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Posted by: the head Oct 13 2009, 12:23 PM

Hey all I am looking for any information on fitting a taller driver into a 914 anyone over 6' please chime in we are trying to work on necessary fabrication for a race car at the moment.

Thanks

Posted by: flipb Oct 13 2009, 12:32 PM

Not sure what specific info you're looking for. I'm about 6'2" and I fit pretty well in my 914. In fact, I even moved the seat forward one click to make sure I would always get the clutch pedal all the way to the floor.

I have original stock seats, dash, and steering wheel. I can't "hop in" as quickly as with other cars due to the large wheel, but it's easy enough to squeeze my legs under the wheel.

On easy/highway drives, I'll lean my head back and it hits the targa bar. I can drive with the roof on with no problem. But if you're fitting a roll cage, it will probably take a good deal of measuring around your driver.

Posted by: carr914 Oct 13 2009, 12:43 PM

I'm a shade over 6'. On my last track car, I was using a MOMO Nascar seat. The mounts were bolted directly to the floor - worked great.

T.C.

Posted by: the head Oct 13 2009, 12:46 PM

Our tallest driver is 6'5"
which is where our issue lies the rest of us all are in the 6' or shorter area

Posted by: flipb Oct 13 2009, 12:48 PM

Would a phone book pass tech inspection?

Posted by: the head Oct 13 2009, 12:52 PM

we actually have had a memory foam booster made up for our short driver (she is 5'3") I just need assistance with getting everything to line up with getting this guy in below the cage and hopefully the targa car will be used for long races where weather may be an issue adjusting to fit smaller drivers is really easy

Posted by: URY914 Oct 13 2009, 01:01 PM

Is your seat bolted to the floor or does it have the slide adjuster still in it?

Posted by: Drums66 Oct 13 2009, 01:14 PM

Wilt(the stilt)chamberlain the famous Laker can fit in 1
of these......you should be able to?I think he is at least
7'5......I'm sure someone has a Picture to post??

Posted by: Rand Oct 13 2009, 01:35 PM

Doesn't look like he fit too well.

Posted by: Gary Oct 13 2009, 01:35 PM

If you're doing fab work, you could lower the pan aft of the reinforcement: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&showtopic=80724&view=findpost&p=1016497.

Posted by: Drums66 Oct 13 2009, 01:47 PM

Hey he looks comfortable at closer to 8 ft.
besides taking away from the roll-bar
purpose! LOL

Posted by: ericread Oct 13 2009, 01:48 PM

Actually, "tall" is kind of a misnomer in dealing with this issue. I am 6' 4" and have a pretty normal leg to torso ratio. As such, I have no problems in driving my stock daily driver. A friend of mine, whom is 5' 6" tall, has short legs and a very long torso. As such, although he has no problem with leg room, he actually sits taller than me in the seat, and has difficulty in fitting with teh targa top on.

So you may need to get some mmeasurements to determine the issue you are anticipating.

Eric Read

Posted by: carr914 Oct 13 2009, 02:39 PM

This is a floor extension Bob Snodgrass @ Brumos did for his car.

T.C.

Posted by: brant Oct 13 2009, 03:06 PM

that is so not a good idea!

I've taken the race car off track over FIA style concrete berms
(the red and white stripped ones common to approved race tracks)

I've ripped out the submarine strap eyelet that was going through the floor board
also ripped and damaged plenty of the floor pan and floor brace

I wouldn't recommend a lowered floor pan like that for actual wheel to wheel competition...... maybe a street car

Posted by: pcar916 Oct 13 2009, 04:07 PM

I'm 6' and use Momo Acropolis seats bolted to narrowed stock seat rails. Even with a helmet there's room to spare.

I drive with the seat most of the way forward for proper ergonomics with the pedal-work, and space the steering wheel close to me to make up for the rest. Cage geometry can force some contortions, so if and when you're ready to install one, spend plenty of time on what it'll do to your position in all directions and the control pattern.

Good Luck!

Posted by: aircooledtechguy Oct 13 2009, 05:42 PM

I'm almost 6'3" and I fit just fine. I gave my father a ride in mine a while back and he's 6'5". He had no problem with room. In fact he commented about how much room it had inside. Getting out, OTOH was a chore for him, but he's 75 so I cut him some slack

Posted by: jaminM3 Oct 13 2009, 06:03 PM

I'm 6' 3" and have 2-3" of head room with the top off. My car is completely stock. I think it would be tight with a helmet on....

Posted by: GeorgeRud Oct 13 2009, 09:08 PM

I'm 6' tall, but with a 29 inch inseam, so I have a terrible time with headroom (that's why I only buy open top cars, except my Scion xB office car).

The 914 has an exceptional amount of room, but you can't lean the seat back like you can on most other cars. Realistically, you have to seat the driver's in place and measure carefully. With a rollcage, you will have a hard time with taller drivers (IMHO).

Posted by: hot_shoe914 Oct 14 2009, 01:46 AM

What the hell do you know, you can't even keep up with your steering wheel. Last time I saw it, it was hanging on the wall in a Cracker Barrel resturant!

Posted by: Todd Enlund Oct 14 2009, 02:29 AM

Posted by: JazonJJordan Oct 14 2009, 07:13 AM

Posted by: pcar916 Oct 14 2009, 08:30 AM

HEY! Just don't get started on me... I'm easily intimidated!

Posted by: the head Oct 14 2009, 10:01 AM

This is all very good information guys thanks for all the help so far (judging by the condition of these two derelect 914s I have you may be hearing a lot from me) another question for this is has anyone relocated the shift lever on these cars? I dont know if this is a possibility or not it is just a matter of how much side to side movement the shift rod accepts, or if I will have to make a new one, also any recommendations on short throw shift kits for it?

Posted by: Scott Schroeder Oct 14 2009, 10:32 AM

I am in the same boat – only 6’2”, but with a 30” inseam. I have the Renegade seat with the modified bottom cushion, which is simply a 1” thick piece of upholstered foam. It made the car very comfortable (even with the roof on) and I use the stock steering wheel. However, my helmet still hits. The below pic is magnified by the weird angle and the fact that I have a very heavy coat on – but you get the idea - long torso syndrome stinks.

Even on my daily drivers, I cant buy a loaded model, as that always seems to include a sunroof.



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Posted by: carr914 Oct 14 2009, 10:33 AM

RennShift

Posted by: the head Oct 14 2009, 10:45 AM

anyone recommend a more cost effective unit? factory swap from another car new bushings etc help?

Posted by: URY914 Oct 14 2009, 12:06 PM

Why not form a hump in the fiberglass top like Ford did in the top of the Ford GT`for Dan Gurney.




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Posted by: the head Oct 14 2009, 12:57 PM

that works for the top but if the car rolls and his head is above the cage I dont think it will fare well

Posted by: URY914 Oct 14 2009, 01:00 PM

So you don't want to lower the floor and you won't raise the roof.

Get a shorter driver.

Posted by: Porcharu Oct 14 2009, 02:02 PM

I am only 6' tall but I have a long torso and my head brushes the top, I normally drive (back when I actually drove the car ) with the seat cushion removed entirely. I plan on lowering the floor pan about an inch with provisions for hitting stuff. It was pointed out by someone on this board that you really need angles to deflect impacts - especially from the rear, think about a spin and a curb.
Steve

Posted by: the head Oct 14 2009, 02:05 PM

Actually we are going to lower the floor I had commented that it was the type of thing I was looking for

Posted by: r_towle Oct 14 2009, 05:33 PM

loose the front frame piece on the floor in front of the seat.
Replace that with some thicker steel, yet lower to 1/2 inch.

Cut around the side, the rear, and the tunnel.
Bend the back of the floor down about 1.5 inches.
Make up triangles to fill in the sides, and a flat piece for the rear.
Then mount the seat directly to the floor, and mount it at an angle...more of an angle than the stock seat, so you are lying down a bit more.

Get a smaller steering wheel.

For the shifter, If you replace all the bushings with custom bronze ones, especially the firewall (jwest sells a firewall bushing, so does patrick motorsports) you will eliminate some of the slop.

You can cut the tunnel and raise the shifter up a bit, then cut the shifter down so its shorter.

Rich