Aceca Legroom

[soaringace]

I'm starting to look at Acecas but am wondering about legroom, having seen some recent postings about a similar issue with Aces.
   
   I'm 6ft 5in so are there likely to be legroom problems, and if so are some of the Ace solutions I recall seeing (but now can't find on the forum), feasible for the Aceca e.g. pedal box/footwell changes from memory?
   
   I realise that this would move it away from original spec, but are any changes possible and/or desirable?
   
   I would appreciate any advice on this, although I realise that I also need to try some out!
   
   Alan

[AC Ace Bristol]

Alan
   
   I own Ace BEX333,  Have driven 3 different Acecas over the past 9 years, leg room OK for me, but the head room inadaquate and I'm only 5ft 8ins (1.75m)  So would conclude that you would wear it,  but have little chance of driving it.
   
   Might be better to go for a Greyhound which would accomodate your frame comfortably.
   
   Keith

[Aceca289]

My Aceca (AEX 521 -1955) has a drop headliner which was the norm for the early Acecas. The factory did away with the drop headliner in later Acecas by gluing the liner to the aluminum roof panel which adds about 1" to 1-1/2" of head room. I am 5'-11" and fit into it without scraping the headliner and my father (who is 6'-4") drove it for 30+ years without an apparent problem (although he has always had a military haircut and probably scraped the headliner). One thing that probably makes the difference is that the lower portion of the seat adjusting tracks have been removed and the seat mounted directly to the floor panel (due to transmission tunnel mods made for the engine conversion in 1963). With the seat tracks removed the seat can be mounted lower and further back. I am in the process of a complete interior restoration and have pushed the seat back an additional inch or two (from where it was when my dad drove the car), removed the portion of the tracks mounted to the seat, and had the seat slightly reclined to where it almost touches the bulkhead. I also had the steering column (which is adjustable) shifted up giving more leg room.  The leg room is great for me with the seat in this position and the seat could go forward and still not be a problem. The short reach to the steering wheel has also been improved as well (no more steering wheel at your chest) My dad had to spread his knees out to the side to compensate for the lack of leg room prior to my recent change to the seat mounting (I guess it did not bother him too much considering how much he drove the car). A longer foot well would certainly help the situation.
   
   The driving position for many early sports cars is certainly not up to what we are used to with today's cars. That is part of allure of driving these old cars (although some careful modifications can make the experience more enjoyable). If you are set on an Aceca you should try some out for size as some peoples height is in their legs and for others in their torso. You could always have a Zagato roof fabricated if the head room is problem.[:D]
   
   Good luck in your search.
   
   John

[aex125]

Alan, regarding the foot box changes that can be made on Aces for more legroom, I am not sure the same can be done on Acecas. The Aces had aluminum boxes and so it was easy to make longer versions, but if my memory is correct, the Acecas had fiberglass boxes that are not easily elongated. However, it looks like John has given some very worthwhile suggestions that might make your fitting into one possible.
   Jay

[soaringace]

Thanks Keith, John & Jay - some helpful thoughts.
   
   Nothing against the Greyhound but there is something special about the style of the Aceca!
   
   The headliner point is interesting so I will look out for that, and the seat mounting changes could be a good solution as well, to get it lower & further back (assume this can done without the transmission tunnel chnages which John mentions?).
   
   I am used to 'classic' driving positions (especially on my Daimler SP250) but the Zagato roof is an innovative way round the headroom issue!!!
   
   Thanks again for the ideas - I will now try some out.
   
   Alan

[Aceca289]

Alan,
   I am glad you found the seating information helpful.
   
   The transmission tunnel in my car is larger than normal in order to house the Borg Warner T10 Trans and a Lincoln Overdrive unit installed with the 289 in 1963. This is what required the seat rails to be removed in the first place. The seat modifications should be able to be made without modification to the stock transmission tunnel. It would be good to take some measurements to make sure since the room available for the seat narrows at the back due to the rear tire wells and the tire wells on my car needed minor modifications to allow the seat to go all the way back. If I were making similar modifications to a stock Aceca, I'd surely keep all the bits and pieces to allow restoration back to stock seat rails in the future.
   
   Jay is correct when he mentioned the Aceca foot boxes being fiberglass. I suspect someone who knows how to work with fiberglass could extend the foot box. However, moving the pedal box for the clutch and brake may prove more difficult as it is welded to the frame. And, the throttle linkage would likely need modification as well. Maybe others have done this mod but it sounds like a lot of work to me.
   
   John

[pjbowman]

Ah, it's times like these that make me glad I'm just your average 5' 9" guy who can fit into pretty much anything! Only car I ever found I could't fit into was a Kellison.
   
   Good luck Alan! Acecas are great cars.
   
   Peter