Author Topic: Head room  (Read 5200 times)

rushmore

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Head room
« on: August 27, 2016, 19:27:16 »
Hey all, I am in the market for a Pagoda, but have not been able to find any locally.  I am fairly tall, and don't want to by something out of state and then not fit in it.  Has anyone ever measured or know how much headroom is in a 66 SL?
Thanks

Rolf-Dieter ✝︎

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Re: Head room
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2016, 20:06:21 »
I am 6 foot and there is plenty of room left when I sit in my 280. For the 280 SL the dimension is listed as 36 inch for the Coupe and 36.6 inches for the Roadster. Night of course veries with seat position. Best to actually try one out at a car show. See attached "F" Dimension.
DD 2011 SL 63 AMG and my 69 Pagoda 280 SL

georgem

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Re: Head room
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2016, 22:00:52 »
I am "fairly tall " too - 6ft 2ins -well I used to be, probably started to shrink a bit with old age HOWEVER, that aside, I fit comfortably into our Pagoda, with the hardtop, soft top and of course without either.  With both tops, I have never been conscious of my head being anywhere near the lining. STOP PRESS - out of curiosity I just went out and sat in our car -it has the soft top up and there was at least 3ins clearance between the top of my head and the bar that sits roughly above the back of the seat squab. Plenty of room in my opinion.

cheers
George McDonald
Brisbane
230 Sl
1973 VW Kombi Single Cab Ute
2022 Volvo XC 40 Pure (100% electric)

jameshoward

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Re: Head room
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2016, 02:46:37 »
6'4" and wife of 6'. No problems with the hardtop up. Seeing what the lights are doing when parked at a red light with the roof down is more of a challenge. The top of the windscreen is in just the wrong place.
James Howard
1966 LHD 230SL

waltklatt

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Re: Head room
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2016, 15:09:33 »
Guess being the tallest of the group, 6'-8" rather makes it more uncomfortable.
Head is already touching the hardtop, but soft top is the frame, not the fabric.
Tried to modify the seat cushion to make more room, but not too well.
Seat back was changed to a thinner type, that helped a bit.
But no seat cover.  Now seat is back to original and just drive for short times in the uncomfortable position.

But you can try to find a 190SL seat and retrofit that in as the cushion on the bottom and back are thinner.
Only hangup is the seat adjustment is not far back enough, due to the B post and the parcel tray being in the way.

Had my first Pagoda senior in High School and was 6'-6" fit was good.  Best to have a white steering wheel, as the black one left rub marks on my pants all the time.
Switching to white, eliminated this problem.

See movie "Intersection" with Richard Gere, and in scenes show him sitting in the Pagoda, and he is 5'-11"

Hope this helps.

scoot

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Re: Head room
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2016, 20:37:33 »
Hey all, I am in the market for a Pagoda, but have not been able to find any locally.  I am fairly tall, and don't want to by something out of state and then not fit in it.  Has anyone ever measured or know how much headroom is in a 66 SL?
Thanks
More generally I think it would be a costly mistake to purchase a Pagoda with any sort of assumption that it is going to be a comfortable car for you if you have never sat in one, much less driven one.  If you have money to burn and want it as a trophy, go for it.  If you want to enjoy it, go sit in a few cars and drive one or two and then do your shopping...

I'm 6'4" and find the car to be okay for headroom, but I have a friend who is 6' tall but is taller in the torso so he doesn't fit as well in cars.  Consider foot room as well. 
Scott Allen
'67 250 SL (early)
Altadena, California

scoot

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Re: Head room
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2016, 20:49:46 »
I think I have found two Pagodas for sale in N. Carolina:

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/mercedes-benz/280sl/1865398.html

http://usedcars.autocheck.com/cars/used-for-sale-Mercedes=Benz.280/trim-SL/location-Raleigh--NC

You might also want to search the Members list for owners who live in NC and might let you look at or drive their cars...

Scott
Scott Allen
'67 250 SL (early)
Altadena, California

Peder

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Re: Head room
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2016, 18:23:59 »
I'm not sure what the 6  8 means in metric way, but I am 202 cm tall, and I quite comfortable inside. The main problem is to get in and out of the car. You'll have to try one.

scoot

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Re: Head room
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2016, 18:26:37 »
I'm not sure what the 6  8 means in metric way, but I am 202 cm tall, and I quite comfortable inside. The main problem is to get in and out of the car. You'll have to try one.
6 foot plus 8 inches = 80 inches x 2.54 cm = 203.2 cm.   That's way too tall for most modern cars.
Scott Allen
'67 250 SL (early)
Altadena, California

Peder

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Re: Head room
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2016, 18:34:20 »
Yes, agree. But the Pagoda is not that modern. The windshield is pretty steep, so the height inside is good. And the length of your upper body compared to your legs is important in this discussion.
Per-Erik

scoot

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Re: Head room
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2016, 18:35:38 »
Yes, agree. But the Pagoda is not that modern. The windshield is pretty steep, so the height inside is good. And the length of your upper body compared to your legs is important in this discussion.
Per-Erik
Headroom in a Fintail is WONDERFUL.
For "normal" modern cars, as long as it doesn't have a sunroof I'm fairly comfortable.  Things like a W123 coupe are a disaster though.
Scott Allen
'67 250 SL (early)
Altadena, California