change main frame rail?

[etchison]

i have a 2x3 full chassis nova i sit right under the main hoop and there is a funny car cagr in the car. i'm 6'3'' i fit fine with no helmet or neck brace on. one cut the whole cage out and move the main hoop back change the funny car cage and every bar but the 2 a pillar bars. or cut out the 2x3 frame under my right butt cheek and put in a 1 5/8 bar, lower the seat and make a drop seat pan. and ideas thanks mike

[TheYellaBrick]

Post several of pics of the interior so we can see what you actually have to work with. Under chassis shots would help also.If you can't figger how to post on the forum, add them to your profile and then post a direct link here.

[TopspeedLowet]

Mike, for monster size drivers I recline the seat back by moving the bottom of the seat forward and the top back to shorten your torso. You may find that changing the pedals and steering column is less work if your car has the floor space to do this. I have used round pipe ( 1 5/8" .083 molly) on square frames where your seat support is required between the inner and outer frame rails to make a lower perch. This will require you to put the sheet metal on the outside or bottom of the frame like a belly pan, which is legal. You must use .024 steel min thickness, welded in place.That will net you possibly 1 3/8" lower starting point for your seat bottom.
Bruce
Edited: Sorry, I had a dimension error guys

[Tod74]

Mike, for monster size drivers I recline the seat back by moving the bottom of the seat forward and the top back to shorten your torso. You may find that changing the pedals and steering column is less work if your car has the floor space to do this. I have used round pipe ( 1 5/8" .083 molly) on square frames where your seat support is required between the inner and outer frame rails to make a lower perch. This will require you to put the sheet metal on the outside or bottom of the frame like a belly pan, which is legal. You must use .024 steel min thickness, welded in place.That will net you possibly 2 3/8" lower starting point for your seat bottom.
Bruce

I would investigate this route....either that or cut a hole in the roof for your head, cause your original plan sounds like quite a lot of work.

[itsabird]

x2 on reclineing the seat, incountered that with last 2x3 chassis i built, used kirkey seat, welded tabs on the main frame rails, and rocker bar, and braced the rocker to main frame in that location, and mounted seat to the floor.

[etchison]

good ideas on the seat but let me give a little history on the car i'm the 2nd owner of the nova the other guy was about 5'10'' car was built for him. i got the car oct 08 modified the kirkley seat put a new rack and column in the car. seat is cut and i welded a wedge in it to lay it back if i try to move it forward and move the pedals my feet would be in fornt of the a pillars, rocker bars and dash dash bar only protection would be fiberglass frontend and alum. firewall i have some pictures put dont know how to upload them. if someone could do my a favor i could email them and they could upload them so everyone can see whats going on it may help to see for some ideas thanks mike [email protected]

[sp2816]

The inner frame rails can be 2x3 rectangular or 1 1/2" round tubing for the 25.4 spec. You could add a complete 1 1/2 inner frame rail beside the 2x3 that you notch or you can add around the notched area. I notched the frame rail on this car and I added a 1 1/2" tube from the front of the notched area out to the lower outside frame rail and then added a piece of 1 1/2" tube beside the 2x3 inner frame rail back to the rear crossmember. The other tubes necessary for seat support and the diagonals were then welded off of this inner frame rail. This allowed for me to lower the seat 1 1/2" and give a tall driver more head room in the funny car cage. I then made the floor pan to have a small well area for the seat to set down in. This car certified to SFI25.4 this spring.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh93/85monte_ss/fabrication/chassis/camaro%20sfi254/phil_009_comp.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh93/85monte_ss/fabrication/chassis/camaro%20sfi254/phil_010_comp.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh93/85monte_ss/fabrication/chassis/camaro%20sfi254/phil_018_comp.jpg

[zipper06]

Here you go Mike,

Zip.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/zipper2/funnycarcage001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/zipper2/funnycarcage003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/zipper2/funnycarcage004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/zipper2/funnycarcage005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/zipper2/funnycarcage006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/zipper2/funnycarcage009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/zipper2/funnycarcage013.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/zipper2/funnycarcage015.jpg

[etchison]

thanks zip! thanks sp your photos really helped getting the wheels moving in my head. looks like the notch idea is the way to go thanks. is that a 7.50 tag on yours?