When are you too large for an early A body....

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I'm 6'3 185# with a long spine.

I do not physically fit in a miata, a z3 or a Viper.

However, I did fit just fine in a vintage mg and a vintage triumph.
 
YY1 said:
I'm 6'3 185# with a long spine.

I do not physically fit in a miata, a z3 or a Viper.

However, I did fit just fine in a vintage mg and a vintage triumph.
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The older sports cars had much deeper foot wells. A friend of mine who was about your size when I met him back in 1977 had an MG Midget. It was a trick to get in and out, but once in he fit.
 
I had more room I'm my 2004 mini Cooper than I have in my 2012 dodge challenger.
 
I'm 6'6" 315# and I'm building a '65 Valiant. I plan on moving the seat mounts and adjusting the seat tracks so I fit.
 
Opposite. I had an aunt that retired and bought a brand new 60 something VW bug, She was so small she had to sit on 2 pillows and still looked thru the steering wheel!!!!
 
My wife drives mine cuz she is the driver and the seat is bolted to the floor and cage. If I need the car moved its either her or one of the kids moving it.
 
Nobody has the temerity to suggest the OP lose some weight?
No offense meant but unless you have a specific medical reason, you should be able to shed the weight. Your back and knees will be grateful, I swear. Each 35 lbs you lose has the effect of adding an INCH to your pecker due to fat loss. Your blood pressure will drop, the risk of diabetes and heart disease drops too. Think of how much better a car performs with less weight to move.
Best of luck to you. You are stronger than you know but have to make the effort to know for sure.
 
I am 6-2 and 270 and falling and I just bought my 64 Valiant 2 door post. It would make life easier if it had a smaller steering wheel. I am looking for something smaller that will still look vintage and go with the car.
 
barbee6043 said:
Opposite. I had an aunt that retired and bought a brand new 60 something VW bug, She was so small she had to sit on 2 pillows and still looked thru the steering wheel!!!!
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Yup I feel that pain. I recently picked up a pair of plymouth Furys this past summer and I absolutely love C bodies but they are too dang big. On tippy toes I am almost 4'8" and I am under 100lbs.
I have wooden 2x4 blocks duct taped to the pedals in my dart.
 
Holy Cow! I don't know if I have ever met a person 4'8" tall!
 
As a matter of fact.. I was 377 eight months ago..... that’s a 27 lb loss.

At 50 yrs old and “large” I still outwork most 30 yr olds ....

No high blood pressure or back / knee pain..... as far as inches added to the pecker.... “ kick stand” is my middle name
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
Yup I feel that pain. I recently picked up a pair of plymouth Furys this past summer and I absolutely love C bodies but they are too dang big. On tippy toes I am almost 4'8" and I am under 100lbs.
I have wooden 2x4 blocks duct taped to the pedals in my dart.
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No wonder ur so good at working on these cars !
I`d tub my fastbqack if was that smalll !
I don't know about the rest of these guys, but I`d like to see a pic of you Rani , ur about one of a kind !!
GO GIRL !
 
that size !
famous bob said:
No wonder ur so good at working on these cars !
I`d tub my fastbqack if was that smalll !
I don't know about the rest of these guys, but I`d like to see a pic of you Rani , ur about one of a kind !!
GO GIRL !
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After second thot, I hope that wasn`t in appropriate ! no harm meant----
 
I picked out my wife because she is petite. Told her I figured her to be more economical to feed, smaller appetite! Yea right!! hahahahhah
I am 6 ft and 185-190 #. I have had years ago a lot of E bodies, I disliked how they sat as to the dash and steering wheel. Then I got in to mostly 68-70 B bodies, they fit right, but are somewhat biggish, except the early B bodies felt more "right". I love the smallish of the A bodies. I have a couple of F bodies, which are a little wider, and heavier than the duster, and feel just a little "big" to me., but are small wheelbase as my duster. Never have had a C body, but would love a early "unique looking" 60 car , I think is actually a D car!?
I have flipped a few corvettes back decade ago, I get clostoforbia in them!!!!!
 
I'm 6'1" 180 lbs. and trying to understand why I am having trouble getting in and out of my '72 Satellite Sebring Plus with the bucket seat all the way back and the slightly smaller factory tuff wheel. After all, I drove my parents new '71 Road Runner to high school for two years (circa '72-'73) and don't remember having any problem at all. Maybe I have grown taller since then? Just not sure. Not a problem with my '65 Valiant and '65 Barracuda.

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dibbons said:
I'm 6'1" 180 lbs. and trying to understand why I am having trouble getting in and out of my '72 Satellite Sebring Plus with the bucket seat all the way back and the slightly smaller factory tuff wheel. After all, I drove my parents new '71 Road Runner to high school for two years (circa '72-'73) and don't remember having any problem at all. Maybe I have grown taller since then? Just not sure. Not a problem with my '65 Valiant and '65 Barracuda.

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Not sure but maybe others can say.. Is not the floor pan and the set of of the seats same as E body? Their relationship to the column and seat is way different than A body especially early A?? I had 4-5 71 up B bodies 15 years ago and I liked how the sat and road way more than an E body, but I think they were designed at the same time , but to me they at lower than the early A.
 
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My 65 dart stock steering wheel has like a 4 1/2 " dish in it.........went to a smaller diameter wheel with less dish and gained a bunch of room.
My seat is fixed and as far back as the roll cage will let it be , so long story short , I screwed up with the build.
I should have un-assed the back seat and gave myself another few inches of space.
It's snug and comfortable , but I have to pour myself in and out of the car.
 
I agree 66-70 B is a better driving position than 71-74 B or E.

However, 67-76 A is very close to 66-70 B, especially "29" bodies.

Ratio of interior room to "compact" exterior is way better in a Duster/Demon/Dart Sport.

As far a C body cars go- they are wider and longer but don't have any more headroom than my favorites listed above.
 
@dibbons

Did you remove the spacers?

Trade off is it lowers the entry level of your butt while it gives you more headroom.
 
In my '72 BBody everything it bolted in stock, it's just I have to bend my leg in a weird way to get over to the accelerator pedal. Once I'm in, it's a perfect fit.
 
Not sure if it was mentioned but these should help, or in your case, make longer ones.
They are from YearOne

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