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Posted by: MikeInMunich Apr 30 2015, 06:22 PM

Greetings once again from Munich!

It took way longer than I wanted it to, but she is finally here. Now I need to get it past TüV, so it's not on the road yet.

I'm hoping at least one of y'all will be generous with a moment of your time to help me with a couple of questions.

First off, the car has customized racing seats. I think they were originally Sparco or something similar, but I've forgotten and it doesn't matter anyway. This is common, I'm sure; the top part of the seat hits the firewall while the bottom is still about six inches(!) from it.

So my left thigh touches the steering wheel when I step on the clutch. I'm about 5'11".

I haven't driven the car yet, but I'm thinking I'm going to need a smaller steering wheel or perhaps even change the seat, which I don't want to do.

I noticed in a photo recently Scheel-like seats which also had a considerable "tilt" to them such that the there was a very similar-sized gap between the bottom of the seat and the firewall.

It seems to me that such seats aren't appropriate in a 914 unless the driver has relatively short legs.

Any feedback on this?


Secondly, the doors close fine, but with the roof on and the windows all the way up...no go...most especially on the passenger's side. The window doesn't clear the (new) rubber seal from the roof. My question is, how does one adjust the window so it goes all the way up but not too far?

Thanks a lot for your help! I will post photos soon.

With best regards and wishes for an awesome 914-season,

Mike in Munich

Posted by: r_towle Apr 30 2015, 06:32 PM

Get stock seats and a smaller diameter steering wheel.

The windows are very adjustable, post pics of the top edge of both windows.

Posted by: MikeInMunich Apr 30 2015, 07:12 PM

Ok. Thanks. Will do (post pics).

Posted by: damesandhotrods Apr 30 2015, 07:23 PM

I’d decide on the seats before the steering wheel. With the stock seats in place you might find that your leg clears the steering wheel. A smaller steering wheel will look cool, but it could block your view of the gauges and it will make parallel parking more of a work out…

Posted by: r_towle Apr 30 2015, 07:26 PM

For the windows, remove the inner door panel

Look at the vertical chrome bar at the front of the window.
The bottom of that bar moves in and out via and adjustment screw under the bottom of the door.
You can also loosen that bolt and move the bottom of that bar forward and back to tune the window.

I would suggest you remove the from triangle window, then adjust the main window, then put the triangle back in place.

Posted by: brant Apr 30 2015, 07:41 PM

I've run sparco. Corbeau and scheel. All eat a lot of leg room. Thes stock seats are good for a six footer up to six three or six four.

Posted by: zambezi Apr 30 2015, 10:44 PM

I believe someone makes an offset adapter for aftermarket steering wheels that also moves the steering wheel up a bit.

Posted by: bdstone914 May 1 2015, 06:45 AM

I think that is Tangerine Racing who makes,the offset adapter.

Posted by: no1uno May 1 2015, 06:56 AM

Jwest Engineering also has an offset adapter

Posted by: thieuster May 1 2015, 07:33 AM

I'm exactly 6ft tall and I was amazed by the space I found when I first got behind the wheel (standard steering wheel, standard seats). What the other say: go back to the original ones.

Menno

Posted by: era vulgaris May 1 2015, 07:58 AM

I'm 6'1" and have no problem fitting in with the stock seats and stock steering wheel.

Posted by: rhodyguy May 1 2015, 08:23 AM

Your Haynes for the window adj procedure.

Posted by: GeorgeRud May 1 2015, 08:27 AM

Scheel used to make a seat especially designed for the 914, but they're very hard to find. I'd agree that returning to the stock seat would make the most sense.

The offset adapter that JWest sells only works with Momo steering wheels ( or others with the same attachment bolt pattern)

Posted by: GeorgeRud May 1 2015, 08:43 AM

Scheel type 114

Posted by: Racer Chris May 1 2015, 11:44 AM

jWest, not me.

Posted by: Gustl May 1 2015, 11:45 AM

I'm 6'4" @ 280 lbs and I've no problem ... well, with stock seats

I tried a smaller steering wheel (360 mm) but I wasn't happy with it, because it blocked my view to the gauges

then I installed a 30 mm hub, and what can I say ... simply perfect

Posted by: MikeInMunich May 2 2015, 05:18 PM

Did you use the 30mm hub with the smaller wheel? How did it affect your leg room, or was it only your view of the gauges??

M.

Posted by: Gustl May 2 2015, 11:07 PM

when I had the Sporto, I used the 30 mm hub and the 360 mm steering wheel, because you mustn't touch the shift stick with the leg in a Sporto (it would actuate the clutch)

in my current car (5 speed) I only use the 30 mm hub
it also gives me more leg space, and in addition I can see the gauges

Posted by: MikeInMunich May 3 2015, 02:13 AM

please forgive my naïveté, but what exactly are you meaning here with "sporto" Wolfgang? Is that a car? A type or brand of seat? ...and actuating the clutch when your leg touches the shifter...?? I'm missing your meaning on this altogether and am curious.

At any rate, can you estimate how much space is gained by using this hub? 1cm? 2cm? 3cm??

I don't know what the diameter of my wheel is and thus how much space I can gain by changing to e.g. 360mm. The car is not at my house yet, rather where it will be inspected. There is a photo of it here. I am on my iPad and cannot post it right now, but one can find it by searching here or (easier?) Googling...

...914 world mike in munich a few photos of my car...

Can someone reckon what the diameter of this wood, Momo wheel likely is?

Thanks again! You guys are The Best! Owning a 914 wouldn't be HALF as much fun without 914 World!

M.i.M.

Posted by: Spoke May 3 2015, 05:22 AM

I had a Momo steering wheel which was a bit smaller than the stock wheel. Felt better to have a smaller wheel but I didn't have leg room issues before. Like others have mentioned the stock seats give the most room possible. I'm 5'11" and fit nicely behind the wheel. You need to get some stock seats.

About the sporto if this is the same as the VW Beetle, it is an automatic/manual transmission. It's automatic as there is no clutch pedal but it doesn't shift by itself. It has a vacuum (or electric??) operated clutch and you shift manually.

When you move the shifter, the clutch disengages so you can shift. You can start in any gear but it moves like a turtle if you take off in the higher gears. If you bump the shifter with your leg, the clutch disengages and you lose drive.

Posted by: Gustl May 3 2015, 07:33 AM

Sporto is short for Sportomatic
that's an optional transmission type that sold very very rarely with the 914-6
only 16 cars are documented by the factory
it's a manual 4-speed transmission with torque converter and a manually actuated clutch - without clutch pedal
when you touch the shift stick, it opens the clutch and you could change the gear manually

if you're more interested in the Sportomatic, check out this page (German): http://sportomatic.net/sportomatic/sportomatic.php




I use the hub from "Mittelmotor" - it's 30 mm