21 replies to this topic

[J-Lo]

My name is Jimmy and I live in Southern California... I went and saw the mini I'll be buying this weekend... it's a LHD 1968 Mini with the 1275 motor, dual SU's, 'glass hood with hood pins and front straps, roll-ups, beige leather seats, custom exhaust... all BMW dark green.... my problem is that I'm 5'11" and when I sit in the car, the shift knob hits the back of my calf in first gear (to the point that I can't put the car in gear) I'm looking for solutions to my dilemma... my knees don't go under the steering wheel enough to allow my leg to move away from the shifter... I was wearing bulky sneakers the day I went to look at the car which raised my heel up a bit... I'm still going to get the car, and I'm going to try it again with a lesser shoe...

I know there are seat rail extenders, which would flatten the angle of my leg and allow me to get under the steering wheel, but I'm also looking for a deep-dish steering wheel that would fit (and get the wheel away from my knees), or some sort of tilt mechanism for the steering column...

Thanks from a new mini owner...

I'm going to search the forums in the meantime, but any help would be appreciated

Attached Files

•  My_Mini.jpg   125.76K   32 downloads

[*Raz*]

Heya!

Welcome to TMF

Nice mini you got there!!

Hmmm your tall, how about chopping your legs off? That will solve the gear stick problem...could pose a few more problems tho :s.

Enjoy the site!!

Raz xxx

[Jammy]

Looks like a real nice car (although that bodyshell was not produced in 1968). You can get seat extender brackets that should help you with your problem. Have a look on Mini Mania, or Mini Spares will ship out to you from England if that proves to be cheaper.

Welcome to the forum by the way.

[Timtom]

Welcome to TMF.. Im now disheartened that your not Jennifer Lopez..


Oh and i have the problem with my familys Citroen Relay mini bus.. because if u sit in the middle at the front.. and u fall asleep.. your knee is in the way of one of the gear positions.. so my dad always ends up bashing me really hard with the gear stick(by accident).. but because where it hits.. my reflexes kick him in the leg!

Edited by Timtom, 19 March 2007 - 11:19 PM.

[Nic]

yeah that mini isnt a genuine 68 car

[J-Lo]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys... I know the car is a "titled '68" but it's in mint condition and I like it a lot, regardless... I would have driven it home yesterday but I couldn't get it into 1st gear... halfway home my wife suggested that SHE could have driven it home for me... damn

oh well... I'll have it by the end of the week..

it has the later model puffy seats, so I've heard that is also a contributor to the tightness of the interior... but I have a source for the "older" seats


thanks again

[J-Lo]

oh.. and about the J-Lo thing... my real screen name is "akura2"... but when I registered I got the two name requests reversed... so if you see "akura2" on the forums in a couple of days... you'll know it's me

[Wigan]

Welcome to TMF!

Nice car, although it's never seen 1968

Also, you're 5' 11" and having trouble with the space? .. I'm 6' 3" and it's not a problem for me, although I do have the seat extender brackets..

[starrider]

first off welcome to tmf.

second, i'm with the others on the year of the mini. this is another case of changing the log book and plates from a ringer or maybe just one that's been rotted out so it can be imported to the states. it's not your fault but the person overseas who is cheating the system in order to make money. as i am an american myself and know for a fact the us customs agents just don't know the difference in a 1968 and a 1998 mini.

third, i'm 6'2" and have no problems shifting or driving and i don't even have the seat extenders.

[J-Lo]

Well I'm going to try the extenders... when my knee is on the side of the steering wheel the shifter hits the back of my calf and I can't get it into first gear... if I could get my knee under the wheel, the shifter maybe in a better position... I thought about bending the shifter shaft, but if the extenders will be my first try... also, my mini has the later "puffy" seats so that might be a factor in my lack of fit... I DO have a source for the earlier seats... they just need to be reupholstered ...

[Timtom]

So.. wait if u live in California... whys the mini got a english number plate?

[mini_kel]

Welcome to TMF

Nice looking car

Kel

[J-Lo]

So.. wait if u live in California... whys the mini got a english number plate?

The Cali plates are on the rear deck... and on the dash...

the english plates are the thrown in bonus

I should be picking it up tonight or tomorrow night... I can't wait... the owner said he would be willing to drive it to my house (there I can work on it myself and put the extenders in)

Edited by J-Lo, 20 March 2007 - 06:54 PM.

[Teapot]

Welcome to tmf and the car looks great (even if it is a bit dodgy We won't tell anyone.) I had a new Cooper S hydrolastic with standard beach-ball seats in '68 and to be honest it was appalling. It handled like a pig, although that's an insult to the pig. Yours is obviously a different proposition and looks great. When you get the seat extensions on you'll just love it. Party on dude!

[J-Lo]

it's getting dropped off tonight.. I can't wait