Gen III/IV owners that own(ed) a Gen I/II

[ssjcreeper]

So I'm contemplating picking up another Viper, specifically a Coupe, possibly a Gen II. Even with a seat lowering kit my Gen III is cramped for my 6'9" frame, but hey I make it work. Interested in how interior space compares among the Gen III and Gen II, also coupe vs vert. I'm under the impression that the Gen II is more cramped. Is that the case? Also, any chance I could fit in a coupe given I can fit in my vert with the top up?

Doug

 

[Able1]

I have a 2002 GenII RT/10 and have been looking at GenIII and IVs. The newer generations have more room. I am 6'3" with 34" inseam and I made seat brackets that lower the seat almost 3" and I can just get a helmet on with the stock top. I have a three piece trunk top and I just fit with no helmet. The GTS has more room than the RT/10 IMO.

 

[hou99gts]

Sorry, you have no chance in a Gen II. I have a 6'9" friend who has been in my gen II, III, and IV before, gen II was the worst, couldn't even get him behind the wheel and barely into the passenger seat. I got him in the passenger seat of the gen III and IV, but it was not comfortable.

 

[Dom426h]

I have afriend who is 6-9 and in my GTS as a passenger his head brushes the headliner with the seat all the way back.

One of the best quotes ever related to my Viper was when someone asked him how he fit in it. His reply was simply "look at the car... "

 

[Scottsviper]

You will never fit in a Gen 1 or 2. I am 6'5 and tried everything I could to get in them ( I wanted one so bad!) It wasn't happening. I now have a Gen 4 and I fit okay not the best but I am looking into a seat lowering kit. But the 1 and 2 was way to small

 

[Allan]

I rode in a gen II (for the first time) at my last track day.
I thought it was thrilling, but I see why the Viper was always considered to be such a crappy car compared to the Corvette and any other sports car.
Really cramped, very hot, not real comfortable, ...just plain brutal. -I loved it. I would love to get a gen II, because I am a crazy person and I think the gen II is Killer.
I am only 5'11" and not fat, and the car fit me like a glove. I don't think that a bigger guy would be able to drive the car without feeling constricted.
However, the owner of this beast is bigger and taller than me, and seems to do OK.
I think that he just loves the Viper so much that he'll suffer through anything to drive it. -said it was always his dream car. Now he's living it.

If you are cramped in your gen III, don't buy a gen II.

 

[latamud]

I own a Gen III, and just bought a Gen II. I felt the Gen III felt like a narrower car, door panels are closer to the driver. Sitting in a 96 GTS, I had more space between me and the door. I'm not a big guy, 200lbs, 4'17", and at my height the sun visor on the 96 dropped down right in my face, completely covering my field of view.

 

[ssjcreeper]

Thanks for the responses guys. Unfortunately this is confirming what I feared...

 

[Blainne]

Theres a reason why they are considered SPORTS cars. Not for NON sporty framed people. Sorry for the super tall guys though. SUV's are designed for the large American. Sad, but true.

GEN 3 to 5 offer the most room, BUT if your large framed the seats will not fit you well. Reason why Corvette stuck with their FAIL of seats for so long.. so larger people could fit in them. I enjoyed driving my GEN 3 Viper 100X better then driving my C6 Z06.. sliding out of the seat into the door at every hard corner was never any fun.

 

[TexasTonka]

Thanks for the responses guys. Unfortunately this is confirming what I feared...

Just to chime in I had a 2001 RT/10 and a '96 GTS both with the 1" seat lowering kit. I am only 6'1" but around 250lbs of beer and burgers and fit fine. Was comfortable on track days as well etc... My neighbor is 6'5 at about 260lbs of pure muscle and had to pull his legs in with his arms to get behind the wheel and his knees were up around the steering wheel, shut the door and it was a no go. Would have been easier to get him in with a giant shoe horn. To tight, if he would hit a bump in the road the dash would have impacted his knee.

 

[Allan]

You could do what a lot of guys do........
Buy a gen II, then just park it in the garage and look at it every once in a while.

 

[Alan Patterson]

I owned a 1998 GT-2 which I autocrossed (wearing a helmet) for several years. I am 6 ft 4 inches and was able to fit easily in the seat AFTER I lowered it about 2 inches by cutting off and bending a portion of the seat attachment brackets. It wasn't difficult to do as I had done the same modification previously to my 1996 RT-10... The headroom and fit in each of those Gen II cars was about the same as it is in my current Gen III 2006 VOI-9 coupe which has the 2 inch seat lowering kit installed... Again, just enough room to wear a helmet comfortably.

 

[ssjcreeper]

There's a number of cars I've wanted in the past that I had to pass on because I couldn't fit. I have to say I'm still considering buying a Gen II if only to stare at it in the garage.

You could do what a lot of guys do........
Buy a gen II, then just park it in the garage and look at it every once in a while.

Hmm. This gives me hope I might actually "fit"... at least well enough for a short cruise.

I owned a 1998 GT-2 which I autocrossed (wearing a helmet) for several years. I am 6 ft 4 inches and was able to fit easily in the seat AFTER I lowered it about 2 inches by cutting off and bending a portion of the seat attachment brackets. It wasn't difficult to do as I had done the same modification previously to my 1996 RT-10... The headroom and fit in each of those Gen II cars was about the same as it is in my current Gen III 2006 VOI-9 coupe which has the 2 inch seat lowering kit installed... Again, just enough room to wear a helmet comfortably.

 

[Allan]

The gen II that was at my last track day was so **** looking, .....it made me want to buy one just to look at.