36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

i'm finally fitting my seat in my 36 and i just don't fit. this is my first to be able to sit in it since i bought the project,2018 stock seat. stock column, 46 wheel. came with the project. with the seat all the way back, my guts on the wheel. has anyone re-located the seat tracts? the floor is not flat, so not real easy, tell me how to get me in there better!

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

I had to move the seat back 3" or 4" on my '36 3W. Just placed the tracks where I wanted them, laid out & drilled new holes. I had to make a spacer for the front hole on each side. I'll get a picture tomorrow for you.
-Bob

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

okay, i would love to see what you did, thanks, kurt.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

I think those old coupes are just "tight". About 1995, I built the car of my dreams, a '36 3-window with a 276" Merc, a '39 box and '39 hydraulic brakes. After I was finished, I found it had two problems. First, the engine had too much power for the rest of the drive train, and second, it was very cramped inside, I ended up selling it about 5 years later when a local guy made me the proverbial "offer I couldn't refuse". "TagMan"'s comment is very interesting, as I considered moving the seat back, but since the upholstery was already done, there was no room without redoing it. Hopefully, you haven't had it upholstered yet, so you can do it right.

At the time, I was 5' 11" 235, so I wasn't that large:D, but the car was just too cramped for me. The odd thing is that I never regretted selling it. I had bought it to replace my '51 club coupe (which I still have).

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

mine has no real interior yet other than the seat. so l can drill, add brackets. i think i need to go back 3-1/2 to 4 inch's. hopefully any new holes will miss the floor ribs.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

Unless you are quite small, I would highly recommend it. Now is the time. These vehicles are all small inside. I have a friend with a nice '36 Dodge pickup. I can barely fit in the passenger seat and it would be very difficult for me to drive.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

Sounds like a good suggestion to be able to relocate the seat to the rear.
My 32 truck is cramped. I had 2 inches take out out the back seat springs and same from the cushion springs..
Still tight. Just were made for folks about 5'6" I think??
At 6'-2" and 210 I would not want to drive far.
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl
We need pictures!

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

i'm only 5'9"",but my '36 3-window seat was too close. i narrowed the package tray 4" & moved the tracks back the same. it was not hard to do. ( i only needed 3" but added a little more in case a taller person wanted to drive it! )

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

i've got it apart, i'm going to lay it out for 4 inchs. i'm 6 foot tall and was very surprised how tight it was.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

Here's a pic of the spacer I made to place under the seat track(s).
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3fdf7928_c.jpgSeat Risers and Adjustor Mech Pass side outer by TagMan, on Flickr

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

When I acquired my finished 40 standard coupe I immediately knew I had problem. I made some changes to the steering and changed the stock standard seat to a split back deluxe seat but fit and comfort was a problem. My upholsterer designed and I fabricated some brackets which bolted to the stock tracks on the seat and to the stock mounting holes on the floor, moving the seat back almost 4 inches. That change did require shortening the package tray which wasn't a big deal as we were redoing most of the interior in leather. Not only was the new seat much more comfortable with the new upholstery but with the seat set back I could drive all day.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

very interesting. it being black, it's hard to see what you did exactly. is it a fabbed up box of sheet metal, a solid block of aluminum? chrome plated seat tracks? looks like you spent some coin on that car. mine are just powder coated black. thanks for posting the picture for me.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

[QUOTE=Krylon32;2237187 Not only was the new seat much more comfortable with the new upholstery but with the seat set back I could drive all day.[/QUOTE] hey! thats what i want too! the seat is just about out so i can stare at it. al least that part is still free.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

I wonder if it could be made from a good block of wood?



Terry

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

You should try getting into the stock '29 Model A Roadster I bought. I took the calipers to my tire wheel balancer that measures the rim widths and measured my thickness. I'm wider than the space between the steering wheel and quarter panel. Id be happy to just to be able to get to the seat. Pre-microwaves, people were a little thinner back then, like Johnny Ryan with his '32 roadster in 1947.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

Just traded for a 32 Ford pickup. Quite a squeeze for a 78 year old fat boy. Wonder what the average adult height was in 1932. I suppose Henry was saving in materials by making the cab so small.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

Ford Nut if you move the seat back you probably already know that the package tray will also need to be modified for the extra room.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

yep. thats okay. looks to be doug fir and has de-laminated plys. at this point. only good for a pattern maybe. i won't toss it till the end of the project. i'll re-make it in 3/8" baltic birch.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

No, not chromed. I had an opportunity to get a five gallon bucket of small parts nickel plated for $50. Couldn't turn it down.

The blocks were made of hardwood, not aluminum and were painted black. Forgot I wound up using wood after considering aluminum.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

i'm making the parts right now out of 3/16 x 1-3/6 strap i had. i'm setting the spacing at 3-7/8 back as thats the spacing of two of the holes and i can then re-use one of the holes. i have some 1-1/4"rock-maple i may make the filler piece out of. that wood wears like aluminum. we'll see. if it's not a big ugly mess, i'll post a picture for the next guy who has to deal with this surprise.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

I think it's good that you are taking care of this now. If I had had the knowledge advanced in this thread back then, I might still have my 3-window.:(

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

I took a little different approach as the original tracks I had were pitted and prone to get hung up. I cut down the original bases and put new ball bearing slide tracks between them and seat. I located the tracks on the bases to position the seat further back and besides allowing me to fit between the wheel it now moves smoother than before too.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

I am (was) 6'5" and have had 33-40 coupes roadsters, cabriolets etc. I still have a bunch of 34's. I did not fit well in any of them but I enjoyed them for what they were. I had to sell my '34 phaeton because it was really hard on my hip. When I did my last '33 sedan delivery I set the stock bucket seats waaaay back and it is fine. In my Vicky I put in a Glide seat and it it decent. I can't drive any of the others for more than a hour without being in agony the next day. For me it is worth it, I love the cars.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

yep, now is the time for it.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

mine still had grease in it and the lose ball bearing were still there, it works okay, i'll be the only one driving it, so once i find the spot, it'll probably stay there.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

i thought about a modern street rod seat, but i just love the clunky looks of the original. the way the back flips up, it's from another era. for now, it stays. it's just gotta' move back. i'm going to tack it, bolt it up, and try it out. if all is good, fully weld it, reinforce the front tab, paint it black.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

it's all made up and tested and it works. i may add a sheet metal plate as a gusset, but i don't know. feels very solid, and when it's all the way back i need to move it up one or two clicks to be in my comfort zone. i also had been working on mounting my oil filter and modifying the inner fenders for. . .ah . .reasons. i'll post some pics of my progress.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

the seat. .

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

ford nut, your seat mod looks good. I will file away the idea for when I get to my car. Thanks.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

That's nice work-well done!


Terry

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

I'm starting to restore my 36 3 window coupe. I'm pretty sure I'll have to move mine back.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

loose weight you & the car will last longer

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

That's good advice.

I didn't notice having that type of problem until I got into my late 50's and then the steering wheel somehow was getting closer to my gut:eek:

Last year I got knocked down with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, for the second dang time had it about six years ago, and I had a Stem Cell treatment. Getting to that point, the prep treatment was brutal. I couldn't eat or barely even drink water for about four months or so. In the meantime I dropped 40 pounds and low and behold now I can get in and out of the old cars a whole lot easier:)

It makes all the difference in the world.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

My second car was a Model A Coupe, I sat like in a kitchen chair no problem. Some years later, I found my dream car, a '57 Bird, but had to pass on it 'cause my gut wouldn't clear the steering wheel. I never got over that disappointment.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

boy did this thread drift off topic. i wouldn't have been able to fit in the stock set up when i was 15 years old. legs bent up, etc. the seat was too close. anyway, the last three photos are there to show the change, the seat is all the way back and you can compare it with a stock set up. who knows, maybe the upholster put too much padding on the back, who knows how it would compare to what ford did at the time. i thought the steering wheel was to close, but then remembered the column drop and the bolt that secures it has to fit into a notch. so you're not free to just slide it down closer to the dash. anyway. i'm happy.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

"lose"

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

i know what you mean. i had a restored 68 datsun roadster for 30 years, but at some point the seats just didn't agree with my lower back anymore. hated to, but i sold it. at 62 i'm going for comfort too.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

Nice job designing and building the seat bracket.

Re: 36 5-wcoupe, seat too close to wheel?
 

thanks. a friend who is 6'-5"stopped by and sat in it and said he's been in worse and that he could drive and shift it. i have i little group of parts to go to the powder coater next week for some semi-flat black, and this project can be crossed off the list. thanks to all who replied, kurt.