I plan to do the occasional autocross or driving school w/ my MCS; however, I am concerned about headroom w/ a helmet on under these conditions. Given that I do not yet own a helmet and haven't done an autocross in this car, I can't speak from experience; however, I do know that as it stands, I have only a couple of inches of headroom w/ the seat in the lowest factory setting. I opted for the sunroof as I was assured that there was absolutely no headroom delta relative to the the sunroof which I later learned was incorrect (after the car went into production - I know, the sunroof is heavy but this wasn't a concern as the car is a daily driver and not meant for competition). Regardless, I would like to know if there are any tricks or easy modifications which may be made to gain a bit more headroom.

Thanks in advance.

 

I've done several autox, driving schools, etc. in my MCS with sunroof and I don't recall my helmet ever hitting the ceiling.

 

You should borrow a helmet, and check it out for yourself. That's the only way to really know.

 

I found that it did make a substantial difference when I out on my helmet (Bell M2)and tried to run my MCS for the first time in an event: I just did not have the headroom I needed using my usual seat height. Fortunately, I had enough room to lower the seat within the standard factory limit. I'm just 5'8", so it wasn't a real problem. But if you're taller, experiment first: do borrow a helmet or go by a race shop that will let you try one out.

 

I'm 5'10" and haven't ever had a problem...

 

The bug ugly car you see autocrossing has a 5'9" driver with an old Bell XF2 on. with the seat on full high.....never have even touched the roof.....then again, I am pretty good looking....so that probably accounts for it.....to bad my beauty and speed don't match....i am guessing its the color of the beast.....

 

I'm 5'10, race with my seat as high up as possible and have not bonked my head yet. . . . .

I agree that you should just go to a shop and they should be happy to let you try on a helmet inside your MINI

 

I'm 5'8" - our MINI is on order (w/o sunroof), so I can't comment directly on MINIs. I have always autocrossed and road raced with seat adjustment either as low as I can get and still have good steering wheel control. For any competition it helps a bit to have a lower CG for the car with driver. For safety reasons it pays to have maximum clearance from top of helmet to roof or roll cage top bar.

Back in the 1980's my brother was road racing a VW GTI and did a forward roll at Laguna Seca when the car impacting a tire barrier. He was sitting too high and hit the roof with his helmet, causing a cracked neck vertebre. He survived without permanent disability, but it was a close thing. Since then we always allow for maximum helmet clearance, and have used a HANS device since 1991 whenever track driving.

Be careful out there.
Dave

 

5'10" and no probs.

 

6'4", sunroof, daily driver, and autocross every chance I get. Seat is set low as possible, but not all the way back.

 

I'm 5'9" but I have a long torso. I have to have my seat all the way down, and I have to have the seat back a couple of notches. It isn't an uncomfortable position at all. I have he sunroof as well. I don't think the sunroof makes much if any difference in handling. Yes the weight is high, but the MINI doesn't lean much at all.

 

>>5'10" and no probs.

I understood you were a crossdresser and not an autocrosser......

 

open the sunroof?

 

I am 6'0 " I also have a long Torso, I wear 30 to 32 inch inseam pants.

With the seat all the way down, to Autocross I have to lean back further than I like. I then have to pull the seat forward to have a good arm length to the wheel, and end up with my knees in front of the steering wheel. I use a key with out any other keys on the ring as they hit me in the knee! This position has the helmet against the headliner and the airbag.

I have the Sunroof. The next MINI I buy for Autocross will not have the Sun roof.

I use a Schroth harness, I would not bother to AX with out it. This also keeps me from "sitting up" in the seat and hitting my head on the roof hard enough to mark the headliner.

The harness snaps in, although you have to add 2 belt stubs to exising points in the car, all parts required are in the box. ($225 plus shipping from several suppliers)

You can be full on the brake, have your left foot on the clutch, your right hand on the shift, and a light touch on the wheel because the harness is holding you in place.

John (who got beat at last weeks AX by his wife using the same car).
Northern Illinois.

 

>>I am 6'0 " I also have a long Torso, I wear 30 to 32 inch inseam pants.

Finally someone over 6'. All these 5'9" people saying "I have no problem." Duh!

I'm 6'3" and I'm in the same boat, I've got to have my seat one seat click angled lower than I would like and I don't have the sunroof. The "recommended" clearance between helmet and roof is one fist. Even one click back mine still touches lightly. I didn't order the sunroof for that specific reason. I've had cars, like a Maxima, that had WAAAY less headroom than the MINI so I can't complain too much.

How tall are you? What I plan to do, eventually is replace my seats with side mount seats. Side mount race seats should net me another 4+ inches. I'm going to buy a set specifically for autocross and track days and swap them in the night before. From what I've read it would take 20 minutes. This will also net me some more knee room. :smile:

Cheers,

Paul

 

Depending on what class you run, changing your seat could be a bad thing.

Abe

 

6"3" with new Simpson open face helmet. Drove a friends MSC with a hole in the roof and my head was pinned on the ceiling. I sit up when driving in competition - may have made a difference.

 

6' 3" autocross with the seat all the way down and my body position a little layed back (been this way since the offroad racing days) the steering wheel is in the middle tilt position and my knees are bent a little more and the seat a little further forward than I would like to get the arm length right for me. No troubles with head room.