Helmet options for low clearance situations..

[TroyV]

In case any of you hadn't noticed, I bought Will's ST4 Miata. I was dicking around with the seat position with the helmet on, and the clearance between the helmet and the roof (.5"), and the left side upper bar of of the cage (maybe .5" or less) is close. Turning the head to the left to look ahead will be hindered.

I've always sort of felt like my helmet had a rather large profile. It is a G-force hybrid SA2k....medium. With the change in platform, I also wanted to get a new start with a new helmet and HANS or similar set up. Are there SA2K5 helmets out there designed with these lower clearance situations in mind? I can't seem to find any info on the outer dimensions of helmets.

I realize by pulling the seat off of the sliders, and fixed mounting it will move it a little lower, but I like a little bend in the knees and really would prefer not to have my legs straight out.

Thoughts?

[breakaway500]

Miatas are not built for large people. I had to remove my factory seat and bolt a Saferacer Spec Miata seat to the floor to get the 2" of clearance to pass the broomstick test. I doubt you are going to find any SA2000 helmets that are any...slimmer. I do know some of the CF ones have less profile..but most of those are well over $1k,and I am pretty sure you don't want to go there..

You can perform a foamectomy on the stock seat,taking a large portion of the foam out of the base of the seat.I did this on mine and picked up about 2",but still was not enough for me.

[TroyV]

There is a Momo fixed back seat installed.

Yeah.....1k for a helmet is not in the cards. I'll keep digging. I think I can make it work with what I have...just need to get clever with the seat mounting, and pick a decent helmet.

[WillM]

Troy,

The seat is on the factory slider and an adapter. Worked great for me because I like to "sit high", but the seat could be dropped quite a bit with different mounts. Keep in mind that guys like John Spain drive or have driven Spec Miatas.

That said, you are right about the GF helmets. To save money, several helmet manufacturers use one or two helmet shell sizes, then change the inside padding to the appropriate size/fit. So a Large and Medium helmet may have the same shell and use different padding to make up the difference from one side to another. That is one of my biggest complaints about G-Force helmets. They look fricken' huge, and my head is big enough as it is! Pyrotect is not as bad, and I've had relatively good luck with mine.

A "right-sized" helmet won't help that much. Dropping the seat downward will. While you are at it, you could also move the seat inward a bit, which would also help weight distribution.

[TroyV]

John is pretty tall.... It is hard to imagine him getting in and out of one of these tough I have seen him on track with them before. I'll look at some mounting brackets. Moving inward would be very helpful as well. My left arm is getting a little hung up on the lower edge of the window net. None of this is a huge deal....I can drive the car as it sits. I'm just trying to fit a little better.

[MiataSteve]

I am a bigger guy and a Fat Head. I use a Ultrashield Rally Sport seat mounted to some 3/8 in flat stock bars attached to the factory mounting points. I wear a large (or XL?) Bell M2. I don't have much clearance either. In fact I had to change to soft padding on the top bar (door) so I would not get a headache. My legs are straighter than the stock seat with the Ultrashield and it was a bit uncomfortable at first, but i got used to it. No matter what you do it will be cozy.

Ass long as you arent this tall...

[CP]

I'm 5'11" tall, use a moderately-priced G-Force helmet and have an Ultra Shield Road Race seat with halo. My seat is mounted to two plates welded to the floor behind my arse cheeks, as well as through the seat back to a plate/bar that's attached to a cage tube behind the seat. I've got several inches between the top of my head and anything that's hard. I'd say ditch the seat track and mount the seat to the floor. My legs have plenty of bend with my setup.

Email me for photos of my setup.

[breakaway500]

Curse you Troy...you got me looking at new helmets and I was offered a great deal on this super-lightweight HJC HX-11 helmet..

[TroyV]

Wow.. that thing looks cool.....what is it 1200 bucks?

[breakaway500]

The company has two leftovers available,in size large,for $750,shipped.They weigh 1/2 my G-Force They are designed for an open cockpit car,with aero bits and such. I am so tempted....and so weak...

[offcamber09]

Troy, I would drop the seat to the floor, mount it solid and build in a little angle for the seat bottom (higher in the front than the back)- that will give you the knee bend and head clearance.

Or you could buy a Mustang- traitor!

[TroyV]

Traitor?....maybe...I dunno... I think I've given Ford stuff a good amount of my time and bucks over the years.

I've had Mustangs for 13 years or so. Each progressive model I owned got bigger and heavier. I honestly don't think you could do much better than what I had in terms of a street car that goes to the track where my Cobra was concerned. I certainly do not see any of the S197 cars keeping up with it.....short of an FR500C which is about 100k more to buy.

Of course....I could only go 18 to 20 minutes balls out, before having to dial it down due to heat problems..

[breakaway500]

As much as I am a Ford person,they don't make light,agile cars.At least affordable ones.The GT (40) is a wonderful vehicle,but expensive. The FR500C is also a great car...but pricey as well. Too bad the powers that be at Ford can't make a 3k.lb(or less) car with about 350whp for around $40k.Leave off all the abs,air bags,radios,climate controls,most of the interior...ok..all of the interior,plain wheels/tires(going to be replaced anyways) good factory brakes,track oriented suspension.I don't even care what it looks like...well..maybe a little. I would buy one. I can always use another car.

[John F]

Too bad the powers that be at Ford can't make a 3k.lb(or less) car with about 350whp for around $40k.Leave off all the abs,air bags,radios,climate controls,most of the interior...ok..all of the interior,plain wheels/tires(going to be replaced anyways) good factory brakes,track oriented suspension.I don't even care what it looks like...well..maybe a little. I would buy one. I can always use another car.

They do! It's called a Falcon down under. You can even buy it body in white with factory cage. To bad they feel it wouldn't sell here. Seems to haul the baggage pretty well in the Super V8 series

[alik]

As much as I am a Ford person,they don't make light,agile cars

Pinto?