Interior: I'm too short

[Jimmie]

In my 62 GT when I move the seat up to where my feet reach the brake, clutch etc. My chest is dangerously close to the steering wheel and I feel uncomfortable. If I put the seat back and lay down like some people drive, I do not feel in control. I cannot make my legs longer so are there other suggestions? I have thought about putting blocks on the pedals but not sure if this is wise.
Thank you for any suggestions.

[E. Davis]

A problem experienced by many. Studebaker did have an odd seat adjustment to pedal arrangement that is a problem for some of us. I have no solution to offer other than a thick seat pad which lets me hit a happy medium.

[RadioRoy]

How about putting blocks on the pedals?

[Mike Van Veghten]

We (my dad !) did exactly that for my grandmother.
Moved the seat up and foward with wood blocks. I'd use some aluminum or steel now though..! My dad also somewhat crudly put spacers under the pedal pads of one of the cars. This was done to all three cars she had that I was awair of when I was a kid. Her last car, all "I" did was move the seat up a bit.

Mike

[PackardV8]

Any combination of early/late steering wheels and columns which would move the wheel closer to the dash and relieve his claustrophobia?

If I put the seat back and lay down like some people drive, I do not feel in control.

FWIW, I'm longer and thus on my custom Hawk and Avanti I mounted the late GM power seats further to the rear. In the driving position I prefer, my head and the inner ear, which senses motion, is back and down from the OEM seating position. It really changes the perceived feel of both cars.

My guess is that's really what is going on; your physique is fighting with your psyche.

jack vines

[Skip Lackie]

JC Whitney used to sell blocks that could be easily attached/detached from brake and clutch pedals, so it's certainly possible (and legal).

[bezhawk]

I put a Lark Saginaw recirculating ball steering gear in my 53 Commander, and it moved the steering wheel approximately 2 1/2" closer to the dash. And it steered so much better to boot! I don't know if there is enough room in a GT so you wouldn't keep hitting the dash with your knuckles when steering though.
There is an article on this in Bob Johnstones web site.
Also as another way to help is converting to a suspended brake pedal. That way you can use an adjustable eccentric on the master cylinder push rod to adjust the pedal height. Avantis had this feature stock.

[JoeHall]

I put a Lark Saginaw recirculating ball steering gear in my 53 Commander, and it moved the steering wheel approximately 2 1/2" closer to the dash. And it steered so much better to boot! I don't know if there is enough room in a GT so you wouldn't keep hitting the dash with your knuckles when steering though.
There is an article on this in Bob Johnstones web site.
Also as another way to help is converting to a suspended brake pedal. That way you can use an adjustable eccentric on the master cylinder push rod to adjust the pedal height. Avantis had this feature stock.

I just checked the 62GT, and there is plenty of room for a 2 1/2" shorter steering column. It would move forward and down though, so clearance between the front edge of the seat and steering wheel may become a problem. I think pad extensions on the pedals would be simplest and easiest..

[Jimmie]

A problem experienced by many. Studebaker did have an odd seat adjustment to pedal arrangement that is a problem for some of us. I have no solution to offer other than a thick seat pad which lets me hit a happy medium.

Thank you for your input.
Jimmie

[Jimmie]

How about putting blocks on the pedals?

Pretty sure I will be doing this. Thank you, Jimmie

[Jimmie]

I just checked the 62GT, and there is plenty of room for a 2 1/2" shorter steering column. It would move forward and down though, so clearance between the front edge of the seat and steering wheel may become a problem. I think pad extensions on the pedals would be simplest and easiest..

Forward and down sounds great. I think that I will try adding blocks first. Thank you, Jimmie

[Jimmie]

I put a Lark Saginaw recirculating ball steering gear in my 53 Commander, and it moved the steering wheel approximately 2 1/2" closer to the dash. And it steered so much better to boot! I don't know if there is enough room in a GT so you wouldn't keep hitting the dash with your knuckles when steering though.
There is an article on this in Bob Johnstones web site.
Also as another way to help is converting to a suspended brake pedal. That way you can use an adjustable eccentric on the master cylinder push rod to adjust the pedal height. Avantis had this feature stock.

I plan to try the blocks to see how that works. Better steering sounds great but I would like to keep it so it can go back to original without much trouble.
Thank you, Jimmie

[Jimmie]

A problem experienced by many. Studebaker did have an odd seat adjustment to pedal arrangement that is a problem for some of us. I have no solution to offer other than a thick seat pad which lets me hit a happy medium.

I think that I will try blocks next. Thank you, Jimmie

[AC0J]

There is another option, that will leave the studebaker intact and original;