Pre-war (up to 1942) 1930 LaSalle Fleetside Phaeton Door Panels

[35075]

I have a 1930 LaSalle Fleetwood Phaeton (Fleetside) that is all original and is in generally good condition except for the upholstery. It is now time to replace the original leather upholstery. The door panels have an opening with a spring loaded door. It seems to me that because of the way they appear to work that the pocket doesn't really hold much. Can anyone shed any light on how they are suppose to work or if they are suppose to work exactly as they appear.

1930 LaSalle Fleetside Phaeton Door Panels

[35075]

Anyone?

[Warren Rauch #4286]

   Pockets in the doors was the rule in the 1920s. They generally were just cloth sacks made into the door panels with elastic or a spring at the top to close. That is how Durant,Essex, Ford A and closed Cadillacs that I know best did it. I assume they they we used as glove boxes.
  Your car looks to have leather ones ,but most likely used the same.
  Cadillac dropped them in 1932 .This is from the 1932 Cadillac and LaSalle Sales Presentation Book.

  Package compartment   In the right half of the very artistic instrument board there is a very large                lockable compartment ,which you will find very useful.

 And from the Objections and Answers section:

  7. Objection -Why are there no pockets in the rear doors?

   Answer-To improve the appearance of the doors and make the entire car neater; pockets are provided under or in front of the arm rest. The large compartment in the instrument board also provides additional  storage space.

So storage and little else seems to be what pockets were all about.

Warren

[35075]

Thank you for the reply. I have many cars and understand the use of door pockets. The door pockets in the LaSalle are unlike any I have ever seen. Where there would normally be a flap or just an open pocket as would be found in a sedan, this car has some rigid spring loaded doors that push in to reveal the small storage compartment. The doors are not hinged in any way. I am looking for some insight as to how to restore them to original function as the doors seem to float freely. This is a Fleetwood body and is much different that a Fisher body.

[35075]

It appears that Fleetwood bodied Cadillac V-16 Phaetons used the same type of door pocket. Is there an owner in the audience that can take a photo of their pocket door pushed in to show me how it works and tell me if the top edge of the pocket door is sewn to the door panel or if the pocket door is free floating? Thank you.