Lurch

Well, crap.

After researching RX-7s and learning what to look for in a used first gen, all the common maintenance problems and issues, (cancer, carbon buildup, to use OMP or premix, dino or synthetic, which stock synthetic is REALLY synthetic, etc.) and all the stuff that goes w/ being a first-gen RX-7 owner, I finally came face to face with one of the little cars. And I discovered that they are little. Very, very little.

I had been looking for a first gen to turn into a project car, as I would like to begin building something really neat, but my current car is a daily driver and I don't have the ability to tear it down to do major work, yet still drive it every day. So after researching I decided that a first gen 7 would fit the bill nicely. Very light weight, RWD, very nice upgrade path (but then, every aftermarket looks nice compared to a Taurus SHO's). But every time I'd find one <$1500, it'd turn out to be sold before I found out about it.

But Sunday I found the one: 1981 RX-7, blue w/ blk. int., 5 speed, always garaged, go fast & handle. $1500 obo.

Wah-hoo! I called the guy, found out that he had it since 1984, his wife had been the primary driver, but that six years ago she got a new car and in those six years the 7 had been driven 5,000 miles, spending all the rest of the time in the garage. Had tons of maintenance records and everything, sounded very nice.

So I drive out yesterday to go see it, and it looks to be in fair condition. Kinda faded paint, dinged up rear fender w/ a poor touch-up job, kinda messy interior but essentially in good shape (but w/ seat covers... don't know what the upholstery looked like under there). Well, I had the blue book print out with me for a 1984 (as far back as it goes) RX-7 S in excellent condition for $1200, and I'm thinking that I can get this for $800 easy. I mean, the guy has a driveway full of Lexus, Mercedes, new pickup truck, he DOESN'T need the money at all. By his own admission he just wanted to get rid of his "old toys".

But then, I went to start it up. Reached in, slid the seat back, dropped in, and felt like I had just climbed into a clown car. I couldn't reach the pedals because my knees were stuck up into the dash and steering wheel, and my lower leg is too long to get my knees behind the steering wheel where they belong. My head was all up in the roof, and my shoulder was mashing the pillar at the back of the door. There was no way I could even shut the door, much less drive the thing.

Oh yeah, I'm 6'8". Only 210lbs. though, just lanky, not fat. Anywho, I suppose that ends the whole "I want an RX-7" thing, as I'm pretty sure I couldn't have fit in it even with the seat REMOVED. I'm sure I looked ridiculous trying to cram myself in there. So I suppose you guys have lost a potential convert to the boingers , which just happen to also come in adult sizes.

Also, thanks to everyone who compiles all this information, and to the members of this forum who provide it, in order for people like me who have no prior knowledge of rotaries to be able to learn quite a bit in a short amount of time. I was really looking forward to having a good time w/ a first gen 7, but I suppose I'll have to look elsewhere. Hmm.... I know I fit in 300ZXs, maybe I can find a first gen turbo model around here...

Illswyn

You are 6'8. There's a lot of cars you will have trouble fitting in. I'm only about 6', but my knees have to sit to the side of the wheel, lean the seat back about a click, and everything is good.

red13brx7

I'm 6'4'' and I had to throw out the stock steering wheel just to get in. I bought I think a 13' grant just so I could drive the thing.

peejay

I'm 6'5.

I fit OK. Even with a helmet. Would be nice if the steering wheel wasn't so far away, though. Would be nicer if i had a non-sunroof car, but those are super rare.

There's no way I can fit comfortably in an FC, however. Just no way.

edit: forgot to mention - I have a 35" inseam, and I drive with the seat about halfway in its travel. Dammit, I am *confortable* resting my knees against the door and the center console. Plus I need to have my right foot nearly on its side so I can use the throttle/brake without having to use my *heels*. Damned low pedals, you'd think the car was made for some 5'5 Japanese dude or something.

K-Tune

iTrader: (26)

i'm 6'1 and i fit like a glove without a helmet.

with a helmet..i either have to remove the roof or raise it to the highest position otherwise i bonk my head when i go around turns.

during the last SCCA driving school i was at, i let an instructor who was about 6'3 270lb drive my car. he didn't fit AT ALL. and he was used to mustangs and vettes. needless to say, it was an experience for him. but he said the motor surprises the hell out of him

you gotta keep in mind..japanese are small statured.

d0 Luck

there's still hope

- get smaller steering wheel
- custom lower seating.. (shouldn't be that hard)

those should work, don't get discouraged

K-Tune

iTrader: (26)

yes, the stock steering wheel is pretty huge (15")

i went with a 13.5" from grant..they make even smaller.

but even with my smaller wheel that other guy couldn't fit in the car properly. what made it worse that he wasn't used to manual steering. muahaha

RotaryRyan

im 6'1'' and i fit pretty good. i hope i dont just grow for some reason.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

hey, pete, let me know if you or someone you know is looking for a non sunroofed GS. i have one for sale..

Eville140

I think a lot depends on which seats the rx7 has.
I'm 5'11 and fit fine but with a helmet the sunroof has to be open and my head tilted a little bit. But this is with the pleather seats with the extra tilt adjustsment.
I have sat in a few with the clotch seats with just the recline and slide adjustments and they sit a whole lot lower. Just wish I could find a seat that wasn't totally wasted so I could swap mine out.

Later
Randy

Misthael

I'm 6'1", but 6'2" with shoes so I'm going to try to get an aftermarket steering wheel so I can toe-heel better. My motorsport shoes give me enough clearance to do so, but I'd like as much room as possible. Everything else is fine. Seats are great. I like small. More nimble and easier to park

1984special

Dang, 6'8 you are a biggggg guy. Good luck with your car quest! I bet a first gen would work, but it would sure take some time...

capri93

Cut out the storage boxes and move the seat back a few inches I think thats what im gonna do I'm not as tall as some of you guys but at 6'3"and 310 i have trouble fiting in without letting my arm hang out the window or i have to do the getto lean. my shoulders kinda don't fit.

peejay

SMALLER wheel?

How the hell are you supposed to have any leverage on it?

See, the problem with being tall, is that your bones are longer. That means your muscles have less leverage, and so taller guys generally are weaker. Especially in the arms.

The next problem is that to get sufficient headroom, the seat needs to be angled back. This puts the steering wheel further away from the shoulders. There is a reason why NASCAR and WRC drivers practically have the steering wheels in their chests - it gives them more leverage on the wheel. Trying to drive nearly straight-armed means you have a ton less leverage.

The third problem is your shoulders are father apart. For a bicycle, you get wider handlebars. For a car.... hmm...

Going to a teeny tiny 13" wheel is baaaaad if you're tall. I love my 15", and would love to get a 17" if I could get the wheel closer so there'd be room for it. Heck, love to get the wheel closer anyway.

One of the reasons I miss my first car. You sat on the floor, bolt upright, and the steering wheel was in my lap close to my chest. Nice 16" wheel too.

For what it is worth, to the original poster: Have you considered a Z-car? Not the 300ZX/350Z bastardizations, a True Z. I can sit bolt upright in my friend's 240Z. And we looked at the seat mounts, and it turns out the factory seats are installed on one inch SPACERS that could be easily removed for additional headroom.

Additionally, I've heard that a certain Z-car fan is something like 6'7 and 300lb and fits in those cars juuust fiiine....

K-Tune

iTrader: (26)

i know someone selling a 280Z in the NW florida selling one for extremely cheap. (if you decide to go that route)

smaller wheel also means quicker steering ratio

claytonsmith

just get an FC.. i have a friend whos 6'7" and has/loves an FC.. you should be able to fit

82transam

iTrader: (18)

I'm 6'-3" 190lbs, and fit ok with the car in stock form, but it was apparent from day one that it needed a different steering wheel. I went with a 350mm momo and love it, I also got a OMP (brand name, not the engine part) 60mm steering wheel spacer. Brings the wheel close as hell to me (at least it feels like that with my long arms) and I have a fair amount of leg room now, at least I can get my knees under the wheel, unlike before. Someday if budget allows I'd like to get a low bucket seat, but until then the stock headrest type seats work good enough, all the way back with the back slightly angled back.

YapaKanichi

I'm 5'6-8 or something and 215lbs. A pretty big guy but I fit comfortably the car

rosey

iTrader: (1)

I'm about 6'4" and the first rx7 I sat in was a 88 TII. When I first sat down, I thought there was no way I'd be able to drive this thing comferably. It had a pretty big momo steering wheel, so that didn't help. I bought a first gen soon after that, and with the seat all the way back, and reclined, its actally very comfy. After a little getting used to its not bad for long trips. I now have the FB, and a 89 TII. I think the FC has a bit more room, just because the steering wheel is smaller.

On the Z car side....those things do have tons of room. The 300zx I drove was kinda cramped, but the 240/280zs are great!

Lotus00

I fit fine in my 82 without tilt seats, but my SE has the tilt seats and my head hits the roof a little. I am 6'2" maybe 165 lbs (yeah, im scrawny as hell )

Lurch

I will still consider 2nd gens, but to clarify:

This car was a first gen w/ only the forward/back and recline adjustments. To put it in perspective, things are tight in my Taurus (left knee on the door, right knee out sort of over the shifter, but overall pretty decent. No knees on dash!). Anyway, the reason I held out hope for the 1st gen 7s is that I had always had good luck w/ cars that had an almost "lay-down" seating position, where your legs go straight out in front of you. More like sitting in the floor than sitting in a chair. And a tilt/telescope wheel helps a TON, I can fit in a Ford Focus better than a Taurus, because it has a telescoping wheel. Like some others pointed out, bringing the wheel forward gives you better control AND more room for your knees behind it.

Come to think of it... is there a simple way to bring the steering wheel forward about 6 inches? Hot damn, I think I could manage that! I mean, I don't want to spend my money on this car and find out that I can't make it work, but if I could get the wheel away from the dash, I think I'd be dandy!

Someone mentioned a 60mm spacer... how do these work, and are there larger ones? I might end up w/ a first gen 7 yet!

Oh yeah, I have a 38" inseam, so most of my height is in my legs, and therefore arms too. By far the biggest problem w/ comfort and drivability is getting my legs to fit behind the wheel, my upper body isn't as much of a concern.

Of course, bringing the wheel closer might give me a problem w/ elbow room, but I think that is my best shot right now...

So, I suppose what I need is some quick non-permanent mod that I can do to see if I will fit, before I buy this car. The guy selling it seemed real nice, kinda grandfatherly like, I'm sure he'd let me take the steering wheel off and smack a spacer or something in there...

Can you guys provide me w/ some more info on the subject? Thanks!

Oh, and I do fit fine in both the Z and ZX cars, I've driven them before. Very roomy! About the only other car I'm considering is a MkIII Supra Turbo, but that would require more money than I've got right now. Shoot, a first gen 7 is almost more money than I've got right now, but I'm dying for a project car and the idea of such a light handler sounds great compared to my quite-heavy SHO. Ok, enough now. Thanks for the ideas guys!

Oops, one more thing: Can more than one spacer be used simultaneously? That'd be awesome.

Lotus00

I would be interested in an adapter to bring the steering wheel closer to me too, I hit my knees when I shift and turn at the same time...

mcgarret

I am 6'6" and 245 lbs. Fit easy. I have and 85 SE and find the glass sunroof adds prolly 2" headroom. You can also look for an aftermarket seat that may sit lower.

Get an RX-7 and join us cool guys and gals!!!

bigb3433

hey im 6'3" almost 6'4 i fit pretty good but yeah i could use a smaller wheel. i cant get my knees under the wheel directly infront of the pedals to left foot brake, also some slim racing seats might help too for anyone over 6'5. i guess im used to small cars with all kinds of under 6ft friends in big honking trucks/suvs they think i somtimes look ridiculous stepping out of my old beetle dodge omni or the rx7 but id never give it up.

1984special

I'm not sure how spacers work... but it's nice to hear you're still considering the FB. I have a 13inch wheel and what I lose in leverage I gain in quickness. I am liking it very much. I am only 5'9 and 145lbs though. It's interesting to hear other people (and body sizes) results.

BTW if you need a steering wheel puller, I got one for sale. You might need one to get the steering wheel off.