GT-R with hand controls!?

[MattWilcox]

Just watching some random morning telly, one of those emergency style things called 'Helicopter Heroes'. A guy's stuck in his GT-R in a ditch, and it turns out he's disabled, and it's fitted with hand controls!

Now, don't get me wrong, I know some people think hand controls are dangerous and people who need them shouldn't drive- I think those people are idiots. I've been in a car with hand controls, and as long as you're sensible I really don't see the problem (sort of a similar attitued required to the standard wheel and pedals arrangement, really ).

Seriously though, is fitting a supercar with hand controls really a good idea? That is an actual rather than rhetorical question, as I've never actually driven one, but I can't see how the speed of response and level of control available to the driver could really ever be the same as a standard setup. Just wondered if anyone on here has had experience of driving a high-performance car with hand controls, and whether it's as mental as I'd imagine

[Larry Dickman]

He's in a ditch, that alone may answer some of your questions.

[10JH]

I remember reading about an Italian racing driver who lost his legs and had to race with hand-controls.

IIRC his lap times were better, as he had better control and reaction/processing time through his hands.

Edited - It was Alex Zanardi - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Zanardi

Edited by 10JH on Thursday 23 September 10:09

[LHD]

We have quite a handy PHer up in Scotland whos got an Alpina B10 V8 touring with hand controls.

Fluffnik give us a

[Arun_D]

I met a guy at a Snetterton trackday last year ho had a mk2 Focus RS with hand controls (the gentlemen actually runs a business that make these convsersions as well) and he happily told me of his many track outings in similar cars on both UK circuits and the Nordschleife! Thoroughly nice chap too, had no problems showing me how it all worked when I asked; the mechanisms to work the manual box was rather nifty.

Edited by Arun_D on Thursday 23 September 11:59

[Conor D]

There's a man in Northern Ireland who drives a White GTR with hand controls. I think he's into his track driving too.

To be honest, fair play to them. I'd want to do the same if I was in that position..

[JulianHJ]

A fellow PH-er went to uni with a chap who had hand controls on his Chimaera after being paralysed in a motorbike accident (IIRC).

[AndrewW-G]

I had a Ferrari 400i that had been converted to use hand controls by the previous owner . . . . . . . .was rather like driving using a very responsive form of cruise control!

[J4CKO]

My dad knows a guy who races a sports bike and is pretty competitive with one arm, there are plenty of disabled people who with the right adapatations are as capable as any able bodied driver, and plenty of people with no disability that drive really , really badly, depends on the individual, the disability and the suitability of the conversion, don't automatically assume that a disabled person is a bad driver due to their disability as they may have been a crap driver anyway.

[bull996]

I know a guy who has a Gt-R with hand controls.

He is more than capable of driving it fast-his times round the N'ring are very impressive.

[Yazza54]

Zanardi doesn't have any issues

[davepoth]

Anything with a flappy paddle gearbox is a good candidate for hand controls, since organising the gearchange is normally the most complicated bit. Can't see it would cause too much of a problem with control though, you've got enough fingers to do it, and they are the most dexterous of appendages.

[TheRoadWarrior]

MattWilcox said:

'Helicopter Heroes'

Its the HELI-VETS!

We can fix your dog

No we can't.... ITS DEAD.





So how do hand controls work? Has anyone driven a car with them fitted? One lever for go, one for stop?

[TiMopar]

So no able bodied person has managed to put their GTR in a ditch?

[Garlick]

I know a chap with a RUF 911 with hand controls, and he is FAST!

There is a button on top of the gear lever that when depressed activates the clutch (it's a manual box), so he can change gear with ease. There is another function that assists with getaways and junctions too. A 'ring' around the wheel accelerates (pulled back) and brakes (pushed forwards)

He is a great driver, and scared me on a B-road hoon (in a good way)


EDIT: Just been racking my brain and it's a lever to accelerate and the ring acts as the brake...I think.

Edited by Garlick on Thursday 23 September 13:03

[clk55pete]

I've driven with hand controls for over 30 years. The controls are never the problem (only the driver). CLK55 AMG is my car of choice.

[Arun_D]

TheRoadWarrior said:

So how do hand controls work? Has anyone driven a car with them fitted? One lever for go, one for stop?

The Focus RS I mentioned previously had a lever behind the steering wheel for throttle, and one for brakes.

Struggly to remember exactly, but IIRC The gearknob had a button added to it that would actuate the clutch pedal before you shift, engaging the clutch again once youve' selcted the gear and released the button.

[G_T]

doogz said:

10JH said:

I remember reading about an American racing driver who lost his legs and had to race with hand-controls.

IIRC his lap times were better, as he had better control and reaction/processing time through his hands.

He wasn't American, and he's a freakin' legend.

Assuming you're talking about Alex Zanardi.

Very inspiring.

[ooo000ooo]

Conor D said:

There's a man in Northern Ireland who drives a White GTR with hand controls. I think he's into his track driving too.

To be honest, fair play to them. I'd want to do the same if I was in that position..

Did he have a yellow Evo fq previously?

[130R]

Someone near me has had an R8 and a 997 Turbo with hand controls. Not sure what he is driving now.