Hot Rods Cool car that led to disappointment

Went and drove 5 1/2 hrs one way this weekend to look at a '30 Ford. I've wanted a 30-34 chopped and channeled car for a very long time now and have sold all my toys to get one. Well I got there and it was everything the guy said it was (little lifter noise in the engine) but there was one problem. As I went to get in it became clear that I was trying to be one of Cinderella's step-sister's with the glass slipper. No matter how I sat I just couldn't get comfortable to drive the car. I did take it for a spin but running the pedals was cramping my foot and my hip. Cool car but I wouldn't have been able to go on much more than a 1/2 hour drive. Alas, my hopes and dreams had become shattered by too long of legs.

 

Built a 40 Willys P/U once which was the most uncomfortable thing I've ever owned. Not only uncomfortable but rode badly as well. With short wheel base, bumps came quickly.

Gary

 

Not sure if this applies to your situation but I'm 60, I eat right and workout a lot because I always want to be able to play with my cars (and wife lol)… Those old buggy's are real tight, people must of been very small back then..

 

I'm 43, an electrician, and climb 140' grain bins. That might be my down fall as I age.

 

I'm also 43 but have arthritis like a pro. Even my spacious Shoebox Ford gets uncomfy after a bit.

 

Changing position/ height / style of seat wouldn’t have made a differance?

 

58 and having a hard time getting in and out of my mustang.....
It hurts!!!!

 

Cramped in a sedan? Seats/pedals can be adjusted. Nice looking ride.

 

Sorry it didn't fit,looked cool from out side.
Some times you can redesign the inside? Others its too messed up to start with.
Some hot rods are built to fit the builder,some I've see over the years are built for vary small kid size drivers or little time was actully put into driver comfort{one of the most common misstakes}. I've seen more built with poor lay outs of seats,steering an pedals then with good. I'm 6ft an I build for 6ft under 200lbs driver,so ask driver size be4 driving along way is sometimes a good idea! A rod photo being driven,showing driver often also shows bent over or other not comfort driver seating,is a give a way often. Like with T-buckets,if you can see drivers pants belt driving{looks like a giant in it} Cool looking cars,stop looking cool if driver looks like he is having a hard time. The skill of builder comes into play about fit,many times though,some say you know they were small cars. Sure,but a good builder can build in more driver room in many good ways,moving seat back/down an steering in best fit. Another give-a-way to poor engineering is a steering wheel less the 13in.

 

Wow that's a hell of a climb!! When connecting a services up, I tell myself, the fall outweighs the zap.. That sweaty salt makes thing so much worse too..

At 60, I am soooo glad I worked out all these years. I can work like I did when I was 30.. I'm a sparky too but residential, I'm one of the last electricians in Pittsburgh who knows how to repair knob n tube lol...

 

I don't suppose you'd care to tell anyone else where it is?

 

That is the realization...we all have those dreams.At 6'4" ,the first thing I ask myself is "will I fit?".If I don't,I walk away and say...that was a very nice car

 

...nice A,but those A's are a small car.....I'm bettin the problems could be fixed, but then I haven't seen the car...
it looks like the car you've been wanting...good luck in your search

 

Yup, the A's are short of leg room up front as are almost all of the mid 30's and down cars. More room happened once the running boards disappeared.

I hope you enjoyed the scenery there and back and made it a nice drive!

 

At 6' 6" I can relate..comfort and Hotrods rarely co-exist.

 

I can relate, I fell in love with with a chopped & channeled Model A sedan and I too drove several hours to look at the car, at 6'4" I looked like a circus clown trying to get in the car, the car was chopped about like the one you looked at but the man that built it was 5' tall.

I decided at that time to stick with a unchopped cars, a lot more comfortable.

This is a case where others could learn,many people get excited and buy a car after seeing a few pictures but never really saw it until the shipper drops it off at their home.

Then the try to get in a realize this ain't going to work.

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you but you learned what want be the right car for you, maybe a chopped car with still work but just not a channeled car, something sitting on a nice pair of deuce rails might work. HRP

 

If you REALLY like the car, you can make adjustments to the seat and pedals to suit your needs. I am 6'5" and I fit in my 29 roadster. I don't think it I will be taking long trips without "stretch" stops but I made it comfortable for me. I also sat in Pete's 33 3 window coupe. It has a hard chop and a light channel. Stock Seat and it was quite comfy. Good luck, Ron

 

at 5' 6'' I don't have that problem lol

 

I'm 6'4" and my project selection was pretty limited by fitting my fat ass. For that reason anything like a T bucket is an automatic no, I think I'd be more comfortable driving my lawn mower than one of those. People keep asking me if I'm going to chop my 47 Ford coupe....ummmm no I want to fit in it, I have a hard enough time fitting in some modern cars as is

 

When building a vintage vehicle most people get it wrong, they chop and channel the body until it looks "cool" and shove the firewall back to make room for that monster motor then wonder why they don't fit in the stupid thing. You build comfort into a vehicle by extending the cowl, if possible, recessing the floor or building recessed foot-wells.

 

i'm 57 yo 6' tall and over 200 a good bit, worked out with weights for years, now i'm eat up with osteoarthritis and have trouble getting in and out of my off topic truck at times. been trying to build a 26 t roadster and wonder if i'll just have to sell it and do something different.

 

maybe there's a reason Ford made those cars a lot taller than that, in the first place?

 

My whole life I've wanted a Jaguar Mk120 or 140. No chance I'd fit in one though.

 

I feel your pain with my OT Boss. That is one reason why I am not chopping my "51 two door. I don't care if it looks cooler, I want to drive it.

 

I was wondering the same thing. My 27 T Tudor , I can have all the leg room needed. A longer steering column or a deep dish steering wheel helps. You might be looking out the rear side window but hey you would get second looks .

 

Sort of a funny story. Back in the 60's and 70's my Dad built and raced dirt track race cars. He had a '37 Chevy coupe modified and a '63 Dodge late model. He built two late model for his boss ('63 Dodge) and the boss's son('59 Dodge ). Plus they had a '59 Dodge as a back up. Race Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Anyhow, Dad's boss sat back basically near the rear quarter window. He was leading on the last lap racing beside a guy with a '64 Dodge coming to the finish line. 64 Dodge guy sat in normal driver's position. As they cross the line '64 Dodge looks over and he is directly in line with seat wise with my Dad's boss. Race over , they both come to the flag stand to get the checkered flag. '64 guy thinks he won. Starter says he didn't. He goes back to the pits , standing there thinking. Then realized that Dad's boss sits further back.

 

I'd say that is the reason you see a lot rods that seldom get driven after they are finished or get trailered to a lot of events with any distance involved.
Even my 48 is a bit cramped with the chopped top and the lower seat to accommodate the chop that takes away some leg room.
Over the years I lost track of the number of gas pedals I have had in the 48 looking for one that was reasonably comfortable to use for a distance. One didn't even make it the eight miles home from the shop before I went back and changed it.

 

there are a few factory built cars that are tight, or awkward to get in and out. at 5'10" i found it impossible to get in and out of a '57 T-bird without looking like a dork. fold leg, hit knee on dash, twist body and bang head on top, duck under top, leg jambs against steering wheel. i think that is why they made them convertible. '60-80's corvettes weren't any better.

 

It's posted in the for sale section here on the HAMB. Type is "1930" and it will pop up.

 

The firewall on this one was pushed back 4in's .