Ideas? for a hotrod with "Hand Controls" w/wheelchair access

Thinking about a good friend,
and what would be a good vehicle to start with, the Lincolns with suiside doors would be very cool. I'm thinking a wagon of some kind.



anyone have something with hand controls on HAMB?

 

Check out Kripfink's thread on his Panel Delivery he built http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=389666. It's a bitchin ride, and there are some good ideas he used. The other day was another thread on a wheelchair converted ride, I can't remember the guy that started it, but it was for his brother if I recall. I couldn't find it when searching, but others will know.

I don't know shit about wheel chair access ideas, but I would think that Lincoln would be a great start.

 

yeah get hold of Kripfink...totally wicked F100 delivery and he's a quadraplegic I think.

 

You can fit hand controls to just about any car.
Seat height and ease of access are possibly the most important considerations.

 

Access is the other thing, that's why panels and van-sized things come to mind. A early 30's Sedan with the back converted to flip-up would work too. Or a phaeton perhaps?

Or a rear suicide-door 4-door with the middle post removed (probably need to add hidden framing in headliner, between door hinge areas, to keep it strong enough.)

What sort of car would he like?

 

There's a real traditional 32 vicky highboy running around with hand controls. I've seen him pull into a car show that guy has all my respect!

 

Somebody back in the old days (I wanna say Phil Weiand) had a hand-control-equipped Deuce sedan with an Olds V8 and Hydramatic. Olds actually had hand controls back before WWII (called the Valiant system), which gave it some popularity with injured veterans.

I'd think a Deuce sedan, retrofit with a Sedan Delivery rear door would be a great choice. I also know a parapalegic fellow who had a '65 Rambler ragtop until recently.

-Dave

 

I'm a wheelchair user now and I used to build/sell mobility aids, wheelchair vans, and driving controls. PM me with any questions about construction and legalities ... especially the legalities. I'd hate to see another person lose their life savings from just helping out a friend.

I have many ideas & possibilities but need more information such as height, diagnosis of injury or illness, and whether your friend is able to transfer. There are other concerns as well, but they depend on those answers.

Doug

 

Saw this at a local car show a while back

 

Econoline.

 

I would suggest a panel as well. Plenty of room inside for ramp or lift. My 47 Ford Panel before I chopped it had alot of head room. Kripfink has the mother of all panels that I have seen. Good luck and I hope you find something suitable for your friend.

 

I don't know the limitations of your friend, but if he is confined to a wheelchair, how about a pickup truck with a lift out of the back and part of the back section of the cab lifting up like a door on a sedan delivery. The pickup box would have to have the forward section removed so the back of the cab could lift up like a tailgate. The box could be tied into the side of the cab like an early 60's ford or that could be the perfect truck right there. Just a thought. Pat.

 

Several years ago, I saw a 37 ford slantback, which had been converted to front wheel drive, and the floorpan flattend out. It had hand controls and "leaning" suspension on the right side for chair access. Very neatly done, and when moving down the road, you would never guess it was hand controled. Stu

 

A few years back a now defunct shop in Pick-town Oh called Auto MetalMasters started a 41 Poncho slope for a lady customer as a wheelchair access project.
They had it going on an Eldo frame with an astro van clip for FWD & bags to put it on the ground for access. Last I saw they were working on the auto door & ramp on the right side. Looked killer, not sure if they finished it before folding.
Al

 

I believe the car you are referring to belongs to Greg DePauw of Metamora IL.Greg has been a quadriplegic since 1974 and the car was built by his brother and friends.If I remember correctly,it uses a Ford Taurus driveline and easily accomodates Greg's chair.I have one of Greg's cards around somewhere with a picture of the car on it;I'll see if I can find and post it.Greg also holds a charity car show every year to acquire art supplies for underprivileged kids in his area.He is an accomplished artist in his own right.

 

Big props to those who don't let disability keep them from rodding. And props to those who assist in the endeavor!

 

My brother is a T-4 parapalegic and this is his hot rod. His chair comes apart and goes into the back seat and yes, he can do it all himself. It has full hand controls and has been on the road since about '98.

Also fully hand controlled is his race car

He's the first parapalegic in the country to win a Thunder Roadster main event, and did it against a very tough field of able-bodied drivers.

 

Marc Merril (Autohaus Portland Maine) looks after cars for a Dr Bruce ??? and I must applogize since i forgot his last name. The Dr is wheelchair bound except when driving and they are high HP cars he has. I believe Marc does all his work. His number should be easy to find on Phone number lookup. he is a decent fellow easy to talk to. What could it hurt to give him a call? Or maybe someone here knows them.
Don

 

Here is Roger Steiners '27 T Touring, all hand controlled, including cruise control. He accessed on right side, once on seat, reached down & folded up his wheelchair & swinging it up to bracket on running board, inserted lock pin.----------Don

 

The only problem with the Kripple Kart as far as the title of the post goes is that there are no hand controls as with my level of injury I'm unable to use them, but the F100 panels are about the best thing out there for head clearance. Also, you don't mention whether or not you're friend can 'transfer' from his wheelchair to a regular car seat because if he can it widens your choices considerably. I mean, if he can get out of bed into his chair with a sliding board the world is his lobster. If I can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me. It'd be worth getting in touch with Texasdeuce on here as he is currently converting an F1 for wheelchair access.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
Paul.

 

Hello all.Just found out Gregg had started this thread,I origonally signed up to see some of his pics.Guess I can introduce myself a bit.Last Sept me and my girl were riding our Harley and got nailed leaving her busted up pretty bad and me paralyzed from T-12 down.I am still adjusting to the new me but get around pretty good.I can transfer fairly well and I have one of the lightest chairs available.I have yet to drive as I have not converted my truck yet as it is a bit tall and not sure where I'm going with it.For a project I was also thinking of some kind of panel or similar.I was thinking about the hand controls.As a custom build and not wanting a bunch of linkage hanging off my steering wheel,what about leaving the pedals off and fabbing some sort of lever on the floor to the right of the seat that operates like a boat throttle and has an attached squeeze handle for the brake?

 

The problem is that the hand controls still need to work the car's accelerator and brake systems. My brother's A sedan has an extremely simple, off-the-shelf setup that is nothing more than a lever that pushes on the car's brake pedal for brake and a twist throttle that attaches directly to the carb. The car also has conventional pedals so I can drive it (funny how that worked out!) and really isn't all that noticeable when you look into the interior. His race car is completely different and has a lever for the brakes mounted directly on the wheel (kinda like a motorcycle) but obviously there's no way to generate enough force with your fingers to stop a car. The solution is that the lever works a nitrogen-assisted valve that actually operates a small cylinder that pushes the brake pedal. The nitrogen comes from a bottle that gets swapped out every race night. Some industrial forlifts have nitrogen assisted brakes as well, but I have no idea at all how they work.

 

friend of mine has no use of his legs, and has a badass little 29 chevy coupe. 400 horse at the touch of a finger!

 

Any pics of that ride?

 

one of are club members has 33 roadster p/u with hand controls . he hops in and then tosses the chair in the back ..... pretty cool .... he is also on here " 4crash " ...pm him any Q's ......

 

Chet Herbert had a great '32 Fordor back in the early '50s with hand controls and a variety of other interesting features:

 

Jason Watt is a danish racecar driver and former cart world champion. He had an motorcycle accident and was paralyzed from the waist down( i think). He is still racing, not in cart, and ownes and drives a Ford GT






It is a danish company who builts his cars, but i cant find any info, sorry.
Lars

 

And it was propebly the first rod, with an automatic transmission.
Lars

 

Maybe you could use column gearchange bits to make respectable looking hand controls

 

Hey Guys,
take a look in the magazine Hop Up special #3 ,at Art Moore's '32 3 window!!
Art drove me around when I was on vacation in California.
There's a 4 port Riley with three 81 carbs in it,a lot of power!!!
And it's hand controled,Art's got my respect!!

Greetzz Percy