Projects Rumble seats- would you let your kids ride in them?

We were having a hypothetical conversation about turning my trunk into a rumble seat to be able to haul the boys with us. It came up that it would be too dangerous for them or anyone to ride in a rumble seat. I didn't see a huge issue but I rode my bicycle with out a crash helmet and full pads nor did I have a car seat.

 

Yes

 

My dad did, I did, and yes, my kids have as well. That was before my son hit 6'5".
But, I wouldn't do it today, expect around our small town.

 

Hell yes I would. But I'm not a sissy nor are my kids.

 

I would say it would depend a lot on what you know about the quality of your car. I let my kids ride in the rumble seat of my '32 on the highway at 60mph when I first got it. When I tore the car apart to replace the chassis/drivetrain I honestly felt sick to my stomach that I had. This is how the previous owner had mounted the rear spring perches. Shame on me for not having looked closer....... it was a running/driving car when I bought it.



I would feel much more confident with the new chassis under the car, but would also feel much more comfortable with them in the rumble seat staying on roads 40mph and less. My kids are irreplaceable, as are everyone else's.

Allan

 

Not today, in CALIFORNIA some tree hugger who never had any children will have you arrested for child endangerment. Probably have you in jail and you will need to sell the roadster for bail money..

 

If it's a questionable quality I don't know what difference it makes weather they sit in front or back.

I don't see the difference between a rumble seat and 99% of convertibles and plenty of people let their kids ride in ragtops?

 

growing up in the early 90's my brother and I always rode in the rumble seat. usually around town or within a couple towns over. few times I've ridden 1.5 hours on the highway in the back.... talk about windburn! my son is 7 and I don't think he's physically large enough to ride in the back as I'm afraid the seat will tilt forward. I put my wife back there and have him ride up front with me.

 

I don't think it's a matter of if you or your kids are sissies or not, but just imagine what would happen if you were rear ended at any speed.
Personally I don't like riding in a rumble seat and wouldn't want my kids riding in one either.

SissyMick

 

Some choice I guess, flying into the windshield or hacking them somewhere between the upper chest/neck/head on the plate in front of the runble seat as well as having the rumble lid keep them jambed there!

I bet back then no stats were kept as to deaths/injuries in rumble seats.

It's a no for me!

 

When my daughters were young, they loved riding in the rumble. It was never on the highway.
We just putted around town never going above 30mph.
The only problem with the rumbleseat is the wind that comes over the roof makes it too windy for them.

 

I don't have a rumble seat but back in the early 70s my kids 8 and 6 rode in the back of my jeep CJ5 no seats or belts just pillows and sleeping bags on the way to the beach with big tires V8 and side pipes, they loved it but I wouldn't do it now unless it was in the back forty.

 

Drivers are so much more aggressive nowadays.
Used to drive the kids around in the back of a pickup. But only in our small village.
I don't believe I could place them back there in long trips or areas over 30 mph.
But the seats are cool.
I'd install it just for special occasions.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I don't worry bout the kids in the rumble seat, I worry about the driver that rear ends me while they are back there.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I once rode in the rumbleseat of my brother's A coupe for over an hour down the highway. I'm pretty much bald today, and what does remain is gray. Maybe it's because of that trip? Also, my hearing ain't too great, which could be blamed on the quickchange in that coupe.

When I was about 19 I remember driving to the Nationals in OK City. It was a heat wave year, about 108 degrees down there. I remember the salt from the sweat on my hands leaving white spots on the steering wheel. We got passed by three guys in an A pickup driving down the Interstate from Des Moines. One of them was riding in the pickup bed.

 

that was the main argument against a rumble seat for the boys and since there's no telling or control over when getting rear ended happens , well then there's no counter point to make.

Doesn't matter what you say, that's real ugly to think about.

 

For a special occasion like a cruise or a parade or something where it is in slow controlled traffic I wouldn't have a problem with it but in regular everyday traffic with all the idiots out there I wouldn't do it.

 

The first old car I ever rode in was 30 ford Roadster and it was in the rumble seat. I was 3 at the time (in 1980) and mom was in the back with me and it was just though town so under 30 MPH probably. Would i do it with my boys now? Hell no. Living in Virginia no one here can drive for shit, and everyone is trying to do 100 MPH everywhere. That's why our 29 roadster has a trunk, and why the headers are open most times, so they can here me when they don't see me cause they are on their dam phone.

 

I hear ya, VA driver's are scary. That's why my wife and I both have full size trucks, for defense !
My Dad and I restored a 30 coupe when I was in high school. My friends loved riding in the rumble. One day I hit a bad bump and my friends almost flew out. That was the end of that, my answer is no.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Yes, it will free up some roof space where we normally tie them to.

 

Yes, sure have, just around town, cruising, parade, never over 40mph.
Oftentimes so windy, they'd hunker down on floor to warm up.
In hindsight, I can understand all the reasons not too do it. & yes, really bad things can happen even slow or when cautious.

Oh, & pics just for fun...just the big Kids ride in back because teenagers don't think it's as "cool" anymore.

 

I followed a guy, in a pickup, he had his lab or setter in the bed. The dog was wearing a leash, but the leash was too long.
The guy swerved, the dog flew out of the truck bed, was then dragged to his death, because the long leash stayed attached.
This happened on a two lane 30 MPH road, no highway involved.
This happened 20 or so years ago, I was the car behind this ...... still think about it.
IF ANYONE COULD BOUNCE OUT OF THE RUMBLE SEAT, OR A PICKUP BED, AND SEEING WHAT I WITNESSED, NO ONE WOULD RIDE, WHERE THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE EJECTED

 

If you do, I would add seat belts back there. (bag o' worms) I loved to ride in my '29 , but no one would drive it while I did. Trunks are so much more useful that I'd never have another one

 

when rumble seats were the norm the maximum speed limit was probably 45 mph most roads were probably not capable of speeds that fast and neither were the cars. different world then than it is now, I let my kids ride in the back of my pu but would not think about letting the grandkids go figure Tom

 

Grady Whitlock Ford, Beckley WV car dealership now no longer .... being a snot nosed punk, and not paying attention to belt specifics .... my uncle Bobby got to wrench on many cool old collectables there. My aunt was Grady's favorite right hand, my uncle was hers.

I got to ride a bunch in rumbled Model A's and whatevers when visiting, carnival styled seat restraints withstanding. One long belt, for two ... from my memory. Non stock upgrade. We never flew out, but I'd flinch if a fully loaded dump truck came bearing down with no brakes. Still would in my Suburban today, too.

Would I let my kids ride at highway speeds, in a stock configuration rumble seat ( no belts ) ? Nope.

Since this is the HAMB, and it's your car. Would I let my kids ride in Steve's coupe at highway speeds ? Yes sir !! You will figure out a way to lock out the seat hinge, put some badass belts in, and outrun any speeding dump trucks. Its you. ( Seat'll probably have its own frame crossmember, with ejection controls anyway. )

Thank you sir, carry on. Let me know when you're ready.

 

I owned this '30 Model A not too long ago and took my neighbor's four grandkids for a ride around our subdivision in it at 25 mph. I wouldn't take it on the freeway with anyone back there because top speed is only about 50 but around town it's fine....

 

When my kids were little I let them ride in the back of our convertible, they caught alot of wind but loved it! If I would have had a rumble seat car they would have rode in that too. I avoid driving all of my old cars in heavy big city traffic, or on interstate highways and of course I wouldn't let them ride in a rumble seat in those heavy traffic high speed situations. But I let my son play high school football too, which I think is way more dangerous than riding in a rumble seat!

 

I have one in my car.
Rode in it myself in the 70's once from Buffalo to Rochester. Had a friend who would only ride in the rumble even if it was just the two of us....in the mid 8's
Take my kids on side streets at lower speeds and short trips to and form hockey/football practice, local cruise night etc.. I added lap belts to mine. I was hit at a light with them in the back once, on my birthday of all days but lucky for me it just bent my bumper...I take my goddaughter and her friends for rides in their neighborhood.

 

My girls have rode in the rumble seat of my 39 convertible around town 30 years ago but under no circumstances would I let them ride back there on the highway.

I wouldn't want to let my grandchildren ride in on today around town. HRP

 

I know that it most states, kids have to be in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat of the car.
The car seat has to be securely fastened in 3 points, and a booster seat is to secure the child with a 3 point seat belt.
I think around the neighborhood at lower speeds would be OK, but you might leave yourself open to a citation out and about town.
KK