Dropped centre dash (289FIA) - does it work OK for tall guys?
 

Hi all. In another thread I mentioned wanting an instrument setup similar to that in CSX 2558, which would require a dropped-centre dash.
There were some comments that I might want to reconsider that if I'm tall.
I am (tall), but I really like that instrumentation setup.
Any more comments for you tall guys out there with similar dash 'architecture' about whether this would work well enough?
I'm assuming Dan Gurney fitted in OK after all...
Cheers,
Glen

The drop is only about 3 " and only concerns the center of the dash. It doesn't affect knee clearance hardly at all. See my pix for 2137's switches.

Glen,

Bob, Peter and the crew ERA are very creative, great to work with and will likely come up with a solution for you. I realize you are in Australia, so a trip to New Britain, Connecticut for a 'fitting' is likely out of the question.

Easiest solution is to find an ERA nearby that has the setup you are looking for and asking the owner for a 'test sit'. Probably not many in your neighborhood … so here are some thoughts …

Putting the dash aside for a moment, a Kirkey bucket seat is a great place to start to get lower in the car and ERA has installed them in their cars.

The foot pedals can be move forward a bit as well, and I believe there is some adjustment in the steering column / wheel as well.

My suggestion is to order your car with the dash layout you want and ERA may very well be able to tweak it a bit to where it still looks correct, but will give you a bit more room.

At the same time however, order a bare FIA dash and have it shipped with the car, that will save on separate shipping costs, that would probably exceed the cost of the bare dash. That way once you have the car, and if you don't fit, then plan 'B' is to go with the FIA dash … same great car, with a period correct dash, it just gives you more room.

You will wind up with a spare dash, that you can hang up in your garage and it will make for a great conversation piece.

There would be some differences in the wiring harness and probably gauges as well, but that would be easier to ship and the guys at ERA are excellent at figuring these things out. I would also order the door pockets, that would give you a place to put stuff, important if you wind up with the FIA dash.

Hope this helps, I suspect Bob will comment soon with an expert opinion.

- Tim

Excellent thoughts, Tim.

I am over 6', more legs than torso and have no issues with the drop-center dash.

- Allen.

Glen-

Do you plan to make your car right-hand drive (requires custom-made footboxes, according to the ERA site)? If so, there is more room to the right side of the center, dropped portion:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...28/Cockpit.jpg

The story behind this curious arrangement is that, being British, the AC cars were nearly all built right-hand drive (other than the relatively few that were exported), so the dash was cut to provide more leg room on the driver side. When AC built cars that were left-hand drive, AC did not trouble to flip the dash template, so the dropped portion of the dash wound up encroaching on the driver's right knee! Jim Holden pointed this out to me.

Jeff

Jeff,

Interesting point, leave it to Jim to pass on that important observation.

So it sounds like when the left hand drive version was laid out, the outline of the dash was kept the same and the glove box, steering column and instrument cutouts were mirror imaged ?

- Tim

(nice dash by the way) :)

Thanks for the information. I'm still relatively new at this - where are the pix of 2137's switches?
Glen

Thanks Tim. Elsewhere Bob had already volunteered that ERA had just done a dashboard that had the bottom edge raised by an inch. The floor can be dropped, and by losing the slides, it sounds as if the seat can go down enough to make a decent difference.
As far as Kirkey seats go, I have seen comments that they can be uncomfortable, lacking enough padding.....yes/no/maybe, anybody?
Good suggestion about the spare dash.
Glen

Thanks Allen. That's what I want to hear
Glen

Thanks Jeff. Yes mine must be RHD. Your observation is quite a revelation, as the only picture I have in my folder of a RHD car with a dropped dash is that of a Mk IV, and the dropped section is in the centre of the dash (ie not offset). As well as that the instruments are in the centre as well, which is definitely not consistent with original 289s.
I'll have to go back to my books for a closer look!
So....RHD, dropped section offset to the left, handbrake placed nice and conveniently next to left knee - sounds made for it.
Makes me wonder why Shel didn't ask AC to change it after the first LHD cars were delivered...
Love this forum!
Glen

Keep in mind right hand drive aslo switch's the drop so there is no difference at that point.

How tall, floor mounted pedals are not conducive to real tall. You can get creative with hanging pedals however floor mounted are more restrictive.

Good luck

Not if you are "authentic": the drop was the same for both right and left hand drive cars. AC didn't change the outline of the dash, just changed the location of the steering column, glove box, instruments and switches.

If I'm not mistaken, CSX 2137 was one of the three "LeMans replica" cars built in 1963. It did not have an FIA body (which appeared in 1964): the fenders were not as flared. I believe that the body and dash are similar to the three "Sebring" cars, including CSX 2129 below. This dash featured a Sun tach, Smith's speedo, three Smith's 2 1/16" gauges (oil pressure, oil temp and water temp), one Stewart Warner 2 1/16" gauge (the ammeter), and a Stewart Warner 2 5/8" fuel pressure gauge:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...SX2129dash.jpg

Here is a pic of CSX 2136, like 2137 a LeMans replica car, that also has a 2 1/16" Smith's fuel level gauge:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...8/2136dash.png

Here is a close-up that shows you what all the aircraft switches are for:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...witchplate.jpg

I like this dash a lot, and was originally going to use it, but, since it isn't "correct" with an FIA body, in the end decided in favor of the CSX 2557/2558 dash.

BTW, CSXinfo is a great resource for pictures; here is the link to the 289 cars gallery:

http://www.csxinfo.net/web/modules/x...ndex.php?cat=4

Either he didn't notice, didn't care, or didn't want to pay AC for the change are my guesses. He was obviously much more engaged in the racing program.

I liked mine, snug but well padded and comfortable, but have only sat in it at ERA going "vroom, vroom!" Won't know what it feels like under battlefield conditions for two or three months.

Can't blame a guy for focusing on what was important

Anybody else have comments on Kirkey seats (comfort wise)?
Jeff, I can't remember, do you have a dropped floor for your seat?
And do you - or anybody else out there - know if a locally dropped floor affects space for the undercar exhaust?
Cheers,
Glen

Glen,

I am 6'-4" and going with a Krikey seat, slightly raised FIA dash, pedals as far forward as possible and 14" steering wheel.

Peter and crew mocked everything up when I visited ERA in August 2009 and I'll be able to give you some feedback in a few months as well, once 2136 arrives in California. :)

- Tim

Excellent, Tim. I will look forward to the update. So just in time for your summer? Good timing.
Glen

Glen,

Sent you a PM.

- Tim