1931 SW Town Sedan

[louieglen]

Do all of the 31 SW town sedans, have the pull down center arm rest in the back seat?

[Larry Seemann]

No, The S/W's don't have that. The prior models did.

[Doug in NJ]

It is said that some early production had them, presumably using up parts from the earlier models. My car does not have one.

Doug

[wi0v]

I was told by someone at LeBaron Bonney that the easy way to tell the standard town car from the "Deluxe" town car was by the interior. A Deluxe Town Car had the Back Seat Center Arm Rest.

[ct50f1]

Originally Posted by wi0v

I was told by someone at LeBaron Bonney that the easy way to tell the standard town car from the "Deluxe" town car was by the interior. A Deluxe Town Car had the Back Seat Center Arm Rest.

I think the question was about a Town Sedan not a Town Car, which has the separate chauffeur's compartment. I have an early '31 Town Sedan (#A4200515) which does not have a center arm rest in back.

[Marco Tahtaras]

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Originally Posted by Doug in NJ

It is said that some early production had them, presumably using up parts from the earlier models. My car does not have one.

Doug

I was told the same from a friend that's VERY experienced in the hobby. However he couldn't offer any specifics about the particular car he saw and I suspect it was long before he knew how to distinguish a conversion.

The early (straight windshield) seats are NOT interchangeable, i.e., not a direct fit in the S/W bodies so it would be tough if not impossible to carry them over to the new models. Additionally, all 160 series Town Sedans had narrow pleats setting the stage for the 68-C, 400-A, 55-B Deluxe and late Deluxe Coupes. Take a close look at your Town Sedan and imagine what adding a 4" wide center armrest would do to the appearance and alignment of the pleats with the bottom cushion! Ford never did it.

[Glenn C.]

Our 1931, 160B Slant Window Town Sedan does not have a center arm rest either.

[Chris in WNC]

one of our local friends had a very early flat firewall slant windshield TS.
an unrestored car with factory interior, 48K miles when he purchased it.
I cannot remember if it actually had the center arm rest, but I recall for certain it had a large pouch with a flap cover in the center on the back side of the front seat and no robe rope.
unfortunately, our friend is deceased and the guy he sold the car to locally is not a club member and we never see the car anymore.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Chris in Jax

one of our local friends had a very early flat firewall slant windshield TS.
an unrestored car with factory interior, 48K miles when he purchased it.
I cannot remember if it actually had the center arm rest, but I recall for certain it had a large pouch with a flap cover in the center on the back side of the front seat and no robe rope.
unfortunately, our friend is deceased and the guy he sold the car to locally is not a club member and we never see the car anymore.

I have the same car and there is no center arm rest. There is also another just like it in our club.

[400A-64]

160-A (standard fordor ) had dome light in center over the back of the front seat and NO arm rests at all
160-B (Town Sedan) had dome light in the rear under the rear window. Arm rests were on each side.
160-C ( Deluxe Fordor ) (blindback) had dome light in the rear as a 160-B and had arm rests on each side

If I can help with any other questions,let me know
Bruce Davis [email protected]

[ct50f1]

Originally Posted by Chris in Jax

one of our local friends had a very early flat firewall slant windshield TS.
an unrestored car with factory interior, 48K miles when he purchased it.
I cannot remember if it actually had the center arm rest, but I recall for certain it had a large pouch with a flap cover in the center on the back side of the front seat and no robe rope.
unfortunately, our friend is deceased and the guy he sold the car to locally is not a club member and we never see the car anymore.

That also describes my car - flat firewall, no center arm rest, large pouch on back of front seat. However, I do have a robe rope as well.

[Herb Concord Ca]

Our August '31 160B had original interior when we bought it. It did not have a center arm rest.
Regards,
herb

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by 400A-64

160-A (standard fordor ) had dome light in center over the back of the front seat and NO arm rests at all
160-B (Town Sedan) had dome light in the rear under the rear window. Arm rests were on each side.
160-C ( Deluxe Fordor ) (blindback) had dome light in the rear as a 160-B and had arm rests on each side

If I can help with any other questions,let me know
Bruce Davis [email protected]

Bruce, this is interesting. So the 160A actually had a wider seat than the B or C? I'm now desperate for any pictures and details of the rear seat springs and upholstery.

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by MikeK

Bruce, this is interesting. So the 160A actually had a wider seat than the B or C? I'm now desperate for any pictures and details of the rear seat springs and upholstery.

Ok, you lost me on that one! If you are assuming the side armrests reduced the space for the seats, they didn't.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by Marco Tahtaras

Ok, you lost me on that one! If you are assuming the side armrests reduced the space for the seats, they didn't.

Marco, Thanks for the clarification. Yep, I assumed. . .
I should have just looked in the back seat of my 160B.

[CountrySquire55]

Newbie to this forum and looking for a restored and fairly priced 31 S/W Town Sedan to purchase (I live in central Maryland in a suburb of Washington DC). I will be joining the local Model A Club at their next mtg and plan to get involved. Been searching Hemmings, eBay, classified ads, MAFCA, etc., for months but have yet to find a decent, fairly priced S/W TS. Any advice? Thanks very much!

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by CountrySquire55

Newbie to this forum and looking for a restored and fairly priced 31 S/W Town Sedan to purchase (I live in central Maryland in a suburb of Washington DC). I will be joining the local Model A Club at their next mtg and plan to get involved. Been searching Hemmings, eBay, classified ads, MAFCA, etc., for months but have yet to find a decent, fairly priced S/W TS. Any advice? Thanks very much!

Hello newbie CountrySquire55. You kind of hijacked this thread, which is about pull-down armrests in S/W 160's. You might try going to the top of the screen, clicking "The Swap Meet" then go down to "Wanted" and "Model A". Post your request there. Advice? Keep looking, be patient, also search the online newsletters many of the MARC & MAFCA chapters have.

[burner31]

I just got a '31 slant town car, it has the rope on the back of the front seat, cowl lights, indented firewall, Murray body, quarter windows that roll down AND a fold down middle arm rest in back seat, seat is divided by three large pleats per seat with the arm rest in between. Don't know how to get the photo on here.

The back seats have FIVE pleats each, not three like I said before, I've been told that glasses are a good thing...I should wear them more. I'll give that some thought.

[burner31]

I just got a '31 slant town car, it has the rope on the back of the front seat, cowl lights, indented firewall, Murray body, quarter windows that roll down AND a fold down middle arm rest in back seat, seat is divided by three large pleats per seat with the arm rest in between. Don't know how to get the photo on here.

[Roadster62]

Does someone make reproduction rear springs with the armrest, or does one look for useable original springs? Bob