Tall driver modifications for a 996

First post here, so hi all! I recently decided now is the time to get myself into my first 911, so went and saw a very nice facelift C2 996 over the weekend. I'm 6'6" so most small/sporty cars are snug but, in standard form, it was just too cramped for me to be able to live with. I could just about drive it, but was very uncomfortable after a ~10 minutes test drive. I was just about okay for headroom, the main issues were room for my left leg and space between the steering wheel and my thighs. The car I viewed had semi-electric seats (manual forwards/backwards and up/down, electric tilt) and a sunroof. I've read that a non-sunroof would be better for headroom, but the headroom wasn't a massive issue for me. I'm not familiar enough with the OEM seat options to know if these ones are the best in terms of space. I really don't want to give up on the idea of a 996, so I've been doing some thinking/reading and I think I would have three main options for making more room for myself: Remove the lower centre console (GT3 style) Seat runner extensions Steering wheel spacer Any ideas about any other options would be very gratefully received. This might be a long shot, but I was wondering if anyone had done any of the above and would be kind enough to let me have a sit in their car. I'm near Southampton but would be very happy to travel if someone was willing and able to help! Cheers, Chris

My mate has done the centre console delete and it definitely gives your left leg more room, in fact at 5ft10 I miss it in my mates car as I use it for additional support in fast corners! The centre console and spacing the steering wheel should do the job !

I have taken the back seat centre padding out so I sit deeper which has helped. Others have suggested replacing the seats for 991/997 seats which sit lower. I wonder if you swapped out the 996 seat frame for the 997 seat frame you would sit lower..... that could be a neat and cheap fix?

I’m not as tall as you but had the same problem. I’ve now fixed it through a Porsche sport classic steering wheel, like the Momo, GT3 console and 997 sport seats. Loads of leg and head room now. I looked at how to keep the original steering wheel but you can’t adapt it. You can space it but the Momo looks better and I knew it would work. My insurer didn’t care about losing the airbag when I declared it.

plus one for the centre console removal. i'm 6'4 and that made a ton of difference. i know the suede cover can be expensive but iirc someone has started 3d printing them which may be a cheaper option. 997 seat swap is probably next.

Thanks everyone, hadn't realised 997 seat swap was an option that might help. Sounds like a combo of the above will probably be enough to make it viable, I'm just nervous about spending 20 grand or so on a car without having sat in one to get a bit of confidence that it'll be alright first

Have you checked the For Sale section? I think there is a members car with these mods already done...

Sideways suggestion but might be worth considering a Targa? They come as standard with the XSU option (lower seat base) which means you sit significantly lower. And centre console delete still very much possible! You’re welcome to sit in mine (am in NW London).

I swapped out the 996 seats for 997 seats, straight swap, apart from a bit of wiring. They will give you better support and sit much lower. The standard 996 seats are bloody awful. I’ve just driven down to the south of france with no Comfort issues

There are a series of issues with the 996 that combine when you’re taller than average- I’m a bit shorter than you, but maybe some of this is helpful. My car came with the stock hardback seats, the initial challenge was that with them in their lowest setting, and the non rake adjustable wheel at the full extent of it’s travel my left leg was literally trapped between the centre console and the steering wheel - I punched myself in the leg when turning left, and had to get out of the car to stretch my legs every hour or so. I did the GT3 centre console delete which freed up a lot of space for my left leg, but it still had to be held at quite an angle to avoid the wheel. Next I replaced the wheel with the Porsche Cup one - this immediately made things a lot better as my leg could finally rest in an attitude which it wanted to be in, rather than being pushed to one side. I ended up fitting the eccentric spacer to move the wheel up a little more, but it’s a really nice modification. Then I fit a Recaro SPG with BBI racing seat mount, which finally got me low enough in the car, and gave me support under my thighs - this is a real issue with the stock seats as if you have them low and far back as they’ll go you will have your bottom on the seat but that’s it, zero support for your thighs. The Recaro solves this, but it does make climbing in and out more entertaining for those around you, and autoroute tolls a bit more of a pain. I have had to put the 996 hardback seats back in as a friend of mine now looks after the car and he can’t fit in the Recaro, which has highlighted the lack of support again (I recently drove 3,500 km around Europe), and that the seat doesn’t go low enough, nor far enough back. I’m going to try some 997 seats I think as the reports seem good, but the other option might be the Tillet bucket seat that I know my friend fits in as he has one in his race car. I’m just under 6’2”, and there’s more detail in the threat about my car (link below).

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Ooh I'd missed that, thanks. I'll enquire on that now

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Now that's something I hadn't considered - very good to know. Thanks very much - I'll investigate the one that's currently for sale with the mods done, and give you a shout if that doesn't work out.

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Awesome, does the seat height drop help much in terms of leg room to the centre console? I'd guess it's mainly legs to steering wheel and headroom that benefits from that swap?

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Thanks for the thorough response! Your starting point sounds very similar to how I was when I went for the test drive. Is the Porsche cup one something like this - https://jzmporsche.com/parts/momo-cup-steering-wheel-kit-996-997 ? Looks like that would be a big benefit with the boss and a lot more dish on the wheel itself.

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Hi Chris and welcome, I'm 6'4 and had the same issues as you. My seats are as you described but with the hardbacks. 1. Taking out the seat travel stop allows the seat to go a little further backwards. Not sure how runner extenders can help as the limitation is space for the seat to fit in between the chassis. 2. GT3 delete helps left leg space hugely. Does mean you're limited to a single din radio so no fancy CarPlay set ups. If you do this and you have heated seats and double din there is a fair bit to get everything moved and working again. (I put the seat heater buttons were the rear window switch blanks were for a cab on the centre console.) 3. Momo with offset spacer increases leg room and does not compromise dial views. Also brings the wheel closer to your chest. 4. Lower seat. One option to lower the seat is the XSU option, it can be retrofitted. If you have a common interior colour it may be easier to do a 997 seat swap but if you have a more difficult interior colour to match then XSU may be best. There is quite a bit of info on the XSU option in this thread. As an added bonus the XSU seatback have more space(less foam) at the shoulders allowing you to sit deeper into the hardback seat. http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=144997&highlight= I did it and I am very happy with the result. (actually there is so much room now it's hard to imagine how I had a problem in the first place. ) Before all the changes. After all the mods. If you study the seat position relative to the centre console you can see how much lower and further back the seat is. Also note the steering wheel position relative to the dash and gearstick.