graveshaker

Hello to all. I recently test drove a 91 all stock Miata and was very heart broken and sort of embarrassed fitting into the car. To my surprise the steering did not have tilt which would have lifted the steering wheel off my thighs. My plans for the Miata are autocross events and open track days for starters. A race seat was already one mod already planed. My question to the community is should I not invest in a Miata and move on or is there hope for a big guy? I currently race a 1977 Porsche 911 equipped with racing seat with sliders.

I do have this seat lying around, hoping I could use it in a Miata.

olderguy

iTrader: (19)

If you mount it low enough, should work fine. Get a friends Miata, pull out the seat and just set yours in it all the way back to check it out. If it doesn't work, send me that seat, I am a little smaller than you and can put it to good use.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I'm 6'1", and was about 215 lbs for a while, never really had a problem with the Miata. Of course, I've always had small cars, and am accustomed to sitting such that my knees are roughly level with the steering column...

You might do a bit of searching on the so-called foamectomy procedure, which is little more than taking the stock seat apart and removing some of the foam padding from it. You can thus adjust your seating position in the car to be slightly lower and further back, which some folks like.

As for your Kirkey seat, well, what are its dimensions? There's not a tone of room in the Miata, but a lot of folks put racing seats into them. Me, I've never sat in one that I found even remotely comfortable. Some of these kids with their tiny little racing seats make me feel like an elephant in a phone booth.

chicksdigmiatas

iTrader: (11)

I am 6'4" and 215 right now. I think that if you put in an aftermarket steering wheel, you will get lots of leg room. It worked for me. I also removed the handle on the door you use to close it. I play the can you get your hand in the car before the door slams game. There is a solution for this on m.net, but I don't know what that is.

graveshaker

I don't know a single person with a Miata to do a seat swap test fit. I lurked the "seat" thread and really couldn't find a solid answer. It seems many large guys go through a lot of trial and error before finding the right set up. I'm hoping an after market smaller steering wheel with quick release would yield more room.
I know anything is possible with fab work and bottom less pockets but my resources are very limited.

curly

iTrader: (25)

Keep in mind aftermarket steering wheels give you .4" of leg clearance, and there's a .25" plate you can remove between the steering column and dash bar you can remove to raise it even more. Coupled with a race seat bolted to the floor, removing the center console and the arm rest, and you can get some decent room.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

It's called the "not having the window rolled up" technique. This is a convertible. Convert it.



Like I said- measure the seat, give us the major dimensions, and we can measure the inside of our cars to give you a rough answer.

graveshaker

I will look into the foamectomy procedure, sounds like a logical idea. I'm sure in order to mount the Kirkey to the floor banging cutting and a little cursing are in order. It's good to see there are tall guys driving Miatas so hope is still alive!

Bond

iTrader: (6)

I'm 6'2 190lbs, I fit with a foamectomy, stock seats, Grant wheel. Ideally I would have my aluminum kirkey bolted the floor with the stock humps cut out, but I'm lazy....

graveshaker

Here are the dimensions of my Kirkey to anyone willing to do some measurements.
http://www.kirkeyracing.com/related/...op-drawing.gif

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

A colleague of mine named Doug was kind of a big guy. I honestly have no idea how much he weighed, but if I had to guess, I'd say maybe 350-400 lbs. About my height, too. Big dude.

Doug had two cars. One was a dually 4WD (6WD?) crew-cab Dodge truck, the other was a Fiero. It was slightly comical to watch Doug get into the Fiero, but he loved that car, so he made it work.

graveshaker

That's funny but I'm physically fit so I'm more muscle than fat. I included a link above your last post to my dimensions.

gearhead_318

iTrader: (1)

Door straps.

Larimer

iTrader: (4)

Honestly, you're going to have a hard time getting under the rollbar if you plan to track it, even with the seats mounted to the floor. I'm 6'1 nearly and I don't think I'd feel safe if I was any taller and my seats are on the floor. Maybe if you're more legs than torso you'll make it, but I'd just try and sit in somebody else's car before you cut into your floor (cut off the rear seat humps).

Noticed you're not too far from me, more than welcome to try it out in my car. I was just up around Flint today for the Warrior Dash.

spoolin2bars

iTrader: (1)

i have the same seat as yours except made by ultrashield. same bolster design. i cut the left, side and bottom bolsters down a little to make ingress and egress (is that right?) a little easier. my seat is a 18" size and i bolted it to 2 steel straps that era bolted using the factory bolts. then the seat is bolted to the straps and the seatback is secured to the roll bar. i'm 6'1 265lbs. and fit great in there. getting in and out takes a special procedure, but not that bad. i don't even have a quick release str. wheel.

i see that your seat is a 17" should fit no problem, if anything you might have to beat the trans tunnel a little bit where the right rear corner of the seat contacts it.

also, unless you run with the top down, i doubt anyone will ever say anything if your helmet is near the limit. if you cut out the floor you will fit. 100% sure of it. i didn't do that and i just fit under the broomstick (rule). angle of the seat will help in that regard also.

vehicular

iTrader: (3)

One of my buddies is about your size, and he fits pretty well with a small wheel and a big ole boy sized Ultrashield Spec Miata seat bolted to the floor all the way up against the rear bulkhead. He's big enough that his brother is 6' even, and has to cram a pillow in the seat to reach the pedals. I'm 5'7", and have no hope of reaching the pedals in it, lol.

chpmnsws6

iTrader: (12)

At 6'0 and 240-260, I'm able to get into the car with a smaller quick release steering wheel, !center console, shortened/bent parking brake lever, and a set of C5 Vette seats wedged into it. For play days, I have a set of Cobra clubmans that fit great, but I don't think they are good for the track.

graveshaker

That sounds great! I'd be more than willing to come down and test fit your set up. I'm usually free on the weekends. By the way, do you go to Waterford Hills? I try to take my 911 at least a couple times per month.

Larimer

iTrader: (4)

I'm really wanting to, but I haven't got the car prepped properly yet. Still need to do some ducting, tune, a million other things, etc. Probably next year though. I'll be at Mid Ohio next weekend to watch some racing, but the weekend after I should be around. PM me if you're serious about coming down to check out the setup. Feel free to bring your seat/helmet/whatever to try it out.

graveshaker

Will do, I'll give you a 3 day heads up.