Calling all tall HAMB'ers

Well I've been searching and thinking about what kind of car I want for my first rod and think I have narrowed things down, but since I'm a short little bastard...6'8" and 275lbs..I was wondering what problems other Hamb'ers who are NOT gravitationally challenged have encountered with chopped tops, foot wells, seating, leg room and such.


Thanks, T-cow.

 

I'm not quite that size, however I have friends that are. It gets alittle cramped side to side as well as up and down. The things you have to look at is the seat more than anything. I know one fellow that took a 5 window and practically put the seat in the back, but the seat was right on the floor for leg room and it was chopped 2 inches. Didn't have any problem but he was sitting on the floor. I also have a 53 ford f100. You would have no problems in it anyway you went. The seat sits like your sitting at the kitchen table. If you dropped the seat down to the floor, you could chopp the top 2-1/2 feet.

 

Im six foot six and can barely fit in my friends chopped coupes and trucks.but i agree the seat is definately important.especially if its low and as far back as possible.usually thats not the case.good luck.what cars have you narrowed it down to?

 

I'm 6'5" and slim, it definitely presents its challenges if you want something chopped and channeled. My '34 is chopped 5" and channeled 3" with a 1" subframe. However, I extended the cab 10" behind the doors for some legroom.




Speaking of tall people squeezing into tiny cars, here's my friend Matt's (who's about an inch shorter than me) 23 T build thread.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=272639

 

I am 6'2'' and 255 lbs. and have a '26 T bucket that I can hardly get into. I am in the process of gathering parts for my '28/'29 Tudor project. Haven't decided on whether it will be open wheeled or full fendered. If open wheel, it will get a 3" channel. Either way it won't be chopped. A buddy of mine ( r.i.p. brother ) had a '28 5 window with a 3" channel and 4" chop with the seat on the floor that I could barely get into. Hope it helps...

 

Wow! I am 6'2" and have problems fitting into cars, I can't imagine being 6" taller! I had a 28 Oakland coupe a couple of years ago that had plenty of leg room but I made the top too short! That body has doors that are 3' long and a big cowl plus they are a little wider than the Fords. You might look into some of those less popular bodies most of which were bigger than the Fords.

 

im 6'2'' 310 and i have a 50 chop top chevy and when we built the car my buddy decided to set the seat back 3 inches and then we figured out the seat was scooted all the way forward so when you scoot seat back i cant even reach the pedals so i have plenty of head and leg room but on the other hand i am puttin a 28 tudor and im lost on how i am goin to set it up

 

im 6-4 and im building a 31 chevy 5 window coupe putting the seat all the way back and im not chopping it ill be ok iv rode in a chopped model a for a few hours took me awhile to strech back to 6 4 lol

 

6'4" and ~200 pounds. I'd suggest carrying a tape measure and sitting in a bunch of cars. Find one that fits (doesn't matter what it is) and measure. Find one that's too short and measure that. Find one that's too narrow and measure again. Pretty soon you will have an idea how big a body you need to fit yourself into.
Moving the seat back and down only works to a point. One of the "rules" is to keep your hips above your knees if possible. I prefer a slanted seat back. If it's too upright, all the head room and leg room in the world doesn't help. Example, my friend's 06 ram truck quad cab back seat. Ugh! Standard cab Rangers don't work either.

 

6' 2" 275 lbs and Built a 23 Dodge roadster, My choice of bodies was based on the room in Mopars. I have sat comfortably in an unchopped T coupe but don't fit behind the wheel in a 66 F100, so just go sit in a bunch of them and see what fits. When you find the right car it will pop out at you.

 

Thanks for the input guys!!

Yeah I'm kinda waiting on car show season so I can talk to some rodders and see if I can get a little seat time in different cars. This has been the story of my likfe when it comes to car, old and new, my size dictates what I can and cannot drive...

I'm looking at either a Tudor or a Mordor from say 28-32-ish era, and since I'm a mopar man I'm trying to keep it in the chrysler family. I missed out on a nice 30 chrysler mordor but going to check out a 28 chrysler mordor this week.

I figure with a mordor I can set the seat back and might still have enough room in the back to haul the kids? I really like the look of the tudors but not sure if it would give me enough room? I'd like to Z the frame in the back and then drop it over the frame, drop axle out front then maybe a 3-4" chop, but if the head room is going to be a problem then I might have to re-think the chop.

 

6'4" here. Legroom is the biggest problem for me. If I get the seat back far enough I have to reach for the steering wheel too much. I typically get to a show and can't walk for about 15 minutes until my knees straighten back out.
I hope you have a 5 window so you can get the seat back far enough.

 

Have a son who is 6'7'' 250 (I'm six feet even) and just barely fits in my 5 window with the seat almost all the way back....biggest problem I think will be room for your feet to work your clutch, brake and gas pedal (assuming manual trans)... he's got about size 14-15 and they just won't fit comfortably between the side panel and the trans hump....if your building it, mock everything up first and cut and paste accordingly....good luck

 

6'6" 250lbs but all leg.
Can't get into most cars cos of leg room
Did some measurements on my sedan and 2" chop would be the most i could do

 

6'4" 260 lbs here. Head room is formost, legroom isn't usually the problem. I politely asked a number of guys at different shows if I could sit in their cars, to check out the room. I've never been turned down, and it helps to be able to see what looking out a chopped couple is really like.

 

my friend had problems my stock 62 f100. he's 6'3". his knees hit the steering wheel trying to drive it. it's basically all about seat location.

 

I'm 6' 210 lbs, Dont build a model A roadster! Mine is chopped 4 inches and the dodge caravan seat is as far back as it will go and It"s a tight fit for me. Also the doors are to small for a taller guy. One of the nicest cars I ever built was a 47 ford super delux coupe, plenty of room and a sweet car to drive, one of about 3 cars I wish I still had.
Sold it for a downstroke on a house!!!

 

You could drop the floor pan down between the rails instead of the body and get your seat lower.

 

You could just build a custom

 

I would be tall if I was proportional.

 

Thanks again for all the advice guys!!

I do plan on a manual tranny and that is one of my concerns, if my size 14's will have enough room to work all three pedals.

If I drop the body over the frame I will more then likely try and drop the floor as well to try and maybe get back a couple inches to offset the chop.

Should be quite the adventure....but I look forward too it....

 

6'3", 200, size 13's. Build a roadster...no headroom problems there! Yes, I have problems getting all of my parts to fit in the t-bucket, and somehow still shift and work the brakes, etc, but I still do it. There is a lot more room in the coupe ('37 Plymouth - unchopped, and unchannelled) even with the seat in the stock location. If you have to move the seat back to get your legs comfortable, you might want to think about extending the steering column to reduce the reach to the steering wheel. Just my .02.