My Model A Roadster has a rumble seat lid that I'm thinking about converting to a trumk lid. Do you have one that you wish was one way or the other?
Depending on how many miles you put on the thing, I'd leave it a rumble. I think it's a lot easier to pack stuff in a rumble, than a trunk.
I have a rumble in the 32 - with no cushions - and it's a giant pain in the aft. Not much storage room. Things move around and since the lid has to go down to open, many times you can't open the rumble lid without a struggle. If you need something that's moved to the bottom front of the floor, you have to get up on the tire (highboy) and lean over. More paint scratches if you don't watch it. Since the lid has to go down, taillight placement can be limited. I have 39 taillights on the 32, but they had to be sectioned so the lid would miss them on the way down. I'm like everybody else who thought they wanted a rumble, never had an occasion to use it and when you think about it, you're only gonna use it to cruise the fairgrounds and maybe to the Saturday night rod run. Forget about carrying a spare. And maintenance or changes to stuff inside the trunk, forget it. Some jobs call for removal of the rumble lid. Plus, the paint gets banged up putting tool boxes in and out. Some folks visualize the kids traveling back there and go so far as to install seat belts. Far easier to set up three belts up front and tuck the middle away under the cushion when it's not in use. The 31 on 32 rails roadster project has a regular trunk and it's a delight. Room for a spare, tools and most anything else you'd want to carry. My experience has been . . . never again....
I think the opposite of Brandi,,,I have a trunk in my coupe, and wouldnt have it any other. Its much easier for me to get in and out of my trunk without having to reach over the rumble lid. I also have my gas tank, battery, and disconnect switch right in the trunk as well.
We've never met but your Coupe is one of the nicest I've ever seen. First saw it leaving the last Road Agents meet, then finally last year at Rhinebeck. It brings up the next question after the body is done, use an A ch***is or '32. I'm leaning twords the '32 since I'll be using a 354 HEMI. Did the Coupe get a magazine feature, or can I get a poster size photo of it somehow?
When i built my 36 coupe, I had to have a rumble so I went to all the trouble turn around the trunk lid to make it a rumble. (and no, it wasn't a case of just turning it around.) When I did my 36 cabriolet, I made it a trunk; for all the reasons C9 mentioned. I'm doing a 31 coupe now and, you guessed it, a trunk. Just my opinion. Tom...
yeah it did...It was in CK Deluxe and one other one...I think july '08 was the issue. Well meet one day im sure!!!! Actually I think we did, me and Mel (dirtyest devil) bought some front end parts off of you at hershey last year.
Ok, matching names & faces and the cars that go with them always takes a while, then you add Forun names & avitars and you wonder if we all need name tags.
Im still working towards the car of my dreams, but when i get it I hope for a rumble seat! always wanted a rumble seat roadster.
Nice thing about a trunk, I dont have space to ride any more folks. On the other hand, people think you will automatically take stuff for them, or in my case, bring stuff back without asking. I have a 39 chevy coupe, yes big car, compared to a roadster. We would go on runs and the womenfolk went shopping. Oh he will bring it back for us. Well I can be a nice guy but never ***ume. Rumbles are always cool, and I do agree with if your not going to put the seat in, make it a trunk so you can get the ****** open!
I've never really studied the Model A trunk hinge and latch hardware, everything I've ever had had a rumble. If you has two lids you could swap back and forth, rumble seat and louvered trunk, right?
trunk is the only way to go , rumble is a pain in the *** in my opinion. my `36 has a trunk. but you will have to decide for yourself if it is worth converting....you can't just simply flip the lid. it involves drilling new holes, filling old holes , installing hinges and installing the lower drip pan inside the opening. i've converted two `32 ford roadster rumbles to trunks and it's not hard to do
The latching is the only obstacle in switching back and forth. My rumble seat car has no trunk lid latching provisions (I don't think?). I'm converting it to a trunk after being on the fence about it. I think a lot of people fall in love with the idea of a rumble seat... I know I did. There was, however, always something in the back of my mind that was hesitant about the conversion. After reading a bunch of threads, I'll credit C9 for swaying me to go the trunk route. The functionality is more important to me than the form and allure of the rumble seat. Plus, I am going to DRIVE this thing and the storage space will be great to throw a piece of luggage and whatever else I might need. Plus, I don't want to struggle with opening the lid because something has shifted.
Go with the trunk Bob, but if you have both switching them out is pretty easy. Only the pivot pins on the rumble brackets, and the 2 small pivot brackets at the top for the trunk.
I think everyone wants a rumble seat at some time. They can be fun to tool around the fair grounds with friends or your kids and grand kids, but they are a real PITA for anything else. You won't like it if you bring your own refreshments to the show. The cooler has to go down into the foot well and if you are short like me, you have to place your belly (fat in my case) on the top of the 1/4 panel and act like a human see saw with your head going down in and your legs going up in the air to get it in and out. The adjective graceful does not come to mind. It's so much easier to pop the trunk and open the cooler.
I switched from a rumble to a trunk on my 29 roadster. All the reasons c9 says. much more user friendly. All I had to do was make hinges and a tray to catch water and hold the latch. The handle is still in the rumble position, just not doing anything.
I,m stiil stuck on the rumble seat. My 5 window had a trunk. I got talked into haulin "stuff" to a church picnic. 3 months later i tore the seat out to run some wiring and found DEVILED EGGS in the back of it. GGRRHHHH a box of tools and my folding chair are the only things I take now. If ya wanna haul "stuff" get a minivan
Notice the experienced rodders in this thread have all tried the rumble and gave it up as a novelty? Trunk is the only way to go if you want to travel.
Don't know if you have any small children or grand kids, but my two granddaughter love the rumble seat in my roadster.
When i restored my car (31 Coupe) back in 1974 i kept the rumble seat.Was fun for people to sit in when top speed was 40mph and gas was in the cowl. Now that i'm building a rod i converted to trunk and put my battery and gas tank back there. Scott
As you can see from the photo my coupe has a rumble seat which is going to be history very soon,,,Just another thing on the list to change. Like Tommy said,they are a PITA trying to load or unload with a heavy cooler or suitcases when you travel and if the rumble seat is thick like the one in my coupe you end up have to ride with it open,rain or shine,,,give me a trunk anyday! I have had on previous car with a rumble seat,,39 Ford convertible and the kids loved it,,I always disliked it but it was a must at the time.HRP
I always wanted to find a Victory 6 coupe and turn the trunk into a rumble seat- Dodge said they couldn't do it, but Iu think there's room... 37kid, I would fidure the pros and cons of each and decide which is most important to you. Personally, I like a rumble seat- speaks of a great era and fun to put the kiddies in!
A rumble seat is only useful if you need to carry more people. It is terrible for hauling groceries or anything else. I actually drive my Model A, (thru 3 states) and carry luggage, parts and groceries. Henry made the sheet metal on the trunk floor as a compromise so it could also serve as a rumble. Like many compromises, it does neither very well. I made up a dropped floor for my trunk and gained a lot of space. The purists should be happy to note that my floor bolts in, no butcher work. I also extended the rain gutters that were another compromise. They use to direct rain into my trunk, getting my stuff wet and rotting the floor.
Both of mine are rumble seat 32's ... But I wish the roadster was a trunk car. I have everything needed to change it over ( another deck lid, the lower panel, hinges and latches ) for the past 20 or so years ... BUT ... I just have not done it. I prefer the rumble seat on the 3W ... because they LOOK better IMHO. The 3W came from Ford originally with a remote, hidden latch that works from the inside of the coupe ... So no handle on the lid ... looks better to me.
I have the battery & the gastank in the foot well of my rumbleseat. It's easier to fill the tank or charge the batteery, than trying to duck under a trunk lid. A rumbleseat gets a load of attention, is moderately useful & chicks dig it!
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