I'm supposed to trade my 54 Chevy shoptruck to another HAMBer for his 34 Ford p/u this weekend in Columbus at GG's. The deal is done for the most part, except I don't know if I'm going to fit in it. I'm 6ft-ish and 320lbs. . The truck is chopped slightly but not channeled. It's currently running bar stools for seats. He fits with Tons of room, but is nowhere near my size. Does/has anyone of large girth owned a similar vehicle? What can ya tell me? It's a sbc/auto with pedals to the right of the column for one foot action. I had a 29 sport coupe turned roadster 2 years ago that was chopped 3.5in with top on and fit in it fine. I wouldn't call it relaxed, but it's a hotrod right! How does a 34 cab compare to a 29 sport coupe. HELP me!! I need to give him a final answer soon so he doesn't make the trip. I cannot have to come up here to test fit me!!! It's tooooo far!! Thanks
Hey grump, I am 6'2" 290 and I have a '30 model a P/U the cab is stock and I fit but it's not comfy. If it were chopped or chanelled or both I'd be screwed. the '34 cab is slightly larger I'm not sure how much though. My wife keeps telling me they used to put the whole family in the model A truck on the "Walton's". Also since I couldn't get your '54 I had to go and buy a '54 GMC project off of another Hamb'er. One more thing...could you send me some pics of your '54 at fastfrankie73@verizon.net I can't find any using the search function. Thanks, Frank
It's too important to leave to chance either. You might be comfy or you might make a deal that will only be a letdown. You know damn well that only you can make this determination. AND since this condition is particular to you, you should travel to him, letting him know that this is the pass/fail. If you don't fit then be prepared to pass. I own a nice convertible. It looks good, I look good in it, it gets approving looks, chicks generally dig it and it has some cool, rare vintage performance equipment. What's not to like? The driving position is all wrong for me. The seat is too low,, the wheel angled too high, my legs too long. I bought it from an ad in Hemmings after looking at pictures and talking with the owner. I flew to his town with the agreement that we had a deal if the car matched up fairly well with our communications. It was actually better. I drove it home 400 miles arriving with an aching back and stiff neck. Basic information that would have been pretty clear from a good basic road test. It's a fine car but I can't truly love it if it's a physical drag on me. ( yeah some of this can be reengineered and may be or I may just sell it to someone who fits it) Better to kill the deal than to compound a mistake by following it with another. It's all about me. Ask me how you can succeed by following my methods for taking control of your life.
I do understand all that. And I already see several things I'd change once it was home. I may even be able to better my fit by adjusting the steering column, different wheel, and different seats. I'd just like to know if there's anyone who's been in this exact type situation. or can give me an accurate comparison between a 34 cab and a 29 sport coupe. As far as size goes. Thanks
I will say this there is more room in the sport coupe especialy if the package tray was out. I would say the coupe would be at least 8" longer inside than the pickup.
Almost always a SBC installation results in a "flat firewall". This is a real killer in the pick ups. You loose a bunch of legroom. They are really short from front to back to start with. Add a chop and it really is bad. There is no place for your legs. I have friends with PU's. One has a stock firewall and an extended cab by 18". It allows a normal sitting position but no more.
Fellow Hamber A-Bomb had a 34 Ford pickup. He is well over 6'1"......and so am I....... I am at 300 lbs and he is a lot less........ WE both fit in it fairly well....at the same time. Went to Daytona in it a couple times ( 400 or so miles 1 way ) His was not chopped but headroom was a lot....so a mild chop would not affect the room in his truck. .
Alright, something positive!! The truck I'd be getting has a stock firewall. The motor install didn't affect it because the motor sits slightly forward due to a suicide frontend. So other than a slight chop, the inside of the cab is standard issue.. Thanks Deuce!
hey grump a friend and fellow hamber got in my truck after shawn built a custom seat for it a he was fine, junkrunner jr is whom i speaking of , jason is about 6'2" and pushing 300 maybe?
Your right on Booboo. 6'1" 315lbs. Seat design and column placement has a huge effect on comfort. I drove a 67 c-10 yesterday that was more cramped than booboo's A, thanks to a hideous seat. Even after you sit in it and are not happy you can still make it work it you are willing to build a seat.
a few years ago i got Springer to get into a friends heavily chopped and channeled model A pickup. he's about your size but an inch or two taller. we damn near had to use Crisco to grease him up and get him out of the damn thing . i KNEW that would hapen but i'm a twisted fucker and talked him into getting in it just for my own sick ammusment. i'm such an ass . that said, the 34 with a slight chop and unchanneled would be MUCH roomier than that A. it is gonna be shorter, front to back, than your sportcoupe. i would'nt think it'd be comfortable for long trips but for around town it might be worth the slight discomfort. it IS a hot rod after all, not a luxury cruiser . it realy comes down to weather or not your comfortable "enough" in it. try to find someone in your burg with something similar that you can sit in for a test fit. there has to be a 34 pickup on every street corner in Ohio ...
Thanks guys. I'm gonna go for it. What's the worse that can happen, right! I'll change some stuff and see if I can make it fit me! I'm not looking for luxury. Just want to be able to walk when I roll out of it!!
What Jman said. Since you traded Donzie for his car you've had what......15 different cars? And that was just over a year ago. I say go for it and if it doesn't work out get something else next week. The stock seats in those were only about 4" think for the back cushion, maybe less. The seat itself was just enough to keep the bruises off your ass from a 10 mile drive. that and the averge height of men back then was 6-7" shorter than we were today so you do the math. This is one of the things I'm going to have to factor in if I ever do my '34 pickup. When it was last on the road (mid to late 60's) I wasn't all that comfortable. Since then I've put on at least 60 -70 lbs so I'm not looking forward to the interference fit. Frank
HaHa..Yeah Frank, I've a "couple" at least. I get bored easily. Plus I want to own at least one of everything in this life!! I'm going to do the deal, but now there's a hurricane interferring!! We'll see how it plays out. Plus, I may just have to go on a diet too!
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