The Ford Barn

BobbyG · 02-11-2013, 02:29 PM

Been spending a lot of time crawling about under and around my newly acquired PIA - 28 coupe, Recently imported from NH.

I know nothing of it's history so I got to wondering about back in the day

1928 - who was buying 2 seater coupes without rumble seats ? and what would they have paid in $ - and how would that sum equate to a wage at the time.

Thanks all.

Bob

700rpm · 02-11-2013, 02:45 PM

Take a look at this thread: https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97253

Mike V. Florida · 02-11-2013, 03:24 PM

Business owners, business men, salesmen, come to mind as not really needing a rumble seat and a trunk would come in handy to keep supplies and such.

Steve Plucker · 02-11-2013, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobbyG

Been spending a lot of time crawling about under and around my newly acquired PIA - 28 coupe, Recently imported from NH.

I know nothing of it's history so I got to wondering about back in the day

1928 - who was buying 2 seater coupes without rumble seats ? and what would they have paid in $ - and how would that sum equate to a wage at the time.

Thanks all.

Bob

So what kind of a "coupe" is it? Standard Coupe, Special Coupe, Business Coupe or Sport Coupe?

And you say it has "two" Seats????

Pluck

dumb person · 02-11-2013, 10:13 PM

Who was buying them? Doctors maybe.

Tom Wesenberg · 02-11-2013, 10:26 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

In the early 60's I lived in upstate NY and there was an elderly lady that drove her Model A coupe to church every Sunday. She bought it new.

dean from bozeman · 02-11-2013, 11:01 PM

BobbyG, good questions. My thought is not why people would want trunks but rather why people would want rumble seats.

I guess rumble seats lessened the load you could carry but folks could climb in back. Yes, I do realize that several of you will chime in with reports of riding with your main squeeze in the rumble seat, under starry skies, etc.

The '29 Coupe driver that I am working on will have a trunk. Perhaps I am more practical than romantic these days. Now that I am in my 60's I have more time and less testosterone. Dang!

Tudortomnz · 02-11-2013, 11:08 PM

Here in NZ, these coupes were commonly called 'Doctors Coupe'. Presumibly he would carry his medical bag & other instruements in the boot/trunk.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 02-12-2013, 01:12 AM

If your coupe is a real driver, once you have one with a trunk, you'll never want to go back to a rumble. I'm "stuck" with my '29 rumble, as it's so perfect I would NEVER change it. I can't even climb into the danged thing!
Bill W.

BobbyG · 02-12-2013, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Plucker

So what kind of a "coupe" is it? Standard Coupe, Special Coupe, Business Coupe or Sport Coupe?

And you say it has "two" Seats????

Pluck

Special Coupe ,Steve and by 2 seats I mean it was built to carry 2 people

Thanks all

Bob

mot · 02-12-2013, 03:08 AM

single men and women
and married couples
in the day you could actually fit three people in the seat
ive done it with three adults and a child would be no problem
remember young kids rode on moms lap ,or stood looking out the windshield
look at the ads
women shopping,taking their child to school,couples
if it had a rumble seat the kids would ride in the back
i had a neighbor who during the depression had a Maxwell phaeton with no top
to keep semi dry she held an umbrella over him
so i imagine they used an umbrella to keep dry in the rumble seat
they made due

2manycars · 02-12-2013, 07:09 AM

I have had coupes with rumble seats and with trunks. The rumble seat may be romantic or cute, but rather impractical. My current coupe has a truck, and I find it useful. I am not a doctor, or a salesman. My kids are grown and gone, so seating for two is fine. The carrying capacity of the trunk is great, whether one is on a trip or shopping, or yard saleing.

Barry B./ Ma. · 02-12-2013, 07:46 AM

No place to put your stuff if you have a rumble seat. in order to take a trip with a rumble seat coupe you have to remove the cushions or leave the lid open. I'm glad my coupe has a trunk.

Richard Wilson · 02-12-2013, 07:47 AM

Folks probably bought what ever car was available and what they could afford at the time. Even now, whether a car has a rumble or a trunk probably has little to do with the purchase decision.

Special Coupe Frank · 02-12-2013, 08:47 AM

The Coupe was the cheapest enclosed Ford during the Model A era.

George Miller · 02-12-2013, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

If your coupe is a real driver, once you have one with a trunk, you'll never want to go back to a rumble. I'm "stuck" with my '29 rumble, as it's so perfect I would NEVER change it. I can't even climb into the danged thing!
Bill W.

I'm with you on this one. My Sports coupe came with a Rumble seat. So I left it when I redid the car. But ended up taking the seat out for driving it.

mtnmice · 02-12-2013, 09:20 AM

Yes, the coupe trunk area is cavernous, but remember that much of the area is inaccessable because of the interference of the spare tire. I have had both rumbles and trunks and much prefer trunks. Another downside to rumble seats is they attract grandkids and they scuff up bodywork, climbing in and out. Or it may be that I am just old and grumpy as my wife is fond of pointing out.

Richard Wilson · 02-12-2013, 10:25 AM

mtnmice, Just wait until the grandkids find out what a good slide those front fenders are.

BobbyG · 02-12-2013, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Wilson

mtnmice, Just wait until the grandkids find out what a good slide those front fenders are.

Saw that at a show in the Summer - young family with a couple of toddlers sliding up and down some poor guys front wings( fenders) shocking behaviour.

I told the parents and you'd have thought it was me who was doing wrong.

Bob

Roadster Rich · 02-12-2013, 01:04 PM

Come on guys! Ask anyone who looks at our cars and gets excited about them. The rumble seats are so much "cooler" than a trunk. I agree that tooling along at 45 in my Roadster (top up or down) is pretty tough on the ones in the rumble. Hair whipping around and can't hear a darn thing. But the wow factor of the car with the rumble seat, and all the years of my young kids loving it, make it a no brainer for me. If you are driving on long trips for days and need to carry luggage, no question, but other than that, give me the rumble any day.

02-11-2013, 02:29 PM	#1
BobbyG Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 240	Way back when 1928 Coupe Been spending a lot of time crawling about under and around my newly acquired PIA - 28 coupe, Recently imported from NH. I know nothing of it's history so I got to wondering about back in the day 1928 - who was buying 2 seater coupes without rumble seats ? and what would they have paid in $ - and how would that sum equate to a wage at the time. Thanks all. Bob

02-11-2013, 02:45 PM	#2
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 5,903	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe Take a look at this thread: https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97253 __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

02-11-2013, 03:24 PM	#3
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe Business owners, business men, salesmen, come to mind as not really needing a rumble seat and a trunk would come in handy to keep supplies and such. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

02-11-2013, 10:13 PM	#5
dumb person Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: South pacific island Posts: 1,724	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe Who was buying them? Doctors maybe. __________________ <Link> This is how we roll<Link> "I'm Convinced that no one really reads posts anymore; they just fabricate what they think the post says then ramble on about red herrings."--Bob Outcasts rules of old cars #1 Fun is imperative, mainstream is overrated #2 If they think it is impossible, prove them wrong #3 If the science says it impossible you are not being creative enough. #4 No shame in recreating something you never had #5 If it were not for the law & physics you would be unstoppable

02-11-2013, 10:26 PM	#6
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) In the early 60's I lived in upstate NY and there was an elderly lady that drove her Model A coupe to church every Sunday. She bought it new.

02-11-2013, 11:01 PM	#7
dean from bozeman Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bozeman, Montana Posts: 997	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe BobbyG, good questions. My thought is not why people would want trunks but rather why people would want rumble seats. I guess rumble seats lessened the load you could carry but folks could climb in back. Yes, I do realize that several of you will chime in with reports of riding with your main squeeze in the rumble seat, under starry skies, etc. The '29 Coupe driver that I am working on will have a trunk. Perhaps I am more practical than romantic these days. Now that I am in my 60's I have more time and less testosterone. Dang!

02-11-2013, 11:08 PM	#8
Tudortomnz Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canterbury, New Zealand Posts: 1,242	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe Here in NZ, these coupes were commonly called 'Doctors Coupe'. Presumibly he would carry his medical bag & other instruements in the boot/trunk.

02-12-2013, 01:12 AM	#9
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe If your coupe is a real driver, once you have one with a trunk, you'll never want to go back to a rumble. I'm "stuck" with my '29 rumble, as it's so perfect I would NEVER change it. I can't even climb into the danged thing! Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

02-12-2013, 03:08 AM	#11
mot Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Sacramento Ca Posts: 1,179	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe single men and women and married couples in the day you could actually fit three people in the seat ive done it with three adults and a child would be no problem remember young kids rode on moms lap ,or stood looking out the windshield look at the ads women shopping,taking their child to school,couples if it had a rumble seat the kids would ride in the back i had a neighbor who during the depression had a Maxwell phaeton with no top to keep semi dry she held an umbrella over him so i imagine they used an umbrella to keep dry in the rumble seat they made due

02-12-2013, 07:09 AM	#12
2manycars Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 2,732	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe I have had coupes with rumble seats and with trunks. The rumble seat may be romantic or cute, but rather impractical. My current coupe has a truck, and I find it useful. I am not a doctor, or a salesman. My kids are grown and gone, so seating for two is fine. The carrying capacity of the trunk is great, whether one is on a trip or shopping, or yard saleing.

02-12-2013, 07:46 AM	#13
Barry B./ Ma. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southbridge, Ma. Posts: 1,614	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe No place to put your stuff if you have a rumble seat. in order to take a trip with a rumble seat coupe you have to remove the cushions or leave the lid open. I'm glad my coupe has a trunk.

02-12-2013, 07:47 AM	#14
Richard Wilson Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NC Posts: 908	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe Folks probably bought what ever car was available and what they could afford at the time. Even now, whether a car has a rumble or a trunk probably has little to do with the purchase decision. Last edited by Richard Wilson; 02-12-2013 at 10:27 AM.

02-12-2013, 08:47 AM	#15
Special Coupe Frank Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northeast Penna Posts: 2,108	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe The Coupe was the cheapest enclosed Ford during the Model A era.

02-12-2013, 09:20 AM	#17
mtnmice Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Melbourne FL Posts: 20	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe Yes, the coupe trunk area is cavernous, but remember that much of the area is inaccessable because of the interference of the spare tire. I have had both rumbles and trunks and much prefer trunks. Another downside to rumble seats is they attract grandkids and they scuff up bodywork, climbing in and out. Or it may be that I am just old and grumpy as my wife is fond of pointing out.

02-12-2013, 10:25 AM	#18
Richard Wilson Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NC Posts: 908	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe mtnmice, Just wait until the grandkids find out what a good slide those front fenders are.

02-12-2013, 01:04 PM	#20
Roadster Rich Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alpharetta, Georgia (Atlanta) Posts: 272	Re: Way back when 1928 Coupe Come on guys! Ask anyone who looks at our cars and gets excited about them. The rumble seats are so much "cooler" than a trunk. I agree that tooling along at 45 in my Roadster (top up or down) is pretty tough on the ones in the rumble. Hair whipping around and can't hear a darn thing. But the wow factor of the car with the rumble seat, and all the years of my young kids loving it, make it a no brainer for me. If you are driving on long trips for days and need to carry luggage, no question, but other than that, give me the rumble any day.