Too tall for helmet - Gurney Bubble?


twobjshelbys

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,060
Las Vegas, NV
So I was going to take the GT to Bondurant and then to the Shelby 50th but got chicken of the weather. I had not gotten a helmet yet but was concerned about the Z-height.

Well, today I trial fitted with a borrowed helmet in anticipation of some summer activities in the are.

No go.

My baseball cap rubbed on the roof liner.

With the helmet and the seat set for the best driving position to pedals and sitting position for harnesses there would be no way I would be able to sit in the car. I was slid down at such an angle that my back was not in contact with the seat...

Oh well, Thinking of Plan B.

I talked to Rich and he has a recipe for a Gurney Bubble. Any thoughts on this mod? Anyone have one? I think fi I did it I would get a second door to mod and leave the original alone.

Any alternatives? I thought I'd seen a seat mod to lower it by removing padding and maybe even some replacement seats but can't locate them.

Or maybe I just tool around the neighborhood.
 
STORMCAT

STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,551
Ft. Lauderdale
twobjshelbys said:
So I was going to take the GT to Bondurant and then to the Shelby 50th but got chicken of the weather. I had not gotten a helmet yet but was concerned about the Z-height.

Well, today I trial fitted with a borrowed helmet in anticipation of some summer activities in the are.

No go.

My baseball cap rubbed on the roof liner.

With the helmet and the seat set for the best driving position to pedals and sitting position for harnesses there would be no way I would be able to sit in the car. I was slid down at such an angle that my back was not in contact with the seat...

Oh well, Thinking of Plan B.

I talked to Rich and he has a recipe for a Gurney Bubble. Any thoughts on this mod? Anyone have one? I think fi I did it I would get a second door to mod and leave the original alone.

Any alternatives? I thought I'd seen a seat mod to lower it by removing padding and maybe even some replacement seats but can't locate them.

Or maybe I just tool around the neighborhood.
Click to expand...

Get your seat base lowered by removing some cusioning removed. There is a guy In Wisconsin who does this,, Roketman or Shelby can get you his info..
 
Triheart7

Triheart7

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 3, 2007
2,576
Northern California
Lots of post on the subject, but getting the seat "lowered" is the simplest.
 
J

jaxgt

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Jul 12, 2006
2,795
Ditto. I am 6'5". With standard seat, my hair just rubs the headliner while driving. I had my seat lowered by the same fellow - Knights Autoworks. Probably added about 1.5-2" headroom. The seat otherwise feels about the same.

Now in normal driving position, I have more headroom.

With a helmet on, it just rubs the headliner, so I pull my seat forward a drop and tilt seat back down a bit more than usual and I'm fine for typical 20-30 min track sessions.

The seat is fairly straightforward to remove too.
 
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Specracer

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,088
MA
Knights Autoworks, Steve Hemstock does the seat lowering. He did the GTX-1 interiors.

http://knightsautoworks.wordpress.com/
 
texas mongrel

texas mongrel

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 3, 2009
1,661
Houston Texas
I am 6' - 4" and have not done any mods. When driving on the street I can definitely tell when I need a haircut as it tickles the roof when my hair gets a little long. For track days I adopt the "italian driving position" i.e. Slide the seat forwards a few notches and rake the seat back. I've done at least ten long track days like this and am used to it - it makes me feel like I'm driving my old Dino Spider!
 
4

427Aggie

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Aug 18, 2005
885
Frisco, Tx
I have a bubble and it does give you plenty of headroom with the helmet...you have to learn how to close the door with one on because the door will still try to scalp you if you sit straight up while closing it. Once you get the door closed you have enough room but I'm right at 6'. I love the look of the bubble and had the GT Guys get me one on another door and paint match it.
 
twobjshelbys

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,060
Las Vegas, NV
How is the seat mod done? Do I take my seat out and get the padding changed or can the seat bottom be a second set that is swapped in when needed? I'm considering the change from the perspective of restoring it to original should I ever want to. An alternate would be to look at a substitute seat (e.g., Recaro) that I could swap in and then put the entire original back.
 
twobjshelbys

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,060
Las Vegas, NV
427Aggie said:
I have a bubble and it does give you plenty of headroom with the helmet...you have to learn how to close the door with one on because the door will still try to scalp you if you sit straight up while closing it. Once you get the door closed you have enough room but I'm right at 6'. I love the look of the bubble and had the GT Guys get me one on another door and paint match it.
Click to expand...

Yes, per the above I would probably do it on a second door. Boy they are pricey !!!
 
twobjshelbys

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,060
Las Vegas, NV
Specracer said:
Knights Autoworks, Steve Hemstock does the seat lowering. He did the GTX-1 interiors.

http://knightsautoworks.wordpress.com/
Click to expand...

Anyone have an email address?
 
S

shelbyelite

PERMANENTLY BANNED
May 10, 2007
1
We offer the seat lowering kits and we can do it as an EXCHANGE so you are not without a seat for a period of time. Call me at 1-870-931-8004
 
4

427Aggie

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Aug 18, 2005
885
Frisco, Tx
twobjshelbys said:
Yes, per the above I would probably do it on a second door. Boy they are pricey !!!
Click to expand...

You think its expensive for the door price it out with all the parts not just the door...then you get well over $20K!
 
Ed Sims

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,853
NorCal
Also, helmets are quite different in dimension. Bells seem a little larger on the top while Shoeis are lower. I know that BlackIce & I went to Wine Country Motorsports at Sears Point Raceway & he tried on different helmets in his GT until he found one that fit his head & door the best!

Ed
 
BlackICE

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
Ed Sims said:
Also, helmets are quite different in dimension. Bells seem a little larger on the top while Shoeis are lower. I know that BlackIce & I went to Wine Country Motorsports at Sears Point Raceway & he tried on different helmets in his GT until he found one that fit his head & door the best!

Ed
Click to expand...

Arai was the one I found with the best head clearance.
 
Kingman

Kingman

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 11, 2006
4,072
Surf City, USA
Speaking of Dan Gurney..............yesterday, he and his wife attended Cars & Coffee (our Forum member friend SteveA knows him and said hi). He's getting on in years but was obviously having a great time enjoying the hobby and greeting all the well-wishers. Pretty cool frankly.:thumbsup
 
HUBBSTER

HUBBSTER

GT Owner
May 9, 2010
446
Miami, FL
If the seat lowering doesnt work, you can just remove the seat & place cushions there while on track then replace seat when you are back on road
 
GT38

GT38

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Jan 19, 2008
720
Glendale, Arizona
HUBBSTER said:
If the seat lowering doesnt work, you can just remove the seat & place cushions there while on track then replace seat when you are back on road
Click to expand...

That's what Team Jeff & I do with our SPF GT40, but it's a whole different situation in that car because of how the underlying structure is contoured like the seat. We use aircraft quality fire-retardant foam - it looks funky, but it works and it's an easy switch (literally a couple of minutes for both sides) between the foam and the factory seats. It would be a LOT harder to do something like that in the GT, IMO. But I'd like to see photos if someone does it.
 
Superfly

Superfly

HERITAGE GT OWNER
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 23, 2008
2,210
Edmonton, Alberta
Gotta think one of these would be cheaper than a Gurney bubble, and probably lower the seat WAY more too if you wanted.

http://www.tecnocraft.com/Tecnocraft-T2-Dry-Carbon-Fiber-Seat-P39.aspx

http://www.forgedperformance.com/index.php?option=com_wordpress&p=594&Itemid=159

Never tried them, but based on other forum reviews (mainly Gallardo), they're supposed to be crazy comfortable. And it sure looks like it could be mounted to be a lot lower if you wanted anyway. Plus, dayum, they're UNDER 7 pounds!!! WOW!!

They're a sponsor here, http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/member.php?3909-Tecnocraft, so maybe you could check with them.

Not that I'm suggesting you change your Sparco's, just throwing options out there for you.
 
Ed Sims

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,853
NorCal
Triheart did the seat lowering & loves it. I'd go with the Shelby Elite option.

Ed
 
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