Fitting in a car

[clubford00]

Just a general question about fit. Im close to 6' and closer to 235 than i care to admit. I fit in Dons car right now (speed sport )-(Citation) with little room to turn the steering wheel. Im looking at Protoforms, Crusaders, Vortech, Womer, Adams etc. the question is, are any of these cars absolutely out of the question as far as fitting in? Obviously i can't get into a Lazer, and im not at all interested in a Caldwell. What is the best Current era car for me to fit in. And Im speaking of a vee here, not a 1st. thanks.

[fv195]

Vector or Womer, seem to be the bigest of the modern cars that I have sat in. I just bought a one off that I don't fit in, mods needed, live and learn

[grimes34]

Go with the Womer, You will fit, and they WORK!

[grimes34]

You may want to also look a the VDF Not only are they beautiful, They also handle very well ...Give Steve Pastore
a call and tell him your size to see if you fit. If you buy a new one I am would think they can fit the car to you..

look here http://veesportracing.com/

[FVartist]

The Crusader is built for big and tall. It is a very competitive car out here on the west coast.

[Bill_Bonow]

Dean,

Did Don wise up and decide you should get your own car?

If your looking new (doubtful), go talk to Uncle Al about the AM-5. I heard rumor there is a kit that has been floating around Georgia for the past few years that never got assembled.

However, I'd bet your looking for a nice (read cheap) used FV. The cars already listed are your best bet. I'd guess (never sat in one) that Ed Womer's EV-3 has got to have the most room of all the current FV's. But than again, what do I know.

Bill

[smsazzy]

I would have to say, go with a Crusader. I know guys as tall as 6'5" that fit well. I also know that Ian Sweeney has a very competitive one that has done well at the runoffs.

[VDF1]

I believe you should be thinking about whether you can ever make minimum weight in FV with any of the mentioned manufacturers. At 235 lbs you should seriously consider F1st. I have the prototype VDF and I bought the car from a 6"-1" 200 lb man and he made minimum weight in FV. It was a tight fit for him in the car but he won with the car in the Florida area so I guess he could steer OK. But I don't see how you could ever get 35 more pounds off the car and, I believe, that is a significant weight disadvantage.

I've heard the stories of people winning in FV carrying 30-40 extra pounds in FV but I've been in impound at several national races and the heaviest weight I've heard is 1032 lbs. It seems to me one of the great things about F1st is the increased minimum weight allowed and it's hard to understand why someone who weighs 235 pounds would rule the class out--it's made for you, man.

All that being said I do know that the Crusader and the Womer have a lot of room in them--but I don't know anything about the weight.

[clubford00]

Thank you so much for once again reminding me of my girth LOL seriously I know im not going to the runnoffs i just want to go out and have some fun. You say youve seen 1032Lbs on the scales ? LOLOL at a regional race at Blackhawk last year i went over the scales at 1105 and was right in the thick of it at the end. im not too worried about it . my weight i can work on. my biggest problem is i have big legs and In the Speed sport i drive its hard to get under the wheel enough to turn the steering wheel without doing the hand over hand deal.

[brian]

There's two versions of the Crusader, one is a lightweight version. While not really common in other parts of the country, they're a simple, strong car that is capible of winning and I found them easy to drive.

[smsazzy]

the heaviest weight I've heard is 1032 lbs.

I am over that.

[qposner]

I believe you should be thinking about whether you can ever make minimum weight in FV with any of the mentioned manufacturers. At 235 lbs you should seriously consider F1st. I have the prototype VDF and I bought the car from a 6"-1" 200 lb man and he made minimum weight in FV. It was a tight fit for him in the car but he won with the car in the Florida area so I guess he could steer OK. But I don't see how you could ever get 35 more pounds off the car and, I believe, that is a significant weight disadvantage.

I've heard the stories of people winning in FV carrying 30-40 extra pounds in FV but I've been in impound at several national races and the heaviest weight I've heard is 1032 lbs. It seems to me one of the great things about F1st is the increased minimum weight allowed and it's hard to understand why someone who weighs 235 pounds would rule the class out--it's made for you, man.

All that being said I do know that the Crusader and the Womer have a lot of room in them--but I don't know anything about the weight.

Leroy,

I am 6' 3" 220lbs and come off the scales at 1055 or so in my P3.

Quinn

[VDF1]

Stephen, I've never been in impound with you when we were both weighed, but I'm not surprised that you're heavier than 1032. Quinn, the Protoform P3 might be a good car for Dean. I knew right after I posted that I'd misstated because I have been in impound with you many times and, although I've never actually heard your weight, I know from talking to you that you're always quite a bit heavier than me.

I know neither one of you are suggesting that heavier is an advantage and lighter is a disadvantage in FV racing? I do seem to recall a post on this forum a few years ago where someone did say in some circumstances a heavier car might be an advantage.

Dean, in my opinion, size is not something that we have complete control over and I was only suggesting that F1st seems very similar to FV and yet has the obvious advantage of not penalizing heavy drivers as much as FV.

I do know that you're asking the right question because fit in a car is paramount--if you're not comfortable it's very tough to drive well.

[kevin willmorth]

The Adams and BRD have a more upright seating position, producing a lot more room to move. I find that torso girth has a lot to do with fitment, with the further you lay back, the more problematic the fitment becomes, The Laser is nasty tight from the combined reclined driver position and narrow body. The Adams I sat in was like sitting inan SUV, tons of elbow space, and the torso is out of the way. Only bad fit in that car is the steering arm at the shin.

Other than that, the Womer has a very nice space from shich to drive. Its a light car when fitted with the carbon body, and the space inside is generous.

That's my 2 cents worth. I keep the Laser because it keeps me looking at the scales. If I scale 190 at home, I might as well stay home. I need to stay under 185 to steer the thing, 180 to be comfortable. Give me more room and I'll just fill it with bratwurst and beer over the off-season. I have no discipline, and the diet habits of a teenage pot head with the munchies...

[elston36]

I'll stand up for you Kevin and refute your last sentence...

You're no teenager...



Donald

[maurus97]

lets not discuss weight...cough...250...cough cough

But in all seriousness I thought that citation was the cream of the crop for roomy competative rides. If u go new, the citation XTC is a sweet ride.

[elston36]

I hope there are cars roomier than the Citation. Dean looks like a stuffed sausage in my (SpeedSport) Citation...

(Yes Dean, I know you are still faster than I am...)

Donald

[clubford00]

[problemchild]

I don't think anyone mentioned the Protoform. Protoform, Vector, BRD, and of course Womer are the immediate cars that come to mind. I assume that a Vortech is beyond the price range.

As a larger driver who struggled to find suitable cars through 25 years of FV racing (and finally gave up), I have learned many things about selecting a FV for a larger driver. The first thing is that "you" will need to try out the specific car that interests you. In our world of low-production race cars, every car will be different ..... and possibly alot different. While Kevin may have sat in an Adams that was "like a SUV", I have not. I bought one on the premise that it was a "big mans" car and then could not fit in it ... after butchering it to fit ... and learning to driver by just moving my fingers ..... I found out that I was 60 lbs overweight. I am not picking on the Adams .... the best handling car I ever drove .... and some of the nicest people I have met .... but I think this situation is not uncommon.

It is a buyer's market. Find a car that "you" fit AND will be within site of minimum weight. While I have had some good races .... I have never had "my best" seasons when I drove cars more than 15-20 lbs overweight. Anyone who tells you that being 40-50 lbs heavy will not affect performance is in denial. Yes, at some drafting "big pack" tracks the weight will not be so evident .... but at others (like Blackhawk I expect) it will be very significant. Whether you are at the front, middle, or back ..... Why give up 1/2 a second per lap before you ever start?

You can tell much about a specific car by looking at it. Does it have a steel floor? How thick? Does it have extra protection? Does it have 2X4 chassis rails? Are those rails .120 or .065 wall thickness? How big is the previous driver? The driver before? If you go look at a car .... the seller weighs 145 lbs, the car has .120 2X4 chassis rails, steel floor, and extra side protection, no signs of ballast, and old repaired bodywork .... then you are looking at a car that will likely be 90 lbs overweight with a 230 lb driver. Yes there are cars like that out there. They are likely at the back of the grid. So .... spend more money and go buy that Womer, BRD, Vector, Protoform, or other? that will make minimum with a 200+ lb driver. You will still struggle to keep near the minimum but atleast you will have a chance

Cheers!

PS .... I would buy a "tight but light" car and make mods before buying a "roomy but heavy" car. Been there .... done that! Worst is "tight and heavy".

[clubford00]

Thank you for all the good advice. One thing i did not mention. For those of you who do not know me. I started racing vee's in 1980 and i raced them for 15 years. Then i bought a CFF and raced it for 5. Now my brother bought a vee and im sharing the ride with him. I also worked at DRE with Butch and Ron for 10 years and built a few cars in my day. So although im looking at current cars for fit, im not a stone cold rookie at this either. All advice is appreciated and welcomed though. Thanks

[kevin willmorth]

Thank you for all the good advice. One thing i did not mention. For those of you who do not know me. I started racing vee's in 1980 and i raced them for 15 years. Then i bought a CFF and raced it for 5. Now my brother bought a vee and im sharing the ride with him. I also worked at DRE with Butch and Ron for 10 years and built a few cars in my day. So although im looking at current cars for fit, im not a stone cold rookie at this either. All advice is appreciated and welcomed though. Thanks

Is this a case of 15 years experience, or 1 year experience 15 times over?

[Hal]

Dean, I don't blame you for not wanting a Caldwell, my D-13 always seems to skitter away in fear when ever you are around it, although this seems to be a common theme amoung man, beast, and machine. Go figure.


Hal
FV 88

[clubford00]

Yes Hal i remember the last time we raced and it skittered away behind me at the finish.

[Hal]

Proves my point.

[clubford00]