Fat guy in a little cab

[GM-power]

Dude, your truck is b*tchin. The 90s I definitely agree with, I've never looked into it, but possibly a car steering column swap? Of course that'll include some mods. Just throwing some ideas out.

[TKCR]

Nice truck!!! Hey, here's the steering wheel swap I did. It's a Forever Sharp 14".
The steering wheel alone will give you more room.

[Willowrun]

Originally Posted by streetstar

Did not want to get into this ..........

Great story....well done. Thanks for your service.

[streetstar]

Originally Posted by GM-power

Dude, your truck is b*tchin. The 90s I definitely agree with, I've never looked into it, but possibly a car steering column swap? Of course that'll include some mods. Just throwing some ideas out.

Thanks! -- i cheated and went through a photo editing app on my phone to find the best looking picture treatment for this cell phone shot
-- it looks ok, but i'd call it a 20 footer at best

-- my loose guideline with the truck though is that i want to keep it looking as if it could have been in the movie "Dazed and Confused" -- doesnt have to be perfect -- but i like it looking like the 70's/early 80's

[streetstar]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Nice truck!!! Hey, here's the steering wheel swap I did. It's a Forever Sharp 14".
The steering wheel alone will give you more room.

That wheel looks sharp! -- It ties in nice with the chrome accents on the pedals !

[streetstar]

Originally Posted by Willowrun

Great story....well done. Thanks for your service.

Thanks man -- was a long time ago now - - Funny -- rather than hanging onto old war stories -- i am much more thankful for the 3 friends i retained from that time period that i still talk to weekly

I genuinely hope i'll be playing checkers with these guys in front of some coffee shop in another 25 or 30 years

[Titomars]

Well I do under stand your problem. I am 6-4 and between 255 to 260 lbs. I used a Vega GT/Camaro sport wheel (NK4) the wheel is 14 inches. I also added tilt to mine but I never move mine from the neutral/straight position. For seating I went with Corbeau suspension seats. The Corbeau bottom is a good 1 to 1 1/2 inches lower than the stock bench and the back is a lot thinner. With all this even at my size I have more room than I need.

[riz]

Thanks for your service !!!!! Much appreciated !

RIZ

[andrewmp6]

And Corbeau does make make wider seats for us big guys.

[Zach079xxx]

I have a stock bench seat with a tilt column and a 14 inch grant wheel. The wheel alone made a world of a difference, I wasn't after making space at the time, but before I felt like I was driving a bus. It needs a kit to install it but it doesn't take up more than a half inch. Let us know what you end up doing

Here's how it is when I'm sitting. I am 6 foot 250 pounds. It's 15 inches give or take, from the back of the seat to the wheel, if you can't see the picture.

[Breeze454]

Chevy van columns are shorter than truck columns, and most of them have tilt. I've never measured one or seen one installed in person, but have seen plenty of pics of them done, a lot more work than a wheel change, but it's a thought.

[roger97338]

Maybe a weight lifting belt? The stretchy, velcro-secured kind. With or without the suspenders.

I'm curious about something. Do you eat more junk food than you should? Such as candy bars, Doritos and McDonald's three meals a day? Or do you eat well, but in large amounts?

I used to work in the saw shop of a fabrication shop. It was physically demanding work. I also lifted weights five days a week, and ran on a treadmill three days a week. The girl I was living in sin with at the time was a great cook, and we did our best to teach her boy good eating habits by example. (When I was a kid and wanted a snack, it was more often than not a Twinkie rather than an apple.) So, I ate good. I also ate a lot. (I'd quit smoking, drinking and drugs. Food, sex and driving fast were all I had left.) I held pretty steady at 260, and never once gave a s*** if people thought I was fat.

Also, thank you for your service to our country. The sacrifices that you and your brothers and sisters made have kept my family and myself safe and free. Thank you.

[75chyen]

I have the same problem, I also have a 1975. If you look under the dash there is a hanger for the column, you can loosen the bolts on it. Then look under the hood on the steering column and you will see where the column slides over the steering shaft, loosen the bolt on it. Then get in truck and push the column forward, you might need to hit it to get it moving. I gained about 1.5" from this. Then just tighten bolts back. It helped on mine, I was rubbing the wheel also. Tilt was not a option for me because I have a 3 speed column shift and they don't sell that with tilt

[GM-power]

Originally Posted by roger97338

Maybe a weight lifting belt? The stretchy, velcro-secured kind. With or without the suspenders.

I'm curious about something. Do you eat more junk food than you should? Such as candy bars, Doritos and McDonald's three meals a day? Or do you eat well, but in large amounts?

I used to work in the saw shop of a fabrication shop. It was physically demanding work. I also lifted weights five days a week, and ran on a treadmill three days a week. The girl I was living in sin with at the time was a great cook, and we did our best to teach her boy good eating habits by example. (When I was a kid and wanted a snack, it was more often than not a Twinkie rather than an apple.) So, I ate good. I also ate a lot. (I'd quit smoking, drinking and drugs. Food, sex and driving fast were all I had left.) I held pretty steady at 260, and never once gave a s*** if people thought I was fat.

Also, thank you for your service to our country. The sacrifices that you and your brothers and sisters made have kept my family and myself safe and free. Thank you.

Really man? Did you not read his long winded post? This thread has gotten way out of hand. The OP asks a simple question and some of yall just went after the poor guy. I appreciate this forum and the mods here, for the reason of keeping it upbeat. Half this thing is horrible to read. We all struggle with things of our own. I certainly wouldn't want to get on here and have yall beat me down, likewise would yall? I don't know if ya think it's helpful or what!? Rant over, and it'll probably get me in trouble but I feel it to important not to say.

[manimal]

Your 'goose looks to have CW bars and Skyway tuffwheel II's! I raced a Cycle Pro and a Hutch Pro XL!
And that is a SWEET truck you have!

['76 Big Block]

I have some problems with space/room in my '76 as well, although for me, the problem is getting my long legs beneath the steering wheel when getting in.
I'm 6'6"----right at 250 so not a small person...
Anyway, I had an '81 GMC step side with the factory steering wheel, and never had a problem getting in or driving.
My current truck has an aftermarket Grant steering wheel, that I bump my knee on sometimes getting in, and after I'm in, the cab still feels crowded with the seat all the way back.
Maybe the cabs got roomier over time?

[Axle]

Even a small difference in steering wheel diameter makes a big difference in driver/driving comfort.

My '81 GMC had a 15.75" diameter steering wheel in it when I got it. BIG. I hit my legs on it all the time, and it was a real pain to rapidly turn. (along with not having the variable ratio box my '83 had only made that feel worse). I had a 15" wheel laying around that I swapped in, that little change in diameter made a big difference in all aspects, getting in and out, general comfort, and being able to turn a bit sharper.

Alex.

[andrewmp6]

You gotta remember these trucks was build for avg size people when they was new,In the late 70s early 80s people was shorter and skinner then us today.I'm 6'2 260lbs and i have problems fitting right in anything not a full size car or truck and these trucks knee and gut room can be tight for me.My uncles 40 ford felt like a clown car to me lol.

[roger97338]

Originally Posted by GM-power

Really man? Did you not read his long winded post? This thread has gotten way out of hand. The OP asks a simple question and some of yall just went after the poor guy. I appreciate this forum and the mods here, for the reason of keeping it upbeat. Half this thing is horrible to read. We all struggle with things of our own. I certainly wouldn't want to get on here and have yall beat me down, likewise would yall? I don't know if ya think it's helpful or what!? Rant over, and it'll probably get me in trouble but I feel it to important not to say.

If you thought I was belittling him, you misinterpreted what I said.

[nuc_meltdown]

So, OP did you fix your space problem? I too am looking at the 88 up style seats and a smaller steering wheel. Thanks!