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Has anyone modified a 2nd Gen Speedster to get more leg room?

  • pete kelly
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15 Feb 2024 13:20 #48269 by pete kelly
Be VERY CAREFUL on those STEEP MOUNTAIN ROADS!!!

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  • mikespeed35
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15 Feb 2024 05:08 #48266 by mikespeed35
Thats right Pete. Except it got sucked out from driving my L-29 Cord. CORDially MIke

Mike Huffman

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  • Curt Schulze
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09 Feb 2024 16:47 #48244 by Curt Schulze
The big difference is, Mike's car is a genuine Auburn speedster made in Auburn Indiana in 1935-36. There must be 50+ reproduction speedster manufactures, and no two are alike.

The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Be of Good Cheer
Curt

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  • pete kelly
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09 Feb 2024 16:40 #48243 by pete kelly
Probably too much speed and was sucked out by the roots!

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  • Thomas Wilcock
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09 Feb 2024 12:02 #48241 by Thomas Wilcock
But Mike what happened to the hair?
Tom

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  • mikespeed35
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08 Feb 2024 05:06 #48239 by mikespeed35
My 35 Speedster has beautifull lines except for my head sticking above the windshield!! But my hat still doesn't blow off. I'm 6 ft. 3. CORDially MIke

Mike Huffman

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  • AuburnNut
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07 Feb 2024 15:24 #48238 by AuburnNut
Jack
I think the secret to a good seating position is to have a seat that is relatively thin on the base and the back. Also, ensure you don’t have a seat adjustment mechanism as they always add additional height….my seat is fixed to the floor as far back as it goes. Lastly, having the rear part of the base of the seat lower than the front part (of the base of the seat) encourages your backside to rest furthest back in the seat.
I considered all these things when modifying my seat for my speedster. I’m 6 foot 1 inch and feel very comfortable and not too high

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  • jackswillaw
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07 Feb 2024 13:34 - 09 Feb 2024 09:16 #48237 by jackswillaw
I'm 190cm tall and feel sitting too high in my Glenn Pray Boattail Speedster. 
projectfreetv.onl
waplus

 
Last edit: 09 Feb 2024 09:16 by jackswillaw.

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  • Jimbo409
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06 Nov 2023 18:17 #47937 by Jimbo409
Mike Adkins in Clearwater florida says he can cut the convt top back to give more room

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  • AuburnNut
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22 Apr 2019 17:54 #37044 by AuburnNut
Greg. Congratulations on your purchase of an Elegant Motors Speedster. It’s a shame you were not able to stop by my place in Charlotte NC on the way home from Florida as we could compare cars, since I also own an Elegant Motors Car. I have adjusted my pedal placement in my car to great effect.
Anyway, I will send you a private message so you can contact me anytime. I’d love to help wherever I can. I’d also be interested in detailed photos of your car
Regards Jerome

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  • gregleck
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22 Apr 2019 15:06 #37043 by gregleck
Forgot to mention, that on three separate occasions, when to hit the brake and hit the gas pedal instead. Fortunately had enough time to recover!

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  • gregleck
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22 Apr 2019 15:05 #37042 by gregleck
I just picked up an Elegant Motors speedster in Florida. Drove it about 100 miles to Sanford, Florida where I put it on the Amtrak Auto auto train. About a 2:15 drive. Left leg cannot stretch out without being right under the brake pedal. Right knee must be bent almost 90 degrees to use the gas pedal

Worse was the 250 mile ride home from Lorton, Virginia to Pennsylvania. Had to stop a number of times to work the cramps out.
As others have pointed out, pedal design and placement is terrible if you are tall. (Seller of this car is about 5'6". This will be the first thing I will have to work on.

Nevertheless, looking forward to lots of summer and fall drives!

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  • AuburnNut
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04 Apr 2019 11:07 #36939 by AuburnNut
I own an Elegant Motors Speedster replica and I’m 6 ft 1”. I am able to completely stretch my left leg so it’s straight to the firewall, so it’s quite comfortable. I think the biggest issues to ensure comfort are ensuring that your seat design is pretty compact (not too thick) and it’s placement on the floor is in the optimal position. You can thin the back of the seat, if it has springs rather than just foam, by compressing the springs a little with tie downs. You can also sometimes reposition the seat a little further back and make the back slightly more vertical to squeeze a bit more room. The other issue is pedal placement. I’ve seen lots of replicas put huge pedals in poorly fitted places. This leaves too little room for the left leg to stretch out, or not at all. It isn’t that difficult to pull out the pedals and refabricate so that they feel right. I’ve done this exact same thing on my car and it makes a huge difference to the drive ability of the car.

Hope these suggestions help. Of course you can refabricate the body, but that’s a huge project in my opinion, and something I personally would never contemplate.

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  • tresenreiter
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25 Mar 2019 19:32 #36890 by tresenreiter
I'm 190cm tall and feel sitting too high in my Glenn Pray Boattail Speedster. So I dismount the seatconsole and built a lower connection between the factory screwholes and the seat. Its better to drive for me, because now sitting 3cm lower.

Auburn 866 Boattail Speedster VIN866A102

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  • mikespeed35
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19 Jan 2019 05:49 #36502 by mikespeed35
More than 55,000 since 2007. The pleasure far surpasses any fit constraints. To bad we don't get any attention.
CORDiallyMike

Mike Huffman

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  • pete kelly
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18 Jan 2019 13:24 #36499 by pete kelly
Hi Mike
I see you drive a BIT
Just how many miles have you put on your original speedster?
Pete

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  • gregleck
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18 Jan 2019 05:09 #36495 by gregleck
No offense taken and no apology necessary!

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  • mikespeed35
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18 Jan 2019 04:45 #36494 by mikespeed35
I must apologize if you thought I was being critical. It was not meant in that way. I also drive a bit.
CORDiallyMike

Mike Huffman

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  • gregleck
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17 Jan 2019 14:43 #36477 by gregleck
My trousers inseam is 34 inches.
My daily driver, a 2015 VW Eos, has gas pedal to back of seat distance of 48 inches.
I buy my cars to drive, often on 200 to 300 mlle trips in one day. I don't want a modern, comfortable, drive, but I do want to be able to avoid accidents.

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  • mikespeed35
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17 Jan 2019 05:00 #36473 by mikespeed35
I was curious so I measured my orig. 35 speedster and also got 42". I am 6ft. 3inches and don't seem to have the trouble you do.
CORDiallyMike

Mike Huffman

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  • gregleck
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17 Jan 2019 04:50 #36472 by gregleck
I've sat in California Custom and Elegant Motors replicas and if you are over 6 feet tall, those cockpits are cramped! On a test drive I was afraid I wouldn't be able to apply the brakes. Distance from gas pedal to back of seat is 42 inches with the seat pushed back against the rear deck lid.

Has anyone modified their Speedster to get more leg room? Looks like you could cut some of the rear deck off, fabricate a new lip, and move the seat back about 6 inches.

I've not sat in a Speedster Motorcars version of the Auburn Speedster but was told it has more legroom than the other replicas.

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