Shortarse

[AHOUSE]

Help. My whole world fell apart on Saturday. I've been saving for a Griff for two years and ready to make purchase in next few months so decided to have a sit in an L reg 500. To my horror, I could only just see over the steering wheel/bulging bonnet. I'm 5'9". Do I really have to buy a cushion for these cars or can seats be repadded/changed (there didn't seem to be much substance to this one). Do you just get used to this blind driving position?? Any suggestions before start looking at Chims?!

[shpub]

It could be that the seat is just worn. Adjusting the seat rake can help as well. As with many modern cars, I cannot see the end of the bonnet either but that also means that the centre of gravity is lower because the driver is lower down in the seat and this makes the car handle better.

Try a lot of cars out as they have changed the seats quite a bit. Failing that it is quite simple to raise the seat frame up using ally flat bar.

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
(who is only 5'8"!)

[eharding]

The first time I sat in a Griff I thought the same thing - but you soon get used to the low driving position. Also, I believe its possible to get some risers put under the seat if you're really bothered.

[simpo one]

I found the seat in a 4.0 to be much lower than a later 500. Although they are mounted in the same way, the lower part was simply 'thinner' in the 4.0 - and the horizontal wires underneath had broken. As I'm 6' tall this gave a nice seating position.

By contrast in the 500 I sit rather high in comparision. Does anyone think I could deliberately lower the seat in my 500 a bit by cutting the supporting wires?

[jon h]

I'm 5'6". Found the seat in the Griff a tad on the low side when it came to parking etc. so... The seat rails are bolted throught the floor pan. I removed the rear bolts and created a spacer to fit between the track & floor, only about 15mm and re-bolted. Made a surprising difference. The seats slope backwards a fair bit, so no need to raise the front. I was still able to use the original bolts, but it would be possible to gain more height if necessary by replacing with longer ones. It is a very quick job, took about 1/2 an hour including rumaging around in the garage for suitable nuts to create the spacer.

Well worth it.

Jon H

[david010167]

Hi, my girl friend is 5' 1" and has a problem seeing out, so she sits on a cushion, but that only gives her an inch or so. Oh yeah it is a Griff. 500

David M5 TVR

[AHOUSE]

Thanks for the suggestions chaps....looks like I'll need to dig me old Mecchano set out or get some steroids. Griff here I come.

[jamesk]

Dont knock that driving position - it allows 6'6" freaks like me to drive them :E