM	#4
LopezCarguy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Lopez Island, Wa. Posts: 276	Re: Belt rail covering material for cabriolet You guys seem to know the name of cloth better than I, my 68A had original cloth on rails and bows, when I took it off I noted that it was sewn in a tube form...then slipped on/over bows and belt rail...don't know if this helps or is the answer to dilemma?? __________________ The only thing worth learning is what you learn after you know it all !!

05-14-2014, 05:29 AM	#5
eystein Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 521	Re: Belt rail covering material for cabriolet Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Richard, From what you are saying, the material covering the belt rail was the same as on the bows. This confirms my assumptions. I take it that the material was a thin, fine woven one, significantly different from what was used on the seats. Can you confirm ? As to the material being sewed into a tube, that is what I have gatherez for the top bows. However, I really cannot understand how that could be the case for the belt rail covering. This covering needs to extend at least an inch below the belt rail wood, in order to cover all the way down to the package tray. I believe this was done by stretching the material over a cardboard piece. I cannot see how this could be done with the material sewed as a tube. Further, i cannot see how you would get in place all the bolts fastening the belt rail wood to the body edge metal with the wood already wrapped in a cloth tube. Are you sure that the matrial covering the belt rail wood was formed like a tube ?