Tiger Cat E1 Cockpit size ?
Discussion
HI Guys, I'm toying with buying a Tiger Cat E1 and am unable to find one to try for size. I'm a pretty big guy (17 stone, height's not a problem, I'm just a fat b*****d) and it's occurred to me that I might not be able to fit into one. My problem is that I live right up in the North of Scotland and all the cars I can find are way down south. Obviously I don't want to travel miles and miles to find that I'm too big. Does anyone out there have the rough dimensions of the cockpit seating area? At least that'll give me a starting point.
Ah! the north of Scotland, I see.
Ask on the Tiger forum there must be someone north of the boarder with a Cat. Most owners are only too keen to show off their cars and let you sit in it.
I didn't have a problem and I'm not exactly small. Squab seats make a diference as far as leg-room goes.
We get the same question coming up on the Lotus forum all the time, I now have an Elise and to be honest the only way to find out for sure if you fit is to sit in one..
Ask on the Tiger forum there must be someone north of the boarder with a Cat. Most owners are only too keen to show off their cars and let you sit in it.
I didn't have a problem and I'm not exactly small. Squab seats make a diference as far as leg-room goes.
We get the same question coming up on the Lotus forum all the time, I now have an Elise and to be honest the only way to find out for sure if you fit is to sit in one..
Hi, I have had the same problem. I am 5'11 (I've shrunk since my school days!) and 16.5 stones so I am quite 'chunky'(!) I have sat in both Cats and Super Cats.
Here are my findings.... the Super Cat has a wider cabin cockpit space which from what I've seen is due to a narrower central tunnel. I'd say it's around 2 inches wider at the hips when you are sat in one. This makes a BIG difference. Sat in a standard Cat was very tight for me and I could see me having bruised hips after a decent few miles. It is (for me at least) the hip width that seems to be the issue. If you have snake hips then I suspect you would be ok.
You don't want to be flopping about in one of these things though so a snug fit is handy, but for me the standard Cat was just a bit too snug! I recently went to test drive a Cat and it didn't occur to me about how narrow it might be until I got there, oops! Before I viewed my 2nd Tiger (a Super Cat) I got the owners to measure the cockpit width at seat level where my hips would be, the stats I was given are, Cat 14 inches, Super Cat 16/16.5 inches.
Upon sitting in the 2nd car I tested, the Super Cat, it was plain to feel that there was loads more width, so if you are a big lad I'd go for a Super Cat. Having said that I decided to buy the 1st car I drove, the standard Cat because it was such a peach of a car none of the others came close in condition and build history. She is just soooo pretty!!
I figured I could widen the cockpit area because (on my car at least) the central runnel and cockpit inner skin on the left and right of my hips was made of 1cm thick ply wood covered in carpet, which seem easily removable. I plan to remove them, remove the carpet which is spray glued down, use the board as a template and make new skins (to be recovered in the original carpet) out of either perspex or some other very thin, flexible and lightweight material, killing multiple birds with one stone (I hope!) I will gain the width, a bit of flex for my hips to push out and lose some(car) weight at the same time!
The length of the cabin seems fine, in fact I reckon anyone up to about 6'5 or more could get in easily enough if the drivers seat is on runners. A point to bear in mind (think of the wife for once man!!) is that the passenger cockpit on all the Cats I sat in is actually even narrower than the drivers side by about an inch I'd say. I sat in the passenger side of my Cat and there is no way I could go for more than a mile or two, I had to sit twisted to get in it and have not walked straight since!
Hope this helps guys. I am new to posting so apologies if I rambled on a bit. One day I'll put a picture of my lovely Cat up on here, she's on a trailer to me tomorrow!!! And I just cannot wait!!
Here are my findings.... the Super Cat has a wider cabin cockpit space which from what I've seen is due to a narrower central tunnel. I'd say it's around 2 inches wider at the hips when you are sat in one. This makes a BIG difference. Sat in a standard Cat was very tight for me and I could see me having bruised hips after a decent few miles. It is (for me at least) the hip width that seems to be the issue. If you have snake hips then I suspect you would be ok.
You don't want to be flopping about in one of these things though so a snug fit is handy, but for me the standard Cat was just a bit too snug! I recently went to test drive a Cat and it didn't occur to me about how narrow it might be until I got there, oops! Before I viewed my 2nd Tiger (a Super Cat) I got the owners to measure the cockpit width at seat level where my hips would be, the stats I was given are, Cat 14 inches, Super Cat 16/16.5 inches.
Upon sitting in the 2nd car I tested, the Super Cat, it was plain to feel that there was loads more width, so if you are a big lad I'd go for a Super Cat. Having said that I decided to buy the 1st car I drove, the standard Cat because it was such a peach of a car none of the others came close in condition and build history. She is just soooo pretty!!
I figured I could widen the cockpit area because (on my car at least) the central runnel and cockpit inner skin on the left and right of my hips was made of 1cm thick ply wood covered in carpet, which seem easily removable. I plan to remove them, remove the carpet which is spray glued down, use the board as a template and make new skins (to be recovered in the original carpet) out of either perspex or some other very thin, flexible and lightweight material, killing multiple birds with one stone (I hope!) I will gain the width, a bit of flex for my hips to push out and lose some(car) weight at the same time!
The length of the cabin seems fine, in fact I reckon anyone up to about 6'5 or more could get in easily enough if the drivers seat is on runners. A point to bear in mind (think of the wife for once man!!) is that the passenger cockpit on all the Cats I sat in is actually even narrower than the drivers side by about an inch I'd say. I sat in the passenger side of my Cat and there is no way I could go for more than a mile or two, I had to sit twisted to get in it and have not walked straight since!
Hope this helps guys. I am new to posting so apologies if I rambled on a bit. One day I'll put a picture of my lovely Cat up on here, she's on a trailer to me tomorrow!!! And I just cannot wait!!
i can't be too positive on this, but i'm not so sure that there is a difference in the actual cockpit width between a s/cat and a cat. as far as i'm aware the significant difference was body related and built on the same chassis?
the s/cat definitely had a wider rear tub, which had/has zero impact on the internal space...
there's a difference between the passenger side and the drivers side by approx 1cm...if i recall my s/cat had seats that could only be 39.5/40cm wide whereas teh nearside was 39.
as for fitting in - unfortunately there's more to the equation that just weight/height, depends where anyone carries their weight! that said, have known guys of 6ft plus and 17stone plus fit in and drive them comfortably.....
the s/cat definitely had a wider rear tub, which had/has zero impact on the internal space...
there's a difference between the passenger side and the drivers side by approx 1cm...if i recall my s/cat had seats that could only be 39.5/40cm wide whereas teh nearside was 39.
as for fitting in - unfortunately there's more to the equation that just weight/height, depends where anyone carries their weight! that said, have known guys of 6ft plus and 17stone plus fit in and drive them comfortably.....
THE only way you will know is to try a few. As with any car you will find each person has their own position. With all kit cars it will depend on seat type and position as well as cockpit size. Having said all that, a Cat/SuperCat with Pad seats will offer you the best chance to fit.
Cat E1 & SuperCat are the same chassis with different bodywork. It is the XL that is a bigger car and only a handful have been made.
Cat E1 & SuperCat are the same chassis with different bodywork. It is the XL that is a bigger car and only a handful have been made.
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