The Ford Barn

Richard Lorenz · 03-17-2021, 09:58 AM

Has anyone figured out a way to get more leg and back room in a 29 Phaeton? I know that it would not be easy.

Model A Ron · 03-17-2021, 11:31 AM

I have been trying to get details on this. People say it can and has been done but no photos or procedure can be found. After looking at my 29 I think the backrest can be moved back about 3''. I was thinking about separating the bottom section of the seat from the backrest and making metal spacers for the bottom section pushing it back 3". The backrest curves in and bolts to what I will call the B support "Metal between the doors". This section is what the seat supports so people say it cannot be moved. I say it can be. My thought was to get 1/8'' plate to cover the B support plus the distance I want to move the backrest back. The metal plate could then be bolted to the B support and the backrest can be bolted to metal plate 3'' back.

It would need to be painted or covered with the same type of material as the interior but it should look fine. You would make a gap between the seat bottom and backrest.
Ron

Model A Ron · 03-17-2021, 11:43 AM

You are also going to have people say the seat cannot be moved so you need to make the seat fit you.

Ron

woofa.express · 03-18-2021, 05:16 AM

I replaced the seat back in my 28 ute with a 2-inch piece of moderate density foam which gave me an extra 2 or 3 inches it’s sort of like a biscuit as it has no shape. Then I pushed the seat beneath the bottom of this biscuit and modified the wooden seat frame to accommodate. More room. Entry/exit a little easier.
My 28 Tourer I removed the rear set of seat springs and likewise made a little more room, still plenty, of seat remaining and a little easier to enter and exit. Again modified wooden seat frame.
These modifications have made entry/exit a little easier. Definition for little is slight, meagre, limited. Don’t interpret for anything else.

heDONist · 03-18-2021, 07:44 AM

OK, here is what my father and I did. Just a couple home taught garage guys. The deluxe Coupe had no leg room for me, I'm over 6 feet tall. first we took out the seat back out, laid it down on a smooth bench we could stand on both sides.then removed the staples holding the cover to the wood frame. Next while I pushed down , Dad looped a plastic wire tie around the spring holding it compressed. So we did this on every spring, put 4 wire ties on each spring to get it to compress even. next we pulled the slack from the cover and re-stapled it back to the wood.
Conclusion...I think we got another 2 inches of leg room, with no chopping up parts. I think with a pair of dikes we could take it back to the way it was. But with the improvement of leg room, that's not happening.

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 03-18-2021, 08:18 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by heDONist

OK, here is what my father and I did. Just a couple home taught garage guys. The deluxe Coupe had no leg room for me, I'm over 6 feet tall. first we took out the seat back out, laid it down on a smooth bench we could stand on both sides. then removed the staples holding the cover to the wood frame. Next while I pushed down , Dad looped a plastic wire tie around the spring holding it compressed. So we did this on every spring, put 4 wire ties on each spring to get it to compress even. next we pulled the slack from the cover and re-stapled it back to the wood.
Conclusion...I think we got another 2 inches of leg room, with no chopping up parts. I think with a pair of dikes we could take it back to the way it was. But with the improvement of leg room, that's not happening.

While I appreciate your enthusiasm, a Coupe and a Phaeton are two TOTALLY different applications. The seat springs are different thicknesses and the seat spring on a 35A/B crimps (-is not tacked).

Richard, call me if you like and I will walk you thru what we have done on a 35A and a 35B.

For Ron and others, this is WAY more involved than just making a new backrest spring set. The rear of the center Back Panel section must be detached from the A-35756/7 Panels and relocated rearward. Then the toe-board sheetmetal must be reworked, and filler pieces added, -or a new piece made entirely. This relocation also affects the front seatback rail (A-36790) which must be re-made (-not just lengthened).

Additionally, the Cushion seat spring must be lengthened to fill the void left when the panel is moved, and a new seat cover made. Also, the Center Panel Trim will need to be re-made and covered for both sides. Since all of this metal rework must be painted, this modification really is best done during the restoration process prior to bodywork & painting.

One more thing I will share is the difficulty for a tall person in a 35A is sliding between the Center Section and Steering Wheel during ingress & egress. I also own a 35A, -and I am over 6' tall, and I have no trouble driving once I am seated inside the vehicle. I will also share that my seats have seat springs made correctly and the seat covers made & installed correctly. Most people that I have heard having issues driving have one or more issues with the upholstery installation.

Model A Ron · 03-19-2021, 04:54 PM

Brent
It sounds like you have a lot of experience with this modification. Any chance you have photos of the steps that need to be taken? For the most part I think I understand what your saying but I do not want to start pulling the seat apart without fully knowing what I am getting into. It sounds like a lot of work but in my situation at 6'3'' I feel it would be well worth the effort.

Thanks
Ron

Synchro909 · 03-19-2021, 05:52 PM

At (in the old measure) 6' 1" and find my '29 Phaeton about the easiest car to enter or exit. Once in, the driving position is fine even if when I first got the car, it seems cramped. I soon grew accustomed to it and now, it is my favourite.
I do not use the running board during either entry or exit.
But getting back to moving the seat back, if you really must, you will have to retain structural integrity of the body which will be lost if you simply remove the existing bracing provided by the seat frame. I've seen that done by making a strong brace which is screwed to the B pillars and a cross brace installed across the car at about the back of the seat. That is also a convenient place to attach a seat belt. Once that is done, I've seen small bucket seats from a modern car installed and I've seen the bench seat reinstated - it's up to you.
I've also seen nothing done to brace the B pillars and the side of the car was so floppy (love these technical terms) that the doors wouldn't close.

03-17-2021, 09:58 AM	#1
Richard Lorenz Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 447	29 phaeton more leg and back room Has anyone figured out a way to get more leg and back room in a 29 Phaeton? I know that it would not be easy.

03-17-2021, 11:31 AM	#2
Model A Ron Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Troutman, NC Posts: 717	Re: 29 phaeton more leg and back room I have been trying to get details on this. People say it can and has been done but no photos or procedure can be found. After looking at my 29 I think the backrest can be moved back about 3''. I was thinking about separating the bottom section of the seat from the backrest and making metal spacers for the bottom section pushing it back 3". The backrest curves in and bolts to what I will call the B support "Metal between the doors". This section is what the seat supports so people say it cannot be moved. I say it can be. My thought was to get 1/8'' plate to cover the B support plus the distance I want to move the backrest back. The metal plate could then be bolted to the B support and the backrest can be bolted to metal plate 3'' back. It would need to be painted or covered with the same type of material as the interior but it should look fine. You would make a gap between the seat bottom and backrest. Ron Last edited by Model A Ron; 03-17-2021 at 11:21 PM.

03-17-2021, 11:43 AM	#3
Model A Ron Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Troutman, NC Posts: 717	Re: 29 phaeton more leg and back room You are also going to have people say the seat cannot be moved so you need to make the seat fit you. Ron Last edited by Model A Ron; 03-17-2021 at 11:22 PM.

03-18-2021, 05:16 AM	#4
woofa.express Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Tocumwal, NSW, Australia Posts: 1,749	Re: 29 phaeton more leg and back room I replaced the seat back in my 28 ute with a 2-inch piece of moderate density foam which gave me an extra 2 or 3 inches it’s sort of like a biscuit as it has no shape. Then I pushed the seat beneath the bottom of this biscuit and modified the wooden seat frame to accommodate. More room. Entry/exit a little easier. My 28 Tourer I removed the rear set of seat springs and likewise made a little more room, still plenty, of seat remaining and a little easier to enter and exit. Again modified wooden seat frame. These modifications have made entry/exit a little easier. Definition for little is slight, meagre, limited. Don’t interpret for anything else. __________________ I know many things, But I don't know everything, Sometimes I forget things. And there are times when I have a long memory.

03-18-2021, 07:44 AM	#5
heDONist Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 8	Re: 29 phaeton more leg and back room OK, here is what my father and I did. Just a couple home taught garage guys. The deluxe Coupe had no leg room for me, I'm over 6 feet tall. first we took out the seat back out, laid it down on a smooth bench we could stand on both sides.then removed the staples holding the cover to the wood frame. Next while I pushed down , Dad looped a plastic wire tie around the spring holding it compressed. So we did this on every spring, put 4 wire ties on each spring to get it to compress even. next we pulled the slack from the cover and re-stapled it back to the wood. Conclusion...I think we got another 2 inches of leg room, with no chopping up parts. I think with a pair of dikes we could take it back to the way it was. But with the improvement of leg room, that's not happening.

03-19-2021, 04:54 PM	#7
Model A Ron Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Troutman, NC Posts: 717	Re: 29 phaeton more leg and back room Brent It sounds like you have a lot of experience with this modification. Any chance you have photos of the steps that need to be taken? For the most part I think I understand what your saying but I do not want to start pulling the seat apart without fully knowing what I am getting into. It sounds like a lot of work but in my situation at 6'3'' I feel it would be well worth the effort. Thanks Ron

03-19-2021, 05:52 PM	#8
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: 29 phaeton more leg and back room At (in the old measure) 6' 1" and find my '29 Phaeton about the easiest car to enter or exit. Once in, the driving position is fine even if when I first got the car, it seems cramped. I soon grew accustomed to it and now, it is my favourite. I do not use the running board during either entry or exit. But getting back to moving the seat back, if you really must, you will have to retain structural integrity of the body which will be lost if you simply remove the existing bracing provided by the seat frame. I've seen that done by making a strong brace which is screwed to the B pillars and a cross brace installed across the car at about the back of the seat. That is also a convenient place to attach a seat belt. Once that is done, I've seen small bucket seats from a modern car installed and I've seen the bench seat reinstated - it's up to you. I've also seen nothing done to brace the B pillars and the side of the car was so floppy (love these technical terms) that the doors wouldn't close. __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.