MTFCA Forum

Is it possible to move the driver’s seat back in a coupe for more leg room? One of our club members can’t use the peddles.

Depends on what year. If before the 26-27 model, the gas tank is under the seat and you can't move the seat back. If a 26-27 you could do some work on the body to move the seat back, but not easy. It is also possible to remove some padding from the seat back and cushion, or modify the coil springs, but the seat will be less comfortable. Third option would be to have surgery to shorten the legs
Norm

The Ford service manual has instructions on how to move the seat back on a 26-27 coupe.

I have a 24 Coupe and it’s tight for a 6’3” guy like me. I don’t see how a big or may I say a ‘portly ‘person could get in one. Probably we are so used to using easily adjustable seats in our roomier cars and trucks it really seems real tight in a T. People back in the T era got use to driving a T did the best they could. The later Coupes had a provision to move the seat back but it wasent much for a big guy whether tall or just big. My 21 Touring to me is a tighter fit but the 3 black era T’s I have are tight. Just the way it is.

Instructions in the Ford service manual shows the improved 26-27 Coupes and the Tudor seats can be moved back approximately 2” or as the manual says you can make more room for the larger than average sized driver.

Buy a Packard ?

Graybeard77 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:00 pm

Is it possible to move the driver’s seat back in a coupe for more leg room? One of our club members can’t use the peddles.

It would help to better understand the problem that is causing the club member to not be able to use the peddles. Is it height or girth, something else in the way, physical issues? And as what was pointed out what year is the coupe?
Here are some ideas
1926 Coupe. http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/6/ ... 1040097214
1927 Coupe http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/41 ... 1404997642
other
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/41 ... 1400200545
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/59 ... 1478816336
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1491652667

You can do what I did in my 22 touring, I took (bound/tied) 2 inches out of the bottom of the back rest springs. This allows your bottom to sit further back making more leg room, yet not making it less comfortable to drive long distances in....worked for me and I'm 6'5".

I don't have a coupe but my '17 touring came with the back springs removed in the front. When I re-upholstered I did not replace them, opting for an inch of dense foam. The extra room makes a big difference.... I would not be able to drive my car comfortably otherwise.

The original post mentioned that the driver had a hard time using the pedals. I started using the pedal extension for reverse and that helps. I also have the pedal add ons for the other two pedal to give me a little more wiggle room for my size 13’s so I don’t get my boots jumbled up using the pedals.

Not a coupe, but my touring, and that reverse pedal add on is probably one of the best things I've put on the car since side curtains in the winter! One of those things you don't realize how useful it is until you experience it...

We started taking bolts out today. It is a 1926 coupe. We are trying to get it back about 4 inches. Will let you all know how we come out. Thanks for all the ideas. Clyde

We started taking bolts out today. It is a 1926 coupe. We are trying to get it back about 4 inches. Will let you all know how we come out. Thanks for all the ideas. Clyde

Another option is calf removal. With your feet stuck directly to your knees,
you can anticipate a gain of some 12-16 inches.

Burger in Spokane wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 10, 2020 8:09 pm

Another option is calf removal. With your feet stuck directly to your knees,
you can anticipate a gain of some 12-16 inches.

Too bad we couldn’t connect yesterday but
by the time I unloaded it was dark

I was really tired too

Catch you another trip Da Burger


FJ

Clyde,

This may be posted too late to help you, but perhaps it will be of help to someone else with a 1926-27 coupe in the future. I had tried posting this as a link to an earlier posting. But when I click on the link it gave a 401 error or something similar. Since I had it saved, I will repost it here. It all deals with moving the early 1926 and 1926-27 Coupe seat back.

(continued)

The following is from the Jul Aug 1981 Vintage Ford page 43 used by permission to promote our hobby:

From Don Ball – answering in the column “Questions and Answers”

The [1926-27 Coupe Package] tray was made of wood and was covered with the
same material as used around the rear window area of
the body. …. The holes were not for ‘drainage”
but rather were for the retaining screws which held
the shelf in place. (They used large washers to allow for
the usual lack of precision in body construction.)
Ford had realized by 1926 that people don’t all come
in the same size and had allowed for the seat back to be
moved back for more leg room. The job was not easy;
you had to remove the package tray, saw off a couple of
inches; unbolt the seat and move it back, then reinstall
the whole mess. This procedure is detailed in the Ford
Service Bulletins and is reprinted in Ford Service Bulletin
Essentials (Post Motor Books, 1966) on pages
367-370 and 463. [note page 463 was how to move the seat closer to the steering wheel - so not included]
A drawing of the shelf, as well as the rain gutter is
reprinted here.


See also the posting at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/81912.html

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off