RE: Help Me Get Into Drivers Schools

[Ed Walters <EdW@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Raymond Vacha" <ray_vacha@domain.elided> wrote 

've got an interesting problem that I haven't seen discussed here before so
I thought I'd ask as drivers schools are just around the corner.  I'm an
average guy by most standards - 6' 1", 185lbs - but my height is obtained
with one of the world' longest torsos (or so it seems) and short legs.  When
I was shopping for an E36 M3, I had OK headroom but I had to pull the seat
fairly far forward, causing my thighs to rub the bottom of the steering
wheel.  Very bad.  Ultimately I purchased an E39 six speed which solved both
problems, thanks to slightly more headroom (comfort seats) and a tilt wheel.
The problem, if you haven't figured it out already is that there is no way
I'm gonna fit in this sucker with a helmet on - there's simply not enough
headroom.  I'm not crazy about replacing the seat with an aftermarket job
since the E39 serves as my daily driver and I'm not convinced I'll find
anything that sits substantially lower.  Besides, the E39 becomes my SO's
ride when I take delivery on the M5 and she won't "take delivery" on her car
with an aftermarket seat in it!  So I'm thinking about buying a beater
solely for drivers schools, maybe an E30 M3?  Obviously headroom is Job One,
but a car with tilt wheel may also be needed.  What car should I be looking
at?  On a related note, what is the minimum headroom I should strive for
with a *helmet on*?  I intuitively know that zero headroom is unsafe, but
beyond that I'm clueless.
_______________

The only solution to the headroom problem is to get three vertebrae removed.
Just kidding.

I am 6' 4", 2XX lbs, with a 33" inseam.  I think I hold the torso record.
Cars with sunroofs give me a problem even without a helmet.  My E28 drove me
crazy at the track.  I had to tilt the seat back so far that I couldn't
reach the wheel.  Sliding the seat forward put my knees into the steering
column and stalks.  I doubt any sunroof-free BMW would give me enough
headroom.

The solution is an aftermarket seat.  Most aftermarket upholstered seats
mounted on sliders will lower you a little bit.  This is probably not enough
for you.  A racing bucket on the right brackets will lower you even more.  I
made my own brackets that bolted to the stock seat bolt locations.  This
meant no drilling.  I was able to mount a fiberglass bucket seat about 5
inches lower than stock.  Now my helmet clears the headliner by about a 1/2
inch.  The downside is that my short-torsoed friends under 6 feet (or should
that be differently-torsoed friends) cannot see over the dash.  I guess a
phone book and a series of holes in the brackets would fix that.

As far as helmet to roof clearance is concerned, most racing organizations
mandate at least 2 inches between the top of the roll cage hoop and the top
of your helmet.

Good luck

- ------------------------------------------------------
Ed Walters
1988 BMW 535is 1997-1998 NNJR SCCA ESP SOLO II 1st Place
		   1998 Pizzafest Sport BMW 1st Place
		   1997 NJBMWCCA Points Series 2nd Place
		   BL/SSed, ERKed, coilovered, camber/castered
		   EW/MAFed
		   Chip? We don't need no stinking chip
1974 BMW 2002  The Safari Sled

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