Is the GT comfortable on long trips?
- Thread starter agentf1
- Start date
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
air is cold enough to hang meat...
regards from Fresno where it is 111 degress today and I had the GT out for a drive. :thumbsup
regards from Fresno where it is 111 degress today and I had the GT out for a drive. :thumbsup
WannabeGT
Boney,
Maybe you can calm my fears. I drive a 2001 porsche turbo to the track. From my house its 3 1/2 to 5 hours From Fallbrook, Ca to Willow or Button, Fontana, Vegas or Phoenix etc., where I race a 1967 911S. That's about all that I drive the Trubo and my back starts to get sore after about 2 hours. I sat in a 06 ford Gt at Watkins glenn last week and it felt a little like sitting in a posche 906 that is I was sitting in a more supine position than a normal car.
I didn't spend the time to adjust seats or ask a bunch of questions about "driving position"( wish I had) but is the driving position laid back and does your neck then get tired ect., I first assumed that the 1966 winner of 24 hr. Le Mans would be comfortable but when looking at some of the old Le Mans cars they were not all comfortable. This car is truly a work of art but I don't want to just hang it on the wall "(garage queen)" and mope back to the turbo when I have to drive more than 2 or 3 hours.
Thanks WannabeGt but soon not to be
Boney,
Maybe you can calm my fears. I drive a 2001 porsche turbo to the track. From my house its 3 1/2 to 5 hours From Fallbrook, Ca to Willow or Button, Fontana, Vegas or Phoenix etc., where I race a 1967 911S. That's about all that I drive the Trubo and my back starts to get sore after about 2 hours. I sat in a 06 ford Gt at Watkins glenn last week and it felt a little like sitting in a posche 906 that is I was sitting in a more supine position than a normal car.
I didn't spend the time to adjust seats or ask a bunch of questions about "driving position"( wish I had) but is the driving position laid back and does your neck then get tired ect., I first assumed that the 1966 winner of 24 hr. Le Mans would be comfortable but when looking at some of the old Le Mans cars they were not all comfortable. This car is truly a work of art but I don't want to just hang it on the wall "(garage queen)" and mope back to the turbo when I have to drive more than 2 or 3 hours.
Thanks WannabeGt but soon not to be
sharp33
GT Owner
grbdmd said:
I think you may have sat in my GT at Watkins Glen. So far the seating is very comfortable for up to a 2 hour drive which is the longest I've taken in the GT to date. But I had no fatigue or discomfort getting out of the car after two hours and certainly could have gone a couple of more without stopping. Once you get the seat adjusted and get used to putting your head back the view and comfort is excellent. Ford really did their homework on the interior. But the best guy to ask about long drives/comfort is my buddy PL510*Jeff who has thousands of miles in his GT and hours and hours behind the wheel.
My Porsche turbo and C4S Cab were a bit more comfortable for a long trip, but there is no comparison in terms of the driving experience. The biggest drawbacks I can see for a very long trips are the absence of any luggage space and the lack of cruise control. I can remember when Porsche refused to put cruise control on the turbos and I had to have it installed aftermarket. I'm looking into doing the same thing to the GT. The luggage issue is solved by either sending the wife ahead via alternate means or leaving her at home.
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
I find the seats to be very comfortable, plenty of adjustment, good support.
I am pleased with them. I had a '85 Porsche 930 and recall those seats as being a little hard, but ok for me. I am a big guy, you should be fine. The interior is very well laid out. :wink
I am pleased with them. I had a '85 Porsche 930 and recall those seats as being a little hard, but ok for me. I am a big guy, you should be fine. The interior is very well laid out. :wink
FB GT40
GT Owner/B.o.D
Comfort
Wannabe,
The longest I've driven is a 3 hour stint in mine, but it felt fine. Quite comfortable actually. Firm, but comfortable. Time just 'flew by'. I'm sensitive to seating (with a few back issues) and the GT is pretty darn good. I drove my 993 yesterday having spent most of the week-end in the GT and the Porsche felt tiny. Really small compared to the GT. I plan on drivng the GT to Detroit (860 miles) in August.
Gordo
Wannabe,
The longest I've driven is a 3 hour stint in mine, but it felt fine. Quite comfortable actually. Firm, but comfortable. Time just 'flew by'. I'm sensitive to seating (with a few back issues) and the GT is pretty darn good. I drove my 993 yesterday having spent most of the week-end in the GT and the Porsche felt tiny. Really small compared to the GT. I plan on drivng the GT to Detroit (860 miles) in August.
Gordo
Big Carrot
GT Owner
I drove about 400 miles in mine this weekend, and it was fine. The only problem I had was the storage space, which absolutely sucks! You'd think they could at least give you enough room to put a duffle bag! I took my 2002 turbo on a long trip, and the sport seats really hurt my back. My shoulders are a little too wide for it, and it crunched my back up. The GT does the same thing, but not as bad. Very comfy overall.
grbdmd
Hey, Sharp 33
If you race a 240Z and have C4cab on your your black Gt Lincense plate
then it was you who let me sit in that lap of luxary but now I'm hooked! Thanks for the seat.....small world. The turbo's gone, the Gt's for me.
Thanks to all for your in-put\
WannabeGT
Hey, Sharp 33
If you race a 240Z and have C4cab on your your black Gt Lincense plate
then it was you who let me sit in that lap of luxary but now I'm hooked! Thanks for the seat.....small world. The turbo's gone, the Gt's for me.
Thanks to all for your in-put\
WannabeGT
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
FB GT40 said:
I know the car is wide, but when I take a passenger is seems
like they are sitting on the other side of the world, like in a Hummer.
Agreed the storage is a bit absurd... but oh well, I will live with it :biggrin
fjpikul
GT Owner
Keep in mind that the seat has quite a bit of forward/rear track, the seatback moves forward/back by a knurled knob, and the steering wheel moves up/down, in/out. My experience with German cars has been that the lumbar support is a little too high for American backs, which seem to be anatomically a little longer than European backs. I haven't driven mine for more than 2 hours straight, but so far no problems with my bad back. If you have short legs, it might pose some problems getting the clutch all the way down.
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Kirby Vieira
GT Owner/B.o.D
Drove mine 300+ miles from the dealer showroom in Illinois to Green Bay last week and found it to be very comfortable with a few seat adjustments along the way.
PL510*Jeff
Well-known member
Long Ride in The Gt
I have done a number of all day (8 hour+) drives in my GT. And I have noticed being a bit uncomfortable towards the end of the day.
I found the seat bottom, being non-adjustable for elevation, caused me to be glad when I finally stopped for the day. The last couple of hours weren't as comfortable as the begining. My tush likes a bit of variety, and there isn't any in the GT seat bottem. My solution was to use more gas just so I could get of the car more often.
There was mention of vertically challenged drivers possibly having a difficult time using the clutch. I'm here to tell you that's not true. I'm 5'4" and have not had a bit of problem adjusting things to work the foot controls.
That said, there are a couple of items that shorter drivers will notice. The afore mentioned seat bottem is longer than most. My thigh rests on the bottem. And, when I'm wearing shorts, the up facing welt causes my right leg to become sore. My solution is to put a terry towel down to preclude the rubbing. A lot less expensive than re-doing the seat stiching.
Additionally, those of us at the shorter end of the standard ergonomic scale, can not see over or around the left hand mirror. Left turns are a "gamble" at times.
Just like the many forum members who want to lower the seat for headroom, we shorter folks want to raise the seat for better visability. At the most there's only 1-1/2" before the seat back hits the roof. I have had a couple of good suggestions from both Ford and Sparco on this matter. So far I've just lived with it.
The 5,000 mile round trip from Seattle to the Rally and home will give me enough seat time to really decide what I want to change. No ortho extentions in mind, just seating changes.
I did purchase,from the offices of the Nuclear Reactor Light developer, the short throw shift ball. Jay's mod's really make shifting and erg0onomically more direct for me. Thanks Jay.
that's my $ .02 on a couple of items.
Also the person who "devined" the sun visor should be forced to take a 5 hour drive, west bound across Kansas, late on a sunny afternoon. With out sun glasses. After that he or she will never ever again put a non-swiveling sun visor in any vehicle under their design control. This is the second vehicle I've owned that didn't have a swiveling visor. The other one was my 1957 MGA Coupe. That's 50 years of sun visor progress out the window, so to speak. Retro sun visor - bah humbug. End of sermon.
(Jay can you come up with a better one? I'll drive down and pick up the first one personally.)
Still love the GT - warts and all.
Jeff
I have done a number of all day (8 hour+) drives in my GT. And I have noticed being a bit uncomfortable towards the end of the day.
I found the seat bottom, being non-adjustable for elevation, caused me to be glad when I finally stopped for the day. The last couple of hours weren't as comfortable as the begining. My tush likes a bit of variety, and there isn't any in the GT seat bottem. My solution was to use more gas just so I could get of the car more often.
There was mention of vertically challenged drivers possibly having a difficult time using the clutch. I'm here to tell you that's not true. I'm 5'4" and have not had a bit of problem adjusting things to work the foot controls.
That said, there are a couple of items that shorter drivers will notice. The afore mentioned seat bottem is longer than most. My thigh rests on the bottem. And, when I'm wearing shorts, the up facing welt causes my right leg to become sore. My solution is to put a terry towel down to preclude the rubbing. A lot less expensive than re-doing the seat stiching.
Additionally, those of us at the shorter end of the standard ergonomic scale, can not see over or around the left hand mirror. Left turns are a "gamble" at times.
Just like the many forum members who want to lower the seat for headroom, we shorter folks want to raise the seat for better visability. At the most there's only 1-1/2" before the seat back hits the roof. I have had a couple of good suggestions from both Ford and Sparco on this matter. So far I've just lived with it.
The 5,000 mile round trip from Seattle to the Rally and home will give me enough seat time to really decide what I want to change. No ortho extentions in mind, just seating changes.
I did purchase,from the offices of the Nuclear Reactor Light developer, the short throw shift ball. Jay's mod's really make shifting and erg0onomically more direct for me. Thanks Jay.
that's my $ .02 on a couple of items.
Also the person who "devined" the sun visor should be forced to take a 5 hour drive, west bound across Kansas, late on a sunny afternoon. With out sun glasses. After that he or she will never ever again put a non-swiveling sun visor in any vehicle under their design control. This is the second vehicle I've owned that didn't have a swiveling visor. The other one was my 1957 MGA Coupe. That's 50 years of sun visor progress out the window, so to speak. Retro sun visor - bah humbug. End of sermon.
(Jay can you come up with a better one? I'll drive down and pick up the first one personally.)
Still love the GT - warts and all.
Jeff
gwbartlett
GT Owner
I just drove my GT from Muncie, Indiana to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia-435 miles. Quiet, cool (90degress outside),20+mpg, exceedingly comfortable and just outstanding fun to drive. I used the car cover bag as a suit case for things that can get warm up front, one garment bag behind each seat and running shoes stuffed in right outer frame rail in engine compartment. If I had time I would drive this car to California!