Seat to Roof hieght?

Bassalt997tt · 09-23-2012, 10:38 AM

I'm looking for a 911 to putz around the TX hill country in and ran into an issue today. I'm 6'6" and fit great in my 997tt. I've driven an 88 911 sunroof coupe and it was a bit tight, but had about 1/2" headroom with the seat all the way back. So, I'm considering purchasing a 78 sc sunroof car from a member here and figured it would be like the 88, but then I sat this morning in an 83 sc and could not get the seat in any position where my head did not hit

Any ideas from you guys... any solutions? Maybe a headliner without the padding? Can the drivers seat be modified?

Esel Mann · 09-23-2012, 11:04 AM

I suspect that the sunroof mechanicals will have more impact on reduced headroom versus any headliner padding.

I have the same issue as you however my '84 is a non sunroof so I get a little more versus one with a sunroof.

To increase your headroom one or more of the following are possible:

- Ensure that the seats are the manual seats. The power seats while convenient, do sit slightly higher. I am told that there is about an 1" or so difference.

- Remove the manual adjust sliders and hard mount the seat to the seat mounts.
This will get you <= 1" and the lack of adjustability may not make it worth the hassle.

- Replace seats with for example racing style seats. This will gain you 1" or so.

- Modify or redo the floor pan seat mounts to permit the drivers side seat to sit lower. It will take some work to do but it is doable. If you do any grinding or welding, please do be careful with the drivers side seat mount next to the tunnel. The fuel line runs right along there (ask me how I found that out)!

timmy2 · timmy2's Garage

Get a Targa and take the top off....

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

My Recaro seats dropped me a few inches.....

Bassalt997tt · 09-23-2012, 12:40 PM

The funny thing is, the 88 had power seats and the 83 did not. The 83 is the one I do not fit in

...

dreeves · 09-23-2012, 03:52 PM

I believe porsche lowered the seats for more headroom starting in 1986. Not sure what combination they used of thinner seats vs lower rails...

Amochosto · Amochosto's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreeves

I believe porsche lowered the seats for more headroom starting in 1986. Not sure what combination they used of thinner seats vs lower rails...

I am confused about this, I have read on this website and others that the '85 seat rail was made higher than previous seat rails and dropped back lower to the same height as models made prior to '85 for the '86 model year. If this is the case, the seat rail in my '84 (and the '83 in question) is the same height as the seat in the '86 and later cars and only '85s are higher.

I have also read in a book that the seat rail was lower in '86 and later models, and no reference was made to increasing the height in '85.

As a guy who is 6'5" with a long torso and shortish legs, I would love to know the definitive answer I would love to simply switch to an '86 or later seat rail, and not have my head scraping the headliner every time I drive.

Bassalt997tt · 09-23-2012, 07:30 PM

With 36" inseam, my torso is about proportional for height.... my head was pretty firmly planted against the headliner of that 83'. I'm assuming here the 78' would be the same? Maybe I'll have to stick the the later 911's... at least they have the G50

Ramathorn · 09-23-2012, 08:18 PM

Cheap solution would be to shave the seat foam or replace the center section of seat foam with foam that has a bit more give. These are two things ive been doing for year is my cars and my bikes.

Bassalt997tt · 09-24-2012, 07:02 AM

Thanks for all the tips.... I'm sure there will be a fix should I decide to go with the 1978 sc. I can always remove the seat and look for differecnt places to modify it.

I love small sports cars and will find a way to cram myself in. Funny, a bit opposite of the tiny guy climbing side boards and step bars to get into his huge, lifted 4x4