Getting in and out of a Superlite

[Joel K]

Just wondering about how hard it is to get in and out of a Superlite.

I am 57 years old and a big guy at 6’2 and 250. I’ve had Vipers and Corvettes and can still manuerver in and out of those without too much trouble.

Firguring a three year build am I just too old to enjoy something like a Superlite. Being a huge IMSA fan I just love the styling and looking for a kit car project to start. Also, I don’t plan on tracking the car. Just having fun on the street.

Any input is appreciated even if you advise against going in this direction.

Thanks,

JK

 

[Mark Setter]

I am building the GT-R, which has a much larger interior, but getting in and out is not an issue, mainly because of the exposed roll bar at the "A" pillar. Any mid engine car is harder to get in and out because the foot well has the front tire beside it rather than in front of it. Getting your legs from the foot well to the door sill requires getting around a very narrow passage. This is true for the GT-R, the Ferrari and the Porsche. The roll bar in the GT-R really helps in allowing you to lift, getting your bottom off the seat while you are getting your legs around. Wish my Ferrari had an exposed roll bar.

There is no mid engine car that is as easy to get in and out of as a Corvette due to the front wheel position relative to the foot well.

 

[Randy V]

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[Joel K]

Welcome to GT40s.com ...
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Thanks for making this adjustment and we hope you enjoy the forums.

Taken care of. Thanks.

 

[John]

The SLC is a bit hard to get in and out of. WORTH IT!!

 

[Ian Anderson]

Hey. Shorty!
I am 6'3" and would love to be a slim 250!

I have not tried a Superlight but........
I have a GT40 replica and fit in that fairly well.

You have to figure out how to get in and out in a way that suits you and use that method.

Ian

 

[Alex]

I step through the window opening and slide in (I find it easier than opening and closing the door *shrug*)

 

[Will Campbell]

You can fit in the SLC if you take care in building it to fit you, though you should plan to be really reclined, and have a removable steering wheel.

The GTR is much easier for big-and-tall folks.

 

[Frank Clark]

Joel,

I'm 55, 5'11", 270. I've had a Viper (2010 model). The SLC is completely different getting in/out.

In the Viper, getting my legs in/out was the challenge. Not what I would call difficult, just needed to bend things a bit more than they wanted to bend. I daily drove that car (12k/miles/year).

In the SLC, I stand in the seat and slide down. No undesired bending required. I've not covered the roll bars, so use those as grab rails. Getting out is a bit more difficult as you have to get from being laid out to standing before stepping out.

As far as fitting, I expect if you get the dropped floor and don't need to wear a helmet, it won't be much of a challenge. If you do need a helmet, it will take some careful planning to get everything set so you are happy with your fit. Fitting is also related to where your height is. If you are long in the legs, I believe there is an extended foot-well option.

Ditto Will's comments on removable steering wheel and being really reclined.

Had a short skinny navigator in the car. He could not see the mirrors or the road in front of the car (because the seats are so far reclined). But my 6' tall, 250lb son has no issues.

 

[Joel K]

Thanks everyone for your feedback, it’s very much appreciated.

 

[Angel]

Having owned Vipers and Corvettes, it is certainly a LOT more work getting in and out. I am only 5'7" and about 170lbs...pretty athletic and flexible...it takes a little work but worth every little bit of it. I have had some of my friends try to get in and they struggled.

 

[Frank Clark]

Angel,

What is your interior like? Do you have stock seats and exposed roll bars?

Just wondering why feel so different.

If I did not want to step on the seat or if I did not have the rool bar to use as a grab rail, i’d likely feel the same as you.

 

[Scott]

My SL-C is nowhere near done, but I've had several rides and it's a lot more work that a Corvette, especially if you have a finished interior. It's lower, the seat is really reclined and it's much closer to the center of the car. That's amazing when you're driving, but it makes entry/exit more difficult.


Pnut took me to a cars and coffee event and he was very specific about not scratching the new leather -- can't blame him. When we pulled up everyone stopped looking at the twin-turbo lambo and starting watching/filming us... at which point I said "sh*t" how am I going to look cool getting out of the car? I actually almost fell out which would have made it to someone's youtube channel. Pnut is much taller and he can do it gracefully. As someone pointed out, you have to figure out a method that will work for you. If you're worried about it, see if you can find someone with a car.


I have the removeable side-impact bars and even with them removed it makes it's harder to get out of the car because there is a vertical post inside the foot box that catches your foot when you try to rotate your legs out (usually the first move when getting out). So don't go with this option if you're tall and you're worried about easy exit.


It was mentioned above that there aren't any easy entry/exit mid-engine cars and I don't think that's true. I'm 5'9" and I rented a Hurrican for week when I was in Germany and I was shocked how easy it was to get in and out. I would say that it's much easier to get in and out of it then a SL-C.


I also got to drive an i8 last week which is much easier to get in and out of than the SL-C. I was a lot more graceful than this guy.
Fat guy trying to get out of a BMW i8 car - YouTube


All of that said, for most people the SL-C is WORTH IT. If you're really worried about it there is a LOT more room in a GT-R.

 

[Frank Clark]

Getting out, I put my feet on the aluminum extrusion in front of the seat, grab the roll-bar and stand up. Then put one foot in the seat and then step out.

Getting in is reversed.

I'll bet some of you have the seat farther forward than I and it's not practical to put your feet on the AL extrusion.

On the PAX side, there is a fire extinguisher between the seat and the AL extrusion. That makes the PAX side just a bit more difficult.

A full/nice interior would make it more difficult.

In any case, it's not like getting into our Landrover or Freightliner. It is comparable, but different, than our Lotus Evora.

 

[Frank Clark]

I step through the window opening and slide in (I find it easier than opening and closing the door *shrug*)

LOL. When it comes time to load it in the trailer, I have my son drive it in. He can get in/out the window fine. I think I'd be sore if I even thought about it...

 

[Randy V]

LOL. When it comes time to load it in the trailer, I have my son drive it in. He can get in/out the window fine. I think I'd be sore if I even thought about it...

A 3500# winch at Harbor Freight is dirt cheap....
Just sayin...:thumbsup:

 

[Angel]

Angel,

What is your interior like? Do you have stock seats and exposed roll bars?

Just wondering why feel so different.

If I did not want to step on the seat or if I did not have the rool bar to use as a grab rail, i’d likely feel the same as you.

That is a good point. I have the carbon fibrer full interior tub with dropped floor pans and the Tillet B5 Carbon fiber M seats with 6point Oreca's.
The steering wheel is detachable and it can be released to make entry and exit easier, but I don't go through that.

 

[Bill]

Here is another method to try.

I use the "Sit & Spin" method because I think its is the easier and more graceful. Graceful is important since there is almost always an audience when you exit or enter the SLC.

To enter:
1. Sit om the fiberglass door threshold as far back as possible.
2. Pivot on your butt and bend your legs to clear the front of the threshold.
3. With your right hand on the center console and the other hand on the fiberglass door threshold, extend your legs into the foot well.
4. Using your arms, shift your butt over and down into the seat.

To exit:
1. Put one hand on the center console and the other on the fiberglass door threshold
2. In one smooth motion, use your your arms to lift yourself out of the seat, use your feet to push on the cross brace on the floor, and shift your butt onto the fiberglass door threshold.
3. Pivot on your butt and bend your legs to clear the front of the threshold.
4. Stand proud!

 

[John]

Bill, good info. They should put that in the manual.

 

[Joel K]

Here is another method to try.

I use the "Sit & Spin" method because I think its is the easier and more graceful. Graceful is important since there is almost always an audience when you exit or enter the SLC.

To enter:
1. Sit om the fiberglass door threshold as far back as possible.
2. Pivot on your butt and bend your legs to clear the front of the threshold.
3. With your right hand on the center console and the other hand on the fiberglass door threshold, extend your legs into the foot well.
4. Using your arms, shift your butt over and down into the seat.

To exit:
1. Put one hand on the center console and the other on the fiberglass door threshold
2. In one smooth motion, use your your arms to lift yourself out of the seat, use your feet to push on the cross brace on the floor, and shift your butt onto the fiberglass door threshold.
3. Pivot on your butt and bend your legs to clear the front of the threshold.
4. Stand proud!

Thanks for the info, sounds a little similar when I had a C4 Corvette with high door sills, To get out I’d get my left leg out first then get my but out of the seat and on the door sill then stand up and drag my right leg out.