A GT40 For The Taller Person

[Jay Gadsby]

Hi everyone,

UK based Rutland Area.

A guy has been in touch and sat in my car, Southern GT40, non lowered floor, no Gurney Bubble. He's in, the door shuts but it's clear it's never going to work.
He's very keen to make it work and is a "can do" sort of person. He's 6foot 4inches with a proportional body to leg ratio. Athletic build.

Is there anyone out there with a comparable physical build that has a GT40. If so, what is the car and were any modifications made, eg lowered floor etc?

He's interested in trying one out for size and if there's someone relatively local to the area would be a perfect solution.

Any advice or practical help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank, all the best.

 

[Ian Anderson]

I am 6’3” and far too many kg’s. I battled to get into any normal GT40s but had a DAX and fitted very comfortably. But DAX cars are rarer than rocking horse poop. About 30 produced from the factory and probably a dozen on the roads worldwide.

The DAX cars had a roof height about 41.5 inches, and they did this by raising the spider and asking 1.5 inches in height of door and the front and rear clips slope slightly more. Unless you are 100% up on GT 40s you would not realise the difference ..

 

[Ady]

I’m 6’2 with a MDA mk2 near Newark (Notts). My athletic build ran away some time ago but do have head and leg room to spare. No bubble, with a seat pan fixed directly to a lowered floor. The seat base is pitched up an inch or two at the front for confort and gain extra leg room. Car is elsewhere at the moment but returning in a fortnight or so.

 

[Jay Gadsby]

I’m 6’2 with a MDA mk2 near Newark (Notts). My athletic build ran away some time ago but do have head and leg room to spare. No bubble, with a seat pan fixed directly to a lowered floor. The seat base is pitched up an inch or two at the front for confort and gain extra leg room. Car is elsewhere at the moment but returning in a fortnight or so.

That sounds interesting Ady. Can I come back to you potentially in the near future?

I think you were the fourth emergency service earlier in the year when you rescued a GT40 that had parted company with a spinner? Donington Historic. That was me.

 

[Ady]

Haha, that was me… thanks for the mention in Fortification. Give me a shout if you think I can help.

 

[Nick]

I am only 6ft but can't stand my legs not being able to fit straight under the steering wheel. I have a Southern GT with a 1 inch dropped floor pan and have moved the pedal box with probably another inch or so more to go if needed, pedal box is also drop down I suspect floor mounted would give you more room . Fitted a 14 inch OEM Moto-Lita steering wheel and fit OK.

 

[JP Verweij]

6.2 with a 4cm lowered floor. Seats are on 1cm high rails. No issue with dash (just) no issue with door.
Ill imagine 6.4 will have challenges.

 

[JimmyMac]

This question must be the oldest Groundhog thread starter on GT40s.com
Here is a zombie from twenty years ago.

Photo: 6'5" + GT40 = !!!

Photo: 6\'5" + GT40 = !!! This is what happens when an ex basbetballer tries to fit in a GT40!!!

www.gt40s.com

 

[Ian Anderson]

Headroom: 6’6” Without A Bubble!

A few observations about fitting in a CAV GT. Just a couple of shots to show head room in the post #100 CAV GT chassis. The first photo is of Lana and Jean. She is a very tall, nice young lady measuring in at 6’2” with Jean by her side measuring in at about 5’10”. In the second photo you can...

www.gt40s.com

CAV make very nice cars.

Ian

 

[Ian Anderson]

Maximum driver height ?? And one or two other Newbie Qs:

My first GT40 post - be gentle. I am very interested in the possibility of getting my hands on a GT40 - I currently do track time with my heavily modfied Dodge Stealth, but the easy of modification, adjustment and repair of this platform seems perfect. Besides the fact that the car is gorgeous...

www.gt40s.com

 

[Charles C]

A 6'2" tall woman is a useful reference for deducing headroom for other women (who are 6'2" tall), but little more. Men typically have longer torsos and shorter limbs than a woman of the same height. You can even see it in the picture where Jean a male at 5'10" has a visibly similar length from hip to shoulder as Lana at 6'2".

 

[Malcolm]

GTD used to make extended footwells as an option for the taller driver with a chassis modification. Gave 2 inches more leg room. Add in a Gurney Bubble, removable steering wheel and suitable suit on the floor I do not see why an AK40 (Southern GT) could not be made to work?

 

[Andres Garcia]

Active power has a stretched version; look for their post.

 

[Ben Hedrick]

This is the Active Powercars +4" inch car. I'm not tall, but the cockpit is built for taller people. You can see the door is "longer" but, it still looks GREAT..!!

Ben

 

[Andres Garcia]

This is the Active Powercars +4" inch car. I'm not tall, but the cockpit is built for taller people. You can see the door is "longer" but, it still looks GREAT..!!

Ben

View attachment 134127

Ben did you buy this car from them?

 

[Ben Hedrick]

Ben did you buy this car from them?

Yes I did. Directly from Chris Ardern. Now to be clear, Active Powercars was sold and has a new owner. So you'd better check with them as to if they are making this "+4" version.

https://activepowercars.com/

Ben

 

[Jay Gadsby]

Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to reply.
I'm thinking there are some realistic potentials for this query.

Taking note of your replies and being UK based it's looking like a GTD/SGT/AK with a lowered floor pan and probably a Gurney bubble could provide a solution.
Also an MDA with lowered floor pan and again possibly a Gurney bubble could do the same.
And also a CAV could be looked at.

I'm basing this on your comments and actual experiences.

I'll be meeting up with him this weekend and will show him the thread and suggestions.

One further question that I'm not completely sure about.
Being a compact short-arse myself (has some benefits) at 5 foot eight, the Gurney bubble, I've not had reason to look into them more closely.
I would guess there are multiple companies/home builders fabricating them?

If anyone reading is familiar with them; how much extra headroom do they provide?
Are they/can they be made with different clearances?

Thanks once again.

 

[Andy Sheldon]

Jay
I am sure we could easily supply a car to fit.
We have lowered floors, roof bubbles in 3 sizes, steering wheels in 3 sizes and special seats.
In 34 Years we have never had a customer that we could not make a GT40 to fit.
Thanks
Andy

 

[Richard Milner]

I’m 6’2” and 99 kilos. I fit OK in my GTD. Seats are aluminium tubs fixed to the floor leather covered - this really adds to the space. No Gurney bubble. No seat padding but being set up for road and race it makes no difference then Frank Catt moved the pedal box forward for me.
I‘m in East Yorkshire. I seem to remember Frank telling me he had lowered the floor for someone 6’4”.

 

[Jay Gadsby]

I’m 6’2” and 99 kilos. I fit OK in my GTD. Seats are aluminium tubs fixed to the floor leather covered - this really adds to the space. No Gurney bubble. No seat padding but being set up for road and race it makes no difference then Frank Catt moved the pedal box forward for me.
I‘m in East Yorkshire. I seem to remember Frank telling me he had lowered the floor for someone 6’4”.

Hi Richard,

Thanks very much for this information. It's looking quite promising, that a GTD/SGT/AK40 could be a way forward.