Now what? | FerrariChat

Now what?

Discussion in '308/328' started by twright, Oct 29, 2009.

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  1. twright

    twright Karting

    May 15, 2005
    225
    Indianapolis USA
    Here's my story: I have been looking casually for my first Ferrari for the last five years and seriously for the last 12 months. I have found a really nice one that I just finished driving. It runs great, looks great and I might be able to buy it for the right price. So what's the problem: I'm tall and can't hardly put the car in R, 1st, 2nd or 3rd gears because my leg is in the way. I am 6'6" , with a 38 " inseam.

    I don't want to give up just because I don't fit. Can something be done (moveable steering column, bend the shift rod, etc. ) to make it so I can drive this car?

    Please help me because I want this 1980 GTB really bad.

    Thanks for your help.
     
  2. jongottschalk

    jongottschalk Karting

    Oct 5, 2009
    171
    Pass Christian, MS
    Full Name:
    Jon Gottschalk
    #2 jongottschalk, Oct 29, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Dude, even though its a GTB you will look silly driving. Buy a Mondi. The interior is huge. Im 6'3" 220 pds and was worried about the size having driven 328s. I can swim in the Mondi. Heres pic of me in it.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  3. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2006
    15,812
    Cerritos, CA.
    Full Name:
    Mike
    #3 miketuason, Oct 29, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  4. Hans

    Hans F1 Veteran

    Feb 17, 2006
    7,734
    Hilversum, Netherlands
    Full Name:
    Hans Teijgeler
    Or a GT4. They are sooooooo much roomier than the GTB/GTS. (Mine is a GT4, my girlfriend owns a 328 GTS)

    I'm 6'4" and I too can swim in my car. It's just so roomy.

    Of course, the styling of both the mondi and the GT4 differ from the GTB....
     
  5. twright

    twright Karting

    May 15, 2005
    225
    Indianapolis USA
    I'm OK with the styling of both the Mondial and the GT4. It's merely a matter of legroom. Does the seat move that much farther back in these models? Width is not important. I am not width challenged.
     
  6. FF8929

    FF8929 Formula Junior

    Apr 12, 2008
    799
    Livonia, Michigan
    Full Name:
    Fred Flynn
    I'm sure that the seat could be moved as far back as the firewall/bulkhead would allow. The fabrication would be simple enough, and would not require permanent changes.
     
  7. SoCal308GTSiQV

    SoCal308GTSiQV Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2008
    585
    Ojai, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Chris
    That has to be a new phrase!
     
  8. TheMayor

    TheMayor Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    106,228
    Vegas baby
    The reason god made us Italians short is so we fit in small Italian machines. It's our REVENGE on you big guys!

    No, seriously... the Mondial and GT4 are pretty roomy. So is the 360 and 430 if you stay away from the Daytona seats. You may want to look for the right model. Changing the interior space or moving the steering wheel is most likely not an option.
     
  9. andy2175m4@yahoo.com

    [email protected] Formula Junior

    Dec 7, 2008
    473
    Los Angeles, CA
    Full Name:
    Andy Rein
    #9 [email protected], Oct 29, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2009
    If you read the history of the 308, you will read that Tom Selleck, who is 6'-4, to fit him into the 308 for the tv show magnum PI, they had to remove the seat, make it as low as possible, reinstall it, and then only film him in the car with the targa top off. In scenes, the top of his head is above the windshield frame. He would be very uncomfortable with the top on, even with the lowered seat. The 308 is not a tall man's car, period.

    I am 5' 11-1/2", 210 lb, and I am about as big as you can possibly be and sit in comfort with the targa top on. At my size it's not hard to get in and out with the top off, but with the top on, it's a bit of a chore.

    With the GTB you have no targa roof panel to remove, so you have much less room to work with. With the gts at least on sunny days you have headroom. On rainy days it can seem a bit cramped, even for me.

    So I think it would be a big mistake to buy a GTB if I was 6'-6, because the seat just does not go back very far, you are up against the firewall and there is no where to go.

    Most other cars you can move the seat back if you are very tall, but the 308gtb seems to be in a small class of cars that just don't accommodate drivers much over 6'.
     
  10. greg328

    greg328 F1 Rookie

    Nov 17, 2003
    4,209
    Austin, TX USA
    Full Name:
    Greg
    Not true! I'm 6'3", 230lbs, 34" inseam, and I fit perfectly in my 308 GTB, with an inch-plus of headroom. Tailor-made for me....

    Greg
     
  11. Qvb

    Qvb F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 9, 2003
    2,848
    Newport Beach Ca.
    Full Name:
    John Dixon
    I am 6'6" and fit just fine. Proportions (leg vs torso length) and butt thickness have a huge impact on fitting.
     
  12. twright

    twright Karting

    May 15, 2005
    225
    Indianapolis USA
    How do you get your leg (while seated) between the shifter and the steering wheel when the car is in less than 4th or 5th gear?

    My leg gets wedged between the two.
     
  13. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    18,076
    Savannah
    5 foot nothin, 100 nothin, i fit in everything ..... :)
     
  14. montegoblue

    montegoblue Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 7, 2009
    580
    East TN
    I agree with other posts. If the shoe doesn't fit right... I am 6 ft tall with 31 in inseam and I can honestly tell you that the fit is on the tight side in my GTB. I probably have about 2 inches of headroom and the driving position for ME is perfect but with little wiggle room for major adjustments. I cannot imagine being 6'6" and fit comfortably in this car. If you can't shift the car comfortably, pass altogether -- the 308's like to be caressed and shifting requires concentration as compared to my other sports cars. Just my 0.02
     
  15. treventotto

    treventotto Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2008
    720
    Alicante
    Full Name:
    Benjamin
    I think this was discussed in another thread.
    The GTB is supposed to have more headroom than a closed GTS. And I think the seat moves further back because you dont need space for the targa roof. You could also maybe replace the original seat with a race seat, so you don't have to adjust (and ruin) the original seat. Plus the original seat will stay in a better condition (if you don't use it for playing video games from)
     
  16. Hans

    Hans F1 Veteran

    Feb 17, 2006
    7,734
    Hilversum, Netherlands
    Full Name:
    Hans Teijgeler
    YES, they do.

    Plus you'll find that the footwells on the GT4 at least are at least 4 inches wider, making a legs-wide seating position a LOT easier.

    I can only drive Ivonne's GTS comfortably with the top off and at home (so not behind the seat), and even then it's still very cramped (I'm not width-challenged either, but still). The GT4 seems tailor-made for me. PLENTY of room there...

    Hans
     
  17. airdelroy

    airdelroy Formula Junior

    May 10, 2007
    420
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Aaron Richardson
    The tilt of the steering wheel is also adjustable. Its not easy as you have to loosen 2 nut/bolts that are difficult to get to. But it can be done.

    Aaron
     
  18. jgoodman

    jgoodman F1 Rookie
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    Aug 29, 2009
    3,267
    Central PA
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    Jay Goodman
    #18 jgoodman, Oct 30, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2009
    Cool steering wheels, but probably not even necessary in the Mondial with the steering wheel adjustable up/down/forward/back and so tilted up anyway.
     
  19. Neonzapper

    Neonzapper F1 Rookie

    Oct 19, 2008
    2,580
    MD/FL/Philippines
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    Mykol
    #19 Neonzapper, Oct 30, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2009
    I'm over 6', own a GTB, and fit just fine. I even found a way to completely stretch out my left leg between the clutch pedal and brake pedal.

    The rake of the seat is the key adjustment. It gives you more of a lounge chair effect than sitting in an upright position. I remember seeing Magnum sitting in the seat in an upright position so he could jump out of the car without opening the door. That's why his head always stuck out above the windshield. Also, the guy in the Ferrari in the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, was also sitting in the upright position and his head stuck out above the windshield. Tall people need to sit in a raked position, and it's comfortable.
     
  20. 4right

    4right F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    I have a 308 GTB which does have significantly more room than a GTS model, I've driven both. I am 6'4" and the only issue that I have is getting the car into reverse as my knee/leg does get in the way. The shifter is actually under my right knee when the car is in reverse. 1st gear through 5th is no probably at all.

    I agree, however, that you do need to put the seat all the way back and in the fully reclined position. Head room is great as well.

    In addition, there is a good foot or more of space past the pedals which seems like a waste of useful space. If the pedals could be extended all the way back, I could actually get both legs under the steering wheel into a much more comfortable position.
     
  21. gil308

    gil308 Formula 3

    Jun 22, 2004
    1,975
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Gil
    6'1" with a 34" inseam...fit in my 308 GTS with the top on or off ... no problem.
     
  22. CliffBeer

    CliffBeer Formula 3

    Apr 3, 2005
    2,198
    Seattle, Washington
    Full Name:
    Cliff
    Ditto on the reco for a Mondial - I have both a 308 and a mondial 3.2 cab in the garage and there's a ton more room, including head room, in the mondial. The 308 feels like it was made for a 5'9" italian guy with a size 8 shoe. The mondial feel like it was made for a 6' guy with size 11 shoes.

    And you can pop your kids in the back too - that's pretty cool.
     
  23. andy2175m4@yahoo.com

    [email protected] Formula Junior

    Dec 7, 2008
    473
    Los Angeles, CA
    Full Name:
    Andy Rein
    In summary, there are a lot of observations here about how each person fits into his ferrari, but as we used to say,

    "If the shoe fits, wear it" or in other words:

    If you are 6'-6" and seriously thinking about a GTB, I suggest you spend a lot of time behind the wheel of that car before you write that check, climbing in and out, and paying attention to the creaks and pains in your neck and back, and think very hard about how this is going to feel when you drive your new $30,000 car...it's a big investment.
     
  24. Artvonne

    Artvonne F1 Veteran

    Oct 29, 2004
    5,379
    NWA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    I was told by Butch Hooper that Selleck had various alterations done to the cars during the series from removing seat padding, to lowering the floor. The same was done for other very tall drivers. The floor is fiberglass and the seat is fastened to tabs welded to the steel tubing, rather easy to re-fabricate. The GTB has more room that a GTS, so your starting ahead there. The steering wheel is adjustable via bolts under the dash, though not much. Make sure the seat tracks slide fully rearward. They get dirty and rusty, but if fully back there is actually a great deal of leg room. My friend is 6-4 with a 38 inseam and he could drive it (77 GTB)alright.

    Then there is the matter of learning HOW to sit in a 308, you have to change your seating posture. Once you figure it out it will become much more comfortable. Good luck.
     
  25. CliffBeer

    CliffBeer Formula 3

    Apr 3, 2005
    2,198
    Seattle, Washington
    Full Name:
    Cliff
    I don't get how the GTB has more room than the GTS....? The roof panel on my GTS is perhaps 1/16 thick with the headliner glued right to the underside surface so it seems unlikey there's any difference there. Is there some other interior dimension which differs?
     

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