I am presently working on my rumble seat coupe. It was purchased disassembled. I am in need of some high direction regarding the interior. Fortunately, the 2 piece metal seat base is in tact. It is temporarily in place. The seat base is one piece to include springs old padding and cracked leather material. It sets on the base. Now things from here are not so simple. I have two seat backs. Each is with spring, padding and old leather. Where do these seat backs go. Do they sit on the seat? Does a portion of them sit on the seat? How are they supported? I have two new pieces of plywood for the floor behind the metal base and the bottom cushion...nothing more.
How is the compartment finished?

The fellow I purchased this car from has no clue, for he did not take it apart. He purchased it from someone else. Does anyone have any photos of an interior for a standard 8 Coupe? How is it finished behind the seat...how is it supported? Any help is appreciated.

It sounds like you have seat-backs from another car. I've never seen one with a one-piece seat, that had divided (2) backs (in a coupe), but I guess it's possible, if access behind seat is needed and they folded forward.

I always thought that the seat backs cushions were attached (sewn onto) the rigid seat back, which ran from one side of the car to the other, adding structural integrity. The bottoms just sit into the frame and tuck under the bottom of the upright (top) cushion. We need Owen Dyneto in here, Stat!

You may be correct speedster...but .... the old leather is exact...you put them together and the pleats line up. By chance anyone have photos ?? I also have a piece of metal that appears to be the top trim piece that goes behind the seat and finishes it off. There would then be about 10 inches to the back of the body and window for the flat panel. All this is conjecture on my part.

I could not find a good picture of a '32 coupe seats. I have some of '32 Roadster and it has both 1 piece seat and back. I really like the Tufted design.

I found this one in another '32 Roadster, that has two cushions in back but it appears to also have 2 cushions in seat bottom. Drivers seat cushions appear to be smaller than ones on right side.

Here's a '34 Coupe with divided seat base.

In regards to front seats, the tuft I believe is incorrect. I have seen both the pleated and plain type of front seats, but most restored cars have the pleated seats with buttons. I have seen factory advertising, old photos and factory photos of the pleated seat style. The plain seat version I recently saw on a brochure for straight eight. My 903 had what appeared to be stock seats and the stuffing underneath appeared to have been plain. However I converted to pleated as I like it better. The picture of the door panel in the photo of the 32 car with plain seats I believe is wrong. That door I believe should have an insert panel and not a sewn pattern as that door looks in the photo.

In regards to the rear seat, I have just seen pleated styles with no buttons. Should be nine panels. I also believe the bottom seat just sits on the frame while the back is attached to the rumble seat back frame.

Here are pictures of my 32 903 coupe roadster

Thanks for the photos gentlemen. The seats I have are a pleat like Birdman's less the buttons. The buttons are appropriate for your convertible. I will keep mine less the buttons. The "trim" piece around the back of the seat is covered in leather in your car Birdman. Then the side supports come down to the floor and forward...covering the side of the seat base somewhat. I will do the same in this coupe. I have a piece of metal with 24 tabs for nails[off the back side] which is the trim piece behind these seats. Then there is about a 9 inches behind the seats to the back window. I will use a piece of wood and cover it like is done in my 1930 convertible coupe. I will make and access door to access the latch for the rumble seat in that back top panel. What configuration would you use for the door panels? What kind of carpet did you use in your coupe Birdman? BTW... as you well know ...that is a beautiful automobile ...and the color...whatever you call it... certainly makes a statement. Thanks for your pictures too Speedster. They show a grand diversity of style in differing types of vehicles. I too like the red seats Speedster...just do not have the car to use them in. Any more info is appreciated.

Tbirdman -
Some people are blessed with beautiful cars. You are one of them.

Thanks for the compliment.

As you can tell I was focused solely on a convertible roadster. Behind the seat on the horizontal surface there is a rectangular door I guess about 6" by 28". Guessing right now from work but the idea is it much longer in length. There is a small shallow storage compartment beneath it that doesn't go into the golf club storage area. I would get pictures but that part of the car is all cover up with the top down for protection from my winter project.

The latch for the rumble seat is mounted behind the passenger seat on that trim piece you mentioned very close to the right seat edge.

The door panels at least for the convertible was like a panel insert with the insert trimmed in leather. I've seen a lot of cars with just the outline of this panel just sewn in i.e. using stiching to make it look like a panel.

The carpet was just wool carpet and I'm not sure where the shop got it from.

The previous owner called the color "Grey Poupon". I've seen one other car with a similiar color, and I only saw it on an auction web site. The company who did the restoration on that car was the same one who did a partial restoration on mine. The color looks better in person asit does not photograph well. It is still not my favorite though a lot of people who see the car disagree and love the color for its uniqueness and elegance.

Funny story is last year at the Forest Grove Concours I was talking with the previous owner who lives in LA and said he didn't care for the color and we kept getting interrupted by people asking what color it was as they love it He thought the color fit the Pacific Northwest better as it wasn't flashy enough for So Cal.


I would prefer a maroon or a silver to go along with my interior but I'm not changing the color for now. Everybody knows here that I bought the car in spite of the color and found out that a lot of people like it

Good luck in trying to find pictures of a 32. I've never see one in person. For a another source of photo, try here.

Speedster,

I thought the tuft design was incorrect, however on the link I just provided to the Detroit library, there was a picture of a 32 900 with that very same tufted bench seat style.

tufted seats

I LIKE it!

Here is a link to some pictures of Geoff's original '31 not sure if these will help.

Original '31 Interior

Here's an original factory picture of the coupe seat with button-tuft pleats

Did I Mention that 'I LIKE It'!

With all the photos everyone took the time to post, my questions have been answered. I truly like the black and white photo of the tufted seat The 31 photos packin supplied, gives me the detail I was in need of. Again, many thanks. When we get her done I will post photos. Should be painted in early April and to the upholstery shop shortly thereafter.

I just pulled out all the moldings for around the windows. I was under the assumption that they were all made of steel and needed to be woodgrained and made to look like wood. All my moldings are wood. The rear window is bent wood with small screw holes. The dash molding and the door molding have a thin veneer of wood it appears on the flat surface while the detail all around is the wood. Also has metal screwed on the back every so often that has a notch which allows on to place it in place and move it downward an 1/8 inch to fasten in place. So I only need to match the dashboard to the veneer I choose. Is a burled species acceptable or too much ?

To me having a burled-wood dash and straight-grain window moldings looks strange. I think I like close-straight-grain better. Burled in a car just seems a little Foo-Foo, if you know what I mean. I would make the dash look as close to the moldings as possible.

For a 32 the correct grain (at least for a 903) was...
Burled dashed. The trim piece above the dash was burled on the raised portion but straight grain on the recesses.

The door trim has straight grain on the top, burl on the raised vertical surfaces and straight grain on the recessed vertical surfaces.

I think the mix of burl with the straight grain looks fine.

Well here are pictures which appear of almost the same car but two different seat patterns for the front seats. However notice the difference in the running boards and courtesy light. However notice different running boards and the lack of a courtesy light in one of the cars.

Interesting pics. Notice the second car has the one bar bumper like the 900 and '33 1001. Also notice that the 3rd pic shows the car with trunk rack but no sidemounts. Labels say 933 and 940 conv roadster. Apparently prototypes or "proofs of concept" that were never put into production.

I am going to post a few photos of the vehicle, 32 902 rumble seat coupe, I asked help on. Everyone was very kind in submitting enough photos that I was able to piece things together..I hope. This first post is the seat cushion, one piece, and seat backs in two pieces. I am going to put back the seats with the same size pleats with no buttons this time. The second photo is of the seat base placed into the car. I then proceeded to build a temporary seat back out of 8 ply cabinet grade plywood. Then built the "top" of the section that is behind the seats to the back window. Is a big "U" with a cut out of 9 inches x 36 inches. Will follow with two more photos each in two seperate posts.

The photos did not attach with last post, hopefully they will here.

Hey Rod,

Can you reduce your pictures it is hard to get a full perspective?