Not to be confused with the rear-facing seats of station wagons.
A rumble seat (American English), dicky (dickie/dickey) seat (British English), also called a mother-in-law seat,[1] is an upholstered exterior seat which folded into the rear of a coach, carriage, or early motorcar. Depending on its configuration, it provided exposed seating for one or two passengers.
Additional occasional seating appeared in the latter centuries of evolution of the coach and carriage. The 1865 edition of Webster's An American Dictionary of the English Language defines a dickie seat or rumble as "A boot[note 1] with a seat above it for servants, behind a carriage."[2] Similar to the dickie seat on European phaetons was the spider, a small single seat or bench on spindly supports for seating a groom or footman.[3]
Before World War I, dickie or rumble seats did not always fold into the bodywork.[4] Following it, such optional passenger arrangements typically were integrated into the rear deck.[1][5][1] When unoccupied, the remaining space, if any, under the seat's lid could be used for storing luggage.[1]
Roadster, coupe and cabriolet car body styles were offered with either a luggage compartment or a rumble seat in the deck. Models equipped with a rumble seat were often referred to as a sport coupe or sport roadster.
Rumble seat passengers were exposed to the elements, and received little or no protection from the regular passenger compartment top. Folding tops and side curtains for rumble seats were available for some cars[1] (including the two-door version of the Ford Model A) but never achieved much popularity. Among the last American-built cars with a rumble seat were the 1938 Chevrolet,[6] the 1939 Ford[7] and 1939 Dodge[8] and Plymouth.[9] The last British built car with a dickey seat was the Triumph 2000 Roadster made until 1949.[10][11]
Subaru BRAT, which used a similar seating configuration when sold in North America to avoid the chicken tax.
Notesedit
^Boot,n. ...3. A box or receptacle covered with leather at either end of a coach. (Webster, Goodrich & Porter 1865, p. 152) The term "boot" is still used in British English, but elsewhere, including North America, this is called the "trunk".
Chrysler Corporation, Staff of (1966). "Dodge cars, 1914-1966". allpar.com. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
Clough, Albert L. (1913). A dictionary of automobile terms. The Horseless Age Company. Retrieved 2014-09-06.
Georgano, G. N., ed. (1971). "Glossary". Encyclopedia of American Automobiles. New York, NY USA: E. P. Dutton. pp. 215–217. ISBN0-525-097929. LCCN 79-147885.
Haajanen, Lennart W. (2003). Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles. Illustrations by Bertil Nydén. Jefferson, NC USA: McFarland. ISBN0-7864-1276-3. LCCN 2002014546.
Hingston, Peter (2007). The Enthusiasts' Guide to Buying a Classic British Sports Car. Eaton Bishop, Hereford, UK: Hingston Publishing. p. 164. ISBN978-0-906555-25-5. Retrieved 2014-09-09.
Lawrence, Mike (1997) [1991]. A to Z of Sports Cars, 1945-1990. Bideford, Devon UK: Bay View Books. ISBN1-870979-81-8. Retrieved 2014-09-09.
Roush Automotive Collection, Staff of (16 March 2006). "Spotlight: 1939 Ford Convertible Deluxe". Roush Automotive Collection. Retrieved 2014-09-06.
Vaughan, Daniel (August 2011). "1938 Chevrolet Master Series HB news, pictures, specifications, and information". conceptcarz.com. Retrieved 2014-09-06.
Webster, Noah; Goodrich, Chauncey A.; Porter, Noah, eds. (1865). "Rumble seat". An American Dictionary of the English Language. Springfield, MA USA: G. & C. Merriam. Retrieved 2014-09-06.
January 01, 1970
rumble, seat, confused, with, rear, facing, seats, station, wagons, rumble, seat, american, english, dicky, dickie, dickey, seat, british, english, also, called, mother, seat, upholstered, exterior, seat, which, folded, into, rear, coach, carriage, early, moto. Not to be confused with the rear facing seats of station wagons A rumble seat American English dicky dickie dickey seat British English also called a mother in law seat 1 is an upholstered exterior seat which folded into the rear of a coach carriage or early motorcar Depending on its configuration it provided exposed seating for one or two passengers 1931 Ford Model A sport roadster featuring a rumble seat Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 Notes 4 References 5 Further readingHistory editAdditional occasional seating appeared in the latter centuries of evolution of the coach and carriage The 1865 edition of Webster s An American Dictionary of the English Language defines a dickie seat or rumble as A boot note 1 with a seat above it for servants behind a carriage 2 Similar to the dickie seat on European phaetons was the spider a small single seat or bench on spindly supports for seating a groom or footman 3 Before World War I dickie or rumble seats did not always fold into the bodywork 4 Following it such optional passenger arrangements typically were integrated into the rear deck 1 5 1 When unoccupied the remaining space if any under the seat s lid could be used for storing luggage 1 nbsp Illustration of rumble seat c 1913 4 Roadster coupe and cabriolet car body styles were offered with either a luggage compartment or a rumble seat in the deck Models equipped with a rumble seat were often referred to as a sport coupe or sport roadster Rumble seat passengers were exposed to the elements and received little or no protection from the regular passenger compartment top Folding tops and side curtains for rumble seats were available for some cars 1 including the two door version of the Ford Model A but never achieved much popularity Among the last American built cars with a rumble seat were the 1938 Chevrolet 6 the 1939 Ford 7 and 1939 Dodge 8 and Plymouth 9 The last British built car with a dickey seat was the Triumph 2000 Roadster made until 1949 10 11 See also editCar seat Folding seat List of chairs Subaru BRAT which used a similar seating configuration when sold in North America to avoid the chicken tax Notes edit Boot n 3 A box or receptacle covered with leather at either end of a coach Webster Goodrich amp Porter 1865 p 152 The term boot is still used in British English but elsewhere including North America this is called the trunk References edit a b c d e Haajanen 2003 p 115 Webster Goodrich amp Porter 1865 p 1156 Haajanen 2003 pp 115 125 a b Clough 1913 p 258 Georgano 1971 p 216 conceptcarz com Roush Automotive Collection Corporation Chrysler allpar com allpar com Retrieved 2011 11 20 Benjaminson Jim 1930 04 08 allpar com allpar com Retrieved 2011 11 20 Lawrence 1997 p 302 Hingston 2007 p 164 Further reading editBenjaminson Jim Early Plymouth convertibles 1928 1971 allpar com Retrieved 2011 11 20 Chrysler Corporation Staff of 1966 Dodge cars 1914 1966 allpar com Retrieved 2011 11 20 Clough Albert L 1913 A dictionary of automobile terms The Horseless Age Company Retrieved 2014 09 06 Georgano G N ed 1971 Glossary Encyclopedia of American Automobiles New York NY USA E P Dutton pp 215 217 ISBN 0 525 097929 LCCN 79 147885 Haajanen Lennart W 2003 Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles Illustrations by Bertil Nyden Jefferson NC USA McFarland ISBN 0 7864 1276 3 LCCN 2002014546 Hingston Peter 2007 The Enthusiasts Guide to Buying a Classic British Sports Car Eaton Bishop Hereford UK Hingston Publishing p 164 ISBN 978 0 906555 25 5 Retrieved 2014 09 09 Lawrence Mike 1997 1991 A to Z of Sports Cars 1945 1990 Bideford Devon UK Bay View Books ISBN 1 870979 81 8 Retrieved 2014 09 09 Roush Automotive Collection Staff of 16 March 2006 Spotlight 1939 Ford Convertible Deluxe Roush Automotive Collection Retrieved 2014 09 06 Vaughan Daniel August 2011 1938 Chevrolet Master Series HB news pictures specifications and information conceptcarz com Retrieved 2014 09 06 Webster Noah Goodrich Chauncey A Porter Noah eds 1865 Rumble seat An American Dictionary of the English Language Springfield MA USA G amp C Merriam Retrieved 2014 09 06 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rumble seat amp oldid 1182418447, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
