Guest generator14 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 1926 Buik roadster: Hi. Has anyone modified the central accelerator and right hand side brake pedal to the usual conventional layout with the brake central and accelerator on the right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27donb Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Not sure what you mean by central accelerator pedal. Attached is a picture of my 1924, and it is similar to my 1927, the accelerator pedal is to the right of the brake pedal. Can you post a picture of what you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest generator14 Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Hi. 27donB. Thank you for your reply and pic. My car was made in Australia and the pedal layout is different than yours in that the brake pedal is to the right of the accelerator pedal . The car is a right hand drive model as is the norn in UK and Australia. I wasn't aware that the USA made cars had a different pedal layout . I don't know why the Australian made models had the central accelerator pedal as opposed to the extreme right as is the norm today and also on most British cars of the 20's and 30's. and now also,I see on the USA LHD models. I will post a pic of the pedal layout soon. Best Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27donb Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 2 hours ago, generator14 said: Hi. 27donB. Thank you for your reply and pic. My car was made in Australia and the pedal layout is different than yours in that the brake pedal is to the right of the accelerator pedal . The car is a right hand drive model as is the norn in UK and Australia. I wasn't aware that the USA made cars had a different pedal layout . I don't know why the Australian made models had the central accelerator pedal as opposed to the extreme right as is the norm today and also on most British cars of the 20's and 30's. and now also,I see on the USA LHD models. I will post a pic of the pedal layout soon. Best Regards. Hello generator14, Soon after I posted my reply I felt silly and stupid...I thought, his car is probably right hand drive! Oh well, sorry I couldn't help! I do look forward to seeing your pedal layout, i didn't realize they were that different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26-25Buick Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Welcome generator14. It does take some getting use to having the accelerator in the middle but on the bright side I find it easier to heel and toe the downshift than the modern layout. Many trucks also had this configuration so they weren't really setting a new direction. But back to your question if you look at the firewall all Holden did to get the pedal to the right hand side was mount a shaft that went across the back of the motor and attached to the original pivot point for the LHD. I would need to have a look at mine and see if there is enough clearance around the brake pedal but perhaps it can be moved over by making up a new lever with a bend in it. I suspect once it is moved over it may be too close to the door card especially if your door cards still have the original pockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest generator14 Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Hi. 26-25Buik. Thank you for your reply. I did'nt realise that Holden modified the accelerator pedal and thus moved it to the right on some models. I would be most grateful for any further details that you may have regarding this conversion. I find it a bit stressful when after driving my everyday car to then jump in the Buik after maybe a week or more of non- use and find the brake pedal where the accelerator pedal normally is! I have to constantly reiterate to myself "brake pedal right --brake pedal right!!". which rather diminishes the joy somewhat! Thank You again. Kind Regards. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26-25Buick Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 (edited) Hi Mike You probably noted the concern I raised yesterday in regards to moving the accelerator (gas pedal) to the right in that there is very little room between the brake pedal and the door card. These photos pretty much confirm it, certainly in our car, there is no way to get it across in to that bit of real estate and still be able to move your foot safely from the accelerator to the brake. The other issue is getting to the other side of the steering column with the accelerator linkage in the engine bay without fouling on the steering as its directly in line with accelerator's shaft and around the brake pedal and the starter arm which both press down in to this space. If there is an answer out there I don't think it will be easy as I expect all pedals will need to move not just the accelerator. For those that haven't seen a right hand drive 1926 Buick pedal box this what it looks like In the engine bay the rod from the pedal goes straight through the floorboards and connects to the shaft that takes the input to the other side of the car. As you can image this is one of the more congested parts of these right hand drive cars Edited April 17, 2016 by 26-25Buick Update to text (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27donb Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 10 hours ago, 26-25Buick said: Hi Mike You probably noted the concern I raised yesterday in regards to moving the accelerator (gas pedal) to the right in that there is very little room between the brake pedal and the door card. These photos pretty much confirm it, certainly in our car, there is no way to get it across in to that bit of real estate and still be able to move your foot safely from the accelerator to the brake. The other issue is getting to the other side of the steering column with the accelerator linkage in the engine bay without fouling on the steering as its directly in line with accelerator's shaft and around the brake pedal and the starter arm which both press down in to this space. If there is an answer out there I don't think it will be easy as I expect all pedals will need to move not just the accelerator. For those that haven't seen a right hand drive 1926 Buick pedal box this what it looks like In the engine bay the rod from the pedal goes straight through the floorboards and connects to the shaft that takes the input to the other side of the car. As you can image this is one of the more congested parts of these right hand drive cars Wow, that is tight in there. Just thinking out loud...How about making some mechanism above the floorboard? Is that possible? Take off the accelerator pedal and design something to mount to it, and extend over to the right, and have a mount with a pedal over there, all above the floor. It might be strange looking, but it might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldenguy Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 I owned an early car equipped with a center accelerator and to me was a PITA. I had to hold my foot at a 45 degree angle in order to be "partially" comfortable. My plan to correct it was to install a rod with a pad on it to push the gas pedal down. With the rod installed above the steering column and a new rubber foot and heel pad at the right of the brake pedal. We would then be back to the normal right foot to brake pattern and easily accessible from the new location. I fabricated the device but a fellow collector liked the car better than I did before it was installed. There was no doubt in my mind that it would have functioned properly. -- Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27donb Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 On 4/17/2016 at 9:55 PM, 26-25Buick said: Maybe something like this would work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest generator14 Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 (edited) Thank you 26-25Buik for your kind interest and advice. .I do apologise for not replying sooner but I have been away for some days and was not able to get WiFi or Internet access. Thank you also again 27donb for your input . Regarding the idea of a rod running behind the steering column and presumably mounted in a couple of Plummer blocks with the ends bent up at 90° or so and one leg pressing on the accelerator and the other leg. connected to a pedal --which is what I selden guy suggested --thank you for that !--I'm sure this would work well (incidentally I had 1927 Austin ,7. once which had. a similar arrangement ). However there is not sufficient space to mount the pedal to the right of the brake pedal and so I was thinking initially of mounting the accelerator pedal somewhat to the front of the brake pedal. I'm still thinking about that! Meantime I have a stout. circle of cardboard affixed to the steering column and inscribed in red felt tipped pen " Brake Pedal .Right ,"together with an arrow pointing right. Again thank you all for your very kind inputs. Best Regards. from the UK. Mike. Edited April 21, 2016 by generator14 mistake (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybuick Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 hi all just drive it more and you wont stuff it up because it will be come the norm for you I find its the gear box I get wrong sometimes I start in first then try to put it into reserve but the more you drive the better you get with it buick are made for driving and they do go well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 2 hours ago, tonybuick said: hi all just drive it more and you wont stuff it up because it will be come the norm for you I find its the gear box I get wrong sometimes I start in first then try to put it into reserve but the more you drive the better you get with it buick are made for driving and they do go well Yeah I would have thought the gearbox would have thrown more people than the pedals It's good theft protection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I had some of the same issues with the gearbox when I still had my 1914 B-37, but the pedals were in the "right" location - now driving a '15 Hudson, the gearbox is conventional, but we are back to having the accelerator pedal between the Brake and Clutch pedals. When I get to "step on the gas", it sometimes takes a moment to find it, but is more alarming when I have to go for the brakes, and realize that it is the Accelerator pedal ! Like your car, there is no room to add a "far right" accelerator pedal, but in this case it is due to the starter mechanism and transmission shifter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldenguy Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Marty, my reply to the gas pedal was in reference to my '14 654 Hudson which was a bear for me to drive. I might also add people were generally a little smaller around the waist back in the teens then I am now--Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 14 hours ago, Seldenguy said: Marty, my reply to the gas pedal was in reference to my '14 654 Hudson which was a bear for me to drive. I might also add people were generally a little smaller around the waist back in the teens then I am now--Bob Bob, Is that 6-54 at Howard's place now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldenguy Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Yes it is Marty, Howard has been a Hudson man going back several years. I was pleased to know he would become the caretaker of another fine auto after knowing him for thirty-plus years. Delivery costs were cheap as he only lives 40 miles away, he could have driven it that far easily. --Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohhiken Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Bob, according to your April post, you referred to the 654 Hudson as 'a bear' to drive. As I've read, the 14-15' had the longest wheelbase of the 654's. Apparently, all the extra room was in the rear seat area? I've been on the lookout for a 14' 654 since the late 90's and seem to always be a day-late or a dollar short (back in the late 90's when I missed one). So, I guess what I'm asking is that a guy that used to be 6' and is now at about 280 lbs. would not be very comfortable drive a 14'? As I don't bend very well anymore maybe I should cross this off of my to do list? I'd appreciate any comment..............Thanks, Ken Hamilton in Oregon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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