NEED HELP! Husband won't let me drive our Viper, I can't reach the pedals!

[Venom500]

NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the pedals!

I would love to drive our 94 Viper, but I can't safely reach the pedals, and I am not about to risk an accident due to lack of control. I have been driving muscle cars since I was 16, but when we got our Viper, I nearly cried! We have even considered getting a second Viper so we could both drive places together, but not until there is a practical and safe solution to my height challenge (I am not very interested in a newer model, with adjustable pedals). People have suggested blocks for the pedals or a pillow behind my back, but I think that would look ridiculous and I don't believe that would be safe enough for this much horsepower. I am 5'0" tall & 112 lbs. I can see over the steering wheel fine, I can reach the pedals when sitting on the edge of the seat, but I need about 8 or 9 inches to drive safely. I am not far from the steering wheel, just the pedals are out of reach.

 

[Craig 201 MPH]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the pedals!

what engine is in the cuda?

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the pedals!

Buy a second Viper. Adjustable pedals from 97 up.

Maybe 96 too, but I don't remember.

 

[BACKNBLACK]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the pedals!

Ask Smokin. He added 7 inch platforms to his feet.He now has his own shoes instead of using his mothers pumps

 

[1TONY1]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

Ask Smokin. He added 7 inch platforms to his feet.He now has his own shoes instead of using his mothers pumps

Have you asked to see if gen2 adjustable pedals can be installed ?

 

[RX VIPER]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the pedals!

My wife is just over 5' and could get the clutch in all the way on our '93 with a pillow behind her back, but then she was not comfortable driving with it back there. She only drove it once.

Now she's intimidated by the supercharger, but that's another story

 

[Bill B]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

I had a lower back bolster made for my wife to match the Venzano interior.

 

[Venom500]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

We checked into the Gen 2 pedal theory, the underside of the dash and steering column are too different.

I would like a matching 94 Viper, so I am hoping for a solution (I guess that a newer Viper could be a last ditch solution).
I know I wouldn't feel comfortable with a pillow or bolster. I would feel stupid being so close to the steering wheel, or so far from the back of the seat.

I have tried to drive my daily driver with 8" platform heels, but too shaky! LOL!

I am going to cry! Any other ideas?

p.s. There is the original 340 in the Cuda.

 

[Early93Viper]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

Please no one solve this problem my Fiancé can't touch either.

 

[Doc.]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

When Deb Loth was driving Bobby's T-1 car she had wooden blocks taped to the pedals. She tracked the car this way with no problems and usually was at the head of the pack. Probably a temporary solution but at least you could drive the car. I bet you could fashion some rubber blocks that could be attached securely without much trouble.

Doc

 

[ROCKET62]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

Sorry - but it's every man's duty to keep a woman off the road whenever possible - so you'll have to remain the passenger. My wife doesn't know how to drive a manual transmission and therefore also does not drive MY - I mean "our" - Viper.

 

[ACELLR8]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

Here is a pretty simple fix for the Gen I vipers given to me by Mr Doug Levin.

Remove the drivers seat and simply drill out or grind off the stop rivets that stops the seat from sliding forward any farther. This will allow the seat to move forward two more notches / locking positions. There is two more notches in the seat rail that can't be used because of the stop rivets.

If you do this just be a little careful as to not move the seat up off the rail. I have never done it as the seat would be farther forward than any human can sit.

I did this for a while so my wife could drive the 95 since it was her idea to buy it in the first place, but now she drives the 2001 with the adjustable pedals and loves it way better than the 95, which works fine for me.

 

[Casey]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

I have the 2" seat lowering kit in my GTS, and my wife would put a couple pillows on the seat and raise the pedals all the way up when she drove.
That was until Heffner´got ahold of my GTS, and now she only gets to drive it when we go out and I drink too much!!

 

[AviP]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

That's a sad situation to be in given you are experienced muscle cars.

Have you considered welding or machining it? You could try removing the pedals, cutting the shaft at the point where it turns towards the driver and extending it forward. Any capable machine shop should be able to do it reliably. Of course, this would be a permanent solution so your husband will have to put the seat all the way back or drive another Viper. Best of luck!

 

[italian1nj]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

Hi, we had the same problem a couple of years ago. My wife could not reach the pedals in my 93 RT-10. You hit the solution on the head, another Viper. She has the 01 GTS/ACR and just loves it. Weather permitting it is her daily driver. Good luck and have fun

 

[Eric H]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

easy solutions........have you ever seeen how a set of after market pedals attach? basically 2 "plates" with a hole in each corner then take some long bolts and nutsandput one plate behind the petal and one in front, and then a wooden or rubber "spacer (just a big hunk of wood or rubber, and rubber would be better sinces its less likely to slide) once you get the right height tighten the bolts togeter to compress it and hold them tight to the pedals, you can get all the parts you need from your friendly neighborhood lowes or home depot.

Hope this helps.

 

[Hot Rod]

Re: NEED HELP! Husband won\'t let me drive our Viper, I can\'t reach the peda

My wife is also 5'0" but we have the Gen II w/adjustable pedals and she has no difficulty driving it. My problem is squeezing in after she has driven it as I'm 6'0". Hope you find a solution - it's an amazing car to drive.