[73LeMans]

To offset my vertical challenge (I blame my mother) and to make sure my new seat stays where my rollbar passes NHRA tech, I need to bring my factory pedals further off the firewall. I'm not sure if any others out there ever had to do this - I feel like I might be the only one - but a new roll bar is out of the question, so I had to find alternatives. Plus this allows me to tailor the car for a bit more comfort.

The accelerator pedal is obviously the easier of the two to move, but even more so since I've been using a Lokar cable with a Jegs bracket for many years. A simple set screw and a longer cable and its done.



FYI - the Jegs bracket instructions tell me I'm supposed to have the return springs bolt where the throttle is, and the throttle where the return springs are. Things tend to bind up when used that way, so I moved them back to where I've run them for years with no problem.


On the pedal side, I just used some 2 3/4"? inch sleeves I had lying around to space the pedal off the firewall. Got some longer screws to hold it to the firewall and kablamo, I'm in business.



Moving the cable retainer to the second hole on the pedal alleviated the binding issue I was having with the new cable geometry. The hardest part of this whole deal was coughing up the money for a new Lokar cable.


The brake pedal was a tad more challenging.

I'm a firm believer in a saying used frequently on this board "Engineers do things for a reason". I'll add to that, "so long as the bean counters don't get in the way". Because I'm not an engineer, I usually spend way too much time trying to replicate any "engineering" I come across in an effort to not change anything "they" were thinking of I'm not. In the big picture I get it; its a brake pedal. Press it and the car stops. However, doing that consistently and comfortably every time requires a bit of forethought.

The stock brake pedal pad on my '73 lays back toward the arm at about a 20 degree angle.



My plan was to remove the pedal pad, extend the area behind it to get me the distance I need, then weld the pad back on.



Things to think about -
- Any new metal must be as thick as the OEM bar itself to ensure safety. Welds are paramount.

- There is an OEM distance between the throttle pedal and the brake pedal I'd like to keep the same. I cant make the brake pedal so much longer that it sits well above the accelerator or else I may potentially hit it with the side of my foot in an emergency situation.

- I cant make the brake pedal so heavy it tries to apply the brakes even when I'm not stepping on them. I don't know what the tension is in the master, but I do know its expecting either a factory pedal, or a lighter racing pedal, never a heavier factory pedal.

I'll make the pad extension longer than I need so I can tailor the fit. Tack on the pedal pad and this is what I got -





The pad doesn't quite lay back at 20 degrees but its where it sat the best on the new metal. (because I didn't grind in a bevel to allow it to lay further back) Its close. Also, because the arm swings on an arc, I probably should have angled this extension a tad upward some degree of that arc, but I have no way of figuring that out. I'm just going to test fit in the car and see how it feels.

Now I can't tell if it was laziness or if it really felt perfect, but I liked the pedal so much where it was, I left it. Pulled it, fully welded the pad in place, painted it, greased the bushing and put it back in the car.



Yeah, I know, its not keeping the OEM (social?) distance from the accelerator, BUT after sitting in the car and getting the feel, I can tell you I have full range of the brake pedal with minimal effort on my part. The accelerator however, I need to push and then roll my foot downward to achieve full throttle as seen at the throttle blades. In other words, to bring these pedals closer, I may just bring the accelerator out just a tad more off the wall.

Still not sure if this "improved" pedal its applying any pressure to the braking system so I need to check in to that. (Other, more "pressing" issues "dragged" me away) Also need to periodically check these pieces for fatigue or any sign of abnormal wear. Don't forget, I'm not an engineer, so there is a chance my "solution" isn't as foolproof as I think.