Hot Rods Ingress/Egress question for early cars

I'm 6' 4" and can identify with having to contort to get in and out of the smaller doors of model A's, I also have been rough on my old 70 year old body.

The '32/'33/'34 Ford 3 windows are easy to enter & exit, the 5 windows have smaller doors like Model A's, the 32/33/34 tudors have longer doors.

In my '32 sedan I mover the seat back and I am able to stretch out and have more than enough room.HRP

 

I was thinking a sedan may be the answer for him, you can have as much legroom as you need.

 

Having had a couple of '32 5 window coupes I can assure you getting in and out is a bit uncomfortable if you are a Neanderthal like myself, but if you remove the package tray and move the seat back you can be comfortable once seated. HRP

 

After finishing my roadster the next step was perfecting the mount/dismount. Nothing worse than attending a show and watching someone fight to exit or enter their vehicle. I use the ass first method for entry particularly when the roof is up. Feet first upon disembarking. Suicide doors and no running boards/fenders helps make it look less like a fat woman trying on shoes at Al Bundy's shoe emporium.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ GREAT idea!! (And cool!)
6sally6

 

If you look at a 32 Ford, you will see that the 3 window coupe has much larger doors than the 5 window does. There is also pretty decent room inside. If you look at one with a chopped top, that will tell you about comfort once inside......but the 3 window is plenty wide on the doors.
I sat in a 29 with a chopped top and I couldn't sit up straight. I'm just 6', so the pre 32 ones don't work for me.

 

@Pete has a 33 3 window that is chopped (I don't know how much) and channeled the height of the frame. It has an original seat in it. He is over 6ft tall, he has driven it everywhere including Bonneville. I said "man, that must be tight in there". He said "get in it, it's not bad at all". I am 6ft 5in and 225lbs, I got in easily head first holding the wheel and just plopped down on the seat. It was really comfortable in there, more room than my 29 roadster for sure. If you have the means for a Model 40 that is what I would recommend, I want one BAD!! Good luck

 

At 5' 4" tall, I have no problem with my old cars but getting into my off topic Miata, I can relate with you tall guys.

 

I'm a 6 foot 67 year old. I've come to the conclusion that the doors have shrunk on my '34 Chevy 5 window.

 

At this point, I have pondered this question and processed your inputs. I believe a 33 or 34 Tudor or Sedan Delivery is the ticket for me. The search is on.

 

My 6'3" 275 lbs gorilla frame fit in a 4" chopped model coupe, unchanneled, school bus seat, stick shift pedals under the floor. Fixed column. Getting in was a bit odd but well placed grab handles were helpful. Also a lack of roof prevented brain damage when launching the heap off a curb...

 

Henry Ford was 5'8'' 145lbs and hated fat people. K.T. Keller of Plymouth and Chrysler was over 6' tall and 250lbs. ANY Plymouth, Dodge or Chrysler will have more room than a Ford, and so will a lot of other cars of the era. It's an interesting subject, would like to know how Studebaker, GM makes etc compare.
If you insist on a Ford, a 2 door sedan or later model will give you more room.

 

For a short time I had seats mounted in my A pickup that forced me to enter head first, get my butt in the seat, then pull my legs in. What a pain! I swapped those seats with some others that allow a normal entry; right foot goes in first, planted firmly next to the throttle pedal; then butt goes in followed by the head, the butt goes down into the seat; and last is my left foot, which just barely fits in between the seat and the door frame. Piece of cake!

 

I'm 69 years old, 6' 5" and 270. Glad the cab of my '38 is not any smaller, Ford cabs are a little roomier than Chevy/GMC cabs of the same vintage. A guy in our church has a stock '30 Model A coupe. He drives it to church once in a while and I asked him once if I could sit in it. He gave me permission, and I tried. I could not get my long-legged carcass in and close the door. Wayne is about 5' 7" and about 150, so it's easy for him. I would have to take out the package tray and move the seat back. I have seen many chopped and channeled cars that would be physically impossible for me to get in and close the door. One of my great-grandfathers stood 6' 8" and wore size 16 shoes. My father remembered him. He said that Grandpa Turner had to duck to come through standard size doors, and they had to get a carpenter to build a casket for him when he died in 1940, Don't know how he was able to ride in Model T and A Fords. I had a friend who stood 6' 6", 290, and lived to be 91 years old. Harry said, "When you're tall, heavy, and old, the laws of physics are not in your favor." I think of that every time I get in and out of a car that is too low to the ground.

 

A 5 window coupe usually has much narrower doors than a 3 window. I would take the time to actually look at how you like to sit in your current vehicles. What would you change to make it even more comfortable. Once you have a clear picture of whether you want more leg room or sitting lower or higher or whatever..........then go to a large event and sit in some of the cars that are for sale. You may not buy anything, but you should find something that interests you. I was actually surprised by how much room a Brookville 32 Coupe had when I sat in their demo.

 

Whatever you do don't buy a 32 RPU. We had one at work I was working on, and had to test drive it after I fixed it. It was the most uncomfortable vehicle I have ever driven. It was a bone stock 4 cylinder for what it's worth. The angle on the gas pedal and clutch and brake were awful. The steering wheel wasn't too bad. I am 5' 11".

 

You can/have to build the comfort in when you set up the interior. That includes not installing a seriously set back firewall indent.
As several others said using the right seats and setting them at the right height helps a lot.
My dad used to make a big deal of bumping his head every time he got in my 48 after I chopped it but I think that was his way of claiming he was taller than he actually was as he was the only one of five brothers under 6 ft and it bugged the tar out of him.
With suicide doors on m 48 I can't really say that they make getting in any easier. I'd say getting in and out is just like getting in and out of a lot of other rigs you might have. you learn and develop the steps and movements that make it the easiest to get in and out. That make take folding up a bit and you can't always plant your butt on the seat and swing your feet in as a lot of people like to do. A steering wheel that can get out of the way would help a lot on a lot of Model A size rides though.

 

deuce without the package tray worked for me( younger and thinner then as far as the get in-get out), just never thought about it, I guess. Corvette( Early) was problematic, steering wheel was where it was , period. Later vette was roomier, but so was I. My 36 chevy truck was a bitch to get down into and out of, but once in I had all the furniture laid out pretty good, and I was really older then. I'm a giant as far as that old iron goes too, but like everything, ya find a way.

 

Try getting your 68 year old 6 foot 240 lb frame in this ......lol me in here.......

 

If I can get in it, are you going to let me run it? I'm the same height as you, 9 years older, 15 pounds lighter and I've got really good reaction times.

 

I am probably the only one who ever suicided his doors for medical purposes. I have a useless left arm and leg, and my foot gets caught under the door. It's much easier now. By the way, I'm 5 foot 9 inch and 180. The cab is chopped 4 inches and channeled 9inches. I fit like a glove.

 

That's a good choice (since you want a 34 or earlier car). Also add a Vicky (if you can find one!) as the Vicky, 3/w and Tudor have the same length (longer) doors.
The Sedan Delivery has the shorter width door shared with 4dr. and 5w coupe.
The suicide door design helps. Because of it's shape at the lower front, even the short doored 5/w's etc are easier to get in/out.
Also a lot of folks don't realize that the cabin on a 33/4, 5/w Coupe is 3-4" longer than a 3/w Coupe. The 'tulip' panel on a 3/w is only about 2" wide, while the 5/w is about 5" wide.
Though I'm 'only' 6', I prefer to stretch my legs out when driving. My 34 5/w (avatar) is chopped 4". I'm not running a package tray and can slide the lowered bench seat all the way back. Someone 6',5 could easily fit.

Strike up a conversation at shows and ask if you can have a seat in various cars. Then be honest with yourself once you're in. Will your back be killing you after an hour of driving? That's something to consider if your plans are to take the car on long distance runs.

 

{ Rockable } I just read your original post. But not all the other follow ups. So this may have been said. I can only speak for myself. I have three early 30's Hot Rods. The term Hot Rod, and comfortable don't go together for me. I think you just need two cars. A late 30's to 64 car for comfort. { I have a 56 Nomad for just that. } It's a great family car, and good for long road trips too. Then there's the bad boys. The old early 30's Hot Rods. I have to back into them getting in, and then roll out of them to get out. lol They are Loud , noisey, fast, and FUN! I do LOVE them. But they are not comfortable. Hay just my two cents worth. Let us know what you decide to do? Okay, I forgot to mention that mine are chopped. Thank's Ron.......

 

I’m 6’2”/ 255, so I know there are cars I can’t comfortably fit in. But I don’t buy the idea that a Hot Rod has to be uncomfortable by definition. My strategy is to find where I am most comfortable in the car, then build around me. It’s surprising how an inch or two this way or that way, a degree or two this way or that way, and the choice of this part over that part, mixed with some creativity can make a night and day difference.

Maybe Pat Ganahl (Pgan) will chime in here. Isn’t Pat something like 6’8”- 6’9”? He has just built a 34’ Ford Fordor with the little doors, and in his build thread made it clear this was to be a comfortable long hauler retirement traveler for he and his wife. And he’s had (has) other early cars. Maybe he has some tricks of the tall.

 

Boatmark, may be right? I was only speaking of my Hot Rods. It's guys like me, that build chopped and channeled Hot Rods. lol

 

Do you have an NHRA license?, we run 9.20s at 140 with it

 

K.T. Keller also insisted that a man be able to wear a hat while driving. That's why the roof line was so tall during most of his era.

 

First off comfortable hot rod is an Oxymoron.

Some '30s cars had suicide doors, they opened backward for a reason. it was to make it easier to get in and out of the car. An A bone would he a good candidate for a suicide door conversion. May be something to think about.

 

Not at present but I've got a buddy who's getting out of the joint pretty soon and with his "artistic skills", I'm sure he could come up with one

 

That's interesting, as 30's Plymouths tend to have a lower roof line relative to Ford's, they appear to already have a chopped top. Maybe other dimensions of the body make it appear that way.