Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-05-2015, 07:15 AM   #21
Charlville
Senior Member
 
Charlville's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: West Berkshire, United Kingdom
Posts: 368
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Landau arms are just to make it look pretty I'd start at Bert's for parts modelastore.com
__________________
Kevin Flood
West Berkshire UK
Member MAFCGB, VHRA, SAH, Brooklands Trust
Sporadic progress on My 1929 Sport Coupe can be found here along with my blog
http://automotiveamerican.com/
Charlville is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 08:08 AM   #22
John Stone
Senior Member
 
John Stone's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wichita, Kansas
Posts: 710
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

It could be a Business Coupe. They didn't have Landau arms.
John Stone is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 10-05-2015, 08:54 AM   #23
Charlville
Senior Member
 
Charlville's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: West Berkshire, United Kingdom
Posts: 368
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

I'd hazard a guess that it "used" to have a rumble seat as I can see the grab handle in the picture. All cars of this age are a mystery, which is half the fun BTW, mine also has the later headlamps
__________________
Kevin Flood
West Berkshire UK
Member MAFCGB, VHRA, SAH, Brooklands Trust
Sporadic progress on My 1929 Sport Coupe can be found here along with my blog
http://automotiveamerican.com/
Charlville is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 09:10 AM   #24
Marshall V. Daut
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Davenport, Iowa
Posts: 2,083
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

The cowl configuration w/exposed gas tank alone excludes Cabriolet as a possibility. The presence of a visor and exterior door window frames clinches that. Sport Coupes came standard with a rumble seat, which excludes this car with a trunk. 1928-29 Business Coupes did not have the oval window until mid-way through 1929. The black steering wheel makes this a 1929 Model, unless it has been changed. I can't see the rear tail light to determine early or late 1929. My guess is that because of the trunk and lack of landau irons that this is an early (pre-June) 1929 BUSINESS COUPE. I hope the owner keeps it that way and resists the temptation to "dress it up" with landau irons and a rumble seat conversion. LOTS more real and faked Sport Coupes running around than '28-29 Business Coupes with trunk and no landau irons. Landau irons could have been purchased from the dealer to add some sportiness to an otherwise plain-jane Business Coupe, but they are incorrect for this body style as it came from the factory. It's been a Business Coupe for the past 87-88 years. Hopefully it will stay that way (with the correct color top material added someday).
Marshall,
1929 Cabriolet owner

Last edited by Marshall V. Daut; 10-05-2015 at 09:21 AM. Reason: years changed
Marshall V. Daut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 09:13 AM   #25
Marshall V. Daut
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Davenport, Iowa
Posts: 2,083
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

By the way, the "grab handles" are not correct for this body style and were originally intended to serve as top rest supports when the top was folded down, not as rumble seat grab handles. Of course, these handles probably got more use as grab handles on cars with rumble seats. But roadsters without rumble seats featured these top rest supports, so that was their intended function.
Marshall
Marshall V. Daut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 09:30 AM   #26
BILL WILLIAMSON
Senior Member
 
BILL WILLIAMSON's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: FRESNO, CA
Posts: 12,560
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Friend, Tom, has a quite original '29 Sport Coupe. He is a retired BOAT upholsterer & crafted a Saddle Brown Naugahyde top, with matching FULL headliner! He said that it, along with the firewall silencer panel, made the car SO MUCH QUIETER.
Bill W.
__________________
"THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"
BILL WILLIAMSON is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 09:31 AM   #27
Charlville
Senior Member
 
Charlville's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: West Berkshire, United Kingdom
Posts: 368
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Hi Marshall

Thanks for the handle info, this may have solved a question for me as my rumble seat business coupe does not have the handles, this now makes sense!
__________________
Kevin Flood
West Berkshire UK
Member MAFCGB, VHRA, SAH, Brooklands Trust
Sporadic progress on My 1929 Sport Coupe can be found here along with my blog
http://automotiveamerican.com/
Charlville is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 09:49 AM   #28
jdp8402
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 79
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

The car does have a rumble seat. Sorry about the picture. It was dark out and my garage is a mess so I could only get one side view. I'll try to post some more pictures with it outside.
jdp8402 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 10:01 AM   #29
Clem Clement
Senior Member
 
Clem Clement's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fairfax, VA
Posts: 3,391
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

There is a cabriolet web site.
Clem Clement is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 10:02 AM   #30
BILL WILLIAMSON
Senior Member
 
BILL WILLIAMSON's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: FRESNO, CA
Posts: 12,560
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

The so called "rumble seat handles" were originally designed for top rests for the roasters, when the top was down.
I've seen them installed on the "B" posts of coupes & tudors, to aid in climbing into the cars.
Bill W.
__________________
"THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"
BILL WILLIAMSON is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 10:04 AM   #31
Marshall V. Daut
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Davenport, Iowa
Posts: 2,083
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Well, that DOES change things, doesn't it? I couldn't see a deck lid rumble seat handle in the photo. Missing or did I simply miss it? Is this an original rumble seat or a restorer's conversion? Lots of telltale signs of both, such as extra holes along the top sides of the decklid usually not being filled in after a rumble seat conversion. The lower stop stands are often improperly installed, too.
But let's assume this car was originally a Sport Coupe and not a Business Coupe. There should be special brackets inside the top for landau iron attachment that a Business Coupe wouldn't have had. I believe there is one on top of the wooden belt rail and one up higher on a flat iron bracket. 'Been a long time since I looked at a Sport Coupe top, but I'm certain those brackets/anchors will not be present in a Business Coupe.
At least we know for SURE that it is not a Cabriolet!
Marshall
Marshall V. Daut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 11:48 AM   #32
jdp8402
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 79
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

The handle is broke so it's not on there. That's on my list of parts.
jdp8402 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 11:50 AM   #33
jdp8402
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 79
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

I guess I'm not sure if it's an original rumble seat. I'll take some pictures of that as well as some interior pictures.
jdp8402 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 04:02 PM   #34
Dick Carne
Senior Member
 
Dick Carne's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fayetteville, Georgia
Posts: 467
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

From the picture you included, I couldn't tell for certain, but it appeared that you might have a trunk instead of a rumble seat. Is so, you would have a "Business Coupe" instead of a Sport Coupe. The Business Couple would not have had landau irons, and would have had the trunk instead of a rumble seat. Looks like a nice car either way - I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Dick Carne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 05:52 PM   #35
KGBnut
Senior Member
 
KGBnut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Southwestern Connecticut
Posts: 931
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Wouldn't the "Business Coupe" have the oval side windows? I think those are pretty rare.
__________________
Style beats speed any day, and with a lot fewer tickets.
KGBnut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 07:00 PM   #36
todd3131
Senior Member
 
todd3131's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: cedar rapids iowa
Posts: 526
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

One thing that is missing is the extremely hard to find belt rail.this tells me that wood was rotten and possibly the landau irons may have been lost or taken for another car.
todd3131 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 08:06 PM   #37
Chris Haynes
Senior Member
 
Chris Haynes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Camarillo, CA and Pine Grove, CA
Posts: 2,830
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlville View Post
I'd hazard a guess that it "used" to have a rumble seat as I can see the grab handle in the picture. .
They aren't grab rails. They only came from the factory on Roadsters. The top rested on them when folded down.
__________________
1921 Runabout
1930 Tudor
Early 1930 AA
Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?
Chris Haynes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 08:21 PM   #38
jdp8402
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 79
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Haynes View Post
They aren't grab rails. They only came from the factory on Roadsters. The top rested on them when folded down.
I'm not questioning you but I'd say their grab rails. The only reason that I say that is because the top doesn't go down as far as I can tell.
jdp8402 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 08:30 PM   #39
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jdp8402 View Post
I'm not questioning you but I'd say their grab rails. The only reason that I say that is because the top doesn't go down as far as I can tell.
Some people use them as grab rails, but the factory only installed them as rests for the folded top, when it's lowered.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2015, 09:33 PM   #40
TonyM
Senior Member
 
TonyM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: West Hammond, Illinois
Posts: 2,785
Default Re: What exactly is my Model A?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jdp8402 View Post
I'm not questioning you but I'd say their grab rails. The only reason that I say that is because the top doesn't go down as far as I can tell.

They are not "grab rails". As stated several times above, those pieces are for the roadster top to rest on when it is in the down position. The fact that your "top doesn't go down" indicates that some one added those pieces well after the car left the factory.
TonyM is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:02 PM.