VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Duct tape for a front seat back

On my 41 Chevy coupe, I'd like to keep the original interior look, but there's a large tear on the corner of the driver's back. Can I use duct tape to cover it? Probably not the correct way, I know. But I'm not looking to have a beauty queen. Ed P.S. Is there a way to post a picture with a post?

Ed,

Instead of masking tape use clear packing tape. Pull the split together as much as you can. Sailors use masking tape.

A picture cam be added but its so hard that only those who carry a pocket protector have ever mastered the process. It would be much too hard for a Marine. Airborne!

Best,
Charlie

Hi Ed,

There is a way to include a picture in your post. In fact it usually makes it easier to understand a question or provide a better answer. Try this link.

Posting Pictures

If you get confused let us know.

Good luck, Mike

Is it small enough to stich it together?

Thanks, guys, for the info. And Charlie, touche, that's a good one. (Service,USMC, 1952-1957). Ed

I seriously doubt any tape will be a short term repair let alone long term. If it is only a single cut or rip I would talk very nicely to your wife about stitching it together.
Tony

I had a similar tear on the back seat of my 41. The rest of the upholstery was nice so I wasn't ready to spend the money on re-upholstering. I removed the seat, cut the hog rings off and removed the cover. I used an iron on patch like they sell for repairing holes in jeans but ironed it onto the inside of the cover. The repair is barely noticeable even knowing it is there. More involved than a repair on the outside, but I was really pleased with how it turned out. The added benefit was that when I re-hogringed the upholstery back, I was able to tighten it all up after years of stretching.

Great idea and that would be the correct way to fix a tear on original upholstery. Using duct tape for the repair would be very tacky (no pun intended).

Pic of front Ed [img:center]http://photobucket.com[/img]

The pic didn't come through. When you are looking at the picture in Photobucket, click on the 'direct link' on the right side and the address will be copied into your computer's clipboard (scratch pad area). That address is for the actual picture rather than the generic link to Photobucket's home page which showed up in your post above.

Yes, computers are user antagonistic sometimes.

Cheers, Dean

So if this is original upholstery, I personally would not attempt to remove it. Instead I would try and clip a small sample from underneath the seat or from the bottom of the rear seat. Then with some fabric glue I would fasten it over the rip.

Hmm, ok, I'll try again. Well, I got to the "direct" link, clicked it. and it read "copied". But. I have no idea where my "clipboard" is. Oh well, Ed

semperfi, don't quit now you are halfway there to posting your picture.

On Photobucket, once you go to the "direct" link and click on it and then see "copied" do this:

(The following assumes you are not doing this with a smartphone)

- Go to the VCCA chat site thread that you want to insert the picture in and select the "Reply" button.
- Enter any text that you want in your reply box and then leave your cursor on the line you want your picture inserted.
- There are a row of icons at the top of your reply box, (the first one is a smiley face). Hover your cursor over the fourth icon and you should see "Enter an Image". Click on the fourth icon and you will see a pop up menu.
- The first entry on the pop up menu will say "Insert a non-floating image". Click on that entry.
- A new small window will display that says "Enter the complete URL for the image you wish to display"
- At this point you can (1) on your keyboard, press and hold the "Ctrl" key and then press the "V" key, or, (2) right click your mouse or touchpad and then select "paste". This should copy the link to your picture (from the clipboard) to the small window.
- Select the "OK" button on the small window and it should go away and the link to your picture should be in your reply.
- At the bottom of your reply window, select the "Preview Post" button to verify your picture displays in your reply.

There are other ways to insert pictures but since you used the Photobucket "direct" link, the above instructions should work.

Test pic of front seat. No go, Got to the "Enter complete URL for image", right clicked mouse, nothing, just a beeping sound, then tried press atl and V, same result. Oh well.

semperfi, send me an email with the web address of the pic at dhmeltz@aol.com and I'll post it here for you.

Cheers, Dean

Hi, Dean. I sent you an email with the pic. Thanks for your trouble helping me. Ed

Here's the pic of Ed's seat.

Cheers, Dean

One way or another, thats gonna need some kind of a seatcover.

Duct tape makes an unbelievable mess. It will turn to goo, slide around, and get all over the driver, never mind the cotton stuffing. It might even make you stop driving the car out of dread.

I liked the iron on idea until I saw how big the split is.

I think you should get some carpet thread and stitch back and forth in a zig zag pattern. It looks like that wont close the hole, but should keep all the fabric where it belongs. then, if the cushion comes off, just hog ring some other material over the top of it. Maybe some terrycloth in a similar color to the upholstery?

If it doesn't come off, then sew something up in a sack shape to pull down over the whole drivers back, or get a seatcover.

A hole that size is going to be very difficult to do simply. I know you want to keep it as original as possible but I would be replacing the complete cover on that seat back at least and to keep it matching the complete front seat as the rest is likely not far from doing the same.
Tony

Hi Ed,

If it were mine I would just take the seat to an upholsterer and have him put a new cover on it. I have an extra old seat back but you can see in the picture it has been repaired and is in bad condition.



I do want to alert you of a problem Chevy had with its front seat backs in 41. The problem was so bad that a section of the 41 Body Manual has been dedicated to how to repair it. It was common that the seat frame would break about 6-8 inches above the end of the left arm. You could tell it was broken when you sat in the seat and pushed against the back and it moved. I had the problem and had a welder repair mine about 10 years ago.

To remove your seat back you will need to take out your bottom seat cushion. It comes out by pulling up on the front of the seat. With the cushion out you can see how the back is attached and easily remove it. At this point you can carry it around town to get an estimate on the repair.

Here are a few pictures to show an upholsterer how the seat comes apart, or you can take it apart yourself.




Back with Cushion Removed



A tab that bends is in each bottom corner. Bending it straight out releases the back from the cushion. Now the cushion can be lifted out of the frame. Lift from the bottom to the top.




The next three pictures show the top bracket that holds the top of the cushion in place. The position of the fingers on the bracket allow the cushion to be pulled tight against the frame when reinstalling the cushion.










This is the area of the frame that breaks. Pages 120-121 of the 41 Body Manual cover the repair.



The bar that I had welded in is around 18" long. The repair is done on both frame arms to reinforce both of them.






Good Luck, Mike

Mike's Photobucket Page

Thanks, Mike, Very interesting how you did it. Ed

Would duct tape seal the rivets on the wheels that one wants to put radials on? (Man, that right there was a plum bad sentence)

It can be used for all sorts of things and I was just wondering.

Charlie

Charlie I would upgrade to at least JB weld