The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors more leg room in my '49

Does anyone have any tips on how to get a few more inches of leg room . I sold my '38 because I couldn't stay cramped up in it on trips for more than an hour . I am running the original seat in my '49 and lowered it an inch for more head room , (would like another inch) I'm not against going with a different seat if I knew it would work for sure . I would LOVE one of the aftermarket /streetrod types but those are big bucks ! I was wondering if I would ad a couple piece's of tubing to the rear upright to make it alittle taller and then abit wider then I could set the seat back into the framework instead of upto it . (is this as confuseing to read as it is to write?) This could give me 2"-3" . Any thoughts on this or other ideas on what would work and be cheap and comfortable ?

I see what you are saying.
have you already moved the gas tank out?

the lower you go the less leg room you will have. you must be a huge guy, I'm 6'3" and I have lots of head room.

I agree with 53monster, lower you go, less leg room.
What about tying the springs in the seat back down a bit. If you pull the seat back out, you can see this is done along the top, with little chains. (at least it is on my '50) I just reupholstered the seat in my '50, and pulled the springs down for more room. Not so much for more leg room, but so I didn't wear the paint off the steering wheel. The result is the same though, you end up sitting a little farther from the firewall. You might wanna give that a try, as it sure doesn't cost much, or take long.

Yea the tank is under the bed now . I'm 6'3" also but weigh 295 pounds ( goin ta jenny craig so I can fit in the cab better). I always wanted one of these bodystyle trucks when I was a kid but with a chopped top , now I got the truck and I wouldn't fit in it if it was chopped ! I think 2"-3" more room would feel like much more and make it better for some highway cruisi'n !I read somewhere that later model chevy truck seats fit in the cab but wonder about the leg room .

I'm 6'5" 250lbs. I took the tank out of the cab and mounted late model buckets. BIG difference in leg room!!

You could also find another cab, cut the back off and extend yours back, even 2-3 inches and the move the box back or shorten it. How good are you with a sawzall?

I've been following this, and to be honest, I find it somewhat odd that so many have problems with headroom/legroom in these trucks. I've never had any problems with headroom or legroom in an AD truck, including a '51 that had a 6" chop and was chanelled 3". I'm 6'4" and 282#, BTW. I have more problems with late model vehicles than old ones.

Wow you guys are fat!!!! I am 6'7" and I am going to stretch the door a few inches to gain the needed leg room. Sorry about the fat joke.

We're not FAT! We're just undertall!!

It is kinda weird how so many of us have the same height/weight. I think it's a proportion problem for those who don't fit in the truck. I'm 6'3" and weigh 270 but nobody believes my weight until they see it on the scale, I guess I have lead in my bones or something. The stock seat set-up fits me real good.

Yeah, I've got to say that it is weird how we are all around the same size. Personally, I am 6'3" and around 290lbs. I'm a little long in the torso and the head room is fine so far. I would think that remounting the seat frame backwards with the gas tank removed would give more leg room. Just my two cents though.

That's true,there's definately a pattern developing....mind you,you need to be built like this guy to lift and move some of the parts!

"Carolinestruck" member on this site wrote up a tech tip,with illustrations. Very good article!! Its worth checking out as its just what youre looking to do.