Hot Rods Cool car that led to disappointment

Seat, pedal and wheel position.

I've got a 6' 4" friend that built a chopped, severely channeled Model A pickup. The top is about at the bottom of my 6' 0" rib cage. He drives that thing all over the place. He built a 30 sedan delivery, pretty much the same stance. If he isn't in his daily driver, the pickup, he's in the sedan.

Just depends on where everything is positioned.

Mike

 

I don't know how he does it. I see pics of those belly tankers and i get claustrophobia

 

I’m in the assembly phase so it’s easier, I just use a shop vac.

 

I think these are generally referred to as a "stop light prism", might help if you're doing an internet search.

 

My coupe has a 4" chop, but is not channeled (obviously) and is quite comfy once I'm in. I had to try different techniques for entry, and turns out that butt first, then stems is the easiest. I am 74, 190 lbs, and 6' tall. I have arthritis like most my age, and I've simply learned to live with it. I refuse to let it win. I also drag race a '58 Fairlane with a 429 mill. Gotta keep going.

 

I bought a Fresnel Lens from Ebay to solve the traffic light visibility problem.

 

Every hot rod is built to builders dimensions. I’d say just plan on getting one you like and be prepared to redo seat, pedals, steering position, and, (hopefully not) the floor. It’s amazing where you can fit if you plan it well enough!

 

I did not read all the posts but------------ I was talking to a guy I know who is 70 and owns a chopped and channeled and sectioned 50 Ford coupe. He was complaining about how he couldn`t drive it longer than a couple hours because he started to hurt. He had to get out and rest awhile, then proceeded to continue driving it. He does drive it a lot. I suggested he raise the front part of his seat up an inch or to give his legs some support. He did just that, and he can drive it for hours now. He thanks me everytime he sees me. I`ll bet you money, if you found the right person, that they could make the car comfortable for you to drive.

 

I'm sure I could fix these things or find someone to do it but for what I was putting out there for money I was wanting to have a car that was ready to go.

 

I had a similar experience with a '30 Ford coupe a few years ago. It was chopped and channeled perfectly, couldn't have asked for a better stance. Paint, interior, engine, everything was just like I hoped it would be. I got in the car with no problems and immediately knew I couldn't drive it. I'm only five seven but honestly I don't know how short someone's legs would have to be to drive it at all. It was a four speed. There was no way that I could depress the clutch or brake pedals.

 

Had a 29 ford roadster for many years and enjoyed driving it but didn't feel safe on the freeway so I sold it and picked up the 41 ply conv and have plenty of room and being 6 4" I love it! At 66 years old, I drive local mostly now days.

 

...every old car/hot rod you find will need some adjustments, even when you build em yourself...good luck in your search...

 

Man you have a ton of room in that 2dr sedan for a moved back front seat and leg room up the wazoo. Try sitting in a 30 coupe with a 4 inch recessed firewall.

 

I want to echo old friend MN JEFF...my '41 pickup is long gone, but I wish I had never sold it. I had a ton of fun with that truck...no it is not for a big person, but I had always thought that if I was over 6 feet tall, it would be worth it to alter the floorboards (like some of the small foreign cars have done) to tunnel enough room for my legs. My pickup rode very well, and with the small cockpit the AC really kept you kool. I had a Buick V-6 in mine, and there was room to lengthen the driver side, I just never did it because I am 5'-8". My only reason at the time was that I found a coupe, and didn't have space for the two...I have that space now but the pickup is gone, and replace by a '36 sedan. I loved that truck. I found some thin buckets which made it quite comfortable. It had a full length bed...and notice the license plate!!! G-Willys

 

Scrunch up, twist around , hang your arm halfway out the window and drive it around like you would when you were a kid.

 

Before I sold this I considered making a rod out of it. Originally the cab was a stock AA truck.

I tried sitting in it and even with the seat just bare springs it was too tight for me. I couldn't see any way to move the wheel or change the seat to make it comfortable. A coupe with the package tray cut out, or sedan I could probably do though.

So off to Sweden it went. In fact the pic is it prepared to go, that's why the crate and the red arrow and the plain grille.

 

Im 59, just over 6ft tall (shrinking slowly) and about 250 lbs. Short legs and a long back and we have a Fiat Topolino.

My friends laugh at me getting in or out of it. Clown car material.

I feel your pain gentlemen.

 

Zettle Bros- I can sympathize with you on this one. Looks great but those 30's cars are narrow and the floors are flat.
When I chopped my '40 coupe, being 6-4 230, it was imparitive that I was comfortable while driving. Luckly for me, my top was curved and after taking 3.5"-4" out of the top, I still had 2-3 inches of head room and just enough shoulder room. I picked a 2001 Dodge Dakota seat, which has a good riser, so I had good leg angle to the pedals. Really important to so alot of planning. I only banged my noggin 3-4 times getting in when it was fresh, but after the intial season, I found a way to avoid it. Wear a hat and move slowly!
Rap

 

I'm 6'2 and 240 lb. My buddies that helped build my car refused to let me chop it. Turned out to be a very good call. Easy access and very comfortable to sit and ride in. Most Model A's are chopped so that makes this one a little different. Gary

 

How about a cool car that led to disappointment and put you in the poor house!
used my heart instead of my brains and bought a 1950 ford v8 sedan just a little over a year ago
to make this nightmare a short story, bought it for $13,500 spent about $7,600 parts and labor, trying to sell it for $ 10,500 and have had no interest on craigslist; car shows, parked with for sale allover it
do the math I am losing my ass
maybe start a thread WHAT'S THE DUMBEST PURCHASE YOU EVER MADE ON A CAR/HOT ROD

 

Oh my gosh...sound like my life with old cars....currently fiddling with a Willys flat fender Jeep to flip and I rebuilt a twin to it back in 2012-2014 era...worse riding and driving vehicle I ever drove...only drove it maybe 6 times and sold it...had over $7500.00 into it...got $4200.00 for it...redid a 53 Chevy truck after that...had over $9500.00 into it and got $6500.00 for it....again same deal...rode and drove terrible...I think the stuff we use as daily drivers now are so far smoother and easier to drive...hopping into an old leaf spring vehicle...kinda sets you back a bit...still wanna build a hot rod...how much we will drive it but we will see...

 

There was one point I looked at the car and all I could think about was the ZZ Top video "Gotta get paid" and how cool it would be to drive the car through my home town. Then reality and taking a buddy along that is also a car guys set in. I didn't want to dump more money into a car that I felt should be a turn key car.

 

Try to keep that brain rush that you felt at that moment, as then you will keep at it until you find the right hotrod. When you finally get it and it's dependable, and drive it every day you possibly can around your town, it's going to be one of the best things you ever did.

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I’m 5’8” and can fit in anything nice to be small.

I like the way a east coast built looks with no chop but channeled 5”.


I am just starting on a 31 coupe with a heavy chop. Thinking of dropping the seat mounting below the floor for longer people? Thinking about having to “step down “ 2” should not mess with field of view over the wheel.

Comments?


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

No question a Model "A" can be cramped. I had a two door chopped sedan (not channeled). I put a really nice pair of front seats in from a Chrysler Sebring convertible. Leather, electric, heated and the coolest part is they are engineered with a shoulder strap style seat belt (being from a convertible). I sat them back a bit and shoved them together so they were more of a bench seat but I could have driven that car all day! Now I am not tall by any means but I make for it in the width department. My bet the "channel" part of that ride affected the fit as much as anything. Just my two cents. Killer car though!

 

Not having a Model A with the channel in between the rails, we were talking on the way home that day the would probably get me more room if it was done that way.

 

I’m 5’11”, 200 lbs, and I had to move the factory seat in my 47 Lincoln back 2” to have enough legroom. I felt bundled up like a chimp before I did that. I guess they put the seats close to the wheel so you could get enough leverage to turn with the manual steering.

 

There are so many things that can move the wheel into the vision, so plan your mockup to perfection.

-If the motor is in the way of a "good" steering column path
-If it also then causes the column angle to be wrong
-Your pedals now need to be accessible, not getting tangled by the lower column tube..(even think of panic stops), and if the trans tunnel is typical on a channeled build, then room for a decent gas pedal location really needs to be of high priority in that mockup.
-Diameter of the steering wheel, and then that also needs to have enough "knuckle room" at the drivers door panel.....also that wheel needs to not block your reach to inside door & window handles.
-Now with all of that, can different people lift their knees to use the clutch and brake pedals, without hitting the underside of the wheel.

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Try not to forget any comfort or accessibility thoughts when doing the final mockup.

Then, if you being shorter, get your taller friends to see if they can get the right feel in the mockup.

 

Here's the cock pit in question.