can a big and tall guy fit in these cars

hey guys, been lurking here for a while soaking up all the knowledge i can. im a youngin at the age of 26 but i have already owned two cl***ic cars in my life. a 61 impala, a 73 chevy c10 with a 454 from a dually. well those have been gone for a few years and now that im getting older i would like to buy another cl***ic car. the two that i have narrowed down to are the 27-32 model A or T vehicles (more roadster/lakester type) as i like how simplistic they are and are fun to drive and the other vehicles are the 49-54 chevy or fords (like a 2dr coupe or customline) as i like the bodylines and fenderskirts and bag them to let them lay out nicely.

the only thing is that im a big guy. 6'5, 325 lbs, size 18 shoes and a 46 waist. i was wondering from yalls knowledge what would be a better fit for me out of those two cl***ic cars as i dont envision there was people my size back in those times.

thanks

 

Hi and welcome
A big guy doesn't fit well in a Model A or T, 32 is wider but still not like a 61 Impala, best if you can get to know some guys with these early cars, like here on the HAMB, try sitting in one, but remember it's gunna be a lot different after driving for a while.
I am 6'2" 210 lbs and I just fit in my Model A roadster pickup.
Cheers, Phil

 

coupes and roadsters would be pretty uncomfortable, but w/ a sedan you can move everything back a bit and you should have no problem... remember though chopping and channeling are not your friends. w/ a t sedan, you could leave the roof off(that's what i'm doing) and still have an open car feel.. a sedan tub would be a great option too.

 

Get a BIG shoehorn and slid in.

 

most early cars would have a hard time accommodating your size. My 32 could be adjusted to fit you I think but mine is a special case of a coupe in which the top has been cut off. the coupes had a bigger interior than the roadsters. I'm a little guy at 5' 7" 170lbs but I've got a good foot of room to move my seat back in my 32. and regardless of what you do about leg room you can forget having two guys your size in these cars, they just aren't that wide. I think in the end you would be happier with a 50's ride that would more easily fit ya.

 

T has more head room. I feel like my T has more room aii around than an A. But you can still roll down the p***enger window without leaning over.

 

I'm 6'1" and model A's are a *****.

 

That 1" must make or break it. I'm 6'0 and have no issues in an A or T - 200lbs and 34" waist too though.

 

I crammed my big *** into an A sedan, and it wasnt all that bad, just hated to drive the car for over 20-25 miles unless I could get out and stretch my legs. Its all in how you set something up.

BTW- I am 6'-2" and the ideal weight for a person 10' 7"...

 

Welcome to the HAMB! I'm 6'10", 275 lbs, 38x38 pants and 14/15 shoes. I'm building a 28 Es*** which is similar to the Model A, just a little bigger. I have no illusions that it will still be a tight squeeze, but I'm a glutton for punishment.
Seriously, with size 18 feet, I don't know how it would be even remotely possible for you to operate the pedals on a Model A, even if it was an auto transmission. There's not much room down there once the transmission's in place.
I had a 50, 53, and 57 Chevy. Tons and tons of room and they still look awesome.
I just got bit by the hot rod bug a lot harder than the custom bug and will have to suffer as a consequence!

 

Welcome Aboard!! I am a 6' 3" 285 pound guy. My brother has both 27 roadster and 53 mainline. My other brother has a 50 ford. The roadster is a little tight but the mainline is perfect. Not to sway you either way but I would say the 49-54. Although I am in the process of purchasing a 34 Ford Truck---Big guy in a little truck...

 

got a friend of mine that is 6'4"..@220 or more and used to roll in a T bucket.
also owned a Miata..It looked like a monkey ****in a foot ball , but he has, and is doing it, he also owned a stock A sedan

 

You won't fint in a '27 T but you chould be able to get yourself into an A bone if you plan it well. Maybe a 30/31 Sedan would be appropriate for you.

 

I think in the end you'd be happier with a 50's custom. I don't doubt you could get a hot rod set up so that you could physically fit in, (although as Gigantor said, the pedal setup might be difficult to get working for you) but I can't imagine you're gonna have much fun driving it.

I think you'd be way happier in the long run with a custom. They're comfortable.

 

I'm 5'9" and 200 lbs and I have a 29 rpu.Stay away from one of those.It's even streched 3".It's hard getting in with the sprint car steering but once I'm in it,it's alright.

 

I'm 6'4" and 235 lbs. and drive a 32 Ford pickup,,it's a snug fit,,notice my right knee sticking up,,my foot is on the brake.




If your thinking of a roadster look at the extended door 32's,,with your size it will be easier to get in and out. HRP

 

Yeah, well there more then a few of us with out the height but God built me as a WideGlide model, at birth I was 12lb13oz! I always wanted a deuce but my friend Brent built a AG car and wow! The reality of that situation became apparant! I had a '31 Phaeton, lotsa room. The recent acquisition of the '42 Chevy Coupe should have plenty of room.

 

I considered an A one time, but at 6'2" and 220 pounds I just wouldn't fit. i have weird length legs so it makes it really hard to drive due to having to bend my knees way up.

 

Yep, I have Buick Roadster that I used shorter than stock doors on to make it a little smaller. Search out some of the off Ford stuff.

 

I'm 6'2" tall. My 32 roadster is a gl*** car with a 2" stretch (Show Me R&C). That 2" is the difference between having one and not.

Fit fine in my Model T sedan and my Model A coupe with 3" chop.

With your additional height a chop and channel is questionable.

I can ride in a lot of rods that I can not drive because the foot pedals are to close. Just sitting in the seat is not the test!

 

I am 6'-3 and 250. I fit in my A coupe just fine. No harm in trying some cars on for size. Build it so you can fit in it.

 

As already mentioned, you won't fit in a T or A unless it's a sedan or maybe a coupe with the seat pushed back hard. That would work. You might also fit in a 'stretched' Brookville roadster pickup body. The door openings are wider and the body is longer. A '34 Ford is also longer and you could make a better fit by re-designing the seat. "Skips***ch" on this board did that for my seat.
I'm 6'2" and have struggled for years so I understand the probs. Not a lot of options in the A or T category unless it's a sedan. You should find cars and sit in them before you go too far. As well, I have found that wearing small shoes like the Italian loafers helps me fit. Good luck and welcome.

 

I,m a "big guy" when ever I get a little car done or close to done ya know 32 34 every body wants them cause I build them for ME to drive driving comfort is my most important issue when I do a car, heck I got a 63 buford that I still can not get the seat back to my standards on the stock seat mounts!

 

I'll bring up a point about how important the pedals are, not to go off topic, but need to to make a point, my big project is a small eighties import, lots of room inside ,just by good design,and it's a small car, but even moving and rewelding the seat frame back 3 inches, and being able to actually fit in the car ok, i still have to bend my knees at a strange angle to be able to press the pedals. this gets really painful on a long trip. It also has very small pedals like an italian car, I have to wear shoes like slip on's and not my boots to even be able to drive. You may well run into this same problem with the smaller cars. If you do decide to get the smaller car, traditional or not, you may end up installing cruise control. this takes pressure off your right knee trying to hold it at an angle to press the gas. This helps a huge amount on long road trips. The last trip I took in this one was 400 miles, I had to take two days off of work because I had such bad knee pain.

 

yeah i definately understand about your dilemma with the gas pedal, that sideways leg maneuver to press the gas. i will look into the other offbrand cars as i had not really considered them. to me the 27-32 cars and 49-54 cars had those lines that to me are just so beautiful.

its like the autobody shop i help out here in orlando, i met this man 6 years ago when i was delievering auto parts for a big chain parts retail store. he is damn near 70 years old and has been in the same location for over 30 years and still works 14 hour days 7 days a week. you step into his shop and a**** the cars he has a 69 challenger that is a step back in time as it hasnt left the shop in 19 years, he has a 33 plymouth vickys completed that is waiting for someone to buy it (35k), his personal car is a plymouth belvedere, some of the current customer cars are a 65 chevelle convertible, a 72 mustang, a 73 buick electra 225 4dr, 49 chevy pickup , and theres probably 5-8 more cars getting worked on and 5-10 more cars that are just parts cars . his parts cars out back spans 6 decades. the man still even does leadwork on old cars and probably has forgotten more than i have learned.

ive been called a young guy with an old soul, and while kids my age (26) are building imports, nothing excites me more than an old cl***ic car with fender skirts, barely floating above the ground with pipes peaking out the back and you pop the hood and theres a 350 with an isky came and a tri duece carb setup .

sorry for diverting from my reply in the begining but you can tell how much i like old cars

 

If doing an A or T, I would strongly recommend a bench seat with a thin backrest and don't over channel or chop or you'll be sniffin your knees.

 

Hey bro, I've gone over the same thing over & over. I have sat in tons of cars-both steel & gl*** and honestly if you are planning to drive the car further than the local ice cream joint or burger joint I would suggest that you go for more of a 50's type of car. I bought my 50 Chevy this Spring with an original bench seat & I have tons of headroom/footroom...actually it's like driving around sitting on a couch. I love the look of a T/A but with plans to cruise, especially with my family,I would really steer you toward a Chevy or Ford from the 50s!!!!!

 

I build 1930/31 Model A three window coupe bodies.They have a long door and window.Big guys lovem because they can sit as far back as they want and lay their arm on the longer window opening.I have a customer that is almost seven feet tall and around three hundred pounds that could never get in a Model A until he built the three window.He sent me a video of him getting in it and driving away.He said he is very comfortable in it and he loves it.Made his life long wish come true.You can see them at www.aaltered.com Just an option if you want a real hotrod.

 

If you want something like a Model A, you can make it work. I'm 6'2" and managed my Model A coupe just fine. My son-in-law is 6'3" and enjoys his channeled Model A coupe.

What you have to do is to get the body on the frame, set the engine and trans in the car, set your choice of seat in the car, forget the package tray, move the seat around to where you are comfortable (or at least liveable). Once this is done, now you're ready to mount the steering system (steering box & column), pedals, and shifter. You can get "creative" and make it work. Smaller fellows may never be able to drive your car, but you've built it for you to drive. Below are photos and my Model A coupe and my son-in-law's channeled coupe.

If it's a coupe you want, go for it.

 

A few "tricks" or ideas I've discovered fooling around with Model A's to help you fit into an "open" A;

Do NOT channel and DO drop the floor down to the bottom of the frame rails.

AA frame is 6" deep unlike the 4" depth of other Model A's. Adapting one would give even more foot room with the above trick.

Sport Coupes have the larger doors and 4" longer ****pit of the other coupes and that means building a "coupester" would give you more legroom than a roadster and easier entry/exit.

If you are "broad of beam" the '30-'31 has about 4" more width in that area than the '28-'29.

Small hanging swing pedals could be positioned to give even your size 18s room to fit, but their use might mean giving up the stock fuel tank to accommodate other related components.

A small diameter bell housing could be used give you more room for foot boxes.

Keeping the ride height stock or relatively high allows the keeping the powertrain low in the frame to stay under the floor or nearly so with stock floors.

The obvious one mentioned above of turning a four place car into a two place car and moving the seat back.