I am looking at getting a C3. I have had C5's and now a C6 Z06 and enjoy the comfort for a big guy - 6'5" and 250 lbs. To get into a C3 I will need to lower the seat but also would like a tilt wheel in a 69-71. I can't see that a tilt wheel was available. How is it to put a tilt wheel into a C3 - where would you get one and how involved?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

up to 75 should swap in with out alot of adapting, dont use 76
pretty easy , depending on your skillset
here, the venders , fleabay
btw, C5/6 seats are a good upgrade for these
hope this helps

 

I don't know of much that can be done, to "lower the seat" in a 68-82 Corvette. The seat lower cushion, virtually sits on the floor. The seat tracks are only about 1" tall, and have no material that could be removed from them to lower them more, and still be functional. The seat backs can be reclined a little, to gain some additional headroom.

81-82's offered an optional power drivers seat. The floor was deeper in those cars, to accommodate the power seat's motor, but even in the seat's lowest position, the headroom available was about the same as earlier cars.

Other than removing foam from the lower cushion (and there isn't much there to start with), I don't think there is much you can do to lower the seat.

All 69-82 Corvettes were available with an optional "Tilt and Telescoping" steering column. 68 offered an optional column too, but it only telescoped.

Your best bet is to keep looking, until you find a car with the tilt & tele column. If you do locate a car you like, that doesn't have the tilt & tele column, they can be retrofitted. All 69-75 columns are the same, and are a direct bolt in. Unfortunately, the 69-75 T&T columns are getting harder to find, and have gotten more expensive too. Your probably looking at around $1,000+, for a rebuilt one these days.

The 76 column needs a different steering wheel hub, and other upper parts to work. The parts are available, but it's probably not worth the effort.

77 is a one year only column, and for various reasons, should be avoided.

The 78-82 columns are a little shorter, and have the high/low beam switch, on the column (earlier cars use a floor mounted foot button). People have made them work, but they don't go in quite as nicely as a 69-75 column.

There are also custom columns available from companies such as Flaming River.

 

You probably won't be able to lower the seat; but you can lean it back at a different angle to gain more headroom and distance from the steering wheel. Also, you can dump the 15" wheel for a 13" aftermarket wheel, which will also provide more access in and out. Here's an example of tilt wheel with smaller steering wheel and seat laid back a bit.

 

I bought my '72 vert in '95, and one of the very first things was a 78-82 TT column and wheel, I pulled it back about 3/4 inch off the firewall, making the wheel a little closer for me, I also cut the seat mounts on the back end of the tracks, removed the seat belt cover, and over the years recovered the seat twice, the silly old OEM foam war reused twice, and so to get the seating position down another couple of inches, for about a 4" drop, So along with the rack/pinion install about ten years ago, I cut the floorboard up next to the firewall, and up to the height of the steering column, forced the plastic forward about 3" and installed new glass filler, that allowed the brake and gas pedals to be altered forward.... this dropped my knees off the steering wheel....I"m 6'5" and 225, and age 68, arthritic too....

 

Here is the address for a paper on installing a later C3 T&T column (1978-82) with a dimmer switch into an early C3.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/?p=894
Jim

 

Thanks to all of you for your information. This is great --

Gotta love the Corvette Forum members --

Now to find just the right car...........

 

Why would he swap it out when he can just buy a car that already has tilt? Much much easier.

 

The easiest thing to do when looking for head room in the C3 world (aside from going topless) would be to pull the T-top liner out, that will give you a good 2+ inches right there.

I guess my seats are SHOT because Im 6'2" and still have plenty of head room.

Miles

 

I'm in the C3 market as well...

seems almost every car I like, doesn't have T & T and for me, it's a must have option.

I've considered doing a retrofit on just the right car, but why do it if you don't have to? I'm now patiently waiting for the right car to come along.

mardyn

 

Right now, I couldn't wear a helmet in mine with the liner in.

Of course, going topless would give you max headroom. I'll be here all week.


T&T is nice. Have it in my '78.

 

By the 1978 model year, T&T columns were nearly 100%. That is why in the 1979 model year, T&T became standard.

Back in the early C3 years, T&T columns were only 50% of the volume. That is why the "round head" T&T columns are fairly expensive.

Jim

 

if you will not have a need for shorter legged person drive the vette then you can have the mounting feet of the seat rails redone flat which will give you about 1" lower. only trouble when doing this is that you can't move the seat forward because the inner front corner hits the trans tunnel but it does lower the seat a full 1" because the rails mounting feet push the seat up off the floor board. btw...C5 seats are much wider at the front than stock C3 seats. Best seat is a 94-96 C4 seat that I have in my ride. Sits really nice & low and it is narrow at the front so I can move the seat forward almost all the way. With C5 seats this is not possible when you chop/flatten the mounting feet from the seat rails.

I am a solid 6'4" and needed to do this to keep from my forehead being hit by the bugs from it sticking up above the windshield. I have a convert which I think should give you a little extra room compared to t-tops.

 

Putting a TT in my '72 was a must shortly after I got mine. Never looked back..... I think the only thing I had to do was move one or two wires in the harmonica plug and also it had to be turned 180 degrees when plugging it in.