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Triumph TR6 - legs too long

Need help guys. Picked up a 70 TR6 for my son and I to work on. As the car was in boxes when we got it ( last year) he did not have a chance to sit in it. We were at Rally in the Valley a couple of weeks ago and he sat in one..... Well he tried to sit in one. We found that six foot two does not fold well into the cockpit of a TR6. Any of you long of leg type resolved this small problem ( and yes I thought of wacking hinm down to size but mother says NO!) The seat was all the way back to the wheel well, but perhaps there is a thinner seat out there that will the well a bit. I know the 6 seat is fairly wide. Thanks in advance. Brian
B. Towne

6 foot 2 really shouldnt be a problem, unless of course he is 5 feet of legs and 14 inches of torso.
I am 6 foot 4, maybe 5, and fit in okay.
I have the seat all the way back and the tilt clips on the end of the rails removed - lets you get it back a bit further.
I have the seat all the way reclined waaaaay back - right back to the wheel well as you mentioned.
Another big improvement is a smaller steering wheel, gives some more leg room.
I have a small 14 inch (i think, might be 12inch) motolita steering wheel - my right leg is 3/4 inch away from the wheel when driving and i extend my left leg down under the clutch when cruising.
Ive seen maybe tall guys in TR6s and the guy i brought mine from was 6'3".
good luck

Austin Brown

Brian - I think it's also relative to what you drive day to day. At 6'2" I find the ability to lean over and adjust the passenger side mirror while driving is just great! - beats a motorised piece of plastic any day! I was quite surprised when I sat in a Cobra replica, that there was a lot less room for the legs than the TR and the driving position awkward - mind you, I now walk around in large circles if left out in a field!!!

If you feel the need, look into Miata (MX5)seats as a replacement - pretty straight forward from what I have read (check the archives for the topic). You may also prefer to drive with particular shoes as the pedals are a bit close together for construction boots! :>)
Roger H

Brian--Get a 13-inch wheel and remove the headlamp hi beam footswitch/dead pedal. You'll be freed up.

Rick O.
72 TR6
Rick Orthen

Austin, Roger, Rick
Thanks guys. Your help (and humor) has put a smile back on juniors face. The wheel and switch are good ideas and we will check out the Miata seats. Any other seat options will also help.
B. Towne

Brian, you didn't say if the TR6 that you sat in had a roll bar installed or not. You normally loose a few inches of seat adjustment with most of the roll bar designs that I have seen. The one that I installed in my son's 6, makes it feel a little cramped for me ( 6'1") however my son loves it (5'11"). Before the roll bar I had plenty of leg room. You may also want to check that the seat is in fact all the way back. A friend had one that the seat had not been installed correctly when he purchased his and would not adjust all the way back. About 30 minutes and he had plenty of leg room.
Arnold Newton

Brian

I'm 6'2" and getting up there in years and manage fine although after a couple hours in the driver's I have to admit to a few groans getting out. And young fellow should be able to contort a bit. After all if you love these cars you do what it takes. Also if you were trying someone's car at a show did you get a real opportunity to get a good feel? I see that you are in Edmonton, so if you would like to experiment some, you're welcome to come over and try mine.

Doug
Doug Campbell

Arnold and Doug thanks for the replies. No roll bar and yes the seatback was against the wheel well. I think that he thought the seating would be closer to that in my TR2 which he fits fine. There is of course more finish and trim in a 6 and that may also seem to make it smaller. Thanks for the offer Doug. I may be in touch. What part of town are you in? I actually live in Devon but work S.S. Brian
B. Towne

I'm in Millwoods

Doug Campbell

Doug .... you've got mail! Brian
B. Towne

You could remount the seats back about a 1-2". One of the local guys did. I have the same problem and I am going to move the seat back as far as it will go and move the peddals a little. Also I want the peddals set up better for heel/toeing.
Bruce

Thanks Bruce, Didn't think about moving the peddals. I think between a smaller wheel, moving the highbeam switch, seat all the way back, ( possibly a different seat), and liberal amounts of white lithium, we will get him in. Thanks everyone for the info. Brian
B. Towne


At 6'3", I don't have a lot of room, but it should be okay with the seat all the way back and the seat back tilted a bit. He'll manage.

John
JL Bryan

I am 6'5 and i can fit in my fathers. he lopped a chunk of the stearing collum out. 2 inches i think his is a 72. My father is also over 6'
Robert Ring

Guys with legs toooo long.
Being a vertically challenged individual, I do not have this problem.
After posting to Bills' (from Indy) thread SEAT TRACK REMOVAL it occured to me that there might be a minor alteration that would give some leg room "gain".
If the catch plates (TRF VOL2 PLATE GH) that prevent the seat sliders from sliding back where shortened, this might give the seats more travel to the back.
Just a thought.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

This thread was discussed between 19/07/2004 and 06/09/2004

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