Tall Guy Questions

Guys, I have been trying to do as much research as possible, but I was hoping to hear from some others who have actually made some of these changes. I have had my 00 Carerra coupe for a couple weeks now and I am contemplating some different equipment. I am 6'7" with a 36" inseam and I actually fit pretty decent. My car has the sport seats and the three spoke steering wheel. While I fit there is room for improvement. I know many have been here before so here is my plan. 1. GT3 console delete. This will definitely free up some leg room on the right side. 2. GT3 seat with Brey Krause special side mount brackets. I think this will make the most difference but I am not sure. Anybody in the northern NJ area with this set up? I hate to spend all that money without ever sitting in one of the seats. 3. Smaller steering wheel. One of my main issues is that my legs rub on the wheel. I would love to find a 340mm or 320mm wheel that still accepted the airbag and looks halfway decent but I have yet to find anything viable yet. Thanks in advance for any comments and help. I love the car, just trying to make it fit me better.

Man you really need to talk to Chad (Chads996). He just sold his 996 b/c he couldn't fit. I think if you do a search on his stuff you will find ALOT of trials and tribulations he faced.

Hi GHarold... I too am 6'7". So hopefully I can add some to this and help you out. Here is the scoop: Number 1 is on the money. You will LOVE this mod. Do it without hesitation. Number 2 is not. The GT3 seats (even with the BK bracket) move the seat higher. While the GT3 seats are incredible I had the chance to sit in some with the BK brakcets. Unfortunately, the fitment was not so good. The choice is to go with some Sparcos. (if interested send me a PM, I have some new Speedware Motorsports 996 seat brackets, that I'll practically give you) Number 3. Also is on the money. I bought the AJUSA steering wheel. Here is a photo of the interior with all the mods completed. After all this was completed, I fit beautifully. Please note, that I enjoy doing track event and I had no room for my helmet. While I could have gone farther into the mods to eleviate the problem, my wife and I also have a baby on the way. To simplify, I just sold the car. Be patient, you will find a solution. Good luck. cheers, Chad

Chad, Just picked up my car for track, though i am not 6'7" (just a short 6'5") i cannot even begin to sit in the car with a helmet on without sticking my head out the window!(makes it tough to drive). So far ive been told the solution is EVO seats on new brackets, even if i have to custom build them. I sat in a car with EVO seats and they were much lower but not on the lowest bracket that was available. how much room did your seats leave you?

I gained around 2+ inches with the Speedware brackets and each seat bolted to it's lowest position on the side mounts. I happen to still have the 996 Speedware brackets. If you want them, let me know...I'll make a Rennlister a great deal on them. Shoot me an email: [email removed] Chad

That's a definitive GO! I went for the Techart 34cm wheel for the same reasons more than 2 years ago (time flies!), and it changed my life... Seriously, it's like day and night. And beside the size, the wheel is much thicker, which is a major improvement too IMO. Greetings, --Pierre

Chad, were you able to get a helmet on?

With a little more work...yeah. It was cramped with the sunroof though. Not safe enough for my taste. I also think I needed different seats. I was shooting for something for the street and track. So I chose a set of Sparco Roadsters. Great seats, but not enough. Chad

i sat in some EVO seats and had some room, but with them mounted down to the floor or close to it, it appeared i had at least 3 inches above the head. I was told EVO 3 seats would work...

And one other thing... this option of steering wheel replacement? I have the same issue as stated above, no room past my knee with my hand, knee and wheel are to close for comfort. I like the idea of the console delete under the stereo and a smaller wheel. And recomendations on wheels? what about the airbag?

The AJUSA one has an airbag. The Techart does as well. Consider the GT3 console delete. It improves the legroom immensely. I highly recommend that mod first. Chad

My GT3 is getting an EVO3 (called EVO XL actually) installed today on the drivers side. I'll let you know how much headroom and legroom I achieve. Initial fit testing mounted to a steel plate directly to the seat bottom (side brackets lose too much headroom, there are molded in female sockets on the bottom of racing seats) got me ~ 2 1/2 inches of additional headroom and an inch more legroom. I'll post installation results and headroom data on the GT3 site this weekend. Good Luck/John

Very interested to hear... thanks! Was that additional head room vs. your orginal gt3 seats? Mine are stock 996... and i am about a 1/3 inch from the top.

Guys, Thanks to all who responded. It is nice to know that I am not the only one with these issues. Does anyone know where I could purchase the Techart steering wheel in the states? I think I will go with that and the console delete before I make a decision on the seats. Thanks again

Greg, Do you have full power seats? They seem to sit lower than manual seats........ I'm 6-5 with 36" inseam and I am reasonably comfortable with only console delete, but I don't track the car, so can't speak to helmet/headroom issues....

Kevin, I do not have the full power seats. I will try to find someone who has them to see if it makes a difference. Thanks.

I noticed the difference when I moved from my Boxster with manual seats to my 99 Cab with full power seats. The space between my shins to the edge of the dashboard increased from ~1.5" to 3". This, to me, is a huge difference. I also seem to sit down in the car more. Maybe we could measure the distance from the rear footwell floor to the top of the rear edge of the front seat cushions to see if my seats are lower than your manual ones.

Kevin...you are correct. For some weird, funky reason...the usual rule of "manual seats give more clearance", does not apply to the 996 seats. However, please note that the Boxster has MUCH less room than the 996. The best test is to go from manual 996 seats to electric 996 seats. From what I could determine, the electrics have the best room. However, also note that the supple leather seats and the sports seats also have a difference. The sports have less cushion and sit a little bit lower in the car. I believe there is someone on the list who recently posted a set for sale. The photo he used shows the thinner bases very effectively. Hope this helps. Chad

Guys, I have the sport, manual seats. Chad, as you know both the height and position of the seat make a difference. If I could mount a seat lower and further back that would be ideal. That's what I thought you could do with the GT3 seat and the Brey Krause bracket. I remember a post where the guy was 6'9" with a 44" inseam and that is what he did. Chad, you said you sat in the seat with the bracket and it was not any better?

Correct. The GT3 seats just have a high mounting position (on sliders). They were not optimal for a tall guy. At least that is what I determined. I love the seats. They are gorgeous. I believe BK offers another mount that bolts them directly to the floor. If you would still like those seats, that may be another viable option. Chad

Picked up my GT3 with the EVO3 Racing Seat Installed. I have 3 inches of headroom, a gain of 2 inches. The seat is more comfortable than the stock Sport Seat. Legroom is about an inch closer than the original seat in the maximum position aft. Again, the seat had a custom bracket built to achieve this at a cost of ~$450, parts and labor. Pictures to follow.

Chad, How much of a difference did the steering wheel you chose make? It looks to me that is almost an inch smaller in diameter than the stock wheel. The Techart wheel sounds like it is awful pricey. Thanks.

Guys, More discussion on steering wheels. Here is what I understand. The stock wheel is 372mm in diameter. The AJUSA wheel Chad mentioned is 360mm. The Techart wheel comes in 340mm and 320mm. It seems to me that the 360mm would not be enough to make a difference? Chad says it does so I am not sure. Another option seems to be Gemballa. Their option is 360mm but they also offer column spacers. Has anyone seen or used these? This seems like it would help alot if the wheel extended further. Thanks.

I have posted pictures and information of my Headliner Removal and EVO 3 Seat installation on the GT3 site. Enjoy Tall Guys!!

Geez, you guys make me feel small. I'm only 6'4 260 lbs...

Greg, I'd also tend to say that the 360mm wheel would't be much of a difference. To me, the 320mm from Techart is both too small and hides too much of the cluster. On the pics I posted earlier, you can see that my Techart setup (340mm) also has some sort of a spacer which moves the wheel a bit closer to the driver. I only can recommend it, but it certainly isn't the only solution. Greetings, --Pierre

I agree w/ Pierre. However, it is all a matter of taste. Personally, for the price difference, I liked the AJUSA version. It was the perfect fit. And believe me, 1" smaller in DIA. made a huge difference. The steering also felt much better. A friend of mine even commented that anything smaller would not offer the same feel. I think it would be to twitchy. But that again is my opinion. Good luck with your decision. Either way, you can't really lose. Chad

Pierre, Where did you buy your wheel and what did it cost you? Did you purchase the spacer at the time as well? I think I have decided on the Techart 340mm wheel, I would just like to confirm some more of the minor details. Thanks.

Greg, One of our local PCA members has a 340mm perforated black leather Techart airbag wheel for sale. Asking price $800.

Greg, I bought mine from my dealer, who in turn ordered it directly from Techart Germany. All included (wheel, spacer, airbag, work), it cost me about CH 1'800 back in Nov. 2002. At this time, this represented USD 1'200. Greetings, --Pierre

Kevin, Please put me in touch. Thanks. Pierre, I will call my dealer and see if he can do the same. Could I trouble you for part numbers if you have them? Thanks again.

I recently had the same problem although I am only 6'1". I bolted the seat to the floor. Now I fit with my helmet and the air hose attachment on the top. I have about 4" of clearance above my head but the seat doesn't move. I also would like to change out the wheel as my hands still brush against my thighs.

All, Steering wheel update- It looks like we cannot get the 340mm wheel in the States. Issues with the airbag and the wheel blocking the guages. Do to this I may have to change my tact. I may have to go with the wheel that Chad recommended and hope that the small difference is worth while. The other thing I am thinking is a fixed seat attached to the floor for my size. Being 260 lbs I am not sure I will fit in the GT3 seats. I may look at the Sparco evo 2 or some of thr Recaros. I would like to sit in some of these seats before I decide. Hopefully all of this info will help all the other tall guys in the future. Thanks.

Sorry for the late answer... My Techart documents say following: - wheel: "type TechArt AS 340, Art-No 000.430.340.210 and following" Sorry again, but I an't find any part number for the "vehicle-specific adapter". I'd recommend you just to send an email to Techart, and all the answers should come back pretty quickly. Greetings, --Pierre