As long as barns exist, so will “barn find” cars! This old Ford may have only been off the road since 2003, but that’s over 15 years ago. Today the 1931 Ford Five-Window Rumble Seat Coupe near Boston, Massachusetts comes up for sale here on Facebook Marketplace, where $6,666 will make it yours. Except for the nifty rumble seat, the interior has been removed. Otherwise it looks fairly complete and unmodified, though the listing offers no photos or mention of forlorn Ford’s mechanical condition. Thanks to reader Peter T. for this tasty tip!
Whether stock or custom, the ’31 Ford Five-Window looks good from every angle. Note the steps on the right rear bumper and fender, allowing access to the flip-up rumble seat. Other than its obvious disadvantages in inclement weather, the rumble seat makes a fun and practical way to double the Ford’s seating capacity.
Another view of the rumble seat flipped up gives a glimpse of the cozy cabin for two. Both door handles seem to be missing, and the door edge suggests a color change from what used to be the wheel color. Of course this little Ford could have been seven different colors since leaving the factory some 90 years ago!
I’ve exhausted the pictures from the listing so here’s one of my Grandpa! Growing up on a farm in Busti, New York, my Grandfather’s family never had a car until his older brother left, got a job, and returned with one. Grandpa’s first two cars were Fords, a 1929? roadster and a rumble-seat coupe (shown above) much like today’s feature car. One time they rebuilt the four cylinder engine with no understanding other than a farmer’s sense of mechanics. The engine kit came with the wrong sized valves that seemed awfully tight. He said “But we drove them in… with a hammer!” Needless to say their first engine rebuild became their second engine rebuild, with some lessons learned. What stories can you share about Ford’s timeless Model A?
In 77 I came home from the hospital in my dads 31 rumble seat coupe. He was a street rodder but the car was too nice to rod so he sold it shortly after to build his 41 sedan for the growing family. I still have pics of me as a baby in that 31.
That a bone wont last long, better leg room in a 5 w. Good luck, sweet fina at an affordable price!!
Cheers
GPC
Nice!
Todd, great info on your family auto experience from the eatly innocent times. That’s how we all start and I bet they were fully knowledgeable engine builders on the second go. Thanks for sharing the background and the picture.
Thanks, A-body Fan! My Grandfather was not a car guy, but he was always willing to help if I showed up with a car and some parts. I learned patience and persistence from him, and some good tricks for removing stubborn hardware. I couldn’t believe it when he used a plumber’s “Monkey Wrench” to grip a shock absorber shaft so we could remove the nut on top. Thanks again for your comments!
Back in the day I hated model Ts and As now I would love to this in my driveway.
My dad graduated from college in 1934 and other than a Lincoln Mark V this was his favorite car. I’ve sometimes wondered what sort of connection the Model A might have had to a ’69 Hurst Olds from my era. Had I been rich instead of so good-looking I would have bought him an A with a rumble seat.
All Model A coupes ( ’28-’31) were 5 window…Except for one obscure 3 window prototype …
Model A’s are still wildly popular. There’s a guy in our club who has driven his ’30 over 50 K miles since its restoration and he’s still going. I would hope that this one will get back on the road and enjoyed as much as the ones I see out and about…
I figured it wouldn’t last long. It’s gone.
Back in the day when 45 miles an hour was a handful these were everywhere!! It’s a testament to Henry Ford for bringing us the modern automobile of today!! Weather your a Ford guy or Chevy guy, into foreign cars or something in between you have to look at these cars with a pride and gratitude for what we have today!! He made cars affordable for the masses!!! Invented the assembly line and developed an industry that never existed!!! I don’t know why the price is $6666 but I’d pay a dollar over just cause that price is evil to me!! Haha!! Hope this car is brought back like the one geomechs is showing us!! To many have been chopped and channeled and this ones in to good shape to do that to!!!
LMAO on the valves and the hammer. Decades ago, I knew an English mechanic who claimed to be able to solve most problems with WD40 and a 10 lb sledge, and I did watch him use these tools many times.
I have a 1930 rumble seat coupe I’ve owned since 1953. Drove to college, parked for years, then used in parades with my politician-ex in rumble seat!
I have Model B – 16 inch – wheels and tires, which gives the car a somewhat
more modern (!) look. Needs major restoration, except the engine which I’ve kept in running condition through moves from Northern Michigan to Florida and back to Michigan.
Does anyone know if the Model A Ford ( 1930-31-32 ?) rumble seat had a crank shaft starter?
I’m a writer looking for accurate info.
Thanks,
Carole
Not sure what a “crank shaft starter” is. Mine had an electric starter, as did other “A’s” , but also had a hand crank that fit in through an opening below the radiator and then slipped into the vibration damper on the crankshaft.
Thanks Kenn for the correct terminology on the hand crank. It is the description I was looking for.