Hello,

I was wondering if any other tall rx7 guys have had this issue? While sitting straight on the floor my helmet is at the main hoop. That doesn't include the seat rail or seat. I was wondering what yall have done to remedy this problem? I was thinking recline the seat, but then I would have to spacer the steering wheel and pedals closer or cut the floor out and re-box it.

 

Curious to hear the answers here. At 6'2" I've got your same concern.

Nick

 

Cut the roof off and make it a convertible. I'm 6,3 and there is no real solution with what you are working with.

Run a Kirkey seat so you can mount the seat directly on the floor pan. Other than that there are few options. Modding and lowering the floor more could screw you from a classing perspective.

That looks to be an Auto power roll bar in an FC. I have the same setup in my FC and a real main hoop that fits higher up in the car is the only real solution.

And remove the sunroof.

 

I wonder if I could use spacers to bring the Autopower main hoop higher, right against the roof. As long as the spacers were big enough to dissipate the force in the event of a rollover I don't see why it wouldn't be safe. It would look ghetto though...

 

Sounds like we're gonna need a custom cage built then. The main hoop would have to go right up to the roof skin and the design altered slightly to maybe reach further back, into where the bins are located, in order for us to fit properly.

Nick

 

The main hoop would sit on the bulkhead that runs across the car. The Autopower main hoop sits right in front of that bulkhead on the floorboard.

 

Interesting question: I am also 6'3" and race an rx7.

Mine is a first gen and I bought an autopower u-weld kit, so I know the issue well, being your cage is already bent and there.

We cut a hole in the drivers floor the exact dimensions of our seat bottom. Then welded in a pan about 3 inches deep.

When you then mount the seat directly in the pan, the lip of the seat sits just above flush with the floor. The driving position is kind of like a formula car, with your legs straight forward. Lets just sa your line of sight ensures you are always looking ahead while on track

I will post pictures if I can find them.

Here you can see where my head is in the car. and again, I am 6'3. **Woops, just remembered you have an FC. I am assumig it would be similar sight line.

 

Thank you so much everybody! I've started considering to do the ol switcharoo with my speed 3. Street the rx7 and race the speed 3 since I fit in the speed 3. Dropping the floor where the seat is on the rx7 though is what I've considered.. Will keep yall updated! Thanks again!

 

I reclined the seat, extended the steering and switched to a floor-mount pedal box.

I'm 6'2"

 

6'2"

i leaned the the seat back and cut the back rails off and made seat mounts that bolt to the floor, QR and deep dished wheel and it felt good. Saw Jeremy Lowe's car at FD one year and kinda copied lol, he's also a tall dude

there was a guy building a time attack car where they cut and dropped the floor like 2" so he fit with roll cage clearance. Carl Jarret, not sure if his build is on here somewhere.. I saw it on speed hunters years ago when he wrote for them

 

If you gut the rear seat mounts and mount a tube-framed, bottom-mount seat to a fixed bracket, you can come within spitting distance of sitting on the floor.

Why a tube-framed seat? Because the seat bottom is basically just a cushion held up by nylon straps. Your body weight will actually let you sit roughly in-line with the bottom of the seat. This is almost as low as an alumnium seat without the padding, but more comfortable, FIA approved, and doesn't require bracing.

Why a bottom-mount, fixed bracket? Because that lets you mount the seat as low as physically possible without welding in a lower floor pan.

Your roll cage main hoop needs to be much higher. That kit was probably meant for cars with a full interior.

 

If the cage is bolt-in stick spacers underneath the feet. I have raced for years that way. It is not weaker than no spacer. At the same time push the cage as far to the driver door as you can.

My car started as a Spec7 that had to keep all interior parts. Later I switched to PRO7/ITA and once the headliner and doors were gone, I could push the cage to the limits to get head room. You will be fine with an aluminum seat bolted to the floor, even if you don't tip it back a bit. I have a suspension Sparco in the car now and I fit quite comfortably. 6'3" is not out of the envelope for people that I have raced spec7's with.