1928 rumble seat latch install

Kustom Komet

Kustom Komet

Member
My roadster came with some new parts in a box, among them a new latch for the rumble seat. Currently, the car has no latch at all.



Some of it is there, anyway...



No obvious place to put this. The previous owner couldn't figure it out either.



Does a slot get cut into the leading edge of the deck lid for it to slide into?
 
What you have is a converted trunk lid. you need to find someone that has a rumble lid that you can get the measurements off of to cut that slot. hopefully there is a latch in there so that they put the hole for the handle in the correct place.
 
jw hash said:
What you have is a converted trunk lid. you need to find someone that has a rumble lid that you can get the measurements off of to cut that slot. hopefully there is a latch in there so that they put the hole for the handle in the correct place.
Click to expand...

We'll see. The handle spins round and round, so probably not.

Bob C said:
See number 8 at this link. http://www.mikes-afordable.com/documents/Trunk to Rimble Conversion.pdf
The pictures are terrible.

Bob
Click to expand...

Yes, pics could be better, but good info. Thanks, everything helps.
 
Thanks Steve.

As delivered, the repro latch didn't open all the way, the tab ran hard into the inside wall so the handle could not be locked in the open position.



To fix it, I had to grind a bunch of material off the top.


Naturally, that made the notch too big, and the top of the tab came off before it would open all the way. So I welded a filler piece in the slot and dressed it down.



Now it opens up all the way and locks in both positions.



Top tip: When welding crappy Chineseum, use one lower heat setting than what your mig chart suggests.

In the next installment: Pfft - that's alotta bondo.

 
I had this much space in the deck lid for the latch to slip into. About the width of the latch box, but not with the top ring.



Doing it the right way would require reworking the deck lid and repainting it. Pass. So:





I don't think the ring is supposed to protrude through the outer deck skin, but with that filler, there was no choice to properly place it.



I'll make a new access panel and retain it with sheet metal screws.

 
sorry, but you did not have to cut out the inside of the lid. the latch should just slide right up in there. looks good so far. now you have cut the slot.
 
jw hash said:
sorry, but you did not have to cut out the inside of the lid. the latch should just slide right up in there. looks good so far. now you have cut the slot.
Click to expand...

The opening was 1/4" too narrow, as shown above in the bondo pic. This deck lid looks great on the outside, on the inside it's been reworked eight ways from Sunday.

Job done.

I transferred the slot to the lid with a pattern and cut the slot with a cut-off wheel and a file.



I then made a close out panel with 18 gauge, flanged it, and retained it with Model A approved slotted screws. I had the local paint shop match the paint pretty closely and applied a few coats.







So now I have a working latch. But the lock does not work, as the bondo made for too wide a gap for the locking dog to engage the slots. I can fix that, just weld a ring shaped extension on to the current ring and cut the slots into it so they are deeper. I'll do that later. In the mean time, the next project will be to do something about the big-time play in the early 7 tooth steering box so the car is a bit less exciting at speed.
 
jw hash said:
you did a great job. it is most always tuff to try to clean up someone else's work.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Nothing I wasn't expecting really, I'm sure there's more.

daren007 said:
Be very careful as the latch can strike the panel if in the latched position when closing the deck lid.
Click to expand...

Good point. It will catch the very edge of the panel, so I will be careful. Apparently Ford recognized this design flaw and moved the latch and striker plate rearward on the 1930 models.
 
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