I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I am going back old school and things just are not the way they used to be in old age....

I have owned a '72, a '76 C10 and an '85 C20, they seemed to have plenty of room but I just checked out a '78 and it seemed like the column stuck way out further than either of my trucks I had ('76 was a 3/tree, '85 was auto).

I mean even with my big old gut now, remembering my old trucks I should have still had a few inches, I was never small and do not remember the cabin being even remotely tight.

Can anyone post up some measurements from the bottom of their steering wheels ( with stock columns) to the seat backs (bench preferably) so I can see if my fat old but will even be comfortable in a classic regular cab truck or am I screwed....

I am tired of these plastic 5,000,000 sensor 10,000,000 circuit board piles of junk they call vehicles these days.

I want body trans motor, thats all, back to basics......

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Love the post. :)

I can't offer any assistance yet as my interior is currently in a pile in the corner, but I can say that when I brought my truck home it seemed smaller than I remember. I am in the same boat as you and haven't owned a square in quite some time and I take up a little more space that I used to.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I put my 1985 tilt wheel straight and it's 14 1/2 to the seat. If that helps

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I think the later 90"s 4 spoke steering wheels give you a little more room. I just got one for mine but it's all apart right now. You might check out that advertisement on TV now, you may not be fat, you may just be bloated!

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Holy crap, I hope you mean 14" from the front edge of the seat to the bottom of the wheel or I am screwed... :whine:

see drawing for measurement i need

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I am going to look at a nice 85 Sunday, interior is also in pieces from what I gather So I may have to go bucket seats if I'm too fat for the bench....

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

That's the ticket.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I have a measurement for you. 74 C10 original non tilt wheel, bench seat moved all way back. Mine is 15 1/2" from bottom of wheel to seat back. I am 6' tall, and is a little close for me till one day can get a tilt wheel. I can certainly understand your pain. I am there too. Not a fun time for me with this situation.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I can help you with that waist line if you want to get serious about it.
Bob

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I lost 75lbs over the summer, winter is here and it's coming back....

I did the Atkins thing, or my rendition of it.

The hardest thing was getting the rest of the family to go on the journey with me.

Here shortly they will have no choice, as soon as this horrible food we have is gone, I am only buying rabbit food and boneless skinless chicken then forcing tiny portions on top of it all.

We are gonna drop some pounds this year....

Wife and kid will hate me fore a little while but in the end will thank me...

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I must have been much smaller than I thought back then (25yrs ago).

Or I am much larger than I think I am today. :sumo:

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I have an 86 and I put a smaller wheel in. I went out and measured mine. Steering Wheel to the back of the seat back, was 15". If the tilt is all the way up, there is 8" from the bottom of the wheel to the seat. And then less if the wheel is tilted down.

I know swapping the steering wheels did allow for more room for the driver. I'm not big, but I didn't like the big original steering wheel. I always did feel, that if you were a big person, it would definitely crowd your body. I felt crowded by it, but I got SPACE issues.

And another thing, the seat does make a difference. I had a 90"s style seat when I bought the truck and then went with correct bench for the 80"s. The 90's seat, I felt did sit down and further back.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Congratuations on your weight loss journey. You are on the right path. I put power steering in mine (non factory), a smaller lecarra steering wheel and a seat from a '94 and it all helped.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Yeah been looking at seat options for the truck I may pick up...

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Nice truck!!!

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I have read about using Honda Odysee second row seats in our trucks. I believe the backs are thinner so they will give you more room. Lets see if this link works.https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...105cead9e09d07

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Guess not. Just google odysee seats in square body and you will find some.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Here's a few pics of the 90's style seats, I posted about earlier. These give the driver more room. The maroon seat was in my 86, until I changed the interior to charcoal. I put a period correct bench back in.

Along with a smaller wheel, I bet you would be fine. The blue one has a smaller wheel and the 3rd pic is the wheel I have now.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

My daughter lost 72 lbs, it took her a little over a year but she used some kinda points system like weight watchers. She said after a while she didn't want to eat as much and for the last several months she eats what she wants but watches and don't go crazy. She said she feels so much better she'd never go back to being that heavy again. I'm very proud of her.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Yeah Holidays and family killed me.... Next year they are screwed, our 10 course meal is gonna be 10 kinds of lettuce LOL

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

We will see what the truck looks like in person, every truck I have seen in person doesnt look as good as the pictures, this one may be different though. It was a father son project they never really got to after he bought it somewhere out of state.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

x2 on the 90's seat. Made a huge difference in mine. The bottom and back is thinner, well was in my 83 anyway and alot more comfortable.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I applaud you on the 75 lbs lost over the summer and your commitment to eating healthy with your family. I have the same struggle and I try to remember that I would be willing to spend money to get lighter weight parts. .. So a lighter me is a free performance upgrade. Good luck brother!

P.S. I like that truck!

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

thx, guy should be trailering it up here to for me this wk...

We made a deal @ $4100 trailered to my house. (145 miles one way)
-payment on delivery-

Needs some work, interior is shot, body is solid, needs to be tuned, has a bigger cam so I am going to need to mess with timing. (probably will just replace distributor and start fresh, possibly add lighter springs and adjust vacuum advance)

A little wiring to clean up, all minor stuff....

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Awesome. Congrats on getting the deal done.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I recommend Chrysler Sebring convertible seats (2001 and up) to replace the bench seat. These seats have integral seat belts, power six way driver's seat, and not as thick as the stock bench seat. I don't know how much you would gain exactly, since you would have to fab mounting brackets. This is what I plan to do with my 83 C20.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Post some pics when you can, including the interior.

What are your plans for the old bench seat? I might be willing to take it(buy) off your hands, when your ready.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

For a while I will be keeping the bench till I take some measurements and see what options I have. (for cheap ;) )

Will take some pics as soon as I get it here and have some time...

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Use this place to search. It searches all salvage yards. It even found local yards to me, that I didn't even know existed.

http://www.car-part.com/index.htm

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I have used it before, thx, wife hit a deer one year in a 96 Subaru, the info was wrong but it lists the phone numbers for the salvage yards so I was able to get my parts.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

This is how I finally found my bench seat. I wanted a period correct one and was getting into panic mode, thinking I was never going to find one, until someone told me about this place. And it found a place just 40 mins from me. And I was able to get lots more stuff from this truck.

Since then, I prowl for more bench seats. I have taken up a hobby of restoring/recovering them.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Is it my video or does the engine seem not to be running in tune with the sound. I hear the engine but the pic is a still photo. Look at the fan belt.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

its just a still photo so i could upload a soundclip so it was easier to just click on the forum

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Well after all it seems the deal will fall through. Dont have the cash on hand till tax time and guy doesnt have title in his name so bank will not do deal till he has actual title in his name (receipt for transfer isn't good enough) and he doesnt want to wait 2 wks till he has title in hand so I am likely going to miss out. He wants to 'jump title' so he is going to go with a cash buyer in the mean time and just have them transfer the title to them. Michigan will not do a quick title since it's an out of state title otherwise deal would be done...

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Well that's a bummer. Keep looking, there's plenty of them out there.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

I think I am with the bank on that one. I would want title in hand before I fork over cash.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Well the stupid thing about it is they have no problem giving me money, just not at the lower rate. They said they could do a line of credit instead....Pretty much said here's your money and more than you need but you will have to pay a higher rate since we value your money so much we want more of it.

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Another fat dude here. I went from 560 to 390 and due to some depression and other things in my life I've put about 60 of that back on. It's a constant struggle and takes a lot of effort, but it's worth it. I've been this way most of my adult life and it's essentially made everything 10 times harder than it needs to be and caused me all sorts of untold grief and such. Thankfully I am on my way back down slowly and I am also looking into surgical options as well.

I have a 89 Suburban with the factory wheel and tilt, I drive with the tilt up and I still rub on the belly a little bit, but its functional. The truck is apart right now, but when I put it back together I might redrill the seat holes to give me a little more clearance. Although I'm not exactly a tall person, so then I start getting into issues with pedal length. It's a battle, and I wish you luck!

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

It's tough, I love fried chicken & potatoes, but it adds up fast... Once you get used to the good foods and small portions it's not too hard, cave in to that pizza and wings a couple times and it's like crack...

Re: I Have Gotten Fat And Need Help Can U Help?
 

Well News has changed on the truck.........