36 rumble conversion

Tom Morookian

Tom Morookian

Well-known member
I'm sort of a purist and don't want to cut any of Henry's original metal on my 36 5 window that was born with a trunk not a rumble.

I now have a fiberglass trunk lid that I can substitute for the metal one just by pulling the 2 pins in the hinges. A lot lighter and easy to lift off.
(NO, I do not want to sell the metal lid)

My plan is to have a seat that I can drop into the trunk area to use as a rumble or take it out and use it as a trunk.

What I'm looking for is some ideas on what to use as a seat? Maybe a pickup bench seat cut in half. I need something that will fold forward allowing the lid to close. The space is only 36 inches wide and I've had no luck looking at 3rd and 4th seats from vans.

Thanks guys.
 
Tom,

If you figure this out, I'd love to see pictures. I have a 3 window that was a trunk but my dad converted to rumble. He used the metal lid. What you are talking about seems interesting. I might like to try that too. Trunk space would be awesome when using it for an overnight or weekend cruise and no one is going along with the wife and I.

Good luck!
 
I will be converting my rumble seat 36 5W(that was orig a trunk) back to a trunk very soon.I will have the seats,hinges and tailite stand(with step) for sale.The seat springs are the repro ones with nice Tan vinyl covering.
 
Tom Morookian said:
I'm sort of a purist and don't want to cut any of Henry's original metal on my 36 5 window that was born with a trunk not a rumble.

I now have a fiberglass trunk lid that I can substitute for the metal one just by pulling the 2 pins in the hinges. A lot lighter and easy to lift off.
(NO, I do not want to sell the metal lid)

My plan is to have a seat that I can drop into the trunk area to use as a rumble or take it out and use it as a trunk.

What I'm looking for is some ideas on what to use as a seat? Maybe a pickup bench seat cut in half. I need something that will fold forward allowing the lid to close. The space is only 36 inches wide and I've had no luck looking at 3rd and 4th seats from vans.

Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

TOM .................
Years ago, when I was looking for a seat bottom for my "A" roadster, I found a junk school bus. The seats were perfect !
MIKE :)
 
deuce lover said:
I will be converting my rumble seat 36 5W(that was orig a trunk) back to a trunk very soon.I will have the seats,hinges and tailite stand(with step) for sale.The seat springs are the repro ones with nice Tan vinyl covering.
Click to expand...

I would be interested in some of those parts.

FWIW, when I need room on a long trim, I can have the entire seat out in under 10 minutes. I think having the steps helps because I can climb in there and put stuff down behind the seat, that wouldn't normally fit with the seat flipped up from the front.
 
I would look at the rear seat in an early jeep or as someone suggested the seat out of a school bus. You might also go to your local boneyard and look at the third seat in a min-van.
 
they sell the springs for the bottom and back of the rumble seat....so just figure a way to hang the back of the seat on the inside of the lid...might work???.....Mike
 
Many years ago I had the good fortune to come across a '36 Ford coupe that had a complete rumble seat. The body was abandoned sitting on an old railroad siding that people were using for a dump area. I removed every piece of the rumble with the thought of putting it in my '36 coupe.
Shortly after acquiring the parts I decided to do the necessary modifications to the body, cutting away the trunk drip rail to allow clearance for the lid to pivot into the rear portion of the tail section.
With a hack saw in hand, I paused to think about cutting the drip rail.... I could not bring myself to start cutting... I put the tools and parts away, I needed more time to think about cutting the body on a car which I was the second owner and had only been repainted once.
Over a period of over thirty years I started the project many times only to chicken out before the first cut was made. The parts sat in my garage all wrapped up and packed in boxes for over forty years. One day at a car show I was admiring a '36 convertible coupe w/out the rumble option, I told the owner that I had a complete '36 rumble, lid, cushions, pivots, drip rail turn downs, stops, taillight w/step mount and the fender step, etc..
The owner of the convert asked if I would sell the rumble, I thought for a few minutes, telling him yes.... for $1,200. A somewhat shocked look came over his face, he told me he would have to get back to me. We exchanged names, etc., he would get back to me. Over a period of several months we talked by phone, I sent him photos of what I had, he would try to bargain me down, one evening he called and asked.... how would I like the payment to be made. I told him a check would be fine and upon clearance of the check I would make arrangements to ship the parts at his expense.
It turned out that I delivered the parts to him during one of my trips around the country.. Upon receipt of the parts the man was very happy.
 
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