Lord Bro

After wanting an rx7 for years I'm finally in the position to get one. Unfortunately when I test drove one the other day I found my knees intersect with the steering wheel.
I'm 6'2", 180lbs, so it shouldn't be impossible to make myself fit. I've read all the threads that go over tall people mods: detachable wheel hubs, hub extenders, and bucket seats, so I'm prepared to do what it takes.

In the end I'm just not willing to buy a car because I "might" fit. If there is anyone in my neck of the woods with an fd who has a bucket seat or some hardware that moves the wheel back, if you're willing to let me just sit in your car I would love to hear from you.

Enable me to join in the fun!

Lord Bro

Don't be shy if you're not too close. I fairly regularly travel up to the Twin Cities area to see family, and have friends in Indiana I like to visit.
I'm totally willing to drive a few hours just to sit in the driver's seat, stationary, with the engine off, just to make sure I can fit.

I mean can you even imagine how awesome it will be to drink some free (for you) beer and tell me how great it is to own one of these cars I don't have? That's right, some good Chicago (or Munster, IN) brews for you if you can help me out here.

ZE Power MX6

iTrader: (157)

Best is probably look out for some Chicago Rotary meet and see if you see some FD there, there's one on 6/28 at Schiller Woods North.

blmcquig

iTrader: (15)

I'm 6'4" tall.
About 180 lbs.
I fit fine. I've driven my FD to chicago and back at least a dozen times (4 hours each way) without any complaints at all.
It's tough to get a real idea of how comfortable you will be in the car if you are only sitting in one for a minute or two at a time.

blmcquig

iTrader: (15)

oh, forgot to mention, car is completely stock.
stock touring seats, sunroof, etc.
I can only imagine how much MORE comfy it will be if i ever get around to doing lower seats.

Lord Bro

I should define what I mean by "fit" into the car.
Technically I fit in an mx-5 too, as long as I'm fine with my knees up beside the wheel, don't mind looking over the windscreen at traffic lights, and accept that I will die if I roll.
I can get in and out of a stock fd with no issue, and if I were just cruising most of the time I would be ok with my knees chilling out up to either side of the wheel.

But If I can't heel-toe, and if my head touches the liner while wearing a helmet, then I count that as not fitting. I'll be able to tell immediately if there's enough clearance for me when I get into a car, but you're right that it would take much longer to tell if I was truly comfortable.

Halfbridge

iTrader: (5)

If you are willing to drive to Springfield, Missouri, then come on down! I am 6'3", 280 pounds, and squeeze my fat *** into mine. There is a little bit of a process to it, but I make it happen. I'm fairly evenly proportioned in leg length and torso height. I still have stock seats and steering wheel. You're not going to be completely comfortable, but then I think you know that already.

Moreover, I also own an S2000 and squeeze my fat *** into that also.

If you want in, you'll get in. I have only ever been defeated by one car (MG Midget).

Lord Bro

Thanks for the offer. I've driven an FD with stock seat/wheel like you have, so as you say I know I can squeeze in. Same goes for s2000s/mx-5s as well, I can squeeze, but my knees aren't happy about where the wheel is, so I wouldn't be able to drive aggessively. It's not as if I couldn't comfortably drive an FD back from anywhere in the country without an issue, but then I couldn't racecar with it afterwards.

tl;dr
I may "fit" in a stock FD but not by my standards.
I need to sit in an FD with a bucket and/or detachable/extended hub/smaller wheel to prove I have adequate clearance before buying one.

fastfalcon94

iTrader: (3)

I'm 5'11 and 220 pounds and I don't fit comfortably in my sunroof car. I think I can change that though. However my friend is 6'3 and 280 pounds... When my seat was out he sat right on the floor with his back against the storage bins and still didn't fit well. He couldn't straighten out his legs at all. Now he is looking at 300zx's.

Lord Bro

Oh yes, no way I can fit in one with a sunroof.

This is really interesting though, and I think it illustrates how different people's bodies can be.
I have a friend who is the same height and weight as me (6'2", ~180lbs), but he has an unnaturally short torso and some giraffe legs. I on the other hand have a slightly more even proportions.
The result of this is that in some cars I will slide the seat forward a click or 2, where he has to sit with it all the way back.

When I test drove an FD last week I found that no matter where the seat was positioned I had issues with fitting around the steering wheel, but the most comfortable seat position for my leg length wasn't quite all the way back. Maybe I have larger thigh/leg length ratio than normal, causing my knees to be higher than average in the stock seats, who knows. In the end the only real way to tell if I will fit* is going to be a test fit in an FD with the tall people mods I listed.

*my definition, see above posts

valley

iTrader: (1)

I'm trying to figure out how you have to squeeze into these cars if you're only 6'2"/180#? I DD an s2k at 6'1"/180# and have no issues getting in or out. Granted, it's certainly not like a truck where I can just slide sideways and end up standing on the ground but this is a sports car with everything that implies, particularly low roof lines. As others have suggested, go to a meet and see if you can sit in someones modded car and/or evaluate whether your body (and desired position) is one that fits a sports car.

Lord Bro

You're right, getting in and out of the car isn't any trouble, and I felt I had adequate headroom. My only problem was knee to wheel clearance under aggressive driving conditions. Perhaps it's imagined, maybe it's just personal preference, but it's something that bothers me regardless.

Yes the plan is to go to the first meet I can to check any cars with the items in post #1, as you and many others have suggested. This post though is an attempt to see if I can accomplish this before the next meet.

Halfbridge

iTrader: (5)

There is another guy local here who has an FD with stock seats, but a much smaller steering wheel. I have sat in his car and the difference is HUGE. If you like, I can take a picture of my knee while sitting in mine, and take a picture of my knee while sitting in his just to give you an idea. My car will not be here for another few weeks (it is having fabrication work done), but I will gladly do this for you once it is here. Just let me know.

Lord Bro

Thanks Halfbridge, that would be really helpful.

Halfbridge

iTrader: (5)

Okay, I will do that for you once my car is back in my posession.

Halfbridge

iTrader: (5)

It looks like I am scheduled to get my car back on Friday. I will keep you posted.

Greenhunter

iTrader: (1)

I am 6'2" 225, and the first thing I did was put in a 350mm steering wheel. It is much better. I did a 2 hour drive today and I was comfortable.