Accelerator Pedal Position?

BBShark

Garage Monkey
Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
4,846
Location
Right here
On a C3, where is the accelerator pedal height in relation to the brake pedal? Seems like on most modern cars, it is much lower than the brake pedal and I don't have any stock C3's around to compare. I am using a late 90's TPI throttle body that has a cam operated through a cable drive and that requires 2 inches of pull on the cable. That would put my accelerator pedal about 1/2 inch lower than the brake pedal.

I think a C3 w/ carb is 1 1/2 inch travel distance which would lower the pedal to more than 1 inch below the brake pedal.
 
Superbuickguy just posted some photos the other day. Post 1032 might work for you.
 
My gas pedal is almost exactly 1 inch lower than the brake pedal.


I did have to bend the upper arm a few years ago to get the throttle blades to open completely when the pedal was on the floor, which ended up raising the pedal a touch at zero throttle position.

I've since had the intake off, so I think I'll double check that the linkage is still opening the throttle 100%.
 
I'm interested in the travel of the cable. I need 2" and my only "adjustment" is like you said, bending the rod.
 
You can add a block/spacer under the pedal pivot point to get more throw. 1/2 or 3/4 will give you more stroke. I did something like that in the camaro.
 
I'm guessing the idea behind the gas pedal being closer to the floor (than the brake pedal) is to keep you from accidentally stomping both pedals in a panic stop? I think I can get 2" of cable travel if the pedal is about 1/2" below the brake pedal.

45f5d5ba4072cb.jpg
 
I'm guessing the idea behind the gas pedal being closer to the floor (than the brake pedal) is to keep you from accidentally stomping both pedals in a panic stop? I think I can get 2" of cable travel if the pedal is about 1/2" below the brake pedal.

45f5d5ba4072cb.jpg

A bit off topic, but when you get there, I'm interested in what you've got planned for the air supply routing to the throttle body.
 
I was able to get this (sort of) working. The last thing I had to do was prop the plates fully open in the throttlebody and put a stop on the cable. It was next to impossible to do this on my back with my head stuffed into the foot well. While in that position, I had to thread a stop/lock collar onto the cable, put tension on the cable with one hand, hold the lock collar with my second hand and tighten the set screw with my third hand.

I ended up with about 85% throttle when floored. The fix for this is going to be adding a spacer under the pedal as suggested above. This will give me the opportunity to correct a weird alignment issue with the location of the cable where it comes through the firewall and the location of the cable where it threads through the pedal rod. It looks like the rod is about 3/8" too long so the cable "bends" to align with the hole in the firewall. Not sure why because the pedal assembly is the same that was installed on the car when new. And so is the hole in the firewall. Oh well, when I put the spacer in, I will correct this alignment issue.
 
I'm guessing the idea behind the gas pedal being closer to the floor (than the brake pedal) is to keep you from accidentally stomping both pedals in a panic stop? I think I can get 2" of cable travel if the pedal is about 1/2" below the brake pedal.

45f5d5ba4072cb.jpg

A bit off topic, but when you get there, I'm interested in what you've got planned for the air supply routing to the throttle body.


I'm not really sure. I think I can get a rectangular filter in front of the throttlebody that takes air from between the top of the radiator and the underside of the hood. My guess is I can get a 120 sq/in flat filter in there. I'll need to nail this down soon because tuning is next on the list.
 
....................


I'm not really sure. I think I can get a rectangular filter in front of the throttlebody that takes air from between the top of the radiator and the underside of the hood. My guess is I can get a 120 sq/in flat filter in there. I'll need to nail this down soon because tuning is next on the list.

I'm anxious to see what you come up with. I've been striking out trying to come up with a decent front air source so far, and I'm not above stealing other people's ideas. :amused:
 
Top