Technical How far from windshield?

Everybody's probably ridden in the back of a car. It'd be very difficult to see properly to truly be a back seat driver. I want to build a cab forward car, and I want to be as far from the nose of the car as is practical. I think that this dimension is going to determine the size (length) of the car. Has anyone ever seen information on this? I suppose I could sit in a car and try to figure it out, but I want to see what ideas the HAMB has.

 

Way to many missing variables to give you any sort of answer but I know sitting in a 68 Lincoln that driving I’m about 5 feet from the windshield base. That’s damn near the back bumper of a model A.

 

This sounds like 2 different things, but okay.
The first thing that popped into my twisted brain was this.

 

might want to sketch the line of sight ahead and to the sides...compare your plans to some other vehicles...

 

They're not two different things. It's just like the excellent picture you posted- the windshield is near the front of the car and the driver is set back quite a bit.

 

Divco Twin Coach, aka Bread Truck.
There was a large shelf in front of the driver, to display inventory.

 

From the limited description you posted it's very difficult for us to visualize what you're talking about.

Also there are a lot of variables, one is looks but another is visibility. Being 5 feet from the windshield when you sit with your head up near the roof versus being a couple feet from the roof significantly affects sightlines. I would think window height would also be important.

Without a better description or ideally a sketch we're all just trying to interpret your description and we'll be all over the map.

 

Normal cab location.
I'm using a truck since it's pretty clear what constitutes the cab area.

Cab forward
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cab_forward
indicated a passenger compartment that is ahead of normal placement.
This picture illustrating the concept is showing how the term works. The cab (and people) moved forward.

As far from the nose as possible. AKA placing driver (and passengers) away from the direction the cab moved. So move the box forward, but keep the humans back?
You can look up the dust buster vans GM put out at your own risk!

 

I drove one of those bread vans back to a car dealer that brought it at the dealer auction back in the mid 80's. Milwaukee Wi. to Oconomowoc Wi. no one else would drive it from the team so i volunteered. drove down the freeway, i think i could only get like 45 out of it but it did have a shake to it. got back and the dealer found out we drove it down the freeway thought we were nuts and not the backroads like he told the group leader to do. then i find out the one front tire had cords showing so that might have been why it was shaking. . back then he paid $1200 for it and he didn't own it for long. Sold to a carnival outfit. if i remember he wanted $2500 for it.

Thanks Rod for posting that picture, brought back old memories.

 

Dymaxion inspired ?
https://www.google.com/search?q=dym...1RGBT4Bmjgpo9Mj5WusOBhaSfz2&oq=dymaxion&udm=2

 

No, I'm inspired by the BOcruiser solar car.

 

It's not hard to understand. If it were, how would people have posted excellent examples of people driving vehicles while sitting about six feet back from the windshield?

 

"yup, hard to figure out what you are talking about. Dan Glover drove his 57 Chevy from the back seat"

OH WOW! Was Dan Glover from Wisconsin? I looked at that car or 1 very similar back maybe late 70's or early 80's at Iola Wi. swap meet I remember it being more of a reddish orange color versus so orange but the interior is almost identical. it wasn't in the normal car corral but a vender had it in his spot on a trailer. that is what caught my attention driven from the back seat and the engine set so far back

sorry SGt, for going offtopic a few times in your thread, people keep posting stuff from my past.

Another car that was made into a cabforward was that mercedes hauler and that other one called cheetah transporter

 

Besides displaying inventory, all that bread in front was a predecessor of the modern day airbags.

 

Don't worry about it.

 

I get what you're talking about, I have a couple of weird hot rod van/truck ideas that pose the same question. For sure, one may inadvertently build something undriveable, or at least unsafe to drive. You'd hate to run over a pedestrian or cyclist for lack of view. Morgan & Morgan would love to get in on that mess! First one is a '60's window van with seats midship for a street n strip beast. I love these vans, but I'm not too keen about being the crumple zone in anything, so I see my version with occupants back about 4 feet. I've actually gone as far as mocking some big pieces in my shop and sitting in it, trying to figure this out, but I still haven't started any of this. Like Snopro said, the glass area would be critical, i.e. no chopped tops! I think a big sunroof would help, especially with traffic lights and signs.

 

This sounds like you want the windshield to be over the front bumper and the driver's seat over the rear bumper. One of us is nuts, please clarify who.

 

Funny how something this far from being a "traditional hot rod from 65 or older" is allowed here, but post a picture of the wrong wheels and the entire thread is gone!

Shouldn't this be in the off topic section? The entire concept is interesting and outside of the traditional box.

I would think the driver's side view vision would be pretty high on the priority list for something to be driven on the public roads. The driver has to be able to have a clear view of things up to 90 degrees from his view point, for either side of the vehicle.
I would also want all of the roof supports, forward of the driver, to be as small of diameter as possible. The farther from those roof supports the driver sits, the larger area they will block of the drivers view. The height of the roof could also be a factor in being able to drive the vehicle safely, the last thing you want is to make the drivers view appear as a tunnel vision.

As far as the driver location from the front windshield is concerned, as the distance grows, I would think it can effect the perception of distance, especially for things not directly in front of the driver. The angle and curve of that windshield could also make that perception of distance better or worse. Some drivers would be more effected by these things then other drivers would be. I suspect there would be a learning curve for whichever driver you have, some may never adapt.

 

There's nothing off-topic about the question nor the picture I posted. The body style is going to be late-1930s Art Deco.

 

Exactly.

 

That wouldn't be practical.

 

Don't need no windshield.

 

Covered top or open? You have my interest

 

Full roof, like in the picture in post #10 and my current avatar, which is easier to see as a car.

 

Well there is your answer 32& 3/4 inches away( give or take a few) depending if you are holding the steering wheel with both hands or just one arm on the wheel and one arm hanging out on the belt line like you mean buidness

 

I like the idea. What are you starting with? Any donor car or is this a scratch build?