Heated Seats?

Just to let you guys know: I had modern parts installed in a Crosley radio by Retro Radio. All that is required for reception is a simple 6" long antenna plugged into the box. It doesn't even need an extension or outside antenna of any kind. I found this out after going to the trouble of installing a long extension wire lead.

Mark

I'm still amazed that I (apparently) knew the answer to a technical question. That's never happened before.

The antenna in the seat more than likely was not a factory installation.
They used an under-running board antenna in those days. I sew 600 olhm twin lead into the convertable top on my cabriolets and phaetons.

Well, antenna certainly seems to be the consensus. I looked through the
DVD archives and didn't find any mention of antennas in the seat, but it certainly makes sense.

Thanks everyone,
Neal

No doubt you have uncovered a radio antenna. Open cars and particularly 35-36 speedsters have radio antenna issues. Under running board antennas work poorly on their best day. I never considered the back of the seat. It would have to be isolated from the rest of the car as the chicken wire is in the roof. I learn something new every day.

I have had Fords out of the 1930's and the sedans have had chicken wire in the roof under the fabric covering on the roof. One was contected to the original style radio in the car.

I think that Chris is on to something regarding the piece of screen in the seat. When I was taking apart our 1935 Auburn sedan to restore it, I found a woven wire lead coming down one of the " A" pillars. It was fastened to the wire screen in the roof. I assumed that they used the screen in the roof for an aerial for the radio. Since our car didn't come with a radio, this woven wire wasn't fastened to anything at the bottom end. I guess that it was easier to put a wire in all cars in case the owner wanted to install a radio later. In a convertible, they would have had to find a different location for this screen aerial and that is probably why you found it in the back of your seat.
Murray

I do have an old radio that we got with the car in 1956. Maybe that's the answer?

Could it be a radio aerial? Just a guess. I know some custom-bodied cars of the period had an aerial similar to what you describe in the lining of their top.

While working on getting my ?30 8-95 Cabriolet running I?d been sitting on a patio cushion on the bare springs. The back of the front seat was partially intact, but in need of redoing. The seat of the rumble seat is the only cushion that is still original and complete but the back was just bare springs also.

I decided to redo the seats (leaving the original in the rumble) so I can at least enjoy driving the car. I asked my upholstery guy to save anything he removes, and reuse anything he can. When he brought over the seat back to the front seat today I got a surprise. He managed to keep the carpeting from the back (the part that is exposed to feet in the rumble seat. While looking at the bottom edging of this carpet I happened to notice an electrical wire coming out of the bottom of the seat and I asked him about it. He said that it is attached to a full screen which covers the whole back of the seat and he left it there because I asked him to keep anything original. We can only guess that it was a heater for the seat. I have seen no evidence of a connection and there is no extra switch anywhere which would have started it.

I can find only 2 references in the DVD newsletter archives which mention heated seats, but they are both for a Speedster replica which was for sale. It is not listed as an option in the back of the original manual. Does anyone have any info on this as an accessory?

Thanks, Neal