Rumble to TRUNK project

Roadster62

Roadster62

Well-known member
Hope all the Dad's had a good Father's Day. I moved some Roadster parts around and removed the lock from my deck lid. The rumble lid and trunk lid use the same latch correct? My handle has a stainless top and plated brass ferrel and underside. Is there an "Official" Model A locksmith that everyone uses? I'll need a key to make the lock work. If anyone has original trunk hinges and the rabbit trap steady rod I'm a customer. :)
 

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According to my Bratton's catalog, you can use the same handle, but you will have to shorten and rethread the shank for the trunk application. I hope this helps.

Jack
 
I got mine from synders you can cut if you need too, but if you going to use this one you can take it to a locksmith any good locksmith can imprint a key, mine has a key never used it, one tip about this if you ever go to a show and have the rumble lid up always turn the latch so the catch is tuck inside my friend did not and someone put the lid down for him without his knowledge and took a hunk of paint out, now every time i open mine i think of this
 
For 28-29 the rumble handle and latch was the same as the trunk handle and latch. Both have the short shaft.

For 30-31 the rumble latch was relocated to the back face of the gutter which is lower. The latch and the handle were changed. The barrel that is the spacer from the inside of the sheet metal to the latch position was made longer and there would be a longer shaft on the rumble handle.

As far as handles go, for 1930 you might have a chrome plated brass shell. Later ones were stainless. Do not have the JS to give more details.

A rumble handle for 30- 31 has more value than a trunk handle so you should be able to do some trading.

Fixing the handles yourself is not super hard for the mechanically inclined. The handle in the picture has swollen pot metal for the lock cylinder. Do not know the best way to remove it. I have made my own lock slider as I converted a door handle to a rumble handle for my cabriolet. The handle in the picture has the lock cylinder held in by a clip that is under the stainless shaft cover. If you slide the cover off you can get to the clip. Then you need to get the pot metal to break free.

Making keys and picking locks is not all that hard. Just do some google searches.

From a finish stand point I believe the latch is all cad plated. There is a flat spring with a bump that wears or rusts out. The spring is what holds the latch tongue in place in the open and close position.
 
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1930 & 31 use different latches and handles for the trunk and rumble. On the left is the latch & short shaft handle for a trunk and on the right the latch and long shaft handle for a rumble. For 1930 the rumble handle was moved so the striker could not hit the body if the lid was closed in the latched position. This corrected a 28/29 problem. That change required the longer version of latch and handle as it mounted in a thicker area of the lid. These are 1930 handles. Also shown are the washer and nut for attachment

Latches&Handles1930.jpg
 
This is a copy of an old post showing the application differences everyone has described. Some Briggs built Coupe bodies used the early type well into 1930. As noted the trunks used the shorter type latch and handle all years.

Posted by Marco Tahtaras from c-24-4-43-195.hsd1.ca.comcast.net (24.4.43.195) on Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 1:53PM :



rumble_latch-01.jpg


rumble_latch-02.jpg


rumble_latch-03.jpg
 
Thank you all for the replies, I realky enjoy posts that turn out this way. Looks like I can't use the handle and latch for the TRUNK conversion. I'd swap what I have if someone is converting a trunk to rumble. This isn't a show car restoration, but I'd like to have all the correct bits and not use reproduction items.
 
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