Making more headroom

GreyDiesel

New Member

Jul 26, 2008

167

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Denver, CO

Jul 29, 2008

#1

• Jul 29, 2008

• #1

Has anyone done any mods to improve headroom? Here is the deal, I am 6'7", and I fit in a Mustang better than a lot of other cars, but I would love another 3 inches of headroom. I actually just test drove a glass top to see if that was any better, and it was, by an inch, but I would still like a few more. I am thinking about removing some of the padding from the factory seat, or, putting in an aftermarket seat. Who has experience with aftermarkets seats? Do they give you more headroom?

 

walter

Founding Member

Aug 13, 1998

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Houston TX

Jul 30, 2008

#2

• Jul 30, 2008

• #2

Wow that's surprising to me. Normally sunroof/glassroof type cars have less clearance then straight up hardtops. You could get an aftermarket seat but you have to remember that most modern cars have sensors in the seat for the airbag system. You could be tampering with vehicle safety if you remove the factory seat.

 

GreyDiesel

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Jul 26, 2008

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Denver, CO

Jul 30, 2008

#3

• Jul 30, 2008

• #3

Good point. I'll be sure and look up the specs on any seat sensors before removing. The glass top does have a bit more headroom, just because the entire roof is removed and replaced with glass. In the normal stang, you have the metal roof, sound deadening (I am guessing) and then the carpet/plastic interior panels. Those three layers add up to something a bit thicker than the glass alone. This is different than a sunroof/moonroof that has to then fit small electric motors within the roof, that will take up quite a bit of headroom.

Hey, also curious if anyone has done anything to extend the steering column. I would not need more headroom if the steering column were telescoping and I could move it back further. Of the two, I would rather have headroom, but just a thought.

Dont let anyone tell you being tall does not have it drawbacks. I just bought a house and the doorways are too short if I am wearing shoes. I did not notice that until the paperwork was signed. I think 6'3" is probably as tall as you can get before you start running into problems buying clothes, cars, and houses. The upside is of course, I can monster dunk with the best of them. (Or at least I could about 5 years ago)

 

baddadgus

New Member

Apr 28, 2008

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Breinigsville,PA

Jul 30, 2008

#4

• Jul 30, 2008

• #4

TooTall

Thats a good question,I too am tall 6' 9" and manage to drive a 07 GT .It fits but if steering wheel would be closer to me,that make it alot more fun to drive.Seat rail or head room is a plus,but put that wheel closer and look out you road racers
TooTall Racing & Sons

:SNSign:

 

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blbrchnk

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Oct 16, 2006

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Bridgeport, WV

Jul 30, 2008

#5

• Jul 30, 2008

• #5

Man I feel sorry for you guys. I am 6'4" and it isn't too bad at all for me. On a side not, I did try to get into a Nissan 350Z one time. That was rather funny.

 

baddadgus

New Member

Apr 28, 2008

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Breinigsville,PA

Jul 30, 2008

#6

• Jul 30, 2008

• #6

I am thinking MiniCooPer

I won a bet ,sitting in a Mini Cooper.Pictures are pretty funny.I'll post them when I get home.

 

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blbrchnk

New Member

Oct 16, 2006

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Bridgeport, WV

Jul 30, 2008

#7

• Jul 30, 2008

• #7

I bet that was like a clown car, as I have also sat in one of those, and they are cramped.

 

C

CPman

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Apr 2, 2005

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Jul 31, 2008

#8

• Jul 31, 2008

• #8

Would it be an idea to look at the seat brackets to see if it would be possible to modify them to allow the seat to be dropped an inch or two. If you could find a good fab shop with an engineering department to do this work, as you would not want to take away from the saftey of the design of the original bracket.

Just a thought.

 

GreyDiesel

New Member

Jul 26, 2008

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Denver, CO

Aug 2, 2008

#9

• Aug 2, 2008

• #9

CPman said:

Would it be an idea to look at the seat brackets to see if it would be possible to modify them to allow the seat to be dropped an inch or two. If you could find a good fab shop with an engineering department to do this work, as you would not want to take away from the saftey of the design of the original bracket.

Just a thought.

Click to expand...

That may be a brilliant idea. I'll look into it.

 

GreyDiesel

New Member

Jul 26, 2008

167

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Denver, CO

Aug 2, 2008

#10

• Aug 2, 2008

• #10

blbrchnk said:

I bet that was like a clown car, as I have also sat in one of those, and they are cramped.

Click to expand...

Actually, I heard the Mini's were supposed to be quite roomy. Check out this shot of NBA player Dirk Nowitzki, 6'10", inside a Mini. You cant see his legs, but he looks comfortable. I have never sat in one. You would be surprised what cars fit taller people. The absolute most comfortable car I have ever sat in is the VW Bug. I just could not bear owning one. The funny thing is, most all cars have the same numbers for headroom and legroom. This is because manufactures place the seat in the middle position to take the readings. Who cares what the headroom is in the middle seat position! Tall people (the only people who even read headroom numbers) are going to have the seat ALL THE WAY back. It is frustrating. I have also learned over the years to look more closely at the rear headroom numbers, as likely, my head will be in the part of the car considered the rear.

MINI2 2.13 meters - Dirk Nowitzki in the MINI

 

GreyDiesel

New Member

Jul 26, 2008

167

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Denver, CO

Aug 2, 2008

#11

• Aug 2, 2008

• #11

smallest car ever is the Mazda Miata. Which, has the same headroom and legroom numbers as all the other cars. No way anyone over 6'2" could drive one of those.

 

walter

Founding Member

Aug 13, 1998

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Houston TX

Aug 2, 2008

#12

• Aug 2, 2008

• #12

I didn't fit in an S2000 and I'm 6'1"

 

Stangninjak

Member

Apr 16, 2004

324

2

19

Aug 3, 2008

#13

• Aug 3, 2008

• #13

Mini cooper's are huge on the inside..you actually have MORE space in them than a mustang, driving wise.

I am 6'4 290, and at the car show, the mini rep grab me and told me to get in the car. At first I was in the ceiling...lol...but wham bam..a few adjustments later, I was sitting quite comfy...with plenty of head and leg room.

There was a company....that sold rails for the 2003 cobra..I think it was called BIGBOY seating...not sure now...but I remember looking for rails on my 65, and I ran across it..They modified seating for the 03 cobra's for guys 6'5 and up. Gave you 2more inches head, and 5 more inches back I think..may be worth googling it.

 

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wht-v6-vert

Banned

Jul 6, 2005

39

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0

Aug 5, 2008

#14

• Aug 5, 2008

• #14

Convertibles have more head room than coupes. I think its about an inch. I'm a diminutive 6'3" and I had a tough time in a coupe loaner car. The wife's convertible is very comfortable for me.

 

NastyStang113

New Member

Sep 12, 2008

1,567

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Florida

Aug 6, 2008

#15

• Aug 6, 2008

• #15

Minis are definitely VERY roomy, much better than our cars. If you disagree, you've never drove one or sat in one. Plain and simple.