Package Tray Delete

Bruce

Bruce

Senior Member
There has been some recent chatter about retrofitting little cars to fit big enthusiasts. Little steering wheels, cut down shifter levers, foam-instead-of-springs ... etc.
What about removal of the "package tray" and/or seat back adjuster?
Three more inches of recline in the seat could make it a whole lot easier for tall guys to see out of a DeLuxe windshield.
Since our Roadster will never be subjected to fine point judging and has never had a package larger than a dizzy rotor or the garage door opener on or in the package tray, this simple mod would seem to make lots of sense.
Anyone had any experience here? How did you accomplish it? And what are the drawbacks, if any.
(Purists, Henry Channelers, and Fine Pointers, please refrain from stating your mantra. This question is for the tall guys.)
 
I have the package tray out of my roadster while I'm redoing the seats. It does give you more room, but you'd have to come up with something to support the top of the seat.
 
Bruce said:
There has been some recent chatter about retrofitting little cars to fit big enthusiasts. Little steering wheels, cut down shifter levers, foam-instead-of-springs ... etc.
What about removal of the "package tray" and/or seat back adjuster?
Three more inches of recline in the seat could make it a whole lot easier for tall guys to see out of a DeLuxe windshield.
Since our Roadster will never be subjected to fine point judging and has never had a package larger than a dizzy rotor or the garage door opener on or in the package tray, this simple mod would seem to make lots of sense.
Anyone had any experience here? How did you accomplish it? And what are the drawbacks, if any.
(Purists, Henry Channelers, and Fine Pointers, please refrain from stating your mantra. This question is for the tall guys.)
Click to expand...

I don't know what defines "tall guys" however I am over 6 foot tall so I am gonna offer my opinion. The one thing that these type individuals generally have is the ability to study through why & how something was done originally because generally speaking, the manufacturer (Ford) knew what needed to be done to preserve the integrity. Many folks do not understand how or why something was engineered so they haphazardly remove motor mounts and install F-a-M, or install alternators, or "XXX" simply because they cannot understand the original engineering or design nor do they want to correct the true offending problem. With what you are speaking of, if you study the design, that seat adjuster is also a brace for that section of the body. While someone can make an argument that we do not subject our vehicles to the road conditions Model A's originally had to withstand, removing strengthening braces has the potential to allow the body to flex due to wind catching in the top, or allow doors to not stay closed properly as the vehicle transverses bumps and train track crossings. While I have always been an advocate of when there is a will, ...there's a way. If you are adamant about making mods, I say proceed after the understanding of what that piece was designed to do in its entirety and make plans to reincorporate that need back into the design.
 
What Brent say says absolutely correct. Every piece, bracket. support., even the sheet metal is a support for some other part or piece. When you remove something like a package tray you weaken some other part or piece.

I am 6' 2" and most of it is legs. My knees hit the steering wheel in my 31 coupe. I considered removong the package tray to gain the extra room, but looking at the "engineering" I elected to not. Instead i rebuilt the package tray shortening the depth by 2 inches. The support is still there and I can stretch my legs now. Ken
 
The package tray does not appear to add any strength to the coupe structure. In fact it looks like it was designed to be flexible. Other pieces mentioned above probably do contribute to the solidity of the car.
 
Richard Lorenz said:
The package tray does not appear to add any strength to the coupe structure. In fact it looks like it was designed to be flexible. Other pieces mentioned above probably do contribute to the solidity of the car.
Click to expand...

Hey there Richard, ...I am of like mind as you on your Coupe but Bruce specifically was talking about a Roadster which I think you would agree is much different in their construction.
 
I removed the package tray. (and put it back)

With an abrasive disk in my radial arm saw sliced off about 1-1/2".
Looks correct and made a major difference in leg room
JB:)
 
I have a 29 standard coupe. It has even less leg room than the 30-31 cars (coupe). The problem with 28-29 car is the fixed bottom cushion and floor board framing. In order to move back or change, this flooring would effect the strength of the body. This could be moved along with the depth of the package when the body is off the frame and a person was replacing rusty floor panels. To late now.
John,
 
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