Questions about the 65 coupe

[crazystevex]

Hi all, I'm a new guy thinking about building a daytona coupe kit and I had a few questions

1. How much head and leg room is there in this car? I'm 6'3" would I have a hard time fitting in one?

2. How weather proof are they? like if I got stuck in the rain on a trip would the windows and doors leak? I've read online that some people have had leaking issues?

3. Are these cars good for daily driving? Not that it will be exclusively for a DD but sometimes.

4. How secure are these cars? If I park it in a mall parking lot is someone going to be able to just open the door and get in and mess around with the car/steal stuff?

5. And lastly I had seen some people put in LS chevy motors instead of ford motors? Is this an option from the factory with the motor and trany mounts or is this something that would have to be custom fabbed up?(still undecided on drive train).

Thank you all and I look forward to hearing from you guys.

[68GT500MAN]

Welcome to the forum. I will answer the questions that I can.
2- If you are comparing a coupe to a modern car, not very weather proof. The windows slide open and are not sealed.

3 - Some owners have used a coupe as a DD, but occasional use could be tolerated.

4 - Built as delivered, they are NOT secure. Like I said in number two, the windows slide open and you reach in to open the door. No keyed locks provided with the kit.

Hope this helps,
Doug

[John Dol]

Hi and welcome,

I'm sure others will chime in on number 1. But I think you will fit as quite a few tall people have build these cars.
Your seat will have to be mounted to the floor and all the way back but should be do able.
On 5. That is a fab job you have to tackle on your own, but there are a few of them out there. I'm sure you can contact them and ask the level of intricacy that was required.

John

[jkrueger]

Hi all, I'm a new guy thinking about building a daytona coupe kit and I had a few questions

1. How much head and leg room is there in this car? I'm 6'3" would I have a hard time fitting in one? I'm 6'0". I can stretch my left leg all the way out. Head clearance is good, but with my helmet on it kinda bumps the side of the roll bar. My seat is mount directly to the floor and all the way back.

2. How weather proof are they? like if I got stuck in the rain on a trip would the windows and doors leak? I've read online that some people have had leaking issues? It all depends on how well you seal the door up. I bought various shapes of bulb seal and sealed the doors pretty good. A little leaks through the side windows but not enough to worry about. The worst leak I had actually came from the rear wheel well. Seal this area well (between the body and frame/aluminum) if you are going to drive in rain. I have driven in heavy rain for several hours and remained quite dry.

3. Are these cars good for daily driving? Not that it will be exclusively for a DD but sometimes. Depends on your tolerances. Harder to get into and out of than a normal car. A LOT louder than a normal car. Might need heat and AC depending on where you live. 5 point harness a hassle to deal with compared to a normal 3 point seat belt for lots of getting in and out.

4. How secure are these cars? If I park it in a mall parking lot is someone going to be able to just open the door and get in and mess around with the car/steal stuff? I've seen people built remote locks into the doors. I just took my steering wheel with me when I would leave it alone and put in a alarm that would go off if someone opened the hood or got into the car.

5. And lastly I had seen some people put in LS chevy motors instead of ford motors? Is this an option from the factory with the motor and trany mounts or is this something that would have to be custom fabbed up?(still undecided on drive train). I have a LS engine in mine and made my own engine and tranny mounts. Forte's helped me out with some of the parts. I don't think FFR sells mounts for the chevy engines.

Thank you all and I look forward to hearing from you guys.

[xlr8or]

The answer to question 1 isn't whether you can fit. You definitely can. The trick is getting in and out. You will want a removable steering wheel to help as the door openings are small and very short top to bottom so there is a process to it and you can't use the doors for leverage.

[Garry Bopp]

Steve,

I'm 6'1" with a 33" inseam. Is your height more in the torso or the legs? I used the Kirkey Vintage low back seats mounted on the floor, all the way back. Plenty of legroom. Wearing a helmet, the helmet would brush the headliner but not uncomfortable ... just barely touched. I highly recommend a removable steering wheel ... makes ingress/egress much simpler. You will need to be somewhat flexible, bending at the waist, to duck under the roofline on entry. I've heard that some folks go in head first but I've never needed to do that.

Garry

[crazystevex]

Thank you all for the replies. It has given a lot of insight and a lot to think about. I'll be lurking around the forum gathering ideas and plans still. Thank you all again!

[MikeJones]

1) You can adjust for height but it can add to the work. Search for Karen Salvaggio's frame mods to lower the seats. On a much simpler basis, I am 5'8" and my son is 6'1". Added sliders to the driver seat and it can easily accommodate both of us. You can adjust a lot by how you tilt the seat. 6'3" shouldn't be a problem once you are in. Getting in takes getting used to it. I go in headfirst.
2) weatherproof - water resistant is a better description than waterproof. Agree with jk, it depends on how you deal with weatherstripping.
3) mine is a daily driver as long as it isnt going to rain heavily. You need to accommodate heat (must have a/c), sound (need earplugs), and it drives like a race car and doesnt like stop and go.
4) security hasnt been a big problem. Most people want to see it, and respect the car. There is frequently people taking photos. I take it to the shopping mall, to hockey, groceries, beer store, work, etc. Don't leave valuables in plain sight.
5) I have a 302 so defer to others. Given the amazing things that have been demonstrated, it just depends on how much you want to take on.


Regards, Mike