The Ford Barn

Steverino · 05-23-2013, 09:42 PM

Hi Everyone:
I am a gearhead (50's American Cars and early Honda Motorcycles) but I need some help with my Dad's recently purchased Model A. It's a Sport Coupe as noted above. He lives a couple hundred miles from me so i can't see the car in person. He says he can't move the seat back far enough for his long legs. He says there is a package tray type of cover or fiberboard piece that the top of the backrest bumps into when he trys to slide the seat back. Even though he is 86 years old, he is new to the hobby and is not a gearhead like me. The last time he had a model a was when they were only a few years old. Can this piece that is blocking the seat back be popped out? Thank you for your help.
Steve
Portland Oregon

roccaas · 05-23-2013, 10:17 PM

Yes, you can remove the package tray, a lot of tall folks do it when they resto-Mod an A, but I'm not sure the seat would go back any further without more work to the seat and it's mounting system.

You often see the Deuce Coupes and Roadsters with the seat narrowed and pushed farther from the dash when the package shelf is removed.

If he is 6 feet or taller, its always gonna be cramped in a Coupe/Cabriolet/Sports Coupe body.

lindy williams · 05-24-2013, 08:18 AM

The seat on a '30 coupe will go back a little farther if the package tray is modified, however it does not just "pop out". Its a structural part of the car and shouldn't be removed completely. However, you can cut it and remove about an inch to allow the seat to go a little farther back. The length of the seat track is a limiting factor.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 05-24-2013, 06:37 PM

On my early '30 Coupe, I cut 4" off the package tray, drilled out the seat riser rivets out & moved the "WHOLE" seat assembley back 4"-----"AAH!" Comfort! Bill W.

Steverino · 05-24-2013, 11:25 PM

Thankyou Roccass, lindy and Bill. Now if I can just get him to slow down. He thinks he going out to the shop in the morning, move the seat AND tighten up the steering box in time for the 11 am memorial day parade tomorrow. Nothing like learning from your mistakes.

bhiland · 05-24-2013, 11:44 PM

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Leg room is cramped in them. My cabriolet has adjustable seat but from full forward to full back is not much difference. One bad thing about them is room.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 05-25-2013, 12:24 AM

'29 Coupes are really tight Here's what I had to do to mine Bill W.

Steverino · 05-26-2013, 01:24 AM

Thank You, I will be heading down to Dad's in two weeks to give him a hand. His 87th birthday is June 7th and I think I will buy him a nice set of Craftsman wrenches.
Steve

billmessmer · 12-06-2024, 03:29 PM

Bill Williamson, I like your reply on moving the seat back on your Coupe. I have both 1928 Sport coupe and was told by a Sr. member that he did not like the 28-29 because the 30-31 had more room between the seat and door post. I just bought a 1930 Cabriolet, and although the former owner put stainless steel scuff plated on the door sill it does nothing for swinging your legs around the door post to get into the cars. I am willing to do some cutting and welding on my 28 as it is an older restoration in need of a new paint job and a new roof. I do find it hard to believe you could move the seat a full 4 inches. Do you have any pictures? did you just place a steel sheet on the sides of the cab or put upholstery material stretched over stiff cardboard for looks?

Bud · 12-06-2024, 05:15 PM

Hi, I have a modified package shelf/tray that came out of a January 1929 Sport coupe that was being street rodded. It has a couple slots cut in it for a roll bar. I have it advertised for $20 (plus shipping) on the Facebook Group "Model A Modified". Look there for a picture of it if interested. It is good enough to practice on at least. I am located in OH.

rotorwrench · 12-06-2024, 06:56 PM

Ford used the coil spring seat cushion system as part of the model A suspension. Some folks build up new cushion systems from various types and layers of foam then recover the seats to give a better fit for the tall folks. I had no problem in my 29 Sport Coupe but then I have shorter legs. My Pop's family were tall and my Mom's was short so I ended up in between at 5'10" and a half.

My Mom and her older sister used to stand up in the back seat of my Grand-Pop's old model T Touring car. They would jump up and down back there when they were little. One time while driving up Mount Blanca, Grand-Pop hit a big bump and out the back end my aunt went. Thankfully she wasn't hurt very bad. Mostly just her pride. Now days we have the child seats but they had six little kinds so they would have had a bunch of those car seats if they had been invented earlier.

Fullraceflathead · 12-07-2024, 11:37 AM

If I'm not mistaken the average height for an adult male back in the 20s and 30s was about 5 foot 10.

Bob C · 12-07-2024, 11:49 AM

Bill pasted away four years ago.

ThirstyThirty · 12-07-2024, 12:20 PM

"but I need some help with my Dad's recently purchased Model A."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steverino

Thank You, I will be heading down to Dad's in two weeks to give him a hand. His 87th birthday is June 7th and I think I will buy him a nice set of Craftsman wrenches. Steve

I do like your Dad's sense of optimism. Good luck with the project.

Tinbasher · 12-10-2024, 09:44 AM

I notice the seat swivels. Is that from a 70's Monte Carlo?

05-23-2013, 09:42 PM	#1
Steverino Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 3	1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Hi Everyone: I am a gearhead (50's American Cars and early Honda Motorcycles) but I need some help with my Dad's recently purchased Model A. It's a Sport Coupe as noted above. He lives a couple hundred miles from me so i can't see the car in person. He says he can't move the seat back far enough for his long legs. He says there is a package tray type of cover or fiberboard piece that the top of the backrest bumps into when he trys to slide the seat back. Even though he is 86 years old, he is new to the hobby and is not a gearhead like me. The last time he had a model a was when they were only a few years old. Can this piece that is blocking the seat back be popped out? Thank you for your help. Steve Portland Oregon

05-23-2013, 10:17 PM	#2
roccaas Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,300	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Yes, you can remove the package tray, a lot of tall folks do it when they resto-Mod an A, but I'm not sure the seat would go back any further without more work to the seat and it's mounting system. You often see the Deuce Coupes and Roadsters with the seat narrowed and pushed farther from the dash when the package shelf is removed. If he is 6 feet or taller, its always gonna be cramped in a Coupe/Cabriolet/Sports Coupe body. __________________ 20 years ago we had Johnny Cash, Steve Jobs, and Bob Hope. Now we have no Cash, no Jobs, and no Hope...please don't let Kevin Bacon die!

05-24-2013, 08:18 AM	#3
lindy williams Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 335	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question The seat on a '30 coupe will go back a little farther if the package tray is modified, however it does not just "pop out". Its a structural part of the car and shouldn't be removed completely. However, you can cut it and remove about an inch to allow the seat to go a little farther back. The length of the seat track is a limiting factor.

05-24-2013, 06:37 PM	#4
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question On my early '30 Coupe, I cut 4" off the package tray, drilled out the seat riser rivets out & moved the "WHOLE" seat assembley back 4"-----"AAH!" Comfort! Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

05-24-2013, 11:25 PM	#5
Steverino Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 3	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Thankyou Roccass, lindy and Bill. Now if I can just get him to slow down. He thinks he going out to the shop in the morning, move the seat AND tighten up the steering box in time for the 11 am memorial day parade tomorrow. Nothing like learning from your mistakes.

05-24-2013, 11:44 PM	#6
bhiland Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 79	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Leg room is cramped in them. My cabriolet has adjustable seat but from full forward to full back is not much difference. One bad thing about them is room.

05-26-2013, 01:24 AM	#8
Steverino Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 3	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Thank You, I will be heading down to Dad's in two weeks to give him a hand. His 87th birthday is June 7th and I think I will buy him a nice set of Craftsman wrenches. Steve

12-06-2024, 03:29 PM	#9
billmessmer Junior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Seaford Delaware Posts: 13	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Bill Williamson, I like your reply on moving the seat back on your Coupe. I have both 1928 Sport coupe and was told by a Sr. member that he did not like the 28-29 because the 30-31 had more room between the seat and door post. I just bought a 1930 Cabriolet, and although the former owner put stainless steel scuff plated on the door sill it does nothing for swinging your legs around the door post to get into the cars. I am willing to do some cutting and welding on my 28 as it is an older restoration in need of a new paint job and a new roof. I do find it hard to believe you could move the seat a full 4 inches. Do you have any pictures? did you just place a steel sheet on the sides of the cab or put upholstery material stretched over stiff cardboard for looks?

12-06-2024, 05:15 PM	#10
Bud Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 851	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Hi, I have a modified package shelf/tray that came out of a January 1929 Sport coupe that was being street rodded. It has a couple slots cut in it for a roll bar. I have it advertised for $20 (plus shipping) on the Facebook Group "Model A Modified". Look there for a picture of it if interested. It is good enough to practice on at least. I am located in OH.

12-06-2024, 06:56 PM	#11
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,410	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Ford used the coil spring seat cushion system as part of the model A suspension. Some folks build up new cushion systems from various types and layers of foam then recover the seats to give a better fit for the tall folks. I had no problem in my 29 Sport Coupe but then I have shorter legs. My Pop's family were tall and my Mom's was short so I ended up in between at 5'10" and a half. My Mom and her older sister used to stand up in the back seat of my Grand-Pop's old model T Touring car. They would jump up and down back there when they were little. One time while driving up Mount Blanca, Grand-Pop hit a big bump and out the back end my aunt went. Thankfully she wasn't hurt very bad. Mostly just her pride. Now days we have the child seats but they had six little kinds so they would have had a bunch of those car seats if they had been invented earlier.

12-07-2024, 11:37 AM	#12
Fullraceflathead Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Chillicothe, Missouri Posts: 1,684	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question If I'm not mistaken the average height for an adult male back in the 20s and 30s was about 5 foot 10. __________________ "If I asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses." -Henry Ford "Primitive technology is not a design flaw" 1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup 1930 Gordon Smith Air Compressor 1941 Willy's Pickup 1960 Thunderbird-For Sale 1964 Buick Riviera 2x4 425 1965 Pontiac GTO, 455 Super Duty 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10, V-10 Viper 1977 Charger Jet Boat,460 Ford,Jacuzzi Jet Front Engine Nostalgia Dragster,Supercharged 296 "Fullrace Flathead" Ford Engine Build up on DVD ask

12-07-2024, 11:49 AM	#13
Bob C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Cal Posts: 9,359	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question Bill pasted away four years ago.

12-10-2024, 09:44 AM	#15
Tinbasher Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Innisfil, Ontario Canada Posts: 1,205	Re: 1930 Model A Sport Coupe Seat Adjustment Question I notice the seat swivels. Is that from a 70's Monte Carlo?