So how do fat feet drive these things?

[mikec4193]

So I was working in Judy this afternoon....I had to swap out a brake light switch...and when I got done I sat back in the seat and I tried to fit my feet in to work the pedals...I have had VW Beetles and Willys Jeeps too and I drove them both with out hitch?...

Do I need a pair of skinny boots to drive this ole heap?

Thanks for any insight Rat Rod gurus.

 

[gene49]

Looks pretty tight to me, I have wide feet. Its hard to judge distance from a picture. With your feet on the brake and the clutch, how much space is between your feet, between the cowl and your left foot, and the distance between your right foot and the gas pedal? I'm guessing the space between the brake and the gas pedals are the problem.

Is there any way you can move the trans tunnel side cover to the right? Even an 1/2 inch would help. With it being a removable tunnel side cover, it only needs to clear the clutch or shift linkage by a 1/2" or the trans itself by 1/4"

I would also do something different with the 3 bolts at the top of the tunnel, your foot is going to catch that one closest to the firewall every time, and might even catch the middle bolt. If nothing else, it looks like you can put the nut side on the top cover side, or put a carriage bolts there with the smooth side towards your feet. Better still would be to have the bolts come down from above with a lip on the inside of the side cover with J clips or nuts welded to the lip.

 

[smallfoot]

I have only two pedals and mine is crowded. I wear boots all the time unless I'm bare footed. I got a new pair of boots the other day and just the difference between the old boots and the new ones was quite apparent. I also noticed that I've already worn 2 holes in the floor with my heel

 

[Bamamav]

I got the big feet curse too. After we first got the 82 Vette, I was trying to push the brake to park but was also pushing the gas….good thing it was in gravel, with the posi it was starting to dig a hole to go!

You may have to move the gas pedal to up on top of the tunnel. Yeah, it’ll look stupid, and will be uncomfortable, but it might be the only way to get big clod hoppers in the pedal box.

 

[Old Iron]

That's an issue with most of these ole hotrods and the three pedal rigs make it worse.
My first question is, what part of the arrangement is the worst?
The throttle pedal con be moved to the opposite side of the mounting bracket requiring a new hole being drilled for the cable.
My 33 Pontiac was the same way, finally got them sorted out.
This is the way I would do the fix.
The number boxes is the progression on using a torch to heat the pedal arms then bend them.
I found on mine the clutch pedal can be closer to the kick panel than yours.
The dimmer switch for the headlights can be installed between the clutch and brake pedals. Put you foot under them to go from high to low beam.

 

[Tripper]

The ol Tripper has big feets too & 20's & 30's era cars weren't that wide in the 1st place & are always a squeeze! I use auto trans exclusively so that helps but it can still be a problem when use use modern trans & lower the body over the frame!

BoB

 

[bob w]

I one roadster I changed from a 4 speed to an automatic because there wasn't room for three pedals. And I wear a 7 1/2 shoe.

 

[dutch]

If I can`t drive it with wooden shoes, it`s of no use to me.

 

[mikec4193]

I don't have really big feet...size 9 to 9 1/2 tops...
I sent an email to the fellow who sold me the pedal assembly but I have not heard back yet...I might have to do some creative trimming to get it so I can drive...

I typically wont drive it more than a couple of times total but still I know it only takes one time for all crap to hit the fan...

Looks like more chin scratching and a little pipe smoke too in my future...

MikeC

PS Dutch...love the wooden shoes...my great grandmother was from Holland...I bet she wore wood shoes at least once...

 

[dutch]

MikeC, I wear them all day but even here I`m an endangerend species

 

[lowbudget50]

Yeah, I wear a 10 shoe and in most of my model a builds I have driven them with 1 foot. They are a tight squeeze!!!

 

[smallfoot]

Even with a 2 pedal ride, I use both feet. Left for brake, right for gas. There is little room and I have small feet. If I use the right foot to brake, there is a chance that part of my boot will get over the gas as well as the brake. When both are deployed at the same time, added throttle will kick ass on the brakes...

 

[lowbudget50]

Even with a 2 pedal ride, I use both feet. Left for brake, right for gas. There is little room and I have small feet. If I use the right foot to brake, there is a chance that part of my boot will get over the gas as well as the brake. When both are deployed at the same time, added throttle will kick ass on the brakes...

Normally I drive with both feet yes, but in a model a with a 4L80E and a supercharged LS in front of it there's no room for two feet hahaha

 

[mikec4193]

A couple more hits off the crack pipe...

and look what we have...I took the pedal assembly apart...I am not a big person and I have to tell you...these old cabs are so small...

Not sure if it is going to work but the amount of times I will drive it...I think we will be fine...the second picture is the before I hacked it apart..


This is one scary POS I have created...

 

[lowbudget50]

Yes they are very tight!!! Even worse with 3 pedals! Hope it works out!!

 

[smallfoot]

Maybe one of our own will some day come up with one of those solutions maybe via electronics..hint, hint..! Imagine a blue tooth "trigger device" mounted anywhere you want to control throttle response. Could be on a shifter, maybe a steering wheel, probably anywhere in your hearts desire because it's blue tooth. One of the young guys in this crowd that has some good computer skills will get rich and pedal problems for small cabs will not be an issue.

 

[gene49]

Guess you could move the throttle pedal to a twist handle on the steering column like the motorcycle throttle control set up. One less pedal on the floor might help, if the clutch and brake pedals can take up the entire floor space, that could be a huge difference.

A clutch pedal for the left foot, a brake pedal for the right foot, and a hand controlled throttle.

 

[smallfoot]

Guess you could move the throttle pedal to a twist handle on the steering column like the motorcycle throttle control set up. One less pedal on the floor might help, if the clutch and brake pedals can take up the entire floor space, that could be a huge difference.

A clutch pedal for the left foot, a brake pedal for the right foot, and a hand controlled throttle.

I thought of that too but considered that the steering wheel would only be able to turn so far before kinking a cable!

 

[smallfoot]

Mike, if you still have problems, you could probably gain a little bit just reshaping the tranny hump to round and snug it up to the tranny.

 

[gene49]

I thought of that too but considered that the steering wheel would only be able to turn so far before kinking a cable!

I would put a hand throttle on a stalk that was attached to the column. One hand on the steering wheel (power steering might be needed or one of those steering wheel spinners) and one hand on the throttle.