1932 Ford phaeton front seat

D

Deucenut

Member
I am considering the purchase of a 32 Ford phaeton. However, at 6’4” tall, they’re not the most comfortable for me. I know the seat isn’t adjustable on tracks. But is the seat also part of the body structure for the B pillars? If so, is there an easy way to just unbolt it and move it back or does the sides of the seat pan need to be lengthened etc?
 
Unlike the '33-'36 phaetons, the '32 phaeton's all steel front seat back is not detachable from the B pillars. While you could cut each side and weld in additional sheet metal, but then you would still have the challenge of moving the front seat bottom cushion rearward. Lift up the front seat cushion and I think that you will conclude that a '32 phaeton is not for you.
 
It’s an Aussie body. Does that change things? Couldn’t the seat bottom just be unbolted, moved back and new holes drilled in the floor? Deuce phaeton is my dream car
 
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Just for discussion, we make a fiberglass seat back with a 3" extension that potentially be adapted to a steel body. Note that it reduces access to the back seat and back seat legroom. Also, regardless of what medium the seat back can use extra reinforcing from stock to improve the stability of door alignment. Stock seat backs have a tendency to rock front to rear with occupant movement, and to pull the tops of the doors in when someone is leaning back into the seat. Many phaeton owners (of original or our fiberglass bodies) have commented to me over the years that they have to lean forward when sitting to successfully shut and latch the doors.
 
With it being an Aussie body this should be possible. I don’t know if it’s a finished car or not but if not I would consider reinforcing the B pillar with steel, then you can lengthen the side of the seat back. With the floor and sub rails being wood it shouldn’t be hard to fabricate a new lower seat base rearward. Also I would chuck the seat springs in favor of new foam sculpted with lumbar support and thinner than the springs.
 
It would be a lot easier to move both the seat bottom and back given that it is an
Australian body with a largely flat plywood floor. Easier, but not easy.
 
Thanks for all the insight. It is a finished car so it won’t be easy to do. But I drove it for 15 mins and felt like a pretzel when I got out. So I would definitely have to do something. As for rear passenger seat room, I’m not toooo concwrned about that, but also don’t want it to be zero. So will have to look into it. I think I would fabricate an extension to the seat back where it attaches to the B pillar. 3” will likely be enough and then lower the seat a little too.
 
Lowering the seat may not be all that effective, as that tends to straighten out the natural bend in the drivers knees resulting in less perceived legroom. Tilting the seat (front higher/back lower) tends to increase the knee angle and pull feet back from the floorboard.
 
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