6ft3 in a mini?

[rico]

Being 21 and living in central london, insurance is a killer on most things.
speaking to trackdemon last night, he said i should think about picking up a mini as they're cheap to insure and a hell of a lot of fun.

never driven or even sat in one... i'm 6ft3 and built like a rugby player... am i going to fit??

any other large mini owners?

cheers

rico

[pdV6]

I used to run a Mini for a few years.
6'2" and used to play 2nd row.

No problem at all in my '74 Mini: fitted a small wheel, unbolted the seats & re-mounted at the rearmost position & the slider mech was such that the seat base dropped as it slid rearwards.

Job's a good 'un.

Compared to a "normal" car, the driving position is very different. Stick with it, though, there's nothing quite like cornering in a Mini!

[miniman]

I'm 6ft1 and fairly portly, I have no problem at all although I do have bucket seats which will go back further than regular seats. They are an easy conversion at about £200 all in. Forget about any rear-seat passengers, though!

[Fatboy]

6'3" and 18 stone here - I can get in no probs (even pre-bucket seats was possible). With the bucket seats I've actually got more room in the Mini than I did in my MK2 Golf...

A fair few of us on the mini forum are on the large side, it really isn't a problem (once got 3 blokes my size in the back seat of a mini - poor thing was practically dragging it's arse on the ground though ).

And it's highly amusing to watch a big fat bloke climb out of a fully rollcaged mini

[Plotloss]

Rico,

You're smaller than me and I've been driving one for 16 years.

Do it, henceforth.

On, on.

[huwbertus]

I'm 5 foot 6 and 9 stone. If I push the seat back I can't reach the peddles!!!

[xxplod]

Easy! I'm "only" 6'0" but I can drive mine quite comfortably without having to adjust the seats. Find you local specialist and ask their advice. Extra brackets for moving the seat back are cheap and easy to fit.

[ace-t]

I would suggest though that if you do have any probs with your joints (I mean knees and ankles guys ) then you take a few drives in one to see if they are adversely affected. J can't drive the Mini for long in rush hour traffic cos his joints are pretty screwed

I, on the other hand, am 5'6" and fit perfectly!

Ace-T

[rico]

Plotloss said:

Rico, You're smaller than me and I've been driving one for 16 years.

Have we met??

I guess Pistonfest this year?

[Plotloss]

VMAX...

[eein]

I've got no problems at 6ft1in in our standard mini. I knew I guy at my last job who was 6ft6in who used to have a mini and the only mod he did was the smaller steering wheel.

I've been on lots of other modern small cars where I have really found it hard to be comfortable. The complete lack of contre consol and safety equipment in a mini means there is plenty of space for knees to stick out sideways.

[love machine]

Smaller wheel is a good idea. I'm 6'4 and 15 stone. No problems.

Drive a silly one and you will never want another car.

stu (97% BMW Free )

[Cooperman]

I rally with my son Mike. I am 6ft and he is 6ft 3ins. We seem to fit into our Mini OK. I have Corbeau seats in my '64 car and Sparco 'Rev' seats in the 1990 Enduro Cooper. The Sparco's have to be fitted staggered as they are a bit too wide to be in the same position both sides. However, the Sparco Rev weighs in at only 5.7Kg and has full FIA approval.
I'm back from my hols in the States now. Whilst there it was great to see the 1963 Cooper 'S' 1071 Int. Hist. Rally car I restored and prepared in 1990 and which won its class in the 1990 Belgian Historic rally in a special museum display in California of John Cooper race cars. It still looks great and it made me proud to think that my son and I were responsible for it. Of course, I didn't get to drive it again which was a pity. Still, maybe I'll go there next year and give it another blast!