AU Fairmont Legroom

[Flyn]

I recently bought an Au1 Fairmont. I'm pretty tall and I find that I could do with at least another couple of inches of legroom in the driver's seat. The seat is right back, so I'm wondering if there's a mod that could be done to get it further back, or maybe an after-market seat that might help. It doesn't worry me too much on short trips, but longer distances are a pain.

[AU dude]

Recline your drivers seat all the way back and use the back seat as back support :

I have my seat as far back as possible and the seat reclined abit bacause im 180cm and its a good position for me. How tall are you?

You could get the rails for the seat repositioned back, but im not sure if that legal...

[JC]

Originally Posted by AU dude

I have my seat as far back as possible and the seat reclined abit bacause im 180cm and its a good position for me. How tall are you?

So you're about 4cm taller than me, and I only have the seat back a little from the fully forward position. As cool as it may seem to recline in the seat while driving, it is not safe.

Originally Posted by AU dude

You could get the rails for the seat repositioned back, but im not sure if that legal...

You could get the seat base repositioned on the rails, but the fixing of the rails to the floor would be a massive change.

I would contact a seat specialist - most 4WD places do dickie seats etc, so they may be able to offer some service to get a big guy to sit comfortably in the car.

[AU dude]

Originally Posted by JC

So you're about 4cm taller than me, and I only have the seat back a little from the fully forward position. As cool as it may seem to recline in the seat while driving, it is not safe.

I didnt say it was completely reclined. Its just a bit back from vertical, say 20-30 degrees. Then Ive pulled the steering wheel towards me (they dont just adjust up and down) and its prefect for cruising around town, and sometimes I move the seat a few clicks forward for long trips.

[HLC]

im 178 cm and i have the seat about an inch from all the way back... but the back rest would be at most 10-15 degrees off vertical. i have long legs and i can only get comfortable with it that far back.

[JC]

Originally Posted by AU dude

I didnt say it was completely reclined. Its just a bit back from vertical, say 20-30 degrees. Then Ive pulled the steering wheel towards me (they dont just adjust up and down) and its prefect for cruising around town, and sometimes I move the seat a few clicks forward for long trips.

A reclined seat, even 20/30 degrees may be the differences between you strangling yourself on the seatbelt in an accident, and not. Of course, you will look cool though. The seatback should be as straight as is comfortable, and the seat positioned far enough back to allow confortable yet full access to all pedals. The steering wheel should then be positioned so that in your new conmfortable seating position, your wrists rest on the top of the wheel, so that when you hold the wheel, your elbows are slightly bent.

But don't believe me - go and do an advanced driving course, and you will soon be told the same as what I've written above.

I firmly believe that P platers die because they have no control over the car, mostly not because of speed, but because they can barely see over the dashboard, and can just reach the pedals and steering wheel because it is hard to do when you are lying in the back seat.

[Flyn]

Well I'm about 190cm and I find that I could easily do with another 5cm of legroom. When I get in or out of the vehicle my left leg is jammed against the steering wheel and when I'm driving my knees have to be angled out to miss the steering wheel. I'm heavily built, but not grossly so.

I have the steering wheel adjustment right up and it still feels squeezy. Is the Fairmont exactly the same as the standard Falcon?

[HLC]

Originally Posted by JC

A reclined seat, even 20/30 degrees may be the differences between you strangling yourself on the seatbelt in an accident, and not. Of course, you will look cool though. The seatback should be as straight as is comfortable, and the seat positioned far enough back to allow confortable yet full access to all pedals. The steering wheel should then be positioned so that in your new conmfortable seating position, your wrists rest on the top of the wheel, so that when you hold the wheel, your elbows are slightly bent.

But don't believe me - go and do an advanced driving course, and you will soon be told the same as what I've written above.

I firmly believe that P platers die because they have no control over the car, mostly not because of speed, but because they can barely see over the dashboard, and can just reach the pedals and steering wheel because it is hard to do when you are lying in the back seat.

exactly right on all of the above.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by JC

The seatback should be as straight as is comfortable, and the seat positioned far enough back to allow confortable yet full access to all pedals. The steering wheel should then be positioned so that in your new conmfortable seating position, your wrists rest on the top of the wheel, so that when you hold the wheel, your elbows are slightly bent.

But don't believe me - go and do an advanced driving course, and you will soon be told the same as what I've written above.

I firmly believe that P platers die because they have no control over the car, mostly not because of speed, but because they can barely see over the dashboard, and can just reach the pedals and steering wheel because it is hard to do when you are lying in the back seat.

Got it in one JC. You steer with your arms and wrists not your shoulders!

[blacklabel]

Originally Posted by JC

I firmly believe that P platers die because they have no control over the car, mostly not because of speed, but because they can barely see over the dashboard, and can just reach the pedals and steering wheel because it is hard to do when you are lying in the back seat.

...Exactly! And these silly little boy racers who modify their already low racing seats to the point where they are all but rail-less, are just waiting to become parapalegics in even a minor accident-not to mention the totally different and potentially deadly changed target zone of an activated airbag.

But back on the subject-you must have extra-ordinarily long pins if you can't get enough leg room with the seat right back in an AU- or any falcon/fairmont for that matter! :

[JC]

You could also try lowering or raising the bottom/base part of the seat to give more effective legroom.

[StealthAu]

If you have the seat all the way back and not enough leg room you might want to look at buying a hummer. I'm 198cm and quit comfertable with the seat set right back

[4dlvr]

im 175cm and i sit on the back seat when driving,
lol seriosulyt talking my brother 194cm can drive my car with out even moving the seat, i rekon au's have heaps of leg room, i think the problem is that the seats are a little too high and too short

[au2sw]

i agree that the au has heaps of legroom. im 178 and sit with the seat about 3 clicks back from the furtherest point. my wife is about 155 and sits with the seat nearly all the way forward! if a guy nearly 2m tall can sit comfortably in the au, how high are you flyn?

[LOWAU]

Has anyone sat in a commedore? Their seat goes much further then the AUs.

I am 197cm tall and I fit cofortably in the AU with the seat a few clicks from the back, I find it to much if it is all the way back, also my seat is on a decent incline.

[Casper]

Some people need to go do an advanced driving course here. I'm 6 foot tall and have my see very far forward and seat relatively upright.
As a rule, your knees need to be bent and, effectively, should be able to "Brace" yourself between the trans tunnel and the front door without impeading your ability to operate he pedals. As for steering. If you press your shoulders back square into the seat you should be able to rest your wrists on top of the steering wheel.
I know it sounds cramped but after you get used to it you wont be able to drive any other way.

My wife is about 5 foot 2 and we have the exact same seating positions in both our cars. She should sit closed to the wheel than she does but doesn't want to.

Edit.. just realized JC wrote EXACTLY the same as I have a few posts up.. so there you go, 2 different accounts of the exact same thing both agreeing with each other.

[JC]

Originally Posted by Casper

Some people need to go do an advanced driving course here. I'm 6 foot tall and have my see very far forward and seat relatively upright.
As a rule, your knees need to be bent and, effectively, should be able to "Brace" yourself between the trans tunnel and the front door without impeading your ability to operate he pedals. As for steering. If you press your shoulders back square into the seat you should be able to rest your wrists on top of the steering wheel.
I know it sounds cramped but after you get used to it you wont be able to drive any other way.

My wife is about 5 foot 2 and we have the exact same seating positions in both our cars. She should sit closed to the wheel than she does but doesn't want to.

Edit.. just realized JC wrote EXACTLY the same as I have a few posts up.. so there you go, 2 different accounts of the exact same thing both agreeing with each other.

Geez Casper, is this the first time we've agreed on something???

I must sit in around the same position as you. If you look at the seat base near the floor on the RHS of the drivers seat, the seat rail is just exposed at the front. And I'm 5'10" and slightly generously maintained.

My wife is also 5'2 or 3, and she moves the seat only about 2 clicks forward but she also moves the steering wheel in all the way (but still up).

[Casper]

Originally Posted by JC

Geez Casper, is this the first time we've agreed on something???

There are Many, MANY grey areas when it comes to cars, mods and the likes but some things are simply Black and White. This is one of those areas and, oddly enough, it is these area's that we seem to agree on almost all the time JC.

I guess there are opinions and there are facts. We appear to agree on facts a lot.

[JC]

Originally Posted by Casper

There are Many, MANY grey areas when it comes to cars, mods and the likes but some things are simply Black and White. This is one of those areas and, oddly enough, it is these area's that we seem to agree on almost all the time JC.

I guess there are opinions and there are facts. We appear to agree on facts a lot.

Yeh, I suppose so. But I guess if something is a fact, not even I can argue with it - try as I might, LOL.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by JC

Yeh, I suppose so. But I guess if something is a fact, not even I can argue with it - try as I might, LOL.

Thats ok, in this world there are not too many "facts" out there.
1 Seating position
2 Electric superchargers don't work
3 Ricers look stupid

Thats about it really.

[TwistedEL]

I am 6 foot 10 (that is 205cm) and I can drive the Fairmont. I admit it is a tight squeeze and it will probably prevent me from ever owning a manual Falcon but if I can do it anyone can do it.
BTW I have the steering wheel all the way up and out.