Did you sleep on the package shelf when you were a kid?

[cruiser]

I was just reading a story of a guy who would sleep on the package shelf behind the rear seat when he was a kid. His dad had an old mid sixties Chrysler sedan, and he recalled fondly the times when he would sleep up there on a rainy night drive home. He slept very soundly and recalled that the sound of the rain and the road lulled him into a very sound sleep. I never did this as a kid growing up in the sixties, but I'm wondering if others on this site had a similar experience. Please forward your stories of sleeping there back in the day. Thanks!

 

[Boydsdodge]

We would lay up on the shelf and goof around, when ever the car was coming to a stop we would roll off on to the cushy seat. I can't remember what car. The LTD station wagon was a good big space on road trips.

 

[Big_John]

I remember seeing kids on the package shelf, but I never did. Since my siblings are quite a bit older, I had the back seat to myself most of the time and could just stretch out on the seat.

When I was young, probably 6 or 7, we were on a trip in my Dad's '57 Windsor when he had to swerve onto a rough and narrow shoulder and brake really hard to avoid an oncoming truck passing another car. I was sleeping on the seat nice and peacefully. Next thing I knew, I hit the back of the front seat and then fell down on the driveshaft hump. Scared the crap out of me.

 

[3C's & a D?]

I grew up in a wagon, so no package tray naps for me, plenty of other places to curl up though. I used to love sleeping in the cot "upstairs" in our '69 Westfalia, not while driving though. I can't remember the reason, something about safety or something. I think that was just an excuse though. Now that I'm "smarter" I think the real reason was the extra aerodynamic drag would reduce our already pathetic top speed.

 

[PeugFra]

Behind the rear seat of a Volkswagen Beetle there is no package shelf but a small luggage compartment instead, where you could play, read comics or sleep in a space all for yourself.

 

[Big_John]

This thread reminds me of the rumor that kids would get sucked out of the rear window on the Mercury Breezeways.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

We had a wagon so in the rear, later we had a wagon with a rear facing seat, that was fun. When all the kids were with my grandparents one of us ended up in the rear of their 67 Barracuda fastback


Alan

 

[3175375]

My wife has rode on the package tray.

I haven’t, but did ride on the engine cover in my parents 1962 Corvair Monza station wagon from Southern California to South Dakota when I was about 6.

Huh?

 

[66l78rat]

Yep, in the old 66 Galaxy

 

[Big_John]

Just saw this on FB.

It was a different time.

 

[hanks71440]

Yep, in the 60 buick

 

[xxcarguy]

Yes, I was the youngest of 3 boys.
We moved almost every summer. Dad was lifetime military.
My oldest brother slept on the back seat, my middle brother slept in the footwell and sometimes got a burn from the seatbelt bolt, I slept in the rear window and had a sunburn on one side most of the trip!