Hi,
I am looking at various different options on builds but I am very tall, can people post pictures of the area in front of the drivers footwell so I can see how far I could push the bulkhead forward.
Has anyone pushed the footwell forward on a BEC?
Cheers
Mark

As said, I will try and get a picture.

Adam

Lotus

I have an MK Indy with a ZZR1100 engine in it. The engine is pushed back to the footwells, leaving about 75mm between the engine and the passenger footwell. Standard postition I guess to keep the weight back towards the middle of the car.

However there is about a 350mm of empty space in front of the engine.


Space in Front

So apart from weight distribution, i can't see why you couldn't push the engine forward to give you more leg room.

Also don't forget that because the engine is mainly over to the passenger side the end of the crank is quiet close to the passenger footwell, but the gearbox is about 150mm in front of the drivers footwell.

Cheers

Mike

I think he means like this:



Description

adam leave the engine where it is.

Cheers guys, still think I may fall towards a rear engine design so I have no restriction on fottwell length.

There's pretty much none of the engine in a BEC in front of the footwell so you could make the footwell all the way down to the front wheels if you really needed to!
Have a look at this shot from the car recently sold on Ebay, this is a book chassis with a blade in it



cheers

Chris

[Edited on 8/1/05 by ChrisGamlin]

The only problem I could see is the steering column would restrict how far forward I could go, wouldn't it?

I'm not tapering my footwell as there is no need because of the lack of bellhousing intrusion. How far do you want to extend it anyway? The steering column doesn't affect anything, you've got to extend it anyway. I can't see your problem unless you want to drive lying down .

6'8", and all in the legs I suspect

As Adam rightly said!!

I need at least 56" from the face of the backrest to the face of the pedals

It would put your pedals about halfway down the engine bay somewhere near the engine mounts in a normal chassis.
Rescued attachment allthree.jpg

Thanks for the pics, any chance you could email me the full size pics so I can have a good look.
Do you think I could get around it by increasing the width of the car, or would just putting 4" in the length do the job?
Cheers
Mark
lotusmark2@aol.com

[Edited on 9/1/05 by Lotusmark2]

You have a few inches on me in height - I was aiming for 54 inches body room. I have managed to get it but my car has an obscene wheelbase 108 inches--I have built it to be a 30s style car (could easily chop 12 inches from the wheelbase) I plan on rasing the front of the seat a reasonable amount giving a bend in the knee and giving more legroom that way.
Dale

Looks like your on your way with your chassis, good stuff.
I will be building a car just for hilclimb and sprint use so I am trying to decide if I can get a bike engine in the front of a Locost (keeping quite close to the standard wheelbase) or if I go to a scratch design (either bike or car power) mid engine single seat design......

The steering column wouldnt really affect things, you could (as Ive done) mount the column so it goes over top of the footwell rather than through the top. It puts the wheel at a better angle for my liking anyway, less angled upwards.

Have you any pictures you could email me so I can have a look at what you have done?
lotusmark2@aol.com