by Lawrence Wade
I have noticed that many Jeep owners have asked where to obtain a rear seat for a 3A or 3B so they can carry passengers. I have two granddaughters who are Pre-teen America Senior Division State Title-Holders, and I carry them in parades. Not having a rear seat, I built a middle seat so three people can ride up front.
This picture was taken at a November 2000 Veterans Day parade in a small town in Alabama -- the little ones were so cold that day, that they wanted to stand up to try to keep warm. They also did the decorations. I almost froze it was so cold. (See another photo (30K JPEG) for a better look at Lawrence trying to drive with his hands in his pockets. -- Derek)
The seat can be placed or removed at a moment's notice. The seat base is made from 3/8-inch AC grade plywood, padding is 2-inch sponge foam, and the fabric covering is white sailcloth. I used a staple gun with 1/4 inch staples to secure the fabric on the back of the plywood. The size of the bottom is 11-1/2 inches by 15 inches.
The size of the back is 13-1/2 inches by 20 inches. Note: Measure the distance between your front seats to check the width. The width is critical, as the center seat bottom and seat back rest on the frames of the two front seats.
As you can see, when the grandchildren are not riding, Heidi my big black dog loves to make a trip around the block, always sitting in the center seat.
Note: there was a similar jumpseat manufactured by the W.L. Dumas Mfg. Co. in Miami, Oklahoma and sold by Willys and Kaiser Jeep dealers. This photo is from a 1955 Jeep equipment catalogue, where the retail price was listed as $16.34.
See a Dumas jumpseat, bought for CJ-3B Number 9.
Thanks to Lawrence for sharing his idea. See Family Tradition for more photos of his 1955 CJ-3B. -- Derek Redmond
See also Christmas Tradition for more photos of the Wades' parades.
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