[Spits] Spitfire Leg Room
bill at gingerich.us
bill at gingerich.us
Fri Mar 21 06:56:21 MST 2008
I can vouch for the towel idea. I do that all the time.
I may investigate modifying the pedals. Interesting idea I hadn't
really considered.
Bill G
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Spits] Spitfire Leg Room
From: "Nolan" <foxtrapper at aceweb.com>
Date: Fri, March 21, 2008 5:01 am
To: <spitfires at autox.team.net>
Some short legged drivers find it uncomfortable on the highway as
well.
Most of it from my observation of my own discomfort seems to do
with the leg
being twisted outwards.
The stock knee bolster just isn't enough. If I simply put my fist
down
between the bolster and my leg it helps a great deal. So a rolled
up towel
or such stuffed there would work. As well an improved bolster.
I've also used my left foot to hold my right foot more upright.
Sounds much
more awkward than it is. On a long drive, my right foot tends to
twist as
my heel slips under the brake pedal. If I let my left foot hold the
heel of
my other foot in place, I stay more comfortable. A little bracket
bolted to
the floorboard to hold my heel would probably work just fine.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Macartney" <standardtriumph at btinternet.com>
To: <spitfires at autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Spits] Spitfire Leg Room
>I always felt a little sorry for owners of LHD Spitfires regarding
legroom.
>It was something of a
> bete-noir within the company when compared to RHD cars. I drove
plenty of
> both versions and while
> the brake and clutch offset was never an issue for me, the
location of the
> accelerator on LHD was
> agonising after more than about an hour at the wheel. I was 6'1"
in those
> days, so I sympathise with
> those of that height and more. I only saw one car where the owner
had done
> something and while it
> was the better part of 40 years ago, he had:
>
> 1. Relocated the driver's seat runner a little further back, and
> 2. Had changed the accelerator from a pendant pedal to an organ
type from
> a Spridget. At least it
> looked like a Spridget pedal. I think there was a split cable as
well.
> Cable from pedal ran upwards
> and then backwards to one side of a simple crank to which the
carburetter
> cable was attached to the
> other side.
>
> Really can't remember the specifics now except for the fact it
made a LHD
> Spitfire a MUCH more
> comfortable car to drive and, more importantly, it worked very
well.
>
> FWIW....
>
> Jonmac
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