Value of a 1929 Model A Special Coupe driver

[big deuce]

Thank you, that was my point... so what is the "correct" method of getting into the rumble without them?

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by big deuce

Thank you, that was my point... so what is the "correct" method of getting into the rumble without them?

Depends on how sober you are!

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Depends on how sober you are!

and/or young

[jhowes]

I guess there is something wrong with my eyes. Where do you guys find a picture of this car? Jack

[History]

Would these handles be on a sport coupe originally? The top is cloth but doesn't come down so,, would these have been factory installed just to mimick a roadster look?

I'd been told they were handles for getting in and out of the rumble seat but my first thoughts were they were an awful design as handles.

[CHuDWah]

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Originally Posted by big deuce

My 28-29 special coupe WAS a rumble lid car, converting it to a trunk as we speak. It has the holes on the top of the quarter panel for hand assist, and the curved inner panel in the rear of the trunk.

AFAIK, The Special Coupe did not have a rumble seat as standard equipment. One could be installed by the dealer or owner, or maybe by the factory on special order.

Originally Posted by big deuce

I don't know why they were installed on coupes then... Every coupe that has a rumble seat has them, can't find a pic of a trunk coupe with them. They can't be just for conv tops.

Well, here's a rumble seat Special Coupe that does not have "handles" so I guess it's the exception that disproves the rule.



Sport Coupes had rumble seats standard but factory pix show no "handles" - if that's what they are for, why weren't they installed? OTOH, trunk roadsters do have them - if they're "handles", why put them on a trunk car? They may be helpful for getting into/out of the rumble seat, but Ford intended them as top rests to support the bows when the roadster top is folded. They were not factory-installed on coupes, rumble seat or otherwise. Again, dealers or owners may have installed them. The misinformation has been perpetuated by parts suppliers who incorrectly tout them as rumble seat handles.

Originally Posted by big deuce

Thank you, that was my point... so what is the "correct" method of getting into the rumble without them?

Dunno if there is a "correct" method but here's how I did it before I got too old to do it at all (like so many other fun things ).

1. Left foot on bumper step and left hand on rumble lid

2. Step up and put right foot on fender step

3. Step up and put left foot in rumble seat. If you're flexible and/or long-legged, you may be able to step on the floor - I always had to step on the seat cushion.

4. Swing right leg in and be seated.

[big deuce]

I guess one could have filled the holes during restoration, not unheard of. The idea of have the handles there would serve both functions, whether eye appealing to Ford purist or not. I was just making it known that my special/rumble has them, and that they were on more than just roadsters. My special as found, with holes in quarter panels for brackets. This car has rested in this spot more that 3 times as longer than it was ever on the road.
If the car was a trunk roadster, they would have suited the purpose of being a rest for the roadster top like mentioned earlier.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by History

Would these handles be on a sport coupe originally? The top is cloth but doesn't come down so,, would these have been factory installed just to mimick a roadster look?

I'd been told they were handles for getting in and out of the rumble seat but my first thoughts were they were an awful design as handles.

No, because they're not handles. They're top rests to support the bows when the roadster top is folded down. They're also not on the cabriolet which has a rumble seat and a folding top standard. They may helpful for getting in and out of the rumble seat but Ford didn't intend them for that

[big deuce]

I hear guys converting from trunk to rumble and vice versa. Who's to say the pic above of the coupe without the handles started out as a trunk car, and converted to rumble. Modern photos would be not as solid evidence as pictures from 1929.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by big deuce

I guess one could have filled the holes during restoration, not unheard of. The idea of have the handles there would serve both functions, whether eye appealing to Ford purist or not. I was just making it known that my special/rumble has them, and that they were on more than just roadsters. My special as found, with holes in quarter panels for brackets. This car has rested in this spot more that 3 times as longer than it was ever on the road.

And I was just making the point that they were factory-installed ONLY on roadsters, both rumble and trunk, because Ford intended them as top rests, not handles. Again, owners, and probably dealers, have installed them as handles. I'm anything but a purist, more of a hot rodder if anything. But no, I don't find them "eye appealing" on non-roadsters. But it's your car - if you like them, have at it.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by big deuce

I hear guys converting from trunk to rumble and vice versa. Who's to say the pic above of the coupe without the handles started out as a trunk car, and converted to rumble. Modern photos would be not as solid evidence as pictures from 1929.

And who's to say your car wasn't converted to rumble and the "handles" added sometime in the 90 years after it left the factory or, for that matter, in the 22 years it was on the road? So you want factory photos? OK...

Can't find a Special Coupe with a rumble seat because, well, it didn't come with one standard. But here's a Sport Coupe, non-folding fabric top and rumble seat standard. Note no "handles":



And here's a trunk roadster (no fender step) - note the top rest. Why put them on a trunk car if they're "handles"?

[History]

Could they have been designed as tie down points in addition to a place for the top to rest?

[big deuce]

I too have not found any on the sport coupe, maybe because the top folds down in a different manor. I dont care for them myself, but have found several pics of specials with them. Survivor car. So, your saying every coupe that has the brackets spoke of, were added at the dealer?

[F.M.]

Originally Posted by big deuce

I too have not found any on the sport coupe, maybe because the top folds down in a different manor. I dont care for them myself, but have found several pics of specials with them. Survivor car. So, your saying every coupe that has the brackets spoke of, were added at the dealer?

No, What every one is saying is, Your car never had one from the factory.... Or any other Special Coupe.. If they have a set now, they were added by the new owner over the last ?? years. The coupe picture you just posted is just a normal coupe & it also never came with them from the factory..

[ronn]

Originally Posted by big deuce
Thank you, that was my point... so what is the "correct" method of getting into the rumble without them?


a six pack in each hand..............for balance.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by ronn

Originally Posted by big deuce
Thank you, that was my point... so what is the "correct" method of getting into the rumble without them?


a six pack in each hand..............for balance.

Kinda what Synchro said:

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Depends on how sober you are!

Guess it depends on whether those six packs are full or empty.

[TerryO]

[QUOTEI too have not found any on the sport coupe, maybe because the top folds down in a different manor.][/QUOTE]


...Maybe because the Sport Coupe tops doesn't fold down...


TerryO

[big deuce]

I meant to say Cabriolet, yes aware of the sport coupe. The Cabriolet that I seen, the top doesn't even seem to be resting on the "top supports". I just looks as if its supported another way, rather than a roadster top.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by History

Could they have been designed as tie down points in addition to a place for the top to rest?

If you mean tie downs for luggage or some such, I suppose they could be used for that, just as they could be used for rumble seat handles. But Ford intended them as top rests on roadsters, and only on roadsters as that is the only body style on which they were factory installed.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by big deuce

I too have not found any on the sport coupe, maybe because the top folds down in a different manor. I dont care for them myself, but have found several pics of specials with them. Survivor car...

Factory pix? Otherwise, as you said, "Modern photos would be not as solid evidence as pictures from 1929."

Originally Posted by big deuce

...So, your saying every coupe that has the brackets spoke of, were added at the dealer?

What I'm saying is Ford intended the "brackets" as roadster top rests, not rumble seat handles, and factory-installed them only on roadsters, both trunk and rumble seat models. Any that are on coupes or any other body style, for whatever use, were installed by the dealer or the owner after the car left the factory.

Originally Posted by big deuce

I meant to say Cabriolet, yes aware of the sport coupe. The Cabriolet that I seen, the top doesn't even seem to be resting on the "top supports". I just looks as if its supported another way, rather than a roadster top.

Again, not a factory pic so not solid evidence. The roadster top rests on that cabriolet were added post-factory, probably in the mistaken belief that they're rumble seat handles.

Although the cabriolet top folds, Ford, for whatever reason, did not factory-install top rests on it: