[DeTomaso] Break pedal height

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/13/09 5 28 3, threemacs at aol.com writes:


> My break pedal height is set even with the accelerator pedal.
> 
> 
> >>>Ideally all three pedals should be in line, yes.
> 
> 
> 
> Sometimes when I get on the gas my foot clips the break pedal.
> 
> 
> >>>I hate it when that happens!

> 
> Should the break pedal be set higher?
> 
> Or is it set correctly for quick transition to the break?
> 

>>>The problem is caused by the kick panel intruding from the side, 
unnecessarily reducing the amount of space available for your feet.   It pushes 
your foot over to the left, so that you are clipping the brake pedal when 
you're on the gas.   The problem is especially acute with the early interiors 
(with a two-pod dashboard), as the kick panels weren't contoured at all.   The 
later panels were more robust, and also had a molded-in whoop to the inside 
in an attempt to provide greater footroom, but even these need help.

The solution is VERY simple.   If you kneel alongside your car, and place 
your hand on the kick panel alongside the gas pedal and push inwards toward 
the centerline of the car, you'll probably find at least a couple of inches 
of movement before it strikes something solid (the center chassis tunnel).   
That is unacceptable.

All it takes is a single long sheetmetal screw and a fender washer.   
Remove the kickpanel so you can get an idea of the geography behind it, and 
locate an optimum location where you can place a screw to the greatest effect 
without hitting anything (in truth there's a lot of nothing going on in the 
immediate area in question and you're safe putting the screw just about 
anywhere, but you don't want to put it someplace where your foot will clip it).   
Then put the panel back in location, drill a hole through the panel and into 
the chassis, and affix it with the sheetmetal screw.

Here's a photo of my car so-modified.   It came out perfectly and works 
great!

http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=9220

You can see the curve of the late-style kick panel, just before the 
throttle pedal.   Because of the rigidity of the panel, the screw could afford to 
be fairly close to the floor and still have maximum effect.   You may find 
with an early-style panel that the screw needs to be located a bit higher in 
order to be effective.

If I took the time to paint the washer and screw, this modification would 
be all but completely invisible.   But I wanted to photograph it first.   Now 
that I have done so (two years after installing it), maybe I should do 
something about that, eh? :>)

Mike


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