6’ 3” in an S3?

[Youds7]

Hi everyone this is my first post on the forum. 

I've been looking to buy a 7 for a while and have found one that ticks all the boxes, well almost! There is just one problem. My 27 ear old son would like to drive it occasionally but it's an S3 and he's 6' 3". 
With the drivers seat all the way back the cockpit is still a little too short for him. The vendor suggested replacing the leather seat with a moulded one?

Anyone have any experience of doing this? or any other tips would be appreciated.
I'm not sure if it has an adjustable pedal box (I'll check with the vendor) and it has a 10" removable wheel. 
 

 

 

[Jonathan Kay]

Welcome.

Private Messages sent.

Jonathan

[7 wonders of the world]

Depends on your torso / inseam ratio...

Lowered floors will help, pedals in the furthermost settings and you could always make bag seats for both of you too.

[Wrightpayne]

Welcome.

I'm 6 2 with leather seats. I found a lowered floor made a massive difference to comfort. It basically drops the seat two inches.

This could be coupled with a custom foam bag seat base instead of the bulky OEM base. Seconds to swap over. 
 

Regards

 

Ian

[Golf Juliet Tango]

Welcome.

[SLR No.77]

What year (and axle format) is the car you're looking at?

Stu.

[Midas]

Welcome,

I am 6ft 3in tall, and fit in an S3. In fact I drove it as such for many years - then I fitted a lowered floor. A lowered floor will make a big difference. This is where the existing floor is taken off and replaced with a new floor which drops the seat by about 2 inches at the seat back. You buy them separately - LHS and RHS, and you can fit one side rather than both. They are available from Caterham.

Any specialist or Caterham themselves would fit it - or you can do it yourself but it quite fiddly (lots of rivets to take out and then replace). I'm struggling to remember how much it was - about £300 a side rings a bell a few years ago.

[SM25T]

Drive in drive out supply and fitting service while you wait at Arch Motors in Huntingdon.

[7Up]

I am 6'3", with 35" inner leg. I spent alot of time at Gatwick trying all the different sets ups. Even with lowered floor and every type of different seat that CC offered, I couldn't drive the S3 in a comfortable position. I could drive it.... but not comfortable or sensible ...with knees up against the dash and wheel. I didn't bother measuring the roll bar clearance with a helmet, but every race car i have sat in since that time I don't have sufficient clearance. 

Even with my current SV I have lowered floors, carbon seats and steering column adjusted to its full length (gained about an inch).

I guess alot depends on torso length vs legs?

Good luck.

Iain

 

 

 

[Tony P]

You really need to try one to find out - there are many variables.

I'm 6'2" (and not with particularly long legs for my height, but a bit long-ish in the torso). 
S3 de Dion (i.e. "long cockpit") and have fitted without problem, using a fixed molded-to-fit seat (better in every respect than any other kind of seat, unless a variety of drivers are expected to drive). With care, you can contrive different molded seat backs or inserts to swap side to side.
Pedals at furthest setting (of 2 in my case).
With an "FIA+2" bar, have never had any need, or desire, to fit lowered floors (which can cause problems with speed humps - a major concern where I am).

 

[Mrp]

I'm 6.3 and a rugby players build not a cyclists build !!!!! but with long legs. When I bought my first Seven it I had to be an S3 with lowered floors which was ok with a few adjustments to the pedals and of course Pixie boots.

I did then play about with the seating position and moved the runners back, re-drilled the floor and bent the upper seat frame so you literally could not get a sheet of paper between the bulk head and the leather seat back. I ran this and drove it for 6 years and did all the fish and chip runs which meant Saturday was a 450 mile ride for me which was done in comfort. I then had the opportunity to up-grade to a SV 2017 420R and whilst in 2014 I would have argued that and S3 was the way to go I would say go SV it is so much better for space.

Also to add as well as the leg length in the S3 if you have a passenger shoulder width comes in to play if you are doing 2 up journeys. Since I have gone SV every regular passenger who went in my S3 and now been in the SV has commented that the SV is so much better.

Although the S3 has been adapted over the years it was supposed to be for Colin Chapman's build which I think was 5 7"

Hope this helps.

If you are in the Northants area when all this Covid SH***T is over you are very welcome to sit in my 420R SV.

Mrp

 

Then

 

Now

[Youds7]

Hi Stu, thanks for your reply. It's a 1998 car and I think it has an LSD. 

Pete

[Youds7]

Thanks for all your comments and offers. I think we will see if anyone locally (Devon) will let him sit in theirs. 
Pete

[Youds7]

It's a 1998 with LSD. 

Pete

[SLR No.77]

A '98, although an Imperial chassis and assuming it's a dedion, will be the as roomy as any more recent S3 cars. If it hasn't got lowered floors, as already mentioned they can easily be fitted, plus the pedal box has 3 positions and the furthest forward does give a lot of leg room.

Maximum leg room is usually gained by moving the pedals all the way forward and fitting a skinny back seat such as the Tillett, lowered floors will give more headroom (or rather you'll be looking through the screen rather than over the top or at the frame) and will give more space between your knees and the steering wheel.

My suggestion would be to try to sit in an S3 that has lowered floors, Tillett seats and the pedals in the forward position. If that doesn't work you're looking for an SV!

Stu.

[rob spencer]

I'm an 86kg 6'3" and I started out in 2001 building one of the early SVs. With lowered floors, pedals in the "far" position and leather seats but with the leather squab removed and replaced with a two part moulded foam squab in an Oxted seat tray (effectively letting me sit on the floor).  It was comfy enough for touring Europe and fitting enough for sprinting and hill climbing.  
But I needed more speed in the sprints and hill climbs so I sold it and bought a Superlight to save the 25 or so kg weight penalty in an SV.  I did the same mods (floor, pedals, seat squab) and I fitted in it, with sufficient clearance - just - between crash helmet and roll bar.  My competitiveness was disappointingly similar to the SV and I never enjoyed the lack of any room to move in the cockpit.  It was just too tight.  I stuck with it for five years and it never got better so I sold it and have just got myself another SV, 420R.  Room to breath again 

Rob

[Tony Smith]

At 6' 6'' an SV was the only way  for me and I spent 5 years using the 25k weight penalty as an excuse for being slow, before realizing at Blyton this year that an SV is just as quick and possibly faster on a fast circuit.

It is down to the proverbial nut behind the wheel!!!!

[rob spencer]

Oh, the shoulder room thing as previously mentioned by mrp is something to consider if you plan to go far two-up. Tall people tend to have bigger frames all round and for me and a mate driving to Le Mans, the S3 was uncomfortable as we were leaning outwards slightly just to fit in the car. Having said that though, my mate could usefully lose a stone or two 

[Youds7]

Thanks Stu, I'll check the pedal position, yes I think it's a de dion. 
im hoping a Tillett or bag seat may do the trick as I don't really want to lower the floors. 
Regards

Pete

[murph7355]

6'4" here, 36"/37" inseam.

Have had my S3 for 25yrs.

Lowered floors really help.  I have a bag seat.  Had a thin bench seat before (easier to switch in and out).  Normal seats are no good at all for tall people IME.

Pedals on mine are in the middle position.  I found it easier to be comfy that way. 

Removable wheel helps too.

Photos of seat on a thread on PH here (can't figure out how to embed images at this time of night :)) - https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=101&t=1903265

[BigCol]

I'm 6'3"-ish...  with hips that are an uncomfortable interference fit in an S3...  my lowered floored SV feels too spacious though!

Only way to know is to try...

[john milner]

I'm a mere 5' 10" and only briefly sat in one S3 in the old showroom. Hated it. Unable to get my feet on just one pedal, hips felt squashed and my right shoulder was pressed against the door leaving no elbow room to hold the steering wheel comfortably. Then sat in a SV. Possibly the most comfortable driving position of any car that I have driven. I think there is only an inch or two extra but it made a huge difference. My chest is probably a bit above average at close to 48" so my upper body is going to be more in proportion to someone over six foot.

I would suggest sitting in each of them and then hiring for the day what felt the best.