I'm 6 foot tall. Is it worth having my knees in my face and having a cool little roadster, or are all the old timers right in trying to warn me about not building a T? What are the tall people who own/have owned T's opinions?
Its all in how you build it and how you build the seat... I am 6ft tall... and I fit in a roadster just fine... Coupes are for chickens!
My "T" is different being a drag car. I am 6ft tall and weigh around 325+ and my rt foot and accel. pedal is on the right side of the transmission tunnel.
I'm 6ft tall & just started tinkering with this. Who knows if I'll ever fit into it but I've always wanted to do a true modified. We'll see how it goes. JH
I'm 6'2" (6'3" on a good day) and I own a few roadsters. I didn't get that memo on a height requirement. I actually think the chopped coupe is going to be more of an issue.
I have yet to sit in a roadster that I fit it (I'm 6'3"). Would love to find a setup that works though (that isn't a complete custom tub), in the same boat, always loved them, but never though I could fit in one.
I'm just over six feet tall, and have put a few miles on the roadster in my avatar. If you are really a roadster guy, you will figure it out. If not, you'll find a nice sedan. Either way is ok.
I'm 5' 11" and 220 lbs. My seat in the roadster sits at the floor level. I can drive it with no problems, but getting in and out is a little tight. Is it worth it ? You bet it is !!!
Well I have never been tall, I was 6 ft for a couple of years. I am pretty short legged and am OK but not what you would call comfortable in the Ravens '27. By my way of thinking if you are uncomfortable because of your height in a roadtser it will be worse in a coupe.
Couple of things, do not channel a T roadster. And change the angle of the stock floorboard and you can get the legroom you need.
I am 6'2 and have the unchopped coupe in my avatar -- I learned how to get in (remember the Hokey Pokey, "you put your right foot in...") but am still learning how to get out !!
Perfect time to stretch it 4" behind the doors. It will help get you the legroom you need and is not that noticeable.
Makes you wish for suicide doors don't it. I know it is lame to do to one that didn't come that way but I am seriously thinking about doing it to about everything that I own.
Harrison, thats a good looking body you have to start with. I can't tell from the photo if it is stock or has lengthened door openinfs and rear side panel. That's the front half of a touring, I dont know it the seat back is the same 26-27 Touring vs. Roadster. Bob
I'm 6'2" I can tell you from all my experiences all my coupes and sedans I had to change the seat and lower the SOB 4 to 6" . If your talking Model A in Roadster make sure it rides on 32 rails and not channeled you will fit with all kinds of room . Coupes and Sedans same thing 32 rails not channeled and you can even get away with a 3" chop . 32 33 no probelm more room then the A Bone . 27 T for get it they are made for 5'9" and under no leg room . I would suggest going to a show and ask if you can sit in there car explain what your doing .
I'm 6' but have an inseam of only 32". I sit tall but not so long legs. Makes it easier to fit comfortably in a roadster, 17-27 T style. My son-in-law, at 6'5", is ok as a passenger but won't even fit in the driver's side of the Track Car. One way to gain room in the 17-25 style roadsters is to sit the body on the frame rather than channeling it 2-4 inches as most are. It can be done simply by fitting the frame rails to the contours of the body. This gives you vertical height inside. Leg room can be handled by a lot more work as in stretching the body 4"-6" from windshield to back. Lengthening the cowl by 4" give you a bit more room to work with inside legroom wise as well. These mods will keep your cowl in the stock form so no unusual size windshields will be necessary and the proportions of the car will not be distorted too much.
I'm 6'2" and own a T Bucket. I fit fine, BUT I'm thin and flexable. If you have a GUT, you can fit, but may need a removable steering wheel. I took a lot of time in planning my seat configuration. My seat is a box with two holes on either side, covered with vinyl webbing, then a layer of foam and fabric. When I sit down, I sit about 4" above the floor. It can be done. Now, if I owned a coupe, there's no way I would fit, due to head room.
Thanks! It's the front half of a '26/'27 Touring narrowed 6". I have all the sheetmetal except for the rear panel. It's been buzzing around in my head forever. Figured it was time to start working toward it. It has no stretch and it's not getting one. If I don't like how I fit in it, I'll sell it. I'll probably get the body squared away and them finish my El Camino before getting back on the T. JH
I have had the same thoughts, but in the other direction, do you like rubbing shoulders with the passenger? They are not just short but not so wide either.
Hey Harrison, The best thing you can do to help fit in that car is to skip the repro seat back that is made, and make your own with just a slight bit more angle to it. My Modified (Forever endevour!) mimcs the sides of a Touring front half, I just laid myself back a little extra at the back to help get down below the windshield. There are several pictures of it on the "Modifieds only" thread, so wont pollute Scrib's thread with more. or P.M. me if you would like.
Moving the firewall forward and the floorboard below the top of the frame, you can gain a little space that way. Just a thought
You can sit IN a T instead of ON. Just means you practically sit on the floor. Mine is channeled 3 inches. I'm 6'-3" with 36" inseam about 200 lbs. Left leg stays down with foot on the firewall. Right bends up a little for the gas and brake but not much higher than the side. We had stuff on the floor so the passenger has his feet up. He is about 5'-10" This is just a speedway type body. No stretch.
my model A speacial coupe was so bad it had no roof at all, i spent a few days thinkin hard on just doing a roadster.but in the long run i hand made my roof to look like a real coupe roof. long drives...it just seemed like a better idea.pluss chopped coupes are the bees knees.
Now, back to the original posters question. A couple of things have been said about fitting in these things already that are key. One I haven't seen yet is a quick release steering wheel. You can't imagine how nice it is for getting in and out of a "T" or "A" roadster when your 6'1" and built like a long armed and legged space alien. As Blue one said on the last page, pulling the stock toe boards out of any "T" make a huge difference in leg room. My modifyed picked up about 3'' of usable leg room and more footroom to run the clutch. The other big deal in "T"s is dropping the seat height way down. The original seat risers sat you up way high in these cars. Pull them out and sit just up off the floor and suddenly they become quite spacious.
Iv got a high boy with a chopped down windshield. It isn't channeled and the seat is stock height so you sit high in it. I'm 6'3 and drove it from buffalo to the jalopy showdown no problems. Get goggles and just keep your mouth shut at dusk.
Hiboy rather than channeled and no inset in the firewall for engine clearance would help with the leg room. On that 27 front half of a touring a guy could make an offset at the end of the back panel to gain a couple of inches for the lean back of the seat that wouldn't be noticeable to most guys who don't really know those bodies. I was out mocking up my boat tail body last weekend and finally decided that I would use the same length for the interior length as my AD Chevy pickups have. Luckily for me almost everything as far as length on the car is completely optional. I intend to sit down in it rather than up on top of it though. I've had some wild rides in a couple of T buckets where the side of the car hit you right at your waist band when you sat in the seat and it doesn't leave much feeling of security.
The Jalopy Journal
