Room for a Helmet with the roof up
Discussion
I'm looking at Mx5's to use as a track car. Just sat in one and I found my hair occasionally brushing against the roof (I'm 6-2). How to people find the cabin when they have a helmet on and the roof up?
I want to use the car in winter and leaving the roof off isn't always going to be possiable.
Steve
I want to use the car in winter and leaving the roof off isn't always going to be possiable.
Steve
I have the same problem and have been endlessly researching different seat options but so far haven't managed to put my money anywhere because I haven't found a solution that I *know* will definitely meet my needs.
I think in the end that I'll probably go with one of those bride lower seat rails.
I think in the end that I'll probably go with one of those bride lower seat rails.
I don't think there are any seat rails that lower stock seats. The stock rails are low already.
I'm 6'2" and have no problem with Mk1/2 seats. Mk2.5 is a bit trickier as the seats are a lot thicker in the base & back. I've fitted Elise S2 seats which are about as low as you can get without bolting direct to the floor and now have more head & leg room than I need.
p.s. Helmet on and top up? Why on earth would you want to do that???
I'm 6'2" and have no problem with Mk1/2 seats. Mk2.5 is a bit trickier as the seats are a lot thicker in the base & back. I've fitted Elise S2 seats which are about as low as you can get without bolting direct to the floor and now have more head & leg room than I need.
p.s. Helmet on and top up? Why on earth would you want to do that???
A hard top gives you marginally more room. This has never been a problem for me being a shorty, however I do find the standard seat position to be high. If you can dispense with teh adjustability then I found ditching the runners and mounting a seat as low as you can gets a great position.
This is all 5'8" of me in my car at Prescott. This is with a side mount OMP RS seat on some custom made brackets
Dave
This is all 5'8" of me in my car at Prescott. This is with a side mount OMP RS seat on some custom made brackets
Dave
MX-5 Lazza said:
p.s. Helmet on and top up? Why on earth would you want to do that???
Rainy trackdays! 
I'm 5'10" and just have room in my Mk1 (standard seats) for a helmet with the roof up but any taller and I'd have problems. I've driven another with a full cage and momo bucket on(/between) the original rails which had much more headroom.
I did Oulton Park in my '5 a few weeks back and it thundered down with rain in the morning. The only time I even considered putting the hood up was when it was red flagged and everyone was back in the pits, but immediately queuing to get back out again.
When you're doing more than 40mph, rain doesn't really get into the cabin.
When you're doing more than 40mph, rain doesn't really get into the cabin.
I too have been on track in some horrible weather, including Knockhill in Scotland where it absolutely hammered down wigh rain. I kept the top up while waiting in the pit lane but as soon as I was allowed out on track the top was down. Water flicking off the side windows doesn't matter when you are wearing a waterproof coat + helmet 
Honestly, I've never ever even once considered keeping the top up on track.
Honestly, I've never ever even once considered keeping the top up on track.
zac510 said:
Personally I never drive with the roof down and I'd like to drop the seat a little to bring the helmet line a little further beneath the imaginary line from the top of the roll cage to the radiator support.
I'm sorry, there must be a mistake somewhere, it looks like you said you never drive with your roof down! When I bought my '5 I wasn't interested in the fact it was a convertible. But now I have it I've realised how much more information I can get from my surroundings when the roof is down. Nothing beats a midnight drive on your favorite B roads with the stars in the sky and your headlights lighting up the trees that overhang the road directly above you!I also wouldn't bother paying for specific seat mounts, I don't have a garage that I can work in at home so instead I bought some 0.5mm aluminium sheet from B&Q and made up some mounting templates with a junior hacksaw and a drill. I was able to bend it by hand and shape it around the floorpan and bucket seat that I'd bought. I took these to a local metal fabricators and 1 day and £40 later I have some brackets that are the lowest possible mounting for the seat without cutting the floorpan.
zac510 said:
Other people occasionally drive my car so I'll try and keep it adjustable.
In my experience you'll struggle to get both extra headroom and a seat on sliders. I took the runners off my standard seat, laid them on the floor, dropped the bucket seat on top and it was very marginally lower than than the standard seat. MX-5 Lazza said:
I'm 6'2"...I've fitted Elise S2 seats which are about as low as you can get without bolting direct to the floor and now have more head & leg room than I need.
I'm sitting at least 2" lower than the stock seats though Mk2.5 seats are higher than Mk1. Still at least an inch lower than Mk1 seats though.Daaave said:
zac510 said:
Other people occasionally drive my car so I'll try and keep it adjustable.
In my experience you'll struggle to get both extra headroom and a seat on sliders. I took the runners off my standard seat, laid them on the floor, dropped the bucket seat on top and it was very marginally lower than than the standard seat. What do you think of removing the little humps that the rails sit on? That might buy 10mm or so.
I simply removed some of the foam padding from the base of the seat.
Remove the seats, turn them upside down and bend back all the clips. Pull back the seat cover to reveal the foam. Cut a section of the foam using a knife (it is thick enough to still leave enough to make the seat comfortable). Refit seat and you are now sat a good 2 inches lower - I can now fit easily with my helmet and still comfortable to sit on
.....and if you ever feel the need to put the seat back to standard the foam that you cut out can be re-inserted (and from experience once the foam is re-inserted it feels no different to before you cut it out)
Remove the seats, turn them upside down and bend back all the clips. Pull back the seat cover to reveal the foam. Cut a section of the foam using a knife (it is thick enough to still leave enough to make the seat comfortable). Refit seat and you are now sat a good 2 inches lower - I can now fit easily with my helmet and still comfortable to sit on
.....and if you ever feel the need to put the seat back to standard the foam that you cut out can be re-inserted (and from experience once the foam is re-inserted it feels no different to before you cut it out)
Edited by smiles1 on Monday 26th October 22:14
Zac510 - What part of London do you live in? If you are anywhere near, why not pop down to the PlanetMX5 meet tomorrow night You can try my Elise S2 seats and there are others there with aftermarket seats (I know someone will be there with Corbeau Forza).
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