Goofy 911 sizing question, noob...
 

Howdy,
looking to research the 911 series for eventual purchase, but have one large hurdle to start with: I'm 6'5" and 265#. Is there a 911 better suited for the larger framed fanatics?

So, any like-sized guys out there who are happy with their head/legroom, and in which models? Looking to buy used and the local Porsche dealer only has new cars.

TIA...

Well I'm 6"5" and 270. I have always had Targas (74 and 87) and almost always drive with the top stowed since I don't drive them in rain, sleet or snow...ever. That leaves plenty of headroom....you can also lower the seats in many of the 911s if desired and I have found that the stock legroom is fine. But again, you can adjust the rails if necessary to create a couple of more inches...

:cool:

Seek out (user name) 6300 RPMs. I met him last summer and he is about 6'5". Pretty sure he put a steering wheel spacer in an 80s Carrera coupe because his seat was so far back he couldn't reach the wheel. I may be mistaken though. Try a PM To him.

Targas have a little more headroom
 

You may look at a Targa for a little more headroom in earlier cars. Custom seats (custom rails too) & steering wheel spacers are available. I am going for custom period looking seats for a better fit and look since I am 6 feet tall. Later model cars may also give you a little more room.

I'm 6'4" and have no problems in Targas; like kyalami, though I use them with the top off. I also fit in coupes, but stay away from anything with a factory sunroof they take up valuable headroom.

I will join the club. I am 6'5 and 270 and have been driving 911's for 20 years. Yes, Stay away from the sunroof cars. Also, get rid of any Power seats. I use the Recaro L or Recaro SE seats. They are wider and sit very low. I have also mounted seats directly to the floor with some modifications. I also use a Momo steering wheel spacer. Hope this helps. Thanks

Leg room....Right leg off the gas and shifting into first gear major PITA for bigger guys. Added a wheel spacer and a smaller wheel and shift knob, better but not perfect. Interested in a shifter extension next. Head room not so much an issue and I'm in a sunroof coupe.

Excellent advice. Thank You.

Any dealers that you would recommend in the upper MW area: southern WI/IL/MN area?

Thanks again.

OK, I mistakenly subscribed to Porsche Excellence for research-seems to be mainly advertising.

Is there a better reference magazine out there for enthusiasts/wrenches?

IMHO you are posting on the best resource for wrenching on the aircooled 911. I'm a decent wrench but have only owned my 911 for just over a year. Before I tackle a project I search here. Pelican hasn't let me down yet.

As to your size, at 6'5" are you legs or torso? I'm 6'2" with only a 33" inseam. I have way more legroom than I need but like many others my head makes contact with the headliner if I sit up straight. I'm lucky that I can sit far enough forward to keep my head inside the sunroof opening where there is more clearance. Kind of counter intuitive but leaning my seat back doesn't really gain me much clearance since the tray for the sunroof really encroaches on headroom.

You should expand your search beyond the dealer. If you can find a local "cars and coffee" that might net you a few 911s that a friendly owner might let you try on for size.

I'm currently trying to figure out how to fit in my car with a helmet on. Right now I don't and it doesn't look like I will without some amount of surgery to the car or $$ for a race seat. Some tidbits I've picked up.

1985 was a transition year for seats. The seats will sit about an inch higher that other years. Porsche lower the rails for 86.

Manual seats sit a little bit <1" lower than power seats.

If you find a car you like but don't fit look and see if it has spacers between the seats and rails. My 86 has a power DS and manual PS. The PS has spacers to level them up. Reading here, folks have found all combos of spacers, no spacers, stacked spacers. With a 25+ YO car there is no telling what the PO did to make the car fit them.

The rails can be lowered, but it requires cutting and welding. Don't forget the fuel lines running through the tunnel right behind where you want to weld.

Bolting an aftermarket seat directly to the rails without sliders could gain you a few inches depending on the combo.


-J

Targa, for sure. I'm 6-foot 4-inches, 260 pounds. I don't fit into a sunroof car at all. Not even close. But I fit into a Targa just fine. Plus there's the added benefit of it being, well, you know, a Targa.

I'm 6-3 and 260#. I have no problems fitting in my '70 non-sunroof coupe. Everything on these cars is adjustable and that's why they're so much fun. It's the ultimate tinker toy / erector set.
I did get a Sport Seat replica (GTS) and can wear my helmet for some DE days without any problems.
Like previous posts: stay away from sunroofs and power seats.

I'm 6'4 and have a non-sunroof coupe. I have no problem with either leg or head room, but in a sunroof 911 coupe I hit my head.

Shifting was awkward (having to reach forward) until I discovered that by adjusting the shift coupler you can reposition where the shift pattern is. I put the pattern back and a tiny bit to one side and I'm comfortable. This is a trial and error process, though, and it took me a number of attempts to get the shift pattern in the right place - and also have it shift properly.

6'5" with 36" inseam.

996s any better?

There's a couple 996s for sale at dealers, both within 70 miles.

Coffee meets forum/area? I raced motorcycles for several years and can appreciate an owner NOT wanting a stranger driving their car. Right now, I'm just looking for better fitment, and a chance to slide behind the wheel for better idea.

Thank You for tips on looking at spacers and seat rails that may be currently installed.

Also found a '82 SC Targa for sale at around $15K, 40K miles, IIRC. PPI those as well? Claims to have all receipts etc.. Thanks again!

I am 6'3", and had pretty much given up on anything other than a non sunroof coupe, or a targa.

The targa with stock seats has much more headroom than the coupe.

I recently ended up buying a coupe with a sunroof. The PO had installed recaro seats, similar to what Tate uses in his cars. I was blown away by the amount of headroom I have. Still a few inches to spare. I will stick my neck out here and say that the only way to make it really work, is with an aftermarket seat, then you have your pick of what car you like best.

I'm not sure if this holds true for the 964. I had sat in an RSA with recaro's, and still had very little headroom. It may have been the seat tracks,cant say for sure.

Cant comment on the 996, although I did consider it briefly, it just didnt have the styling, and the air cooled feel.

Good luck!

I'm 6' 3" with a long torso. When I had "stock" seats in my car I removed some of the foam in the seat bottom to effectively lower the seating position.
I now have race seats installed, which are bolted to the floor. This gives me enough room for a helmet. I have a coupe with no sunroof.

My advice would be to try sitting in different cars. Go to a local PCA autocross and sign up for "tour of the track", you can get rides in different cars.

Sun roof cars have less head room, targas the most. The newer cars, 996s and 997s are hopeless for tall drivers IMO.

The bottom line is the older aircooled cars are easy to modify to suit your needs.

Good luck.

IMHO. Join PCA. Join Chicago Region. If you want an air-cooled (pre 98) 911, which IMHO you should want, and the best years are 95 - 98, you will need to find one privately. Most Dealers only deal with much newer cars and do not have much inventory if any of air cooled cars. I really like a dealer in Illinois called Isringhausen in Springfield, IL but they are at least 250 miles from you.

I would shop on Pelican Parts Cars for Sale, on EBay and on Craigs list. I would check the cars for sale section in Panorama. A trip to California to buy a car should not be a turnoff for you. There are better used cars out there (no road salt). Do not buy the first car you look at, but buy the first car you really love at first sight. Do not buy a car if you do not like the color, thinking you can repaint. A good paint job will cost you at least $10K. Do not let a car with high mileage turn you off. A 1998 car with 150,000 miles might be a real gem of a car for you.

Take your time and look a lot. You will find your car.

Thank You Dale.

I get down to the Peoria area quite a bit, so Springfield isn't too much farther down the road.

Thanks again guys. Research shopping is fun too.

Try Autotrader.com also. I'm 6'4" with 36" inseam. Both of my 911's have sunroofs and were found on Autotrader. After market seats, a dished Momo steering wheel, and a extended shifter are your best friends. Given your size, select your aftermarket seat width carefully.

6'6" + and 250lbs! Drive my '77 Porsche 911 with sunroof quite comfortably! Steering wheel extension (quick release) as well as 4 inch extension on the shifter. I replaced the seats with Recaros. I enjoy long drives (when I can get them in) and only get tired as I have no cruise control. The last picture I was doing some laps at Mosport DDT track with my son in the car - 6' 4" 220 lbs. I hope this helps!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1372019363.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1372019432.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1372019560.jpg

I'm 6'5". I really like the Momo Mod 07 over stock.

How did you mount your seats to the floor? I've been looking at different options and have been thinking about doing something along these lines.

SmileWavy

Welcome. 6'-3" w/ 36" inseam here. Suggest getting an air-cooled car if you're a gear head. +1 on Targa, or coupe w/ out sunroof. +1 on Recaro SE for '74 to '89 cars. SEs are relatively cheap and have a blocky look that is appropriate, IMHO, for the '74 to '89 era but not really correct look for svelte long-hoods. They seem to be about one inch lower than stock at least compared to the 911SC stock seat. Btw, air-cooled era 911 stock seats I think were all made by Recaro as the Reutter body factory across the street was acquired by Porsche in 1963 then what was left became a seat manufacturer called Recaro. Also, I removed the pedal covers to get that last bit of few millimeters leg room in order fit. The steel underneath the covers is serrated for grip.

Markus
'80SC Targa

Btw, the Recaro SE seat was made in Taiwan. Hah!

Markus
'80SC Targa

Markus, rbog, reifle, et al Thanks for the heads up! SmileWavy


Just missed a beautiful example that was on CL locally: '82 T SC, lightened flywheel, Webers, with just 72K on her, for $15K. Gorgeous alpine white.......


I have a beautiful Momo garage art piece around here somewheres...

i am tall in torso and like to sit upright. bought 88 cab for headroom. targas ok too as i test drove them. sunroof coupes too tight. early cars from 70's, coupes were ok, but i wanted a g50 car. there are lots of seat options out there non-stock which will work.

A race type shell seat that is a side mount will gain significant headroom. I am all torso and I mounted my seat so the bottom is below the frame rails. I have enough room that I fit in a sunroof coupe with a helmet.

I am 6'6", 225, with a 36" inseam. I recently bought an '87 Coupe with sunroof and with an aftermarket MOMO wheel. My head touches the roof, although it's not smashed up against it. I could use about 2 inches of extra legroom, but again it's tolerable (there isn't really a car I actually properly fit in). The smaller diameter (350mm) MOMO wheel really helps because I don't have to splay my legs as wide, meaning I don't have an issue with 1-2 shift. HOWEVER, as this is a G50 gearbox, reverse is up and to the left. I have to move my leg slightly in order to get into reverse. I've only owned the car about 2 months and haven't gotten around yet to some of the various seating options. I think there is a 2nd set of holes on the seat track that would gain me about 1" of legroom, though.

I didn't want a Targa or a Cabrio. A sunroof delete option car is really hard to come by.

As far as finding a car, I ended up walking into a local shop that does only aircooled 911's here (Flat Six). I told the owner, Aaron, what I wanted, asked him if he knew anyone that had a car that might fit the bill, and long story short, I bought the car after he did the PPI (which you should always have done).

You could look into this one that was posted a little while back to see if it's still available:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-cars-sale/752614-17-000-usmc-bumper-sticker.html
EDIT: Bah, the last posting says sold, so it's gone.

The guy that did the engine rebuild is the guy here in Minneapolis (Bloomington) that I talked to to find my car, so I'd trust the job he did on the rebuild.

Another option is to give Dave Treichel a call. He's got a shop in Appleton, WI, called Zero to Sixty garage. Perhaps if you told him what you were looking for he might be able to help. I talked to him for probably close to an hour one day when I called about a car he listed on CL. I missed it, unfortunately, but he seemed like a good guy. I don't know if you'd get anywhere with the dealerships in Milwaukee or Zimbrick in Madison if you're looking for an aircooled car but you never know I guess.