Too tall???

[TallPaul]

Hi guys, this is my first time here, it seems a pretty busy site, I hope you can help me!!
After too many years of hard work, I find myself in a position to spoil myself

I now wanna get my hands on one of my dream cars. I really want a GT40 (replica) but I`m worried that at 6`4 I may be too tall to fit into one! Anyone know how well and which one will fit me?
If I cant fit into a GT40, it looks like I`m gonna end up buying a Jenson Interceptor!!
2 totally different cars I know but my childhood was spent lusting after the one near my middle school

So, waddya reckon guys, GT40 or Interceptor???

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

Hi
Dan Gurney is 6'4" and he fit. With a "Gurney bubble" I'm sure you could too. I'm 6'1" and I fit into my MK-IV,which has a Gurney bubble, with room to spare.

 

Contact Robert Logan @ roaring Forties. www.roaringforties.com.au. He'll make you fit. Their cars are one of the roomiest 40's out there. I'm kind of short, 5'10" or so and with the wife at a towering 5'1" I had to put seat tracks in and move the pedals forward so we will be able to reach them. Now it's just a matter of getting your new car into the UK.
John

 

[Guest]

I am not aware of any UK 40 that will cope easily with your size straight out of the box. However knowing the GTD as I do now, I beleive that one could be adapted to take really tall guys like yourself. You would need confidence though to tackle this kind of change as it does invole a hack saw! It mainly depends if you are all leg or is your height in your upper body. Gurney bubbles don't always help long legs but would seem to be a pretty essential part of your solution anyway, especially if you ever needed to wear a helmet sometime in the future.

My thoughts revolve about taking out the diagonal cross bars in front of the foot well. Proper thought would need to go into strengthening this area to stop chassis twist but I think a cleverly placed sheet of honeycombe would do the trick.

The standard long footwell option on the GTD is unlikely to be sufficient in itself. This only gives an extra 2 inches of leg room. The standard pedal box needs to go too as this is quite bulky in leg space. Cf with a tilton set up and you get more space with the Tilton.

Unless you get a car at the start of its buil it will be a difficult retro job to make yourself fit. I am sure RF would be willing to help as not only is Robert a helpful kinda guy, he wants to break into the UK market.

Resist the ooption of a Dax 40 as a solution. Not many out there but it is 4 inches too high and you may end up disappointed at not getting a replica that at least looked the part by correct dimensions.

I know of a fabricator who could convert an existing car for you at a reasonable rate. A recent project for him was to convert an AC Frua 428 into a race car with inboard suspension etc. It worked so well it got banned as it was too fast for the spirit of its race series! However cost may be important and you may not like the thought of re-engineering a car.

Hope this helps. If you want to talk or see a car and you are not too far away from me, make contact via private email and I can explain more.

Malcolm

 

[TallPaul]

Wow!!! I`m impressed with the quick responses, cheers chaps, very helpful!
So it seems the old adage is true- anything is possible!
I guess I should have told you that I`m probably gonna try to get either a part built one or possibly a finished car. I doubt I could build one for less than the £20,000 I`ve seen good ones advertised for, but being in the motor trade I`m pretty confident if it can be done, I can do it!!
Out of interest, what sort of car can I buy for around £13,000? If I could build one myself for this sort of money or buy a nail, I will probably then build my own

P.S. I agree about the Dax option, if I`m gonna do it, it`s gotta look as close to the real thing as possible!

[ November 06, 2002: Message edited by: TallPaul ]

 

[ChrisL]

Hi TallPaul,

I'm 6'3" and own a Roaring Forties GT40. I have no problem fitting, and can even straighten my legs enough to be able to heel-and-toe. Since I bought mine, RF have released a lower floor model, but you could always fit a lower seat on "my" model if you wanted to get a helmet on.

 

[Ron Earp]

I think the RF car will fit you easiest, at least easiest "out of the box". It already has more room than any other GT40 I've looked at, especially in the footwell area - length and width. And the same types of modifications could be done as mentioned in the previous post. The rack could be pushed farther still making a long distance from the firewall to the front of the car.

The only distance that isn't easily changed on the 40s is the height! If your torso is disporoptionate then you're going to have trouble in any of them.

R

[ November 06, 2002: Message edited by: Ron Earp ]

 

Tall Paul,

Please e-mail me, I may have some info that will help. Thanks, Max.

 

[Ian K]

Also, Bud Jones might have some useful
insight with GTD machines. Rick Merz had his
GTD set up with a lowered cockpit floor
to allow him to fit.

Ian

 

[Andy Sheldon]

Paul

I am sure that we can help you at Tornado.
We have a roof bubble available, we offer a lowered seat and we also have a special seat available for customers with long legs.
Our tallest customer to date is 6'6" and this presented no problem.
Vist our web site at www.tornadosportscars.com. we will even handle all shipping arrangements and deliver the car to your door.

Andy

 

[Paul Bearman]

Hi Paul,

I had to raise a smile when you said that you probably couldn't build a '40 from scratch for less than £20,000.
I'm up to £25,000, still not complete and without paint. I think £25,000 to £30,000 is a realistic estimate for a quality built car with reasonable bhp and good brakes.
Underestimation seems to be a common problem!!

Good luck.

 

Paul

The GTD in its standard format will not except taller people. I did two shows in Sweden and the guys there can get into 6.6 and beyond! I had a guy just 7 foot, try as hard as he di, we couldnt shut the door as it would take his head off! GTD did a longer footwell version for some, but it still wasnt enough for guys over 6.2 plus.

Like some of the other chassis available, I have openned out the cahssis footwell area to accomodate taller people. It helps bring the pedals more in line with your feet also. There is more room width and length in our chassis. Though like Ron mentioned, it depends on your body proportion. If you are taller in the torso, that is the only criteria that isnt easy to change. The height from your hip to your shoulders and then your head is what needs to be measured in order to clarify whether you can get in any 40. Lower seats, floorpans only help a certain amount. our site is www.gt40uk.com if you can give us the details, we can confirm quickly whether you can or cant. Or we can build you a spider, then you dont need a roof! depends how sunny it gets near you.

All the very best

Mark Sibley

 

[Guest]

To Tall Paul,
With carefull shopping around there is absolutely no problem in building a good 40 for less than 20 thousand.My road registered racing 40 cost me 18,200 all in.There are a considerable number of parts out there for sale and so much can easily be fabricated if you are reasonably knowledgable.
GTA.

 

[Mike Inglis]

Slightly different solution.........

I know an orthopaedic surgeon.........

 

[40 Bud]

Rick Merz has a special set upon his GTD chassis. An aluminum sub frame was built under the seat area and the tub was modified to match. This gained about 3/4". Next 1/2" aluminum bar stock was added to all the body mounting areas to raise the body that 1/2". The car also has the modified front frame members to move the pedal bob forward 1 1/2". If you still need more room you can add a Gurney bubble and mount the seats direct without adjusters. Ricks car should accommodate most 6' 4" drivers.

 

Paul I own a CAV40 , an i'm 5' 9". With the peddals set back all the way and my seat raised 1", I still have plenty of head room to spare. Also the new monoque chassis,offers alot of room thruout the cockpit, 6'4" no problem