Let's see 'em! I'm need one for my 33 Plymouth Rumble Seat Coupe and need some inspiration to start building the mechanism and framework!! What are the good and bad of having it? Thanks!! Dave
I have one in my deuce but it is a pain in the ass. 400hp and a rumble seat does not make sense to me. I am considering converting to a trunk. BC
I use mine alot. The kids love it. Take their friends for rides too. The only worry is assholes texting while driving. I converted my trunk to the rumble. Really only a day job. It is a 36 Ford. Most parts places sell rumble hinges for fords pretty cheap, so I would figure you could get one of those kits and slightly modify it for your plymouth application...have fun!
Years ago I was out walking during a layover in Boise. I saw a family out in their A coupe, mom and dad up front with kids in the rumble seat. I thought it was so neat that I decided to get one included in the '36 Fairlane body I ordered. I am still working on the car so have not gotten it on the street. In hindsight, I wish I would have just stayed with the trunk. I think that if you tried to use the rumble seat in today's busy environment on the street with the yahooz talking on their cells and/or texting it is inherently dangerous. When I get the my car running, I will only use the rumble in a parade type of cruise. You can install lap belts but in a good crash, the occupants' heads and chests are going to be slammed into the forward ledge.
You may want to reconsider how you want to use your hotrod. The rumble seat was the determining factor when I bought my sport coupe. I've had a few kids in there once and a couple of buddies tooled around the fairgrounds one year but for all the times that I've had to hang my fat ass over the 1/4 panel and try to reach that item on the floor, I'd say it ain't worth it. They are cool if you've never had one but a PITA once you finally get one.
I never use mine.The cushions hang on my garage wall"just in case" but I use the area as a trunk. I like riding in it and taking others for rides but there are no seatbelts and with all of the crazies on the roads today,I just don't feel safe having anyone riding in mine. Having the back open as a rumble seat is a pain in the ass but converting it is way down on the list. I wouldn't do it.
I have one in my '35 and I think it'll probably serve the same purpose. I can already tell that reaching over the quarter to get something is going to be a PITA like you said.
Rumble seats are great if you stay in the neighborhood. If you get out of town you will need a trunk for your stuff. If you remove the cushions and use it as a trunk, the load shifts you can not open the rumble lid. After 15 years of experience with a roadster, forget the rumble seat. Go with a trunk.
I used the rumble in my 29 A roadster, but only tooling around my neighborhood or at swap meets, etc. It is a pain, but I got such a kick out of giving people rides in a rumble that I never considered removing it. There were two categories of folks that I never got tired of seeing their reactions: kids and old timers who hadn't ridden in one since their youth.
I have a rumble seat in my 34 chev. The kids love it.Has seat belts as well.I will not go on major highway's with kids in the seat.Never been a pain, lots of room for cargo behind the drivers and passengers seat. Besides with young children my only other choice would be a sedan. And I love coupes
I have one in my 36, my kids ride in the back alot. I make sure to take less traveled roads and not the thruway etc. I rode in it as a kid as well. I added lap belts, and was thinking of adding temporary padding for the front and sides as well. We drive it alot in the summer to hockey games etc, and I can fit the hockey bags, sticks, and wife and kids. I don't drive with the kids in the seat everyday maybe 2 times a week in the summer for small trips. I have a 38 seat in it and the seat tips forward so getting things in and out is no problem.
I converted mine to a trunk. I didn't want to but keeping it as a rumble seat basically takes out any storage space in the car. I had to slam the front seat up against the back window in order to be able to fit in the car so even it there WAS a rumble seat, there would be no room for anyones legs and feet. I have the battery back in the trunk too. As cool as rumble seats are, I'd have to agree with the others, go with a trunk - it just makes more sense!! Good Luck!
Still have mine in the "A". I like it a lot even though though it makes me nervous on the highways with tailgaters. I tend to find my way around town on back streets when its occupied. a buddy's I have in the shop right now. Kinda traditional in leather.
I dont have one but my bud has one in his 35 Ford coupe believe me its a good hang over cure at 80 mph for an hour. Thats what I called fresh air injection.
My daugters grew up in my rumble seat. They are now too big, and when my granddaughter rides, she gets the copilot seat, so the cushions are stowed in the garage to increase usable trunk volume. To the contrary of a few of the other posters, I think access to the stuff stowed back there is at least as good with the rumble opening as with the trunk.
I have a rumble seat in my coupe and when I rebuild the car it will have a trunk. If you travel any at all getting a suit case or a duffel bag in and out is a pain,,forget about a heavy ice chest or a set of tools,,,no thanks. HRP
I had a rumble in my 33Nash and I never rode in it myself. My kids LOVED IT THOUGH. I ADDED SEATBELTS BUT LIKE A PREVIOUS poster wrote about the panel forward of the seat behind the window made me nervous about a face hitting it. My rear window cranked up and down so it was easy to talk. One other thing..... When it starts to rain those in the rumble begin to grumble!
They are great if you are young enough and small enough. They went out of fashion when hiway speeds got up to 45 or 50. OK for back roads and quiet streets.
I have rumble seats in the my A coupe and A roadster, I love them and I always seem to have a drunk buddies that want to ride around the fair grounds or hot rod show in the rumble seat. My Grandfather rode across country in the rumble seat of his fathers A coupe, and from the rumble seat he shot a few cows along the way with his sling shot too he told me. Damn trouble makers!! Rumble seats are pure Americana!!
I have one in my 32 cabriolet. The cushions come out in less than 2 minutes so on a trip they usually stay home in the shop to make more luggage space. When I first started driving the car this side of the Atlantic I was puzzeled by the number of older ladies who asked if it was a rumble seat, when told yes asked to see it and then gazed into it and giggled. I was told that they may have lost something in a rumble seat when they were younger and were looking to see if they could find it! One of the insurance restrictions in the UK was that no one could ride there - considered much to dangerous.
Did you need to see the hinges and stuff to build yours or just asking for our opinions? I have one in my car and I intend to use it. I live in a small town and there are plenty of back roads. I know from my own experience as a kid, that one ride affected me for life. Maybe even inspired me to get into cars to begin with. They are still safer than motorcycles. IMO. Doug.
My A roadster had a rumble seat originally and has one now although the cushions aren't fat like the originals. The rumble seat has only been used as a seat a few times in parades with my granddaughters riding in it. I wouldn't let them ride in out on the street. It is fun to see and hear people's reaction when the car is parked at a cruise or show, especially from children.
Sure, they are a pain when trying to load coolers, etc and probably not a good idea to ride in one in traffic, but I think that these kids would argue that they are pretty fun to play in!! These are the hot rodders of the future! I just take the cushions out if I need trunk space..
Jim,thats a great picture with the kids....now i know for sure im putting the rumble seat back in my Rockne...some racer filled mine in the 60s...
Thanks, that was a great party to celebrate my wifes birthday as well as here "homecoming" from a bone marrow transplant in Arizona... Here is another shot to show how much better they fit in a car with a rumbleseat!
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