Lowered Floors - Advice Needed

[mr-lovebucket]

I am just in the process of ordering a new R400, and am not sure whether to opt for lowered floors. I'm not particularly tall - just under 5'8, so I wouldn't have even considered lowered floors, if not for the salesman recommending them to me. Apparently the wind buffetting is less, there's better helmet-to-roll-bar clearance, and you feel more a 'part' of the car. I will be mainly driving on B roads with the odd track day here and there. Is there anybody of a similar height who has experienced both normal and lowered floors? Also, is the reduced visibility of the wind deflector a problem (I have only driven one with lowered floors and a normal windscreen)?

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks.

[Cock Womble 7]

Well, at 5' 11" I tower above you in a 7 with standard floors and I did find myself having to "scooch" down a bit to get my head below the top of the (proper) windscreen. Even more so now with the Brookland's screens.

I'd say tick the box.

[SteveCat7]

I moved from a standard S3 to an SV with lowered driver's floor this year, and am roughly the same height as you. Was a bit concerned I would be too low (bought car without seeing it ...) but actually find it fine. There is less buffeting, and I don't find visibility a problem. I figured it also possibly also extends potential market at resale to those less vertically challenged than me - although probably not a primary concern for you with a new R400

[threadkiller]

I'm 5'10" and mine has lowered floors, just because it had them .. I know no different, but it seems to fit me perfectly

Edited by johnvthe2nd on Monday 27th September 14:14

[2slo]

Exactly what I've just been discussing on BC. I'm also about to order a new R400 and I will be getting lowered floors. The only way to know for sure is to sit in and drive both variants and then consider the following when sitting in both:

1. Are you looking through the windscreen or at the top of the surround.

2. When sitting normally can you see the instruments or are they obscured by the steering wheel.

3. Do your knees foul the steering wheel

4. Consider where the top of your head is in relation to the rollbar and have you enough margin to still be below the top of the bar whilst wearing a crash helmet (if you want to go on track or fit an aeroscreen)

5. Are you sitting comfortably!

choice of seat may help your decision here also, tilletts being lower than leather.

Not that I'm any Caterham expert mind (don't own one yet!) but thought I'd comment as it's something I'm currently considering as well.

Mark.

Edited by 2slo on Monday 27th September 14:58

[thequietone]

All down to personal pref really. I'm 5'8 and have lowered floors. I cant see the nearside wheel or cycle wing but dont find it an issue - ditto when the aeroscreen is fitted. I just prefer the driving position rather than need it for head/knee clearence etc..

[pat the plumber]

I'm 5'8" and have lowered floor in a standard chassis, and have no issues with the height, with the aero or the screen.

[Glasgow2]

2Slo: Good points.... May I also add checking your arm/elbow how they feel on the arm supports on the side panel and central console...

[1st_petrolhead]

In the CSR with lowered floors my right elboy kept catching the side of the car. THat was on leather seats and I am 5' 10"

[mr-lovebucket]

Thanks everyone, that's all very useful information. I think I'm going to go for the lowered floors then. The salesman mentioned I can always raise the seats up a bit with some extra washers if I wanted t (although not sure by how much). On the other hand it's much harder to lower the seats once I've bought the standard floors. So lowered floors it is!
Thanks again.

[Smollet]

You won't regret it. I wish I had ordered them from new when I got my 7 (along with quite a few other things that I've added since.).

[RobM77]

I've tried and owned both and prefer the lowered floor. I do have a personal preference to sit very low in a car though.

[Murray993]

I'm 5'7 and I have a lowered floor. Never been an issue and I like the driving position.

[K800 RUM]

You may find you bottom out more often & grind the seat retaining bolts on the road ocasionally. My mates SV does this, makes an awful noise, he is now looking at firming up the suspension.

[BertBert]

at 5'8", I fit a standard car fine without a lowered floor. I sat in an SV the other day with a lowered floor and was completely lost- could hardly see over the wheel!

I'd check it out before wasting money on something you don't need.

BErt

[elan_fan]

I'm 5'10" and I fit the standard car just fine.

[Atomic Gibbon]

I'm 6 foot, and really prefer non-lowered floors. With the lowered floor, your left arm hits the transmission tunnel every change. I also find you can't see as well down the road, that few inches does affect the visibility over tall grass etc, but more importantly I notive glare on wet roads a lot mroe sat lower down.

If you were in 2 minds, you could always lower the floor and use packers to raise the driving position though. You can't do it the other way round =)

[mr-lovebucket]

Thanks again. It's silly but this has probably been the most difficult option to choose! Apart from perhaps the colour...

I think I may do just as Atomic Gibbon suggests, and order the lowered floors with a view to raising up the seats if I need to. Is there any downside to doing that other than wasted expense, and the possibility of grounding the car (has anybody else experienced that?)?

[Atomic Gibbon]

Mr bucket,

As I recall, the low point on near all 7's is the sump / gerbox (depending if K series, or Duratec with sequential) - so the lowered floor isn't an issue with driving.
It COULD be an issue when loading onto a trailer, but in reality thats only if you;re a bit of a goon, and make a schoolboy error with the ramps*

I speak from experience here. The tall bit of the ramp goes on the outside.

[RobM77]

Whilst I posted in favour of lowered floors, Gibbon's post has reminded me about the transmission tunnel issue. I'd perhaps pop along to a L7C meeting or a Caterham showroom, sit in a car with and without and run through the gearchanges. I sat very low in my racing Caterham and the transmission tunnel was a constant source of problems; it actually caused the only "off" I've ever had in a racing car, when I got unexpected oversteer and got my arm jammed up against the tunnel, preventing me from putting in the opposite lock that I needed. I don't remember this ever being an issue in my road going car without a lowered floor, although I did often wish I was sat lower in the car in that particular Caterham. Maybe that was the leather seats rather than tillets though...

Edited by RobM77 on Monday 4th October 11:57