How are FB/FC Rx7s as HPDE cars?

My buddy is like 6'5" and so he has been shopping E36's primarily but we keep having issues in the cheaper ones are all super beat to hell and gotten ahold of by the stance/drift crowd. Looking at other options that might have more room for tall drivers and not necessarily have to pass a broomstick test how are the RX7s?

I was eyeing one before I got yet another miata because I love the FC styling and its box flares + the ease they seem to be comparably for engine swaps if you want more power than the rotary will give. Seeing that very clean looking street legal FB race car in the classifieds made me think about asking this.

They're robust and handle well but at 6'5" I doubt your buddy will fit with a helmet.  They're pretty tight inside, especially if you add a cage.

I'm 6'3" with a 34" inseam and my FC is pretty tight on headroom for me, especially having a sunroof. When I went to look at the car prior to purchase I forgot to bring my helmet along, but with headroom being a major concern of mine wvumtnbkr  was kind enough to loan me his for test fitment both in the car I ended up buying and his FC race car to see how much a low mounted race seat would help. In the race car, I think my head barely grazed the ceiling with the helmet in place, while my FC requires a bit of finagling with the seating position to fit with a helmet. It works about as well as my E36 did, really, which also had a sunroof, so if he fits in the BMW the Mazda should probably be OK too. 

Broomstick or no broomstick, that era car has no rollover structure worth mentioning. You'll need a half-cage at least to be safe.

I'm 5'11" with a fairly long torso, and on my FC I had to open the sunroof to not hit the top - with my bare head. A helmet would have been out of the question. Very few NCs were made without the sunroofs, but I'm told that they are better. 

Gotcha ok sounds like it is no better than miata's on space then.

It ends up all depending on the driver and seat position. I have a friend who is about his height with stock seat non sunroof FB and he fits well. He's had it for about 20 years partially since he claims not to be able to find another sports car he fits as well in. 

Weve had a sunroof and non sunroof chump/lemons FBs with the same kirkey seat on stock rails and both fit driver's up to +/- 6 ft. 

I've actually got a non sunroof rolling FB chassis with a welded in rear half cage and autopower 6 point bolt in cage down here in FL if he needs a car or ends up with one and needs a cage. 

Jaynen said:

Gotcha ok sounds like it is no better than miata's on space then.

A miata may work with a drop floor. I think 6'6 is the max limit.

Jaynen said:

Gotcha ok sounds like it is no better than miata's on space then.

Okay, let's not be talking crazy here.  I have to look over the windshield to see out of a Miata.  I fit reasonably well in my T2 FC with a helmet on.  Granted, my head is tight to the headliner, but I fit.  I would say the FC has a couple more inches of headroom than the NB Miata, which is the last one I've been in.

I'm 6'0 and with my helmet on my head rests on the headliner of my SA22C. I have seen several guys build roll cages through the roof of their FBs so that taller drivers would fit. I can't imagine another 5" of me (in either direction) trying to squeeze into an SA22C chassis.

I thought FBs had more room inside then FCs.

I fit tight in an FC at 6' 2" especially with a helmet. Like always I recommend finding one to sit in that is always the best solution. Everyone likes to sit a little different in a car. 

I'm 6'4" and I literally have the seats bolted the to floor they could not possibly go lower and the helmet is extremely tight in the cage. I'm all legs though so I sit funny - if your friend is more proportionate it may be okay but I would not advise it to be the best for a tall person.

I am not 100% sure on his seating position. I actually mean to check that for racing because I know on the street his seat is always all the way back even in my benz he probably puts the seat back 4+ inches more than me and I am 6' he might need to get more comfortable with more knee bend or learn to scoot his butt slightly forward in the seat and not sit ramrod straight

I am about to bolt a seat in with no slider to my NB so we can check how he fits in that. And I know removing the rear hump gains about 3/4inch of headroom and lays the seat back a bit more, unsure if you laid the seat back even more if you could get additional headroom at some cost of leg room

My FC was a great track car for learning, but it was a bit tight at 6'3" with the sunroof. I had to practically lay down to get my head in there. Without a sunroof it'd be better, but add 2" to my height and who knows.

FC is a good platform - tight fit until you get clever for tall guys.

In my hillclimb FC I'm 6" further back in the car than normal (done for weight distro not making room)  and I don't run pads in my Cobra Sebring seat, which isn't mounted directly to the floor, but is close.