ERA/SPF question

[the shadow]

when I look at an overhead view of an ERA cockpit it seems like the trans tunnel is narrower than in a superformance. I assume they both have dropped foot box's but is there more leg and foot room in a ERA than a Superformance?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by the shadow

when I look at an overhead view of an ERA cockpit it seems like the trans tunnel is narrower than in a superformance. I assume they both have dropped foot box's but is there more leg and foot room in a ERA than a Superformance?

The distance from the face of my seat, where the small of my back would contact it, to the face of the brake pedal, is 45 and 7/8 inch, as measured with my laser measuring gizmo. To the back of the footbox, from the same point on the seat, is 51 and 1/4 inch.

[the shadow]

sorry I meant width from the side of the tunnel to the body/door area in the foot box.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by the shadow

sorry I meant width from the side of the tunnel to the body/door area in the foot box.

22 and 13/16 inches as measured from the side of the tunnel, at the point where the shifter column is, to the leather map pouch on the door.

[DanEC]

You might try sending a PM to AChipo (Evan) as he owned an ERA and a Superformance concurrently and can probably give you some idea as to how they seem to compare. He just recently sold the Superformance. The ERA does not have a dropped foot box and I’m not sure on the Superformance but I don’t think it does either. I think I read that at some point ERA might have enlarged their transmission tunnel very slightly to accommodate modern transmissions so it might depend on what serial number ERA you compared with. Not sure is they widened it, raised it or both.

[patrickt]

It's also how the car is set up. I've had "vertically challenged" people sit in my car and their feet can't even reach the pedals. I also sat in Peter P.'s car and I felt like I was sitting in a MatchBox toy.

[S1965C]

Originally Posted by DanEC

The ERA does not have a dropped foot box and I’m not sure on the Superformance but I don’t think it does either.

Superformance started including driver’s side dropped foot boxes as standard equipment around build sequence number 650 or so (year 1999).

[fastd]

I assume that you are asking because you are a big fella...what are your dimensions (blushing)?

at 6' and just under 200 pounds I have no room issues in my ERA.

[DanEC]

Don’t know if you have ever driven a C2 Corvette (which I also own). Seating position is a little different with the seat a little higher off the floor in the C2. Shoulder room is a bit tighter in the C2, but leg room in my ERA is much greater. I did forgo adjustable seat tracks and mount my seat directly to the floor but it is still an inch or two forward of the rear bulkhead. I have to extend my left leg almost fully to depress the clutch to the end of its travel and I’m somewhere between 6’2” and 6’1” (40 years jogging has knocked a bit off). In contrast with the C2 with the seat fully back and even tilted back a little, I have to drive with my knees bent considerably and getting my foot up on the clutch requires drawing my knee up a lot - and yes, the clutch pedal bumper is not only there but I’ve even padded it a bit more to drop the pedal some. It feels much tighter than the ERA because of this.

[the shadow]

Im not tall just 5'10" but my feet are big 12W and being an ex-powerlifter my thighs and calves are big. so driving with my knees close to the dash bottom or having to rest my left knee against the door hinge would not be comfortable for me on a decent cruise. and should I aquire a cobra I intend to do all day cruise's. I just want to make sure I get one that is the least cramped in that area if I can, I don't think I can start making my legs smaller with out using a carving knife. LOL
I think when I see a view looking into the cockpit from above on an ERA the pedals being spaced out makes the foot area look wider? Im willing to put up with some discomfort to own a cobra I just want to find out all my options before buying one. with Covid going on trying to find cobra's to look at in person and hopefully convince the owner to let me sit in it ,near me at a cruise night has been impossible.
thanks for any and all advise guys.
FYI- I have a C3 stingray and although I have room for my legs the steering wheel is almost on my thighs, tight but cozy. I have also drove a C7 and loved it plenty of room for your legs and shifting.

[DanEC]

If you have big shoulders and arms you may want to try to find one to sit in. The top of door does come in pretty tight on these cars. Some who have built FFR cars (and maybe others) have actually cut and removed a bit of the roll in at the top of the door to get more upper body room. ERA will adjust the pedal spacing at your request but there's no way around that it's not roomy down there. I wear a 13M and even with my pedals spaced as far apart as they will go - I wear a set of sneakers that the soles are cut narrow and don't stick out from the upper of the shoe. Other shoes seem to catch the side of the soles on the pedals. You may want to consider a quick disconnect steering wheel too. Patrickt is all-knowing on ERA quick disconnect steering wheels and custom adjustments for fit in the cockpit.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Patrickt is all-knowing on ERA quick disconnect steering wheels and custom adjustments...

A lot of Patrick's all-knowingness is that he flew up to New Britain 15 years ago and left a big fat check with Peter P. Everything then turned out happily ever after.

[Grubby]

In my experience the later ERAs have more foot room than the older ones. I had 178 and 755.

John

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Grubby

In my experience the later ERAs have more foot room than the older ones. I had 178 and 755.

John

Starting with chassis #731 (the car right before mine) there were significant changes made. Click here for a detail on them: Features of the new ERA 427 One of those changes was wider footboxes and curved outer cowl support tubes for extra footbox room.

[the shadow]

Originally Posted by DanEC

If you have big shoulders and arms you may want to try to find one to sit in. The top of door does come in pretty tight on these cars. Some who have built FFR cars (and maybe others) have actually cut and removed a bit of the roll in at the top of the door to get more upper body room. ERA will adjust the pedal spacing at your request but there's no way around that it's not roomy down there. I wear a 13M and even with my pedals spaced as far apart as they will go - I wear a set of sneakers that the soles are cut narrow and don't stick out from the upper of the shoe. Other shoes seem to catch the side of the soles on the pedals. You may want to consider a quick disconnect steering wheel too. Patrickt is all-knowing on ERA quick disconnect steering wheels and custom adjustments for fit in the cockpit.

Good info as I do have wide broad shoulders and arms, never thought of that aspect when coming to fitting. again if I could find someone with an ERA/SPf near me in southeastern PA I'd ask to sit in one. I found a SPF for sale at a high end dealership about 1.5hrs from me, I may have to make a road trip to sit in it. I hate acting like im going to buy it to do it but that one is new and out of my price range.

[patrickt]

Here's the trick when assessing a Cobra if you are a large, or in any other way unusually built, man. Take the driver's seat out of the car (it's just four bolts from underneath) and sit in the car with no seat whatsoever. That's as far as you will ever possibly be able to go. If that works for you, then you can have a nice comfortable seat made for you, that looks absolutely stock, but that holds your butt 1/8" above the floor board when it has 200 lbs. on it. You can tilt the back just enough so your arms fit nicely, but the seat still looks normal. You can angle the steering wheel so that it tilts up a bit, but your fingers still clear the cowl top when turning and it all looks right. When it comes to the pedals, they can be spaced out farther, and set back farther for fat feet and longer legs; albeit with some extra hydraulic pressure. It all can be done. When I flew up to New Britain for a "butt in seat" test Peter didn't think they could fit me, but Doug measured me from floor to knee, knee to butt cheek flattened, flattened butt cheek to shoulder, and arm length and pronounced "I can do it." Then, when he was putting the car together, he had to make a temporary "child's seat" for him and the other guys to sit in and test out the car because most of 'em couldn't reach the pedals with it configured for me. Nothing is adjustable, it's all configured for me. The car absolutely fits me like a glove and I'm 6' 4" 200 lbs. and have 12 EEE feet. It's all doable unless you're about 6' 6" and 275, I would say. I also sat in a car that was set up for a vertically challenged individual and the whole shop broke out laughing.

[ACHiPo]

Originally Posted by DanEC

You might try sending a PM to AChipo (Evan) as he owned an ERA and a Superformance concurrently and can probably give you some idea as to how they seem to compare. He just recently sold the Superformance. The ERA does not have a dropped foot box and I’m not sure on the Superformance but I don’t think it does either. I think I read that at some point ERA might have enlarged their transmission tunnel very slightly to accommodate modern transmissions so it might depend on what serial number ERA you compared with. Not sure is they widened it, raised it or both.

I had an early SPF (369) and a newer ERA (824). The ergonomics of the cockpit are very similar between the two. They are both surprisingly comfortable to drive.

I sold the SPF a few weeks ago otherwise I'd take my laser-thingy and give you comparison measurements.

[66gtk]

I've owned 2 SPFs (later cars) and a handful of ERAs. My 6'3", 200lb body is more comfortable fitting behind the wheel of the ERA 427 cars compared to the SPF. Every body is proportioned differently, though.

[R&B back]

I am 6'4" and 225 with 13 size feet and fit into a 2000 ERA.
Mods:
shorter dash
smaller steering wheel
pedals spaced wider apart with no rest pedal on the left
windshield angled slightly up
removed driver side sun visor.
I sit on a thin seat bottom
I have roll bar padding to help get closer to passing the broom stick test
I have to wear "racing" shoes - Black Converse Chuck Taylors because they have thin sides

I fit ok in the car and I feel like I am safe driving it.

[the shadow]

thanks for the replies guys the info is great , but I have to state I have no height issues Im 5'10" with 12W feet and muscular thighs and broad shoulders. so my issues would be leg and foot room on longer cruises and shoulder room against the door. I have a C3 ('74) stingray and that is ok to drive around town but long cruises would not be comfortable as its tight and its an automatic.