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Triumph TR6 - Can tall guys play?

At 6' 4" I do not fit into a TR6 and need a solution other than leg surgery. I'm thinking that if the seat rails were modified to let the driver's seat go further back and a small portion of the LR wheelwell was cut out and then sealed flat to allow the seat to go back another 2 inches I may be able to play. What I don't know is whether there is risk to wheel travel. Anyone out there long & lanky like me? There's gotta be a way I can be a TR6 owner despite having legs like a giraffe. Suggestions welcome.
K. T. Shaddock

K.T.
There is no way to modify the leg area in a 6. I think it would be too difficult to modify the rear wheel wells as you are very close to the B posts. The tyres are not close at all to that area of the wheel well. The only method is to modify the mounting location of the seat rails. You will wind up sitting more straight up. I am not sure if MIATA seats end up giving more room.
Where you the tall chap sitting in my 6 at BCD?
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Yep, that's me Rick. Great show wasn't it! Came away discouraged though re the possibility that I may not ever own a 6... except as a toy for my wife to drive. I forgot about the B post proximity re the wheel well mod. As you can tell I really searching for a solution. I spoke with the TTC Treasurer (Jack) re Miata seats and he is going to look up an article on this option and send it along. Thanks for your reply. Ken
K. T. Shaddock

Rick. I met a fellow at BCD with an AH 3000 who spoke of modifying the gas pedal to allow more right leg room. The pedal is attached to a rod that comes down and bends toward the driver in an L shape. Apparently the bottom of the L can be shortened to gain an inch or two without compromising throttle function. Possibilty of a similar mod on a TR6? I'll have to connect with someone who has their car apart.
K. T. Shaddock

Ken
Do not think you can shorten the pedal rod. Physically yes you can but you would need to lengthen the opposite arm under the bonnet to compensate for the shorter movement. The arm under the bonnet is the opposite end of the pedal "cross bar shaft" and This arm I do not think can be shortened. Besides, shortening the pedal I do not think would gain any room at all.

I know there are 6'+ guys out there with TRs....comments and suggestions appreciated guys.

I do not think you will do any better with an MG by the way.
Definitely appreciate your desire for wanting a TR6!
Unfortunately I am speaking the reality of things.....sorry.


Come on guys, what can we do to put Ken into a 6...that HE can drive.

Rick C
Rick Crawford


I'm only 5'8". Sorry

I'm sure with a little creativity you could rework the pedals to some degree. You could even come up with some kind of a hand throttle (not trying to be funny)if you're desparate enough. I've seen some pretty clever hand throttles for racers. A steering wheel that moves in and out for throttle comes to mind.

I hope you can work something out.

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Hey guys, didn't Charlie modify a stock TR6 seat rails last year and get another 1-2 inches leg room?
Chris
Christopher Trace

The best option for you stretch dudes is indeed a Austin Healy (large Family) the 3000.

It actually has complaints of the opposite nature that average or below average sized people have difficulty driving them. Obviously designed for tall people. not to mention great V8 conversion car with almost as good looks as our TR.
Marcello

Being 6'2" I modified the brackets to gain a bit more room ...hope it helps

Charlie


http://ca.geocities.com/tr6bbs/SEATBRACKET/index.html
Charlie B.

Charlie
Do you mind if I copy that to my CDII?
Nice little article. I presume you went as far back as possible.
Where where you BCD?
Rick C
Rick Crawford

It's all yours Rick..Yes that's as far as it would go..
As for BCD I got busy walking around and you were in deep conversation with a guy under the hood when I came by the second time...we left at 3
Charlie
Charlie B.

Really sorry I did not get to say hi to you Charlie. You should have interrupted me.

Thanx for the addition to my CD

Rick C
Rick Crawford

Superbly done Charlie. Excellent illustrations. Thank you! I'd like to grab more than 1 1/2 inches so if the Miata seats offer that on top of what you have done I'll pursue. Another chap suggested I find a car with rounded seat backs and swap them out. The rounded back may allow me to get closer to the LR wheel well and gain another inch or two. Wishin' I was 2 inches shorter. Ken
Ken Shaddock

Let me chime in with an MG perspective. I'm 6'2". I do recall that one of the reasons that I do not have a TR6 (although I do think they are beautiful cars) is the legroom issue. It was just too uncomfortable to drive. However, I have plenty of leg room in my MGC (that's the 145 hp, 3.0 liter 6 cyl MG from 68-69) with room to spare. I don't think 6'4" will present a problem for a C - same will go for an MGB - in fact the MG is known for having copious legroom.

So height in an MG is not an issue (within reason). But, as many of you may attest too, as we get older, with less on top and more in the middle, width is the real issue. I'd swear, not only is my car becomming more narrow, but the door opening keeps getting smaller.

Dr. Doug
69 MGC

Douglas Russell

Thx Dr. Doug. At BCD I sat in a few MGs and indeed there was more legroom and they worked fine for my 6'4" frame. Since I've always been a TR6 fan I'll continue to head in that direction with purchase and the seat solutions offered hoping for a happy ending. However, MG may indeed be plan B... say in dark green, with tan top & interior, wires, etc. you see, I can dream LBC in many flavours. The Healeys fit too but are too much coin for this married guy.
Ken Shaddock

Ken, I'm 6'3" and some. You have to incline the seat back, and you can't get your legs fully extended, but it works fine for me.

I did have a MGB some years ago and I don't recall that leg room was a problem. And I was younger and probably taller back then!

You ought to try to drive a TR6 with the seat inclined a bit and with the knowledge that I think you can gain a couple of inches by relocating the seat rails.

John
JL Bryan

Ken....
Here's another 2 cents:
We sold our MGB because the comfort level was pretty low, not around town, but out on road trips. The B has a shorter wheelbase, resulting in a choppier ride, and to cruise at 65-70 the exhaust noise would hurt you after a few hours. That car had a stock-type Falcon stainless exhaust system on it, as does our TR6 now. Even without a 'Windblocker' the TR6 provides a pretty nice ride at 70-75, and we can still talk! I liked the B, but the TR6 turned out to be quite a few jumps better for us. Hope you can make the 6 work for you!
Cheers...
Rod
Rod Nichols

Rod & John... thanks for the encouragement. I am going to ask the restorer to use Charlie's new bracket method and if not enough even with a slight recline to the seatback I'll go Miata hunting. I've like TR6 cars since they were launched so I will find a way. Thanks too Rod for sharing the MG experiences. Once this is done (spring 07) I'll be able to help others from personal experience.
Ken Shaddock

Note for Charlie B, Kitchener, On, Canada

Hi Charlie

Can I come sit in your TR6 next Monday and see how much difference your seat rail mod makes for legroom? Please email me. I'm in Oakville Sunday / Monday which makes the run to Kitchener feasible for me. No worries if you are busy.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken, I just checked back here. My head hits the Miata top support rail. I looked at one of them several years ago and concluded I couldn't drive it with the top up.

Just be a little uncomfortable, its worth it.

John
JL Bryan

Hey John

Not sure what you mean when you say "My head hits the Miata top support rail." Are you saying that you cannot put your soft top up with the Miata seats installed because they are too tall at the headrest?

Ken
Ken Shaddock

No, I meant I looked at a Miata. When the top was up, my head hit one of the support rails for the top. I have regular old TR6 seats in my TR6. When I first got the TR6, the seats were so soft it was sitting on the floor. I had the insides replaced, because the outsides were okay, and they are much firmer now. But I still have more headroom than a Miata.

John
JL Bryan

Okay thanks for the clarification John. The car I'm in the process of buying is in restoration mode so I have asked that Charlie B's seat rail mod be done and that when the interior is restored the seatbacks be made slimmer by a couple of inches. Those two changes plus the slight recline hopefully will do the trick. If that doesn't work I'll take pain killers and get on with it! Cheers, Ken.
Ken Shaddock

This thread was discussed between 21/09/2006 and 12/10/2006

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