What exactly is my Model A?

I'd hazard a guess that it "used" to have a rumble seat as I can see the grab handle in the picture. All cars of this age are a mystery, which is half the fun :) BTW, mine also has the later headlamps
 
The cowl configuration w/exposed gas tank alone excludes Cabriolet as a possibility. The presence of a visor and exterior door window frames clinches that. Sport Coupes came standard with a rumble seat, which excludes this car with a trunk. 1928-29 Business Coupes did not have the oval window until mid-way through 1929. The black steering wheel makes this a 1929 Model, unless it has been changed. I can't see the rear tail light to determine early or late 1929. My guess is that because of the trunk and lack of landau irons that this is an early (pre-June) 1929 BUSINESS COUPE. I hope the owner keeps it that way and resists the temptation to "dress it up" with landau irons and a rumble seat conversion. LOTS more real and faked Sport Coupes running around than '28-29 Business Coupes with trunk and no landau irons. Landau irons could have been purchased from the dealer to add some sportiness to an otherwise plain-jane Business Coupe, but they are incorrect for this body style as it came from the factory. It's been a Business Coupe for the past 87-88 years. Hopefully it will stay that way (with the correct color top material added someday).
Marshall,
1929 Cabriolet owner
 
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By the way, the "grab handles" are not correct for this body style and were originally intended to serve as top rest supports when the top was folded down, not as rumble seat grab handles. Of course, these handles probably got more use as grab handles on cars with rumble seats. But roadsters without rumble seats featured these top rest supports, so that was their intended function.
Marshall
 
Friend, Tom, has a quite original '29 Sport Coupe. He is a retired BOAT upholsterer & crafted a Saddle Brown Naugahyde top, with matching FULL headliner! He said that it, along with the firewall silencer panel, made the car SO MUCH QUIETER.
Bill W.
 
Hi Marshall

Thanks for the handle info, this may have solved a question for me as my rumble seat business coupe does not have the handles, this now makes sense! :)
 
The car does have a rumble seat. Sorry about the picture. It was dark out and my garage is a mess so I could only get one side view. I'll try to post some more pictures with it outside.
 
The so called "rumble seat handles" were originally designed for top rests for the roasters, when the top was down.
I've seen them installed on the "B" posts of coupes & tudors, to aid in climbing into the cars.
Bill W.
 
Well, that DOES change things, doesn't it? I couldn't see a deck lid rumble seat handle in the photo. Missing or did I simply miss it? Is this an original rumble seat or a restorer's conversion? Lots of telltale signs of both, such as extra holes along the top sides of the decklid usually not being filled in after a rumble seat conversion. The lower stop stands are often improperly installed, too.
But let's assume this car was originally a Sport Coupe and not a Business Coupe. There should be special brackets inside the top for landau iron attachment that a Business Coupe wouldn't have had. I believe there is one on top of the wooden belt rail and one up higher on a flat iron bracket. 'Been a long time since I looked at a Sport Coupe top, but I'm certain those brackets/anchors will not be present in a Business Coupe.
At least we know for SURE that it is not a Cabriolet! :)
Marshall
 
I guess I'm not sure if it's an original rumble seat. I'll take some pictures of that as well as some interior pictures.
 
From the picture you included, I couldn't tell for certain, but it appeared that you might have a trunk instead of a rumble seat. Is so, you would have a "Business Coupe" instead of a Sport Coupe. The Business Couple would not have had landau irons, and would have had the trunk instead of a rumble seat. Looks like a nice car either way - I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
 
One thing that is missing is the extremely hard to find belt rail.this tells me that wood was rotten and possibly the landau irons may have been lost or taken for another car.
 
jdp8402 said:
I'm not questioning you but I'd say their grab rails. The only reason that I say that is because the top doesn't go down as far as I can tell.
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Some people use them as grab rails, but the factory only installed them as rests for the folded top, when it's lowered.
 
jdp8402 said:
I'm not questioning you but I'd say their grab rails. The only reason that I say that is because the top doesn't go down as far as I can tell.
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They are not "grab rails". As stated several times above, those pieces are for the roadster top to rest on when it is in the down position. The fact that your "top doesn't go down" indicates that some one added those pieces well after the car left the factory.
 
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