tigersdad Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 Are footrests for backseat passengers standard items in the 1932 Buicks or were they an option?Thanks!John1932 Buick Series 80 Victoria Travelers Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 As far as I know - standard. If you have none, best source is most likely someone making a hot rod. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Engle Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 To the best of my knowledge, Only 4 door vehicles had foot rests, excluding the Model 57 which had no extras. All Victoria coupes, club sedans and 5 passenger convertible Phaetons did not have foot rests as they would interfere with passenger entry with the front seats folded forward. The "Buick Facts for 1932" sales manual confirms this, although there are some discrepancies in this manual as published. Bob Engle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLYER15015 Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 John, do you mean these ?I've seen them in Buicks and Caddys from at least '33 to '47 in the big series cars. They are die castings and very fragile, but stainless steel investment castings can be had from "Bob's". Just bring $$$$$$$$.Mike in Colorado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigersdad Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 Thanks, Guys! I appreciate the input. The Premiere Brochure shows them, but as Bob Engle states, they get in the way of the passengers getting into the back. I have been told the same thing in regards to the Coupes. Thanks again! It's one of those Buick mysteries that shows that it's there, but when asked by the people that know, they aren't. At this point I'm going to assume that they are not part of the Coupe package.Regards,John Kingston1932 Buick Series 80 Victoria Travelets Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Yes, my error. Owning a sedan, I responded, in haste, only about sedans. But I was also wrong there if the 57 did not have them but 57S does have them, as well as the larger series cars. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigersdad Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 So, John, are you saying that it should have them since this is a large series, although, a Coupe?John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest outlaw car man Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 The 1933 60 Victoria Coupe, model 68, with the built in trunk, had a carpeted foot rest showing in my 33 brochure. It had the 127" WB, while the 1932 model 80 of the same was only 1" less with a WB of 126". Both have the folding front seat. Info from my 70 years of Buick book by Geo. Dammann..... Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigersdad Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 Thanks, Sandy! From what all my brochures show, the depiction of the interior on the Series 80 Travelers Coupe has the footrest. It appears that this was standard equipment and your Buick book seems to reinforce it..............Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glassesguy Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Per the 1928-41 Body parts Book. 1933 is too old for this Book to list the complete footrest assembly; however, in Group 11.804 it does list the right and left bracket assemblies. For 1933 bracket assemblies are listed for Fisher Style #'s 33009 33021,3333059,33071,33081,33123,33509. A different bracket is listed for the 90 Series cars Fisher Styles 33102,33109,33112,33113. Your "Traveler's Coupe" is not called that in the Parts Book. From your description I assume you have a Model 86 5 passenger Victoria Coupe with is Fisher Style # 33081 so it would be safe to assume your car should have a footrest in it. These bracket assemblies are listed up through 1941 depending on Model and Series. The hinge bracket that bolts to the floor is pot metal; so surrounded by moisture absorbing carpet, it's not surprisng they deteriorate and crumble. Another enclosed coupe listed for 1933 80 Series is the 4 passenger Sport Coupe Model 86S, Fisher Style # 33078; but no footrest bracket is listed for this style. I would assume this means the Model 86S was not equipped with a footrest.I have a complete footrest assembly pulled from a 1939 Model 81. The brackets are the same as for the 1933 Model 86; however I would not know if the length of the footrest is correct for your car. Hinge brackets are corroded; but they are there. PM me if interested. Hope this is of some help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigersdad Posted July 14, 2013 Author Share Posted July 14, 2013 Hi, Dave. Thanks for your help. According to a couple of people I've talked with, the 1932 Victoria 80 Travelers Coupe did NOT have the foot rail (rest) as it hindered peoples access in and out of the vehicle. The front passengers seat folds forward to allow people in and out of the vehicle on the passenger side only. If the foot rail (rest) were there in either the up or down position, it would still be in the way. It's beginning to sound like one of those Buick mysteries! I'm going to do a little more research and see what Mac Blair says. My car is one of his projects, so it has to be correct without them. Jay PS: Dave I will take a measurement just in case. I am still interested. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glassesguy Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Mac Blair definitely is the man for 1932 info. All I know is that here is the data taken from FACTORY literature vs talking with a few people. Check your floor pan if not all rotted away to see if there are holes drilled in there. That would seem to give good proof. Personally I don't buy the argument that the foot rest would necessarily be in the way for entering or leaving a coupe. In the coupe you simply fold front seat back forward, reach in, pivot foot rest back toward the rear seat bottom, climb in, sit down, pivot it forward, then rest feet. They can be in the way in a 4 door as well depending on which way the last person in the rear seat left it. Seems like a lot of trouble to go to in our modern mindset; but things were different back then. Kind of on a par with the question people ask "Why on these early cars does only the passenger side door have a key lock on the outside"? Answer: Apparently it was felt the proper way to enter or exit a car was on the curb side - not on the wet or muddy street side. Curbs were built a little higher then as well so one could step more directly on to the running board. For Buick this changed in 1939 when both front doors were equipped with outside locks. Good luck with your search on this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigersdad Posted July 15, 2013 Author Share Posted July 15, 2013 Dave, you've made clear and accurate points all the way around. I will take a look under the car to see if there are two holes on both sides of the pan where the rests would have been installed. If they're there, it will tell us, that indeed, there was a footrest at one time in this car. Thanks for all the input. I'll keep everyone posted as to what I find. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glassesguy Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Jay: For some reason I got off base in checking your car. The numbers I gave you were for 1933. You are looking for 1932 Model 86 which is indeed listed as a Victoria Traveler Coupe Style # 32072. Foot rest brackets are listed for the following styles:32009;32509;32519. A different pair of brackets is listed for styles 32059;32102;32109;32112;32113 All these styles are 4 door sedans. No coupes so it would seem to be sedans only with footrests. Curious, though, that 1933 included footrests on some coupes as listed in a previous reply. Sorry for the confusion. These brackets do still carry forward up through 1940 depending on the body style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigersdad Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share Posted July 16, 2013 Dave-No problem with that. When I'm home tomorrow, I will be checking as now I am more than curious! Sandy had made a point to me earlier that by 1933 Buick would do just about anything to sell a car with whatever add on you wanted. That's where all the confusion comes in to no fault of ours, but Buicks. It seems that depending on dealers, company records, etc....all are different. So, you are not off base by any means! This just helps clarify where I (we) are all at on this subject. I truley appreciate everyone's input and help with this "mystery". JayJohn Kingston1932 Buick Series 8-86 Victoria Travelers Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigersdad Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share Posted July 17, 2013 Dave-No holes in the floorboards for bolts were a footrest would attach. It appears that your research settled that question! Thanks for all your help in answering this question for me. Much appreciated! JayJohn Kingston1932 Buick Series 8-86 Victoria Travelers Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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