Does size matter?
Discussion
O.K. I've searched other threads and couldn't really find a straight answer. My question is this - I'm 6'7", fairly large build, and would like to know if I stand a cat in hells chance of fitting into a caterfield type car?
I have never had the opportunity to drive one, but from the threads on here I see they can be great fun and on a budget too.
I am particularly interested in the Tiger series of cars. There's a couple in the classifieds that look good.
I don't want to waste the sellers time by turning up and not being able to fit into the car, so it would be an advantage if I knew upfront if I could fit and drive the car.
Is there anywhere I can go to drive a car like this also? I wouldn't mind finding out what it's like before I splash out on buying one.
I have never had the opportunity to drive one, but from the threads on here I see they can be great fun and on a budget too.
I am particularly interested in the Tiger series of cars. There's a couple in the classifieds that look good.
I don't want to waste the sellers time by turning up and not being able to fit into the car, so it would be an advantage if I knew upfront if I could fit and drive the car.
Is there anywhere I can go to drive a car like this also? I wouldn't mind finding out what it's like before I splash out on buying one.
banjolucknicker said:
My question is this - I'm 6'7", fairly large build, and would like to know if I stand a cat in hells chance of fitting into a caterfield type car?
At the Harrogate show (after finding a soap box to stand on), I spoke to a chap built like yourself who told me that Luego were making him a special "outsize" chassis, even down to increased width with longer driveshafts. I dare say they'd have no problem making two.
Den
The Luego Viento is an outsized se7en as kitcarman says. The purpose being to allow a V8 to fit under the bonnet, but by keeping the proportion right they've made the whole thing bigger.
Luego are pretty new as a manufacturer, they've a history of supplying LoCost parts but have recently got into the market on thir own back.
Initial write ups of the car look good and I wish them well, it deserves to be a success.
Other than them, THere;s the wide Westies, but I dunno whether they have the length (maybethey're just for plump peeps!).
Ta.
BTW If you're after a Tiger, don't go for a Six like I have, the cockput is really small/snug! You'd never fit in it!
>> Edited by traction on Tuesday 23 September 13:53
Luego are pretty new as a manufacturer, they've a history of supplying LoCost parts but have recently got into the market on thir own back.
Initial write ups of the car look good and I wish them well, it deserves to be a success.
Other than them, THere;s the wide Westies, but I dunno whether they have the length (maybethey're just for plump peeps!).
Ta.
BTW If you're after a Tiger, don't go for a Six like I have, the cockput is really small/snug! You'd never fit in it!
>> Edited by traction on Tuesday 23 September 13:53
I'm 6'6" and 18stones. I drive a dax rush SWB as my only car.
I found the Dax to be longer in the cockpit than the westfield busa i tested. the dax squab seats (cushions on the floor) allow you to sit lower in the car bringing knees away from hands, etc. i have brought the steering wheel forward by 80mm using a spacer to help further with knees and hands colliding but its still a squeeze.
as far as i've been told anyone over 6' will not fit into a caterham period! and westies are possible if you use the same type of cushion seat as my dax.
dax now do a lwb version of the rush with a lowered floor which is considerably longer, and the floor means you dont end up lookin over the windscreen like me. as for width, mine is just about perfect for me. but i dont know how big you are. i tried to get my mate in the car (25stones) but we gave up and got a lift with someone else!!
in my opinion the reward is well worth the effort in squeezing into one of these cars.
Where are you? you are welcome to come and sit in mine if you like.
Tim.
I found the Dax to be longer in the cockpit than the westfield busa i tested. the dax squab seats (cushions on the floor) allow you to sit lower in the car bringing knees away from hands, etc. i have brought the steering wheel forward by 80mm using a spacer to help further with knees and hands colliding but its still a squeeze.
as far as i've been told anyone over 6' will not fit into a caterham period! and westies are possible if you use the same type of cushion seat as my dax.
dax now do a lwb version of the rush with a lowered floor which is considerably longer, and the floor means you dont end up lookin over the windscreen like me. as for width, mine is just about perfect for me. but i dont know how big you are. i tried to get my mate in the car (25stones) but we gave up and got a lift with someone else!!
in my opinion the reward is well worth the effort in squeezing into one of these cars.
Where are you? you are welcome to come and sit in mine if you like.
Tim.
enginearin said:
as far as i've been told anyone over 6' will not fit into a caterham period!
Untrue. I'm 6'3" and 19 stone and have driven Caterhams on several occasions. My boss (who is similarly sized) and myself sat side-by-side in comfort in a Caterham SV at the Canary Wharf Motor Show two years ago. I've also had a test drive in a Westfield, which was fine.
This was all with the hoods off, mind you. I imagine I could not get in any of the cars with the hood on, not that I've tried. I cannot get in an Elise with the hood on.
Hmmmm... still fairly inconclusive. I think I really need to try and actually get in one and see if I can fit.
The Dax rush style kit actually appeals to me more than the caterfields, appearance is a bit more aggressive.
I'm based in Sandhurst, Berkshire. Anyone close, or is there anywhere close by that I can try one of these out?
The Dax rush style kit actually appeals to me more than the caterfields, appearance is a bit more aggressive.
I'm based in Sandhurst, Berkshire. Anyone close, or is there anywhere close by that I can try one of these out?
I ordered a Dax Rush LWB on Saturday.
They didn't have a LWB demonstrator but had a LWB rolling chassis. Gary put the squab seats in and I had a sit in. There was a load of room. Could quite happily sit with my legs stretched out. Gary advised that when fully depressed the clutch should be on the end bulkhead, so should be ok.
The dropped floor also made a difference, but I think I'll be adding some metal reinforcing to the fibreglass
I am 6'4" and 17 something stone.
They didn't have a LWB demonstrator but had a LWB rolling chassis. Gary put the squab seats in and I had a sit in. There was a load of room. Could quite happily sit with my legs stretched out. Gary advised that when fully depressed the clutch should be on the end bulkhead, so should be ok.
The dropped floor also made a difference, but I think I'll be adding some metal reinforcing to the fibreglass
I am 6'4" and 17 something stone.
Banjo,
The Luego looks impressive, (and you never know you could win one of their chassis at a show!)
Are you interested in building one or just buying one? If you were looking to build and can weld there is always the possibility of getting some locost plans to suit your height, www.locostbuilders.co.uk would be able to give you more info on that. You may find someone through there who would be willing to make the chassis for you if Luego couldn't help.
The Luego looks impressive, (and you never know you could win one of their chassis at a show!)
Are you interested in building one or just buying one? If you were looking to build and can weld there is always the possibility of getting some locost plans to suit your height, www.locostbuilders.co.uk would be able to give you more info on that. You may find someone through there who would be willing to make the chassis for you if Luego couldn't help.
Chap from the Westfield forum had a similar problem, he's about 6'6" and well built, Westfield said if he can fit in the cockpit they'll build the car around him.
His car is/was up for sale as he's gone mental and is building some stupidly fast NOS'd up drag Se7en
www.midds.racers.co.uk/ is his website if it's any help.
Graham
His car is/was up for sale as he's gone mental and is building some stupidly fast NOS'd up drag Se7en
www.midds.racers.co.uk/ is his website if it's any help.
Graham
nice guy midds (anthony iirc). i was trying to talk him into selling me his megabusa a while back, but he was undecided on the matter. bought a dax cosworth instead.
IIRC his car has padding on the floor and backrest rather than a proper seat, not much different to the dax squab style seats apart from the sculpted back piece on the dax.
the thing with the bike engined cars and big drivers is that the dry power to weight ratio of the cars is great, with people in it drops drastically.
e.g. busa = 180bhp and 450kg = 400bhp/ton
busa + me and passenger = 630kg = 285bhp/tom
dax = 300bhp and 650kg = 461bhp/ton
dax + me and passenger = 830kg = 361bhp/ton
in % loss
busa = -29% power to weight
dax = -22% power to weight
basically bike engined cars and big passenger loads don't work too well.
justification...........
my dax was murdering fully loaded busa's at bruntingthorpe recently (wide open track, big power required) on the twisties of curborough sprint course me and the busa got pretty similar times, he was on tarmac rally tyres and i was on my road tyres.
hmmmm... got a bit carried away there, but good points to note if your a big person looking to go fast in a seven.
what say you??
Tim
IIRC his car has padding on the floor and backrest rather than a proper seat, not much different to the dax squab style seats apart from the sculpted back piece on the dax.
the thing with the bike engined cars and big drivers is that the dry power to weight ratio of the cars is great, with people in it drops drastically.
e.g. busa = 180bhp and 450kg = 400bhp/ton
busa + me and passenger = 630kg = 285bhp/tom
dax = 300bhp and 650kg = 461bhp/ton
dax + me and passenger = 830kg = 361bhp/ton
in % loss
busa = -29% power to weight
dax = -22% power to weight
basically bike engined cars and big passenger loads don't work too well.
justification...........
my dax was murdering fully loaded busa's at bruntingthorpe recently (wide open track, big power required) on the twisties of curborough sprint course me and the busa got pretty similar times, he was on tarmac rally tyres and i was on my road tyres.
hmmmm... got a bit carried away there, but good points to note if your a big person looking to go fast in a seven.
what say you??
Tim
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