Hi all, I'm new to this forum and GTM in general but really like the look of the coupe - I've got some questions if anybody could answer them it would be appreciated.

1) I'm 6ft and 16 stone - would I fit in a Coupe? What's the driving position like?

2) One of my other cars is an MR2 MK1, how does the performance of the coupe with, say, the 1380 engine compare, both in straight line acceleration and, more importantly, around corners?

3) Practicality. OK, I'm not expecting it to be practical, but is it possible to go touring in it for a weekend, or even a week with the misses. Also, how many shopping bags can I fit in with a passenger as well?

Hope this all makes sense, I'm hoping to get one soon.

Regards,

Riker

Hey there,

1) It depends on your "shape". I'm only 5`8", but I have trouble getting my legs in cuz the seat is forward. Once in, with the right seats you should be fine. Wide shoulders might hit the door glass.

2) Pretty quick - would beat an AW11 to a ton, and outhandle it if setup correctly (Hence i've put a 4a-ge in my coupe for the best of both worlds)

3) Just no. There's no frunk, virtually no space behind the seats, and the boot area although a reasonable size is an odd shape, with restricted opening, and gets very warm. I suppose you could add a luggage rack on the engine cover.

You could tour for a weekend if you're sensible, but then again we go away for 3 weeks on a bike with two side cases and a top box.

Once you're in it's fine. Getting in is the trick.

Hi,

I'm 6'3", not skinny and fit in the Coupe. Getting the right seat is the key to fitting in the Coupe. Getting in and out of my Coupe was all down to technique. You can always get a smaller steering wheel too.

You can fit a fair bit of luggage behind the seats, as long as you use a rucksack. I'd say more weekend than week for road trips.

I'm 6'5" and I fit (JUST), I have modified the seating position and type, pedal position and height of the dash to make life easier, getting in is still undignified and out is another word alltogether. Head room is also minimal and because of this I can't fit a full cage, my car does have the luxuary of a sunroof so a few extra inches is available when open.

My Coupe is fitted with a very modified 1430 (stroked 1380) and it's performance is sensational and alot of fun in the wet. I agree with other comments on the handlling (its like a big gocart) and I would say would leave a lot for dust round the corners.

As for luggage and passengers, a passenger is not a problem same seating position and space as the driver however luggage is a no goer in mine, beause of seating position there is zero room behind the seat and the boot is gone too as a nice 45 Weber takes up this space. The better half will have to carry the bags on her lap should she wish to come away in it. It will however teach her to travel lightly.

What type of seats are best then..? I have a bit of bother getting in and out of my coupe, and i've never attempted it with the door on. I am slightly hampered by a cramped garage but it still seems a bit tight. I'm 6 foot tall by the way... It has pretty normal looking bucket type seats at the mo which look a bit moth eaten but I was thinking of keeping them. However if there is a seat design which aids access then i would be more likely to change them...

Im a smidge over 6 foot too. I currently have Richfield low back bucket seats within mine, but the key to getting in and out of a coupe is doing it the right way!. I can get in and out of mine rather quick, I have had lots of practice tho seeing I have owned a coupe for some years now and use it as a daily drive alot.

Rule number one feet first.
Rule two dont touch the door
Rule three suport yourself on the seat back and sill get your feet in and slide on in. having a small steering wheel helps too.

Basically getting in the car and sitting on the seat before getting both feet within the car your going to look silly. A friends of mine did prove that a Lady can get in my car in a dignified way as part of a bet. much to the disblief of the bystanders at the time

West

My last Coupe had a set of these in:

https://www.europaspares.com/SEATS/CORB ... _3627.html

And I was going to fit another pair to my current Coupe, but the wife doesn't like them!

The Forza does give you the maximum head room. I only fitted them as they were off my old mini, and the seat my Coupe came with didn't let me fit in the car!

The only down side to them, is they tend to cause the seat belt to recoil slowly, which is a pain, but it may have been how I fitted them in the last car.

I'm on the hunt for a set of MX5 seats, as some of them have the speakers fitted into the head rest.

Might be selling my Black Vinyl Forzas when I get some.

I have these fitted to custom rails, took a while to get right though,

If that floats your boat, have a look at Pontiac Fiero seats too, - good quality speakers in the headrests.

I was thinking about mx5 seats aswell. I used to have one and found the seats very comfy. The headrest speakers are a bit pathetic mind, i uprated mine but ended up taking them out and putting normal type subs in the back shelf.. Makes sense in the coupe though... Does anyone know if they fit the coupe ok..?

Funny you shound show a Monaco seat andy, I Tried one of these and couldnt get where I wanted in the car for my driving postion, the shoulder wings hit the roll bar etc etc. I just couldnt get it to work for myself, I have tried Cobra seven seats but I didnt fit in the car with them head was almost touching the sun roof and no room for a crash helmet. All seats where tried with a 1 inch seat runner as I wanted the ability to move the seat forward easy for acces behind the seat.

might have to resort doing my own runners to get the seats lower.

West

West,

The seats are a tight fit, I have them quite raked back to achieve leg room/head room but even still at my height they are not perfect (I don't think anything would). i made up my own runners on the drivers side and a fixed one on the passengers side, I don't seem to have a problem with the seat wings but they are hard against the side of the inner B pillar. I was thinking though if I had to was to cut the floor out and drop it by an 1" - 1" 1/2. I think this could be done easy enough but could limit ground clearence.

Don't let that become public knowlege - half the fun is running around to the passenger side to "assist" the ladies in getting out whilst getting an eyeful.

Personally I find the easiest way is to get one leg in and drop into the seat and then lean over the tunnel as the other leg comes in the door - similar method but a lot easier than getting into a seven with the roof up (imagine trying to climb through a letterbox).

I have low-back buckets of some sort in mine and I really like them although they are somewhat dog-eared so I'm loking at getting them re-covered and maybe new foams. They do however remind me very much of the seats that were in an old mate's X1/9 but the X1/9 seats extended the back into a sort of headrest. I keep meaning to look for a cheap set to experiment with.

Iain

"SportsLibre" on this forum has X 1/9 leather seats in his GTM Coupe.