Ercoupe Seat Repair
The original Ercoupe "bench" seat has been a known weakness. The back of the seat brakes - probably from persons pushing on non-existent rudder peddles! Below is an example:
Here we see the center brace. That's the long skinny piece with the hole in it. Please note that it is in two pieces. The triangular part is the top seat back piece.
Below is the entire frame, all "clecoe'd" up and ready for riveting.
This picture shows where the seat back is attached. These are called "boot hooks," and are commonly found on shoes!
The upper attach point is a substitute made from a machine screw, bushing and nut. The bottom one is a stock boot hook. The cover is secured by cord lacing.
Above are pictures of the seat back with the riveting complete.
The next problem to address is the "Boot Hooks." They are the attachment points for the seat back. The above picture has two good ones on each side of one that has broken off over 60 years of flying.
This is the solution - at least so far as what I could find. A machine screw, a bit of copper tubing as a bushing and a flat washer. There is a nut on the back.
Here I have replaced two Boot hooks. The trick is to catch and hold the cord when the seat back is reinstalled.
The above pictures are after the seat back frame has been primed to go back into the Ercoupe. Now to put the cover on.
This shows the seat cover laced onto the bottom. The baggage bag is installed on the back of the seat frame.
This shows the installation from the top. There are two rows of screws, one for the seat back pad and the other for the bag. The screws are in temporarily so screw locations can be marked in the new center piece.
Finally! The seat back is installed back in the Ercoupe. The seat bottom pan had to be installed. This involved threading three strap hinge pins in and securing the bottom with (varying sized!) screws.
Percy G. Wood, 2008