My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[Sonoran Sam]

I kind of remember some pickups where the 3rd and 4th passenger seats were in the extended cab area. They were fold down seats attached to the side of the cab (I think) and those (3rd & 4th passengers faced the side of pickup), not the front.
Mark... Is there enough room to turn the passenger seat 90 degrees?? The passenger would face the side of the car and the foot rest would be the other side of the car?? Egress in and out of the car might be more difficult?? Just thinking about different seat options I've seen (rode in) over the years.

 

[Mark BEX]

-Passenger conversations are much easier.

Not always a good thing

Thank you for pointing those out.

Is there enough room to turn the passenger seat 90 degrees??

I believe that will not be required, wait a few days please.

 

[Mark BEX]

I mostly like your idea, but I'm wondering how 3-4 degrees off straight orientation would impact seatbelt safety, and if the rear seat would be better off with buckling the belt on the left side or the right side. I'm leaning towards having a seat oriented slightly right and how the chest belt is angled, having someone buckle on the right would provide better protection. However, given the angle and the possibility of the passenger's shoulder sliding underneath the chest belt and potentially the restraint occurring on the neck, I'm wondering if a chest belt that on the left side would anchor lower would be better and hopefully cross under an adults armpit or be better suited for a child in that seat.

I will look at your points raised when it's setup, thank you.

 

[Duger]

Great Idea BUT too tight of a space for a heavy weight person. One would never be able to sit for a longer time in that small space if you have a 40 inch waist or more. Like my better half. Why not widen the body and do a side by side seating. Then you can shorten the wheelbase too with out the back seat.

 

[Velhartice]

Great Idea BUT too tight of a space for a heavy weight person. One would never be able to sit for a longer time in that small space if you have a 40 inch waist or more. Like my better half. Why not widen the body and do a side by side seating. Then you can shorten the wheelbase too with out the back seat.

That increases the wind resistance and reduces fuel economy in addition to removing some of the novelty of a tandem two seat vehicle. Probably something else too.

 

[Mark BEX]

Great Idea BUT too tight of a space for a heavy weight person. One would never be able to sit for a longer time in that small space if you have a 40 inch waist or more. Like my better half

I admit to being a bit perplexed this post coming from someone with the tag "Elio fan", how do you think a person with "a 40" waist or more" was going to be in the back of an Elio ...

My tandem was in fact very slightly bigger than an Elio, and now there is more room and comfort available for the rear seat passenger with this stagger arrangement. If you read my post #2122, I said:

"Ever since I started on this project, the rear seat has been bugging me, in regards to a person having to sit back there in a confined space, staring at the back of the driver's seat and head".

This change is primarily based on, and initiated to improving the rear seat area.

Because I'm designing and building it, and up close and personal everyday, I clearly see the reality that you may not be seeing in the videos, all I can do is suggest you wait a bit until I have the seats all seat up, and I can practically demonstrate the setup.

Why not widen the body and do a side by side seating. Then you can shorten the wheelbase too with out the back seat

Why not but a Toyota Corolla then?

After driving the first prototype, the feeling of a narrow vehicle of this type was like driving a big motorcycle, very personal, fun feeling. Then there's getting around shopping center car parks, and the parking itself,, and getting around the city, the narrow guts and great visibility for car placement makes a big difference.

 

[ClubJoe]

Pictures or it didn't happen ...

When I was a kid, Dad had a few Citroen Light 15s ..

View attachment 26353

Also French, the 1950s Renault Fregate had 4 on the tree.

View attachment 26354

Mark,

I really dislike a column shifter. My daily driver is a 1941 Ford Coupe with 3 on the tree and I am in the process of putting the shifter on the floor to make it more comfortable to shift.

ClubJoe Sunny Brandon, Florida

 

[Joshua Caldwell]

Mark,

I really dislike a column shifter. My daily driver is a 1941 Ford Coupe with 3 on the tree and I am in the process of putting the shifter on the floor to make it more comfortable to shift.

ClubJoe Sunny Brandon, Florida

A couple decades ago I was good with manual, and did that in my first two years of trucking as well, but now my left knee just can't handle that. I'd say either go with the default automatic that has been in cars for decades (while being MPG horrible) or if it's available from the parts he can get, the "Automated Manual Transmission" is much better. I had that in my 2015 Ford Fiesta and it was great, it was also in the last Freightliner that I drove and was great there too. It would probably be easier and cheaper for him to go with automatic which is used by 97% of drivers today, then having both automatic and manual options for us to choose from. If he goes with manual only, I won't be buying due to my knee.

 

[Sonoran Sam]

In an effort to educate myself about passenger seating, I sat in the back seat of my econo-box car. It is a small 4 door sedan. The back seat (behind the driver) was surprisingly comfortable. The view straight ahead was the driver's head rest, but I could easily turn my head slightly and look out the windshield (if I wanted to).
The seat bun (where I sat) was about 20 inches wide, there was room to "overflow" for a larger individual, if necessary. There was 30 inches of room from the back seat to the front seat (plenty of knee room). I left the front seat where I normally do to drive the car. I'm 6' 1" and average build and I was comfortable in that space. I do know I fit OK in an airplane seat which is 17.2" wide (on average), but I'm not 100% comfortable. I'm guessing that 3 inches makes a difference??

As an experiment, I took my girlfriend for a ride yesterday (about an hour). I made up an errand that I told her I needed to get done. After a few minutes, she pulled out her phone and started playing with it. She wasn't interested in the scenery or other stuff going on. This is pretty standard for her. When we go on trips, she usually watches a movie on her phone (with her ear buds in), which is fine with me. Do I think she is the average person... maybe. I don't know that today's passenger is all that interested in watching the roads/scenery when they have their smartphone to play with. Or... perhaps my girlfriend is just bored with me and prefers playing with her phone vs. hearing me re-tell some stupid story from my past (LOL).

Just out of curiosity, if you did turn the passenger seat 90 degrees (having it face the side of the car) how many inches would it be from the seat to the side wall of the car?? And would that save you a few more inches in length (of the overall vehicle)??

 

[Mark BEX]

.. automatic that has been in cars for decades (while being MPG horrible)

Modern autos aren't much different in MPGs, and are the same cruising on the highway because the torque converter is locked up, so you actually have direct coupling from engine to transmission.

Typically a modern auto for the last 20 years, not to be confused with DCT (dual clutch transmission), is actually 5 speeds: 1st, 2nd and 3rd (D), overdrive 4th, and lockup (solid drive) overdrive (5th).

Nothing like the old 3 speed inefficient "slushmatics".

I had that (manual selection) in my 2015 Ford Fiesta and it was great,

All anyone needs actually.

If he goes with manual only, I won't be buying due to my knee.

It's now over 2100 posts (wow!), anyone can be excused for not following every post/part of the build, but I assure you that it is mentioned that the reason I have gone to Honda Fit engine is because I couldn't successfully source an automatic otherwise for the previous engine choice.