I've sat in one, but not ridden. It was difficult, what with trying to fold my legs in and under. At least with a T bucket, there is no upper limit for knees!
In the later 1940s,I was about 8, my Mom had a stock 32 roadster she loved,her Dad had fixed up for her. She was a school teacher. I'd ride to school with her,and on clear days,I got to ride in the rumble seat= Extra fun ride. My Dad built blocks of house's with his Dad n brother,along with a crew they had. They had just got a plot of land,to build on , with too many big trees to clear with what they owned. Dad traded Mom's fav. car,for a new gas chainsaw,an didn't tell her tell after.. He was in the DOG HOUSE for over a month,she would not even talk to him.......
Man I think 90% of my core hotrod memories as a kid are ridding in a rumble seat. One of my dad’s buddies down the street was a hot rodder, I was over there all the time. A hard chopped 34 3 window chevy, full fendered with a candy root beer paint job the kids were always sent to the rumble seat. I can’t hear the beach boys with out thinking about being in the back of the coupe with the wind blasting by and the radio cranked.
First ride was on a poker run in Clear Lake Iowa in the back of one of the Abrams brothers’ 32 3-windows. The candy brandywine one. Sat with a family friend who is no longer with us, but won’t ever be forgotten. Next time was in the back of my little brother’s black 28 coupe. Even rode an hour down the highway in it once to the GG’s show in Des Moines. The Halibrand screamed the whole way. I did that ride by myself.
Great pics, @J.Ukrop !! I rode in a rumble seat, way back in the 1970's when my Uncle Jim had a beautiful fully restored Model A.
I purchased my first Model A in 1968 and have owned several since. I have never been a rumble seat in a roadster, but riding in a coupe rumble seat isn't fun. The wind comes around both sides of the top and blasts you from both sides. If it is remotely chilly you freeze your butt off. I don't know how they did it in the '30s.
My buddy Steve had a 31 Plymouth with a rumble seat. I rode in it many times back in the late 70's. that's the only one.
Way to go, Joey! It's never too late. Spent a lot of time in the back of my dad's '30A coupe with my brother, which I wrote about here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/fathers-day-tribute.1231770/ Great on a hot sunny day, but woodiewagon46 is right on, after the sun goes down, or on a chilly day, it gets cold back there. We would huddle down in the footwell to try to stay warm.
I've ridden in the rumble seat of my dad's 33 Dodge coupe, both at in-town speeds and at highway speeds (~65 mph). The wind coming over the roof at highway speeds is a bit harsh. Riding around town is a lot of fun. We were in a small mountain town one year that fills with vintage cars with their car show every year. Since we were kind of hidden by the roof, everyone did a double-take when we drove by as they weren't expecting people in the rumble seat! I still prefer to be in the driver's seat, but riding in a rumble seat is a fun experience!
I have loved antique vehicles since I was a very small boy. Always looking for them on the road when driving with my parents. Just thought they were soooo freaking cool. One day a teenage girl on the block's boyfriend showed up with his '36 Chevy convertible with a rumble seat. He gave us kids a ride in the rumble. Totally sealed my fate as a car guy forever (also HUGE boyfriend points for him. lol). Good luck with the upgrade. I sure hope you take us along with pics and descriptions. Andy
About a dozen years ago or so I took my granddaughter for a ride in the rumble seat of a Model A coupe I owned at the time. She recently graduated college and still talks about that little episode! It was great fun for both of us.
Joey, Brenda & I took our very first rumble seat ride in a 1932 PB Plymouth coupe in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the year was 1977, Brenda and I had road my 1957 Harley - Davidson chopper hoping to do some trading over the weekend. They were calling for rain so we ask our pal Rene' for a ride to the restaurant from our motel on the outskirts of town, we had a great dinner and avoided the rain that fell while we were dining. Back at that time the run was in October and the rain had really brought the temperature down, Rene' opened the rumble seat and I was surprised that thee inside was completely dry and where he had parked was very dark, Brenda and I got in and Rene' cranked up and started up a slight hill, that's when we both let out a blood curdling scream. In Rene's rush to finish the coupe his brother had cut a piece of stainless steel and pop riveted it in place and it had a slight dip in it which a lot of water had accumulated and the only place for the water was in our faces and laps, that was some cold water for the ride back to the motel, yeah I guess you could say wee were "baptized" with our very first experience with a rumble seat. HRP
My rumble seat experience was quite costly. My roadster has a trunk which is great for traveling. Early on, my wife wanted a rumble seat. I dragged my feet as long as I could then ordered a kit from Le Baron Bonny. It was a discontinued turquoise color but they found enough to put it together for me. Got the kit and again dragged my feet putting it in. Finally my son told her why change it, nobody's going to ride in it anyway. She gave in and I still have my trunk. I wanted to go to a more traditional black and white interior so I sold the complete interior to a guy in Jacksonville, FL for less than I paid for just the rumble stuff. But I still have my trunk. Lee
This reminds me of my motorcycle. Everybody wanted to ride in the sidecar but since I was piloting the bike, I rarely rode in it.
In June of 1978... I rode in a rumble seat from Modesto, CA to Holyrood, KS... about 1600 miles each way. Of course we had a Rumble Cozy cover over the back to keep us from getting crispy.
I have never ridden in a rumble seat, and at 6' 3", I probably never will. With the battery taking up the floor space on one side, the rumble seat in my '33 roadster will only accommodate little kids or double amputees. I did take my son and two grandsons for a ride to get ice cream earlier this summer and they loved it. Problem there is the grandsons have to be lifted over the fenders because there are no step pads on the car. Interesting story about that trip. When we left the ice cream shop, it was packed with people. We loaded the kids back into the rumble seat for the ride home (there are seat belts in the rumble seat). A couple of blocks down the 2-lane street from the ice cream shop, a cop car comes blasting toward us with his lights flashing. When he gets even with us, he looks over at the car and turns his lights off, slows down and continues on his way. Apparently someone unfamiliar with early cars saw us putting the kids in the "trunk area" of the car for the ride home and called the cops.
I bought a model a coupe. A friends mother ask me if it had a rumble seat. She said when she was a young girl she in a rumble seat and broke her nose when they stopped abruptly,.
My first ride in a rumble seat was 1967. My uncle Wayne a senior in high school at the time provided the excitement in his late 50's style model "A" coupe. Wayne his girlfriend and I made our way to the local A&W. An experience I'll never forget and set the course for a lifelong interest in all things mechanical...
I’ve ridden in rumble seats. No thanks that’s why my current build I’ve converted the rumble into a trunk
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