Will I fit?

[kwilley]

Hello all! I am doing research before starting a Locost project to autocross. I am 6'4" and about 215lb, so I'm a pretty big guy. I fit fine in my MR2 Spyder, but really cannot fit in any small sports car with a drive shaft tunnel (Solstice, S2000 definately not; Miatas, older Z cars, RX-7's are tight). The other concern is foot room. I have size 15 feet, so I can't fit into many foot wells.

 

Here are my questions (that I could not find by searching):

1. Will I fit at all?

2. Measurements. What is the maximum distance from an average racing seat to the pedals? And area in the footwell - will 12" long by 5" wide racing shoes fit? Enough to heel-toe?

 

Better yet, is anyone going to be around the Dragon soon? I would love to be able to just sit in a 7 to see if I actually do fit. Since I live in Knoxville, I can be at the base of the Dragon in 20 minutes.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Kyle Willey

[slomove]

Sounds like yes and no.....

 

I know other people of your size who drive a Seven, even of the standard Caterham or Birkin width variety (shoe size 15 may be a problem, though).

 

On the other hand, if you find a Solstice or S2000 too tight I guess the Seven with be the next level of torture.

 

If you consider building one yourself you have obviously some options.

 

 

Gert

[slngsht]

welcome... wish you had joined a couple months sooner... we had 61 cars at the Dragon in July.

 

I think Bill and Marcy are in Knoxville. They have a classic Caterham. Size 15 will be a problem with any of the existing variety of sevens, but if you are planning on building your own Locost, then you design around your size, so it's not really a problem.

[locost7018]

You would definatly not fit in my book Locost. Look at Julian D's build. It is like a Locost on steriods and he is a big boy. It uses a 280Z for a donor. It is no big deal for him to go on a 300 mile blat in it. Russ

http://autos.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Locost_North_America/photos/browse/9eca

[MHKflyer52]

Hello all! I am doing research before starting a Locost project to autocross. I am 6'4" and about 215lb, so I'm a pretty big guy. I fit fine in my MR2 Spyder, but really cannot fit in any small sports car with a drive shaft tunnel (Solstice, S2000 definately not; Miatas, older Z cars, RX-7's are tight). The other concern is foot room. I have size 15 feet, so I can't fit into many foot wells.

 

Kyle Willey

 

Hi Kyle,

 

Best to locate someone in your area and sit in a 7 to see if you fit.

Also if you build your own frame you can adjust the dimensions to fit you as someone else has stated.

I built my frame using what would be the same size as a book frame with some up grades for strength and safety and if and when I due the next one I will only change the trans tunnel so that the area that the drive shaft resides will only be a half inch wider than the shaft which will make the seating area wider.

I am 6'2.75" tall weigh 224lbs and have size 12W for feet and my drivers seat is on sliders and I am one inch from the back bulkhead when straped in and driving the car.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[Ian7]

Of course trying an actual car on for size is best, but the size 15 is definitely going to be an issue.

I've seen some photos of Caterham's in England that use a redesign of the floor under the seat to create a seat mount 'pocket' below the normal floor pan horizontal plane to give tall guys more headroom. You could do a similar thing down in the footwell to lower your heels below the frame tube plane. Given that the engine sump is usually the lowest point of the car, surely theres a couple of vertical inches available for your feet.

 

[Mandurath]

I saw where someone tall dropped the floorpan a bit for more room under his roll bar. See no reason why the same couldn't be done to a footwell. Another used a stainless salad bowl as a sort of bulge in the footwell side near the gas pedal for more room. Lots of tricks to make extra room where you need it. Ill be able to wear my work boots in mine when done, but its a +4.

[kwilley]

welcome... wish you had joined a couple months sooner... we had 61 cars at the Dragon in July.

 

I saw that in one of the major car mags, Road and Track or one of those. It mentioned a bunch of you guys by name, like you, Mazda and a few others. Nice write-up. Wish I could have been there... The writer said you actually had to remove the seat for him to get in your car, right?

 

I have been lurking through some of the forums for a little bit trying to gather info, as well as reading project diaries like Keith Tanner's. I think I would have to try to lower the foot and seat wells, if not the entire floorpan. (as if your backside wasn't close enough to the pavement as it is) I agree that my feet are going to be the biggest issue. That's always my problem. I've had to learn to heel-toe using the left-right sides of my shoe since I can't twist my foot around like you have to. I can't even fit in a kayak because my feet won't fit.

 

Anyways, thanks for the helpful comments! If there is anyone near me, let me know so I can do a quick test fit and make vroom-vroom noises in such a cool car.

 

Thanks!

 

Kyle

[Mandurath]

There is one in Loudon, not to far from you. Not sure how far you want to travel, but check the frapper map here and at locostusa.com, and some others can probably tell you of some others.

[homebrew]

I built the McSorely +442 version, I'm 6'6" and 240lbs, and have no trouble with legroom or width.

 

The biggest problem I found is that the footwell gets narrower as it goes towards the front of the car. This makes it very difficult to operate the clutch and then where to rest your left foot after using the clutch. I knew the narrow footwell would be a problem so I modified the frame for more footwell space. I widened the footwell and also pushed it into the engine compartment a few inches. This modification created a problem later on with the hood that I didn't have the foresight to see when I was building the frame. If you are thinking of building your own car definately make the trans tunnel only wide enough for the trans and driveline. The other thing you can do is attach the sheetmetal panel nearest the throttle pedal on the inside of the tunnel, that way you pick up an extra inch to the outside of your right foot. Good luck.

Jim

[slngsht]

 

I saw that in one of the major car mags, Road and Track or one of those. It mentioned a bunch of you guys by name, like you, Mazda and a few others. Nice write-up. Wish I could have been there... The writer said you actually had to remove the seat for him to get in your car, right?

 

I have been lurking through some of the forums for a little bit trying to gather info, as well as reading project diaries like Keith Tanner's. I think I would have to try to lower the foot and seat wells, if not the entire floorpan. (as if your backside wasn't close enough to the pavement as it is) I agree that my feet are going to be the biggest issue. That's always my problem. I've had to learn to heel-toe using the left-right sides of my shoe since I can't twist my foot around like you have to. I can't even fit in a kayak because my feet won't fit.

 

Anyways, thanks for the helpful comments! If there is anyone near me, let me know so I can do a quick test fit and make vroom-vroom noises in such a cool car.

 

Thanks!

 

Kyle

 

What he said is true. My car has alot of wasted space behind the pedals and the dash. She will be undergoing reconstructive surgery to correct these problems this winter. I will be moving the dash back several inches, as well as the pedals. After that, a 6' 3" person *should* be able to drive my car using a seat. As it is, it's tight for me, and I'm only 5' 11" on a good day.

[pierats]

Any standard size se7en will be a problem with your feet. The rest of you will fit fine, especially if you fit lowered floors. However, one of the "super-sized" se7ens would probably fit you better. I think something like a Caterham SV would fit just fine (I'm 6'4" and had to move the seat up!) and it has quite a lot of room (for a se7en) in the pedal box.

 

The best advice is to sit in/drive as many as you can. There are *big* differences in how each car feels/fits.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

[S1Steve]

Hi, I am 6-4,and 235, and fit in my S1 Ok. The problem you are going to have is your shoe size. The fun you will have is, you can ask people to sit in their cars ,for a test fit. I feel alittle more in control wearing my hot ,high top Nomex driving shoes. But it keeps me from hitting the gas and the brake pedal at the same time.Look around , you will find something that will fit . If not , make it fit.

 

Good luck, S1steve

[Dave W]

Kyle

 

I do not have a lot of extra space with size seven shoes, so my suggestion would be to take some cardboard and mock up a foot well and see what you can actually live with. If building the frame like a 442 you could increase the area as others have suggested, and look at floor mounted pedals so you can end up with close to the right pedal leverage.

Good luck on your build, Dave W

[kwilley]

If building the frame like a 442 you could increase the area as others have suggested, and look at floor mounted pedals so you can end up with close to the right pedal leverage

 

I'm not really planning on building a frame. I can certainly modify panels and/or weld little bits and pieces, but I would not trust my welding on a highly stressed frame. I will look in to modifications for the footwell and seat areas, though.

[WestTexasS2K]

Like most people have stated feet size will be the limiting issue. I know that Brian Anderson the manufacturer for the WCM Ultralite has built some extra long foot wells to accomadate leg lenght but width tends to get narrower the deeper the well goes. There is not alot of room to add width because of engine width. The best thing would be build your own chassis but that doesnt sound like it is going to be possible. You might look at the Deman cars. They seem to have really wide foot wells compared to most 7s I have seen. I am not usually happy with my 8W feet but its great when you drive a 7.

[gjslutz]

Kwilley, I sat in a new Caterham SV in Denver, @ Rocky Mtn. and had to move the seat FWD to reach the pedals. I also had plenty of room for size 12 shoes. I think it would be a buy & drive for you. I'm 6'1" and don't fit my Birkin too well although I now have the pedal area sorted out.

[kwilley]

I really like the Caterhams, but I don't like the price tag. I think I would be paying more for the name than the performance. I know it's the "real" Seven since they bought the rights from Lotus, but twice the price is still twice the price... I have been looking at Deman's Wide body SR7 and thinking that might be the way to go. Reasonable price and made for a Miata drivetrain. I know there are more powerful engines out there, but Miata stuff will be around forever and it's cheap and easy (relatively) to upgrade or find parts.

 

Also, if there are any of you in the Seattle or Bellingham, WA area, I'm visiting my sister over Thanksgiving. I'd still like to do a test fit, and can sit in a west coast 7 as easily as an east coast one!

 

Thanks!

 

Kyle

[JohnCh]

Kyle, I live in Sammamish which is about 20-25 miles east of downtown Seattle. I don’t know my Thanksgiving weekend schedule yet, but you are welcome to do a trial fit in my Westfield if we can find a time that works for both of us. One caveat though: given your comment that you don’t fit in the Solstice or S2000 due to width, you may not fit in my car. I have Mog seats which are pretty narrow and unforgiving with respect to fit. Although there is some flex in the carbon fiber sides, I wouldn’t want to find out the hard way that they can crack. :shocked:

 

http://www.fluke-motorsport.co.uk/newImages/85_1.jpg

 

-John

 

[Al N.]

John-

 

What I've noticed with bigger guys who come for rides in my Tilletts (similar in shape to your MOGs, but not carbon:cry: ) is that once they feel the hard sides squeeze their hips, they they either ride with their hips tilted or just abandon ship. Not that this info will help Kyle.

 

-Al