Hello, When we started our 40 Willys Coupe build, we knew we were going to move the motor back 10%. The SBC motor cleared everything and now we had to create a custom firewall. When my brother and I began our build, we had to adjust all interior items to the modified firewall we were allowed to move back 10% for the motor installation. Legal for street legal gas coupes and sedans. Not the most efficient ruling for limited seat builds. By moving the SBC 10 % back, the firewall was moved, but it cramped the interior a little. To compensate for any tight squeezes, we decided to get some small foreign car adjustable bucket seats. Why adjustable? We knew what our teenage backs felt when driving our dad’s big Buick sedans. Upright and one position. Yes, they moved forward and back like our other cars, but no back adjustable motion. We found a set of black bucket seats out of a Triumph or MG. They were in good condition and we moved the seat frame location back as far as possible in the coupe. Since we moved the seat location back, we made sure the adjustable track and back would clear the back wall of the coupe. It gave a couple of big teenagers plenty of room for comfortable seating. The steering wheel was not in our faces and the adjustable back supports gave us different fit to the wheel. Jnaki An RPU is a different story as the back wall is closer and limiting as to adjustable seating. But, the smaller foreign car seats can be moved to accommodate the adjustments. They are more comfortable than fixed back seats that are in most older hot rods. Bench seats are usually one level and ok, but the back rest is the limiting factor. If we were to build another Model A Coupe or RPU, it would definitely have bucket seats. The choices are limitless as there are companies that make good looking low back bucket seats that will fit...YRMV For maximum comfort, for the RPU, an extended cab would give you plenty of room, so you are not driving with a knees up under the steering wheel. It still looks like your build timeline has room to make the extended area back a few more inches, shortening the bed. As far as those spoked front wheels, discs are a necessity, but long distance driving and daily driving may wear out the spokes rigidity faster. they are not made to drive daily street hazard surfaces with constant stop and go driving we all do on the neighborhood roadways. Note: As my brother and I had our basic interior, the two small bucket seats were moved back as far as possible. but, we, too, had a large Moon Foot Pedal, without the strap. All drag racers with the large Moon Foot Pedal had the strap taken off for quick reaction times for normal driving. but also for quickly letting off and starting the instant braking situation as the car is still heading for the end of the dragstrip. SWC interior on the Swindler 2 Moon Foot Pedal without the strap. Quarter mile only runs calls for instant gas to brake access without having to slide the foot out of the strap. Every second counts as the car is slowing down. Or needs to stop if daily driving conditions. In normal street driving, which the SWC Willys Coupe did not do, although it was street legal, constant on/off the gas pedal and depressing the brake pedal is necessary. The strap on the moon pedal would slow the reaction time for any driver to remove the foot from the pedal, move it around the strap and now press on the brake pedal. Too much valuable reaction time is lost with the pedal strap installed. Those straps were for dragsters and modified race cars to actually pull back on the strap with the foot, hence making the throttle cable or lever shut down the carburetors and gas direction. But, some folks saw it and used it for a show pedal on hot rods. Not for daily use. Note 2: Some general interior shots from the gas coupe and sports car section during the 1957-60 time slots. 1958-59 Gene Adams Oldsmobile Sedan Gas Coupe record holder. Moon Gas Tank inside the cab. As much as the good looks of the Moon Tank and Pressure Pump inside of the cab area, all racers were told to move them out of the cab in September 1960, due to fire hazards and explosions. Drag News August-September 1960 1959-60 photo of a modified Corvette interior.
This could become one of the Hamb best threads in a while. Is that the Sheldon/ Way coupe in that Group? I have been looking for those exact shots. And, the throttle pedals clear on the p***enger side on some of those shots. Insane cool...
Probably a bunch, many of which had his Seahorse logo s***ched into them. He trimmed the square pleats in Ed Pink "Old Master" FED and @Pete Eastwood restored it. Yes it is. Here are more pics from another of my "inspiration folders". Feel free to plagiarize-- I certainly did. Brent's G***er Ed Pink's '36 coupe: Orange Crate: When the show car trophy-winner had a Zolotone interior!
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