The Mod that I think only I have (hand controls)
 

Well as some of you were probably wondering.. Yes I'm in a wheelchair from a motorcycle wreck about 2 years ago (2003 R1). I am a T 12 Paraplegic which means i have no feeling or function from the belly button down but i'm 100% from there up.

Right now I'm in a Quickie GT wheelchair which is a compact frame that doesn't fold (like the loaner chairs you see at the store or airport or something) my chair weighs about 25 pounds with everything on it and about 17 without the wheels or the cushion.

http://i5.tinypic.com/14cywes.jpg

I have to use hand controls for the gas and brake and can't have a MT because my cluthc foot doesn't work =(
The way the controls work is the gas is like a motorcycle twist and it has a wire that works like a mountain bike brake line that goes down to the floor and pulls the gas pedal down. as for the brake there is a bar that goes from the controls to the brake pedal so if i push the control forward it mashes down on the brake pedal

so the controls just move the pedals.. you could get in it and drive with the pedals just like normal

http://i5.tinypic.com/14cxx1g.jpg
http://i5.tinypic.com/14cxx95.jpg

as for getting the chair in what i have to do is pop the wheels off (they slide right off) and fold the seat back down

http://i6.tinypic.com/14cxy8n.jpg

Then i throw the wheels in the back seat using the rear door which is super convienent

http://i6.tinypic.com/14cy068.jpg

then i pick the frame of the chair up and bring it across me and set it in the pass seat like this

http://i6.tinypic.com/14cy154.jpg

but if there is a hot chick in that seat instead I have to put it in the back with the wheels (which is almost impossible for me to take a picture of)

and no that isn't your eyes decieving you the inside of my car is beat all to hell from that chair it would probably look better if i cleaned it (all the scuffs and everything aren't as bad as it looks) but there is alot of dings and scuffs and scratches and dirt and everything

If anyone has any other questions about how I do or don't do something feel free to ask! you can't embarrass or offend me just because you don't know --

Man - that is awesome to say the least. Good job.

yea, let nothing stop ya. pimpin'

Geez, that's incredible! Flat out inspirational. Good for you!

that's AWESOME that you haven't let your injury stop you from enjoying a great sports car!

I've always been very curious about how a person in your position could drive. I had no idea so thank you for your post! A few questions though... Who installs the mechanisms you gas and brake with and how much is it to install?

Mad props to you for being so damn vain that your wheel chair and fancy radial spoked rims match the color of your car! :)

Without the suicide doors I could imagine the ingress and egress to be much more difficult. Lucky you had the sense to buy the 8!

Man, that's awesome. You're half-way to having a rotory powered motorcycle!

Man! Your badass! =)

if u dont mind me asking.....what happened?.....i mean the accident?....reason why i always ask bcuz i owned a a cbr 1000rr and i was crazy, learned how to pop wheelies and endos and everything but then all my friends started having bad accidents so i got scared a little and sold my bike and since then i thank god for protecting me and ask the same for others, but enough about me what about you.....?

I think an RX8 with a motorcycle grip would be cool!

You sir....are AWESOME! I dont even know what to say. Good job and zoom- zoom my friend :cool:

Thanks for all the props guys.. i appreciate it.

as for who installs this stuff.. i got my original install (on my oldsmobile before the 8) by a local "disabilty mobility" shop they are the ones that do the van conversions and stuff like that and it cost about 550

then when i got the 8 my dad ripped them off the olds and bolted them on to the 8 took about 3 hours to do but it is all basically universal bolt on stuff

as for what happened -- I don't really know.. lol i don't remember the wreck at all. All i know is that I was on some back roads i didn't know that well trying to get home from a friends house and probably going WAY to fast i went off the road (i didn't lowside because there were no skid marks or anything) and hit a tree. snell 2000 approved helmet saved my life. it has a 4 inch crack all the way up the back.

I'd give anything to be able to get a MT though.. i miss that stuff.

I actually have a few questions if you don't mind.

About how long does it take you to get into the car (on a normal day, not trying to break a record)? I assume rainy days are a little more annoying having to go through that.

Since the cables are connected directly to the pedals, are the hand controls pretty stiff, or were they able to set the leverage so that they are easy on the hands?

Is the throttle grip still "spring loaded" so that letting go completely lets off the gas, or is it set so that you can twist it to a certain spot and leave it?

Are there any laws in your state that govern how and/or how well modifications like these are done?

When I was still healthy, I met a guy at a road course track day who was also a paraplegic, and he had a Viper that was set up for hand controls. But his gas and brake were separate levers, and a button on the shift knob actuated the clutch (hydraulically, not unlike the methods the BMW, Ferrari, and Toyota SMTs utilize, as far as I could tell). Obviously, he had some cash, but it was an interesting setup, none the less. I didn't get a chance to ask him how he entered a corner, though (one wouldn't be able to brake and downshift at the same time with that setup).

---jps

I think on an average day the time from when i touch the door handle to when I'm in gear is 1 - 2 mins it's not really that long.. it's just a HUGE pain in the gas to go in and buy a coke at the gas station.

The only real way to adjust the leverage is to move the connector up and down the pedal (its easier to push the pedal from the bottom than the top) but it isn't actually that hard at all

the handle is spring loaded so it returns to zero when you let go and i use that little peice coming off the front with my thumb to turn it and hold it in the same place (and sometimes i have to hold the wheel with my fingers while doing that so i can change the radio and things) I also use my cruise alot

As for "laws" the install is supposed to be done by a certified tech. and you're not even supposed to be able to buy the equipment to do it yourself. but then again there is no way to tell who did the install if you already have the equipment

and some states require you to take the driving test and get your license stamped that you can use hand controls

as or the viper guy.. i wanna meet this guy.. check out his setup.. i've always dreamed of having something like that.. but seriously you only have 2 hands.. one for the wheel and one for gas and brake. I've been over and over and over how i could maybe do another movement for the clutch and still do gas and brake at the same time - or maybe put a ring around the steering wheel so i could use that hand for wheel and fingers for brake and the other for clutch and gas.. i do kind of like the hydrolic clutch idea but it sounds like it's either on or off and over computer controlled and i want to be able to control the clutch.. thats kinda the point of having one

If anyone can think of a way we might be able to do this or can kinda point me in the right direction.. i have a 1st gen RX7 sitting to use as a "test car" and i'd be willing to PAY!

And here I've been feeling sorry for myself facing two hip replacement surgeries in the near future. They tell me I'll be using a walker within a couple days but claim no driving for 6 weeks!
Your post kind of puts everything in perspective.

Great, now I am going to feel guilty every time I run to the Jiffy for a soda.

Really, thanks Dude! You put life into perspective. Peace!!

Yeah, that doesn't seem too long. Other than not being able to do quick pop-ins like you mentioned, and compared to some of the other things you've had to adjust for with this, that would seem quite manageable.

I wish I could point you in his direction, but I didn't even get his name. It was at Texas World Speedway (College Station, TX, home of the Aggies) several years ago. I'll check with the even sanctioner anyway.

IIRC, there was also a race driver in the Speed World Challenge GT series in the past several years, who was a paraplegic. She was a horse rider (I can't remember if it was dressage, or what, but that kind of involved, skilled stuff), who injured herself in a fall during riding. Her name was Carol Hollfelder (I think that was her last name, I can't remember for sure), and she drove a black Mustang in the series. I never got a chance to find out how they set things up on that car, and it was a low-budget also-ran kind of team, but they were out there.

The Viper's setup had the gas and brake on two levers on the right side, at about the same height as your handles. They were both pusher levers (as opposed to twist), and they were close enough that instead of heal-toeing, he could palm-finger (if you will).

I can see what you mean. I don't know how one would be able to do that with a manual clutch, unless you could set them up so that you could operate clutch, gas, and brake with one hand. Almost a finger control. Maybe there's something in the motorcycle world that will inspire an idea.

---jps

You sir, are badass!

Wikked One... Nice T-shirt Hell reference.

That's an RX-8 put to good use! :ylsuper:

Actually i can't find that in a tshirt although i have been looking.. i do have a tshirt hell hoodie and its the picture of the handicapped sign and says "I'm just in it for the parking"

http://www.tshirthell.com/shirts/products/a517/a517.gif

It's funny when i wear it.. but it HILARIOUS when my girlfriend wears it

:mdrmed:

Apparently they stopped making it except on request... makes it cost more...

but it is on this page:
http://www.tshirthell.com/limitededition.shtml

Ha ha ha
:worship: :bowdown: brilliant!!

SWEET! willofgod = my hero

Puts stuff into perspective is right, but I'm definatly interested in trying to figure out a way to get you driving stick. This is a terrible comparison but the same problem of controlling the clutch is present when you play a driving sim... like forza or even gt4. I know some sim games on pc (using keyboard) that require clutchwork just have you hold control before upshifting so really that no different than the viper guy. Right now the best idea that I can come up with would be to set up something like the viper guy but to have the button pressure sensitive so you could control the clutch actuation. Not much but I'll try and keep thinking.