No leg room....

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No leg room....

Postby Browner » Mon May 15, 2017 2:18 pm

1979 Monza 2+2, just got it a few weeks ago, and I feel like an adult riding a tricycle. I'm 6'1"ish, 215. And there seems to be not enough room for me to enjoy my car and operate it in a safe manner.
Someone said to relocate the driver seat further back. Sounds smart, but what do I need to be looking for? Has anyone come up with something that will retain the factory mounting but allow the seat to be pushed further back?
I don't really want to sell it after just getting it but I don't know what to do
Browner
 
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1977 Oldsmobile Starfire


Re: No leg room....

Postby spencerforhire » Mon May 15, 2017 2:49 pm

I'm 6'1" and never had a problem fitting in an H-body at any weight from 220 in the 1980's to the 280 I weigh now. Is it possible the seat track is jammed somehow and isn't allowing the seat back all the way? Tilt wheel might help.
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca
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1972 Chevrolet Vega Hatchback

Re: No leg room....

Postby Browner » Mon May 15, 2017 5:05 pm

Well, that makes me wonder. If I sit up straight, my head touches the headliner. I have to slouch down. And my knees are close to touching the dash. Plus getting in/out is a pain. But I will pull that seat out tonight and see if I can figure it out.
Browner
 
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1977 Oldsmobile Starfire

Re: No leg room....

Postby gt350fme » Mon May 15, 2017 6:08 pm

I'm 6'2 ish and my 73 vega was cramped also, hitting my head real good on the ceiling once going over a woopdedo.
My answer to making more room would be cutting and re welding down the height of the stock seat track legs a few inches and extending the track bolt down tabs forward a few inches also to make the whole track move back a few with the stock bolt pattern, at stock height there is a fare amount of room under the seat to do this mod.
As for what I did do, I used some porsche sport seats with the stock Porsche seat tracks that are flat with some custom aluminum spacers front and back to get the right tilt and floor clearance and bolted to re drilled floor holes rearward a bit, sits pretty low now and practically no room under the seats at all, with my seat all the way back now its to far back and is best about half way and there is plenty of head room.

P.s. Porsche seats where 1980s cerca and required some clearancing at the rocker panel and tranny tunnel so not a bolt in.
1964 Chevy panel K30
1973 GT Vega Hatchback
1977 Chevy K20
1984 944 porsche
1992 Lexus SC 400
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1973 Chevrolet Vega GT

Re: No leg room....

Postby 1oldmf » Sat May 20, 2017 10:27 pm

on my 77 skyhawk, similar problem, I'm 6ft, 250, and OLD!,
so relocated the drivers seat 2 in rearward, all the diff in the world, lots of leg room,
head room, eazy entry and exit.
no picks, just did it, so car is comfy!
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Re: No leg room....

Postby Browner » Mon May 22, 2017 2:58 pm

Good News!!!! A previous owner and put spacers under the seat to raise it up. After removing them, the difference is huge! I now have leg room and head room. Next up is trying to move the brake pedal more to the left.
:dance:
Browner
 
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1977 Oldsmobile Starfire

Re: No leg room....

Postby gt350fme » Tue May 23, 2017 11:11 am

Spacers who would have thought.
My brake pedal also needs to be moved to the left originally a 4 speed, 200r4 auto now with clutch pedal removed but the brake pedal has a jog to the right in it and was wondering what other people have done to make room?
I'm considering straightening out the jog but seems it would make the pedal slightly longer don't know if that matters maybe give it more leverage, maybe a brake pedal from a stock automatic would work best?
Has anyone here resolved this issue and is happy with the outcome please let us know.
1964 Chevy panel K30
1973 GT Vega Hatchback
1977 Chevy K20
1984 944 porsche
1992 Lexus SC 400
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1973 Chevrolet Vega GT

Re: No leg room....

Postby 1oldmf » Tue May 23, 2017 1:02 pm

brake pedal to close to throttle. YUP!

I'm listening to what others have done to resolve this,
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Re: No leg room....

Postby Browner » Fri May 26, 2017 2:51 pm

My pedal jogs to the right also, and mines an automatic. Thought about pulling it and straightening it but don't know how involved that is. I wish it jogged to the left, that would be perfect. Anyone have any ideas?
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1977 Oldsmobile Starfire


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