Wow... the fact that a car as physically small as the MINI can contain people as tall as some here is pretty amazing... That said, I'd hate to try and sit behind you in the rear seat.

 

It's more about *how* your height is distributed, rather than your absolute height. I'm only 6'2" (74"), but with a 36" inseam (crotch-to-ankle), plus another 4" from ankle-to-floor, this means that well over half of my height is in my legs. So, although I have no headroom issues in the MINI, I do have to drive a little bowlegged, or switch to a smaller-diameter steering wheel.

 

6'5" , 240# here, I really did not have an issue with the DT hitting my leg. I had the seat way too far back, and that seemed to have been causing some back pain. I have now moved my seat forward, and the seatback more to an upright position and my leg now hits the DT, So I can see where this would help. Great Idea for the carved dT , just wish I had the cojones to do this myself

 

Give it a try. At worse case, you buy another stock one and put it back like it was. Used ones are avaialbe right here from NAM members. It was really very easy to do. It just takes a little time and I don't advise doing the fiberglassing until the weather is warm and you can do it outside or at someone else's house. It really stinks up the place.

I think the reason I needed the extra room is the way I hold my foot on the gas pedal. I don't put my foot on the pedal straight and modulate the gas by bending my ankle.

I have my toe pointed to the right and my heel to the left and I modulate the gas by rolling from my little toe area toward the ball of my foot. I get much finer control this way. I also force my foot to the right and sort of jamb it up against the transmission tunnel. My foot is sort of halfway into the heel and toe position if you heel the brake and toe the gas. My foot won't twist the other way.

I'm still thrilled with the improved comfort of the modded DT. I'm now finding that just a little bit of shimming under the front seat runners, where they bolt to the floor pan is also adding even more comfort... I just need to fine tune the amount of shim.

YD

 

Backseat?? Backseat?? What is that?? How can I tell if I have one of those?? Can you post a pic?

YD

 

He's talking about the little shelf in the back you can set stuff on. Don't know why MINI put seatbelts back there, though...

 

I crawled back there once, just to see what it took. I must have looked like a circus bear on a bicycle. I see no reason to ever get back there again or put anyone there.

I think what most people don't realize is how far the front seats will slide back. I still wish the steering column had a little bit of forward/backward or extension adjustment.

My next ergo mod is going to really be a doozie. If I described it now, I'm afraid the DOT might be monitoring this thread and would confiscate my MINI before I even got started. Or ImagoX might beat me to it, hehe . Gotta work hard to stay ahead of that boy.

YD

 

For what it's worth I'd buy one of these in a heartbeat. I'd pay $50 for it no problem, maybe more. It would have to be in anthracite, but that's a nit.

The wood idea sounds cool too.

 

[quote=gmcdonnell;1369295]For what it's worth I'd buy one of these in a heartbeat. I'd pay $50 for it no problem, maybe more. It would have to be in anthracite, but that's a nit.

Want me to make one for you? I need to make a few just to get my fab techniques consistent and determine the real time involved. I'd really like to make about ten at a time in a sort of production line. Maybe one of these days.

I think the real selling point would be to have people sit in my car. I think that would be all it would take... maybe I can make some and bring them to the Dragon... I just need some cores.

I need some warmer weather to do the fiberglass.

YD

 

The next time you try that, bring along a camera and an extended tripod. It's the only way I could get a shot like this crisp and clear...

 

Certainly! Sent you a PM on this. /gary

 

I have a contact that could make a small batch of injection molded downtubes rather than going through the fiberglass work.

 

I think making a master mold may be a lot more trouble than there may be a market. But I'm willing to talk to anyone. I can make the master positive, then someone will need to make the master negative and then the final mold.... sounds expensive, but talk to your friend and see.

 

I'd be in for one in the $30-$50 range.

 

I'm getting ready to make one for gmcdonnel as soon as the weather warms a bit. After than I'll have a better idea of the effort and aggrivation. I'm looking for a foam of a little harder cure. I don't want one of the huge froth packs, just the small cans like Great Stuff from Home Depot, but something different.

YD

 

Any update on this?

 

Sounds like my hand is being called. The weather here in TN is getting very nice.... so I need to make a couple and see if this is something I want to do more of. I'm thinking my main issue will be getting a small source of cores to get started. I may be doing this on a onesey-twosey production line for a while. I would still like to bring a handful to the Dragon and see if there was any interest.

I just completed my second best ergo mod (I removed the entire brake pedal assembly and did a double bend that moved the brake about 9/16" to the left). I can still heel and toe if I want, but now the sole of my right shoe doesn't get caught under the brake pedal. Really feels good.

YD

 

I will be @ MOTD and am interested in getting some from you.

 

ill be trying this one out thats for sure. my one pet pev is my knee always is sore after a long trip. great idea and ill pm ya if i have any problems!

 

What about a cutout on the tube plus a little thin padding for the knee?

The problem with heating up the tube to dent it is-
will the tube retain it's length and orientation once heated
and
will the foam inside the tube prohibit easy denting of the surface of the plastic?

If injection molded how about matching shaped downtubes for driver and passenger knee clearance???

 

Nah...the hell with the passenger. She doesn't have to keep her foot on the accelerator.

 

That is so very cool. I bet you can sell bunches of them.

 

Bringing this thread back up since it is 23 days before MOTD and haven't heard any updates about this.

 

Sorry, life is just not cooperating with allowing me much free time. I only have one core. I will try my best to mod this one and bring it if anyone wants to see it. My next one is promised, but I could take orders. I still need a couple of cores, then I can start doing the core swap thing. I also will have my MINI that has one so anyone who wants can sit in and try mine.

YD

 

I'd be all over that, price isn't really an issue (especially when you're 6'6"