6ft 4"

[Heskyboy]

Any other tall people out there? How do you manage with pedal position? is a flat bottomed steering wheel the answer? What about the roll bar? Any suggestions welcomed.

 

Cheers

 

Heskyboy

[Mark Piper]

Andy Murphy's at least that tall - bit wide too - he seems to manage OK, though and I'm sure he'll be along to give you some advice.....

[murph7355]

Same height. Depends on whether your height is legs, body or head but you should be able to fit.

 

Thin bench seats will probably be needed. A small steering wheel (<=260mm) will be needed but it needn't be flat bottomed. Removable helps ingress/egress.

 

Pedals on the farthest of the 3 positions works kind of BUT leaves your heal balancing on the chassis rail down there which is far from perfect. If you adjust them properly you can get away with leaving them on the middle stop.

 

Unhelmeted head is well below the bar, but helmeted head is probably not 5cm below it. However, I reckon that for the very tall this shoud be less of an issue as you're sat so far back in the cockpit that I don't think you'll break the imaginary line between bar and front of car. Just make sure you have 6pt belts.

 

The alternative is a full cage or tall FIA bar, both of which prevent issues with weather gear.

 

Alternatively buy an SV. But then you'll need the seat pulled forwards (honest) and they don't feel quite as "intimate" as a std. chassis. In all other respects they are at least as good though, so not a compromise worth worrying about IMO.

 

And having written all that, it might be possible for you to use Tillet seats as long as the lowest point touches the floor and the rear touches the bulkhead, with the seat tilted. I'll be trying this properly soon and will report back.

 

[Heskyboy]

Thanks sounds reassuring, I have adjusted the throttle and brake, struggling with the clutch at the moment. I have a removable momo wheel, I presume 260mm is the diameter (apologies new to the game) mine is 290mm I think. I shall go in search of a smaller version. What are tillet bench seats? Where can I find some?

 

I think thats enough questions for one post.

 

Cheers

 

Heskyboy

 

[Andrew Dent]

Being similar in proportion to Murphy, I can tell you that the extra tall bar sort of does its job, but I still get told its not high enough. Full cage may be?

 

Ive fitted tillet seats and have tilted them as far as possible. May be need to investigate more tilting.

 

i agree with Andy about the pedal positions.

 

Andrew

 

3 wheels on my 7 ☹️

[murph7355]

To clarify, Tillets are not bench seats. They're expensive carbon or composite buckets seats.

 

Bench seats are bits of wood with a bit of sponge glued on and some vinyl stapled over them. 3 pieces - 1 backrest, 2 seat cushions.

 

If you're properly weighty your arse will fall through the bottom of the car after approximately 5-7yrs use with bench seats. Which is amusing if it happens in a hotel car park with mechanics available, but would be less so at great speed on French autoroutes.

 

 

[Heskyboy]

Cheers Guys, I have now located tillets web site, but before reaching for the plastic yet again, I will try the foam on the floor and the small steering wheel to see if it helps.

 

I will use this weekend to seek out a small steering wheel.

 

Thanks

 

[Foxy Smith]

Heskyboy,

 

Before spending any pennies on a new steering wheel make sure you have the current wheel adjusted fully back. Adjustment clamp is on the steering column between bulkhead and pedal box. This makes a huge difference to knee room.

 

Alan

[Jason Plato]

A cheaper alternative would be to mould yourself a foam seat ?? , I did one a few months back - its real comfy , despite what you imagine .

 

Mine cost around £25 inc the covering fabric from a ford focus !!

 

Dave

[Heskyboy]

Great, I must thank everyone for their suggestions, as a new boy on the block access to advice this quick is fantastic keep up the good work. This must be one of the fastest bulletin boards anywhere.

[fatcat]

Yeah, I know the feeling...

 

My solution was a second-hand SV which is brilliant but I still have the pedals on the longest setting and the seat as far back as possible. Oxted Trimming (near Caterham, good people..) made up a new seat cushion with less padding which gets me a bit lower. I now sort of fit although I doubt my helmet is sufficiently below the standard FIA roll bar to pass race scrutineering but it all seems to work pretty well for road and track days. Only fly in the ointment is not enough rake on the seat - I want to lie almost flat and all caterham seats are designed for sitting bolt upright round a posh dinning table - so I slump forward and put a cushion behind my back but this approach has clearly been sponsored by the Bupa Back Specialist division...

 

Anyone know of a seat with a bit more rake but which is still adjustable fore & aft ? - various mates drive the car and I can't really go down the custom foam seat route as they aren't all as mishapen as me.

 

Are Tillets any good ? - can't find the website, what's the url

 

regards

fatcat

 

 

 

[Mark Piper]

Andy, were the mechanics there to extricate you from the hcar or to repair the damage? Oh I wish I were there to see it... 😬

[murph7355]

I don't think it was as comical as you'd imagine. Mr Carmichael could confirm.

 

Rumour has it there was a large "pop" sound as I got out though, and Laing were on emergency stand by but fortunately not needed.

 

Rake on seats - for the Tillets you can use washers/spacers to tilt the seat back. I would have though the same to be possible on normal seats.

 

Needing the pedals all the way out and the seat all the way back I can only assume that fatcat is 6'7" or more. Jan and I both have enough room in his SV for a briefcase behind the seat and we're both quite large (Jan upwards, me up and out).

[Jan T]

Fatcat

How tall are you?

As Andy mentioned I have an SV (I'm a shade under 6/4) and the pedals are on the furthest setting back and I still have to have the seat about half way along it's run. I tried the pedals in the middle setting and the seat way back but despite having arms like a gibbon I couldn't engage reverse when strapped in.

To get my crash helmeted head below the FIA bar I have made a foam seat base which is very very thin at it's base but has a wedge shaped lower back support which is essential or else you will exacerbate or create serious lower back problems. Ultimately I would like some sort of race seat but it would need a good rake on the back part or else I will sit too high.

Cheers

Jan

PS how did you get hold of a 2nd hand SV....they must be v rare.

[fatcat]

Andy

 

me, 67" ? - sounds depressingly like my waistline...must cut down on the beer...think of the improved power to weight ratio...still fancy a beer though...

 

Jan,

 

your comments on back problems ring painfully true. I'm a mere 6'3" but that's mostly in the body not the legs (gorilla running to seed is pretty accurate !) hence the need to lie down in the SV else my head sticks up too far. I would also love to get a decent racing seat but adequate rake is the problem. (Come on Caterham, there's a market here...)

 

2nd hand SV's are pretty much like hen's teeth - watch the ads in LF and register an interest with Caterham Sales, I just got lucky, I guess.

 

regards

fc

 

P.S. Anyone doing the Brands GP circuit on 20th Aug ?

 

 

[happylarry]

I'm 6'1" and have just fitted Tilletts, which meann that I don't have to have the seats all the way back, tho' I do have the pedals on the furthest position (chassis rail doesn't bother me).

 

Point of the post is to say that Oxted Trimming, mentioned further up the thread, made up some mega inserts for the seats which give a bit of extra cushioning and look the dog's d******s. If anyone has got Tilletts and wants to personalise their cockpit look, then give Brendan a call at Oxted.

 

Zetec: proud and roar-T !!

[N Blandin]

just started with this chat lark and can't stop. I'm 6'4 and I just take my shoe off when I get in! I don't think this will go down well with all these obviously rich seven owners who buy expensive seats and stuff.Chapman designed them to fit tight to hold you in!

[I reply to every thread]

FatCat

 

Tillets are the composite or Carbon/Kevlar seats sold by Caterham. The pattern is the same for each but the material (& price) are different.They are made for Caterham by Tillet - but Tillet are tied to Caterham by a trading agreement & will not even consider selling direct - as is only right once they've signed such an agreement. They do create quite a bit more space in the "Cabin".

 

What Colour is your SV? I've not seen it around Tunbridge Wells.

[I reply to every thread]

PS - If your arse is in proportion to the rest of you then you ain't gonna get it in a Tillet!

You can try sitting in mine if you like.

[fatcat]

AVES,

 

I just spoke to Tilletts and you're right they won't go into competition with caterham but they sound very helpful and I think they'll be worth a visit to see what can be done with my current seat or something...

 

The SV is a sort of light blue/silver - it's easy to recognise as my ar*e is hanging out the back of it + most of the rest of me, come to think of it !

 

regards

fc

 

[Heskyboy]

Great to see all you tall fat b********rds out there have found ways to squeeze into your 7's there is hope for me then. I will try all suggestions and report back.

 

Cheers

 

One of the tall fat bretheren