Wheelchair adaptions (hand controls)
04-04-2014, 05:18 PM
#1
Wheelchair adaptions (hand controls)
Hello folks,
Thought I’d share some pics to illustrate modifications to a 991 in order to be driven with hand controls. For background, my legs don’t work due to a spinal injury (neck) and I have poor balance (no stomach muscle etc). Anyway I have been driving with hand controls for 15+ years and have had a number of 991 911s. I thought I’d share some information in case there were any other folks out there looking into getting this type of adaption done for a 991. I learned most of these by mistakes so...
1) Avoid the comfort entry package. This causes the steering column to move as the steering wheel in effect retracts into the dash to give more space to get in and out of the car. Given that the hand controls rods are bolted to the steering column this is a non-starter as the movement with cause either the motor to burn out or the rods to bend/brake. However if you absolutely must get this feature, as in you are buying a stock or second hand car then take the fuse out that controls the motor whilst the steering wheel is in the correct position. My first 991 was a showroom car and it had this option so I learned the hard way!
2) Seats. For me (spinal injury - neck), I have poor balance and find that the bucket, sport style seats are better, (I have had all versions of the seats available for a 991). The transfer in is tougher but you are better planted. I haven’t found any kind of harness system available for normal seats (not talking approved for track).
3) Boot. I can’t fit the main part of my wheelchair in the front boot (I know some folks can), so I put my chair either on the passenger seat or in the back seats (frame on one side wheels on the other).
4) Track. I find that my legs move around at higher speeds and G-forces so I had a pedal guard built (shown in the pics). For me this is essential on the track. It allows me to put my legs in a different position from how I would normally drive and stops my knees coming up near the steering wheel when cornering at higher speeds. It also removes the risk of my feet moving onto a pedal.
Please feel free to ask if you have any questions.
Last thing... PDK is amazing from my perspective (I can’t drive a manual car with hand controls)
Hope this information is useful.
Thought I’d share some pics to illustrate modifications to a 991 in order to be driven with hand controls. For background, my legs don’t work due to a spinal injury (neck) and I have poor balance (no stomach muscle etc). Anyway I have been driving with hand controls for 15+ years and have had a number of 991 911s. I thought I’d share some information in case there were any other folks out there looking into getting this type of adaption done for a 991. I learned most of these by mistakes so...
1) Avoid the comfort entry package. This causes the steering column to move as the steering wheel in effect retracts into the dash to give more space to get in and out of the car. Given that the hand controls rods are bolted to the steering column this is a non-starter as the movement with cause either the motor to burn out or the rods to bend/brake. However if you absolutely must get this feature, as in you are buying a stock or second hand car then take the fuse out that controls the motor whilst the steering wheel is in the correct position. My first 991 was a showroom car and it had this option so I learned the hard way!
2) Seats. For me (spinal injury - neck), I have poor balance and find that the bucket, sport style seats are better, (I have had all versions of the seats available for a 991). The transfer in is tougher but you are better planted. I haven’t found any kind of harness system available for normal seats (not talking approved for track).
3) Boot. I can’t fit the main part of my wheelchair in the front boot (I know some folks can), so I put my chair either on the passenger seat or in the back seats (frame on one side wheels on the other).
4) Track. I find that my legs move around at higher speeds and G-forces so I had a pedal guard built (shown in the pics). For me this is essential on the track. It allows me to put my legs in a different position from how I would normally drive and stops my knees coming up near the steering wheel when cornering at higher speeds. It also removes the risk of my feet moving onto a pedal.
Please feel free to ask if you have any questions.
Last thing... PDK is amazing from my perspective (I can’t drive a manual car with hand controls)
Hope this information is useful.
The following 3 users liked this post by mrwheels:
The following 2 users liked this post by mrwheels:
991Targa4S (09-11-2022),
BA73 (06-25-2023)
04-04-2014, 05:29 PM
#3
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Love your perserverance. Beautiful car.
04-04-2014, 05:32 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
Wow - you sir are awesome. Nicely done. I broke my 4th cervical vertebrae in 3 places in a youthful motoring accident. Had a head/neck brace drilled into the bone of my skull for a while, posters on the ceiling of the hospital.. attached to a pulley system and rotated like on a spit.. but was very fortunate and was able to have things fused together again. Your mods are just amazing. Thank you for sharing this. ps gorgeous car!!!!
04-04-2014, 05:41 PM
#6
Thanks for the kind comments. Feels a bit cheesy saying it but cars are one of the things in life that you go that extra mile to make it work, from a wheelchair perspective driving is amazingly liberating, and driving great cars quickly on a track… well :-)
04-04-2014, 05:51 PM
#7
@991999R
The place where the full view of the car was taken is Elan Valley
http://www.elanvalley.org.uk/
I think you can see from the tyre marks on the road what tends to happen there.
@ Nicoli35
Yep, remember the ceilings well in the spinal ward. Turning every three hours is not conducive to a solid nights sleep! And when I came round finding the halo/brace thing in my skull… well was convinced I woke up in the dark age!
The place where the full view of the car was taken is Elan Valley
http://www.elanvalley.org.uk/
I think you can see from the tyre marks on the road what tends to happen there.
@ Nicoli35
Yep, remember the ceilings well in the spinal ward. Turning every three hours is not conducive to a solid nights sleep! And when I came round finding the halo/brace thing in my skull… well was convinced I woke up in the dark age!
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04-04-2014, 06:08 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
Bravo! Glad you are able to enjoy that beautiful car!
Silly question for you...never really thought about this until seeing the interior pictures...on right hand drive cars is the Porsche ignition opposite from traditional placement as it is on the left hand drive cars?
Silly question for you...never really thought about this until seeing the interior pictures...on right hand drive cars is the Porsche ignition opposite from traditional placement as it is on the left hand drive cars?
04-04-2014, 06:11 PM
#10
Yep, on other cars I have had it has always tended to be on the left (BMW etc), but the 991 is different. Is a bit awkward when you start, pressing down on the brake. With hand controls that means pushing away from you with your right hand and leaning over with your left to turn the key, (accelerating is the opposite, you pull towards yourself).
04-05-2014, 01:08 AM
#12
Rennlist Member
Wow, great looking 991 and thanks for posting your setup!
My Mom had the same setup in her red Camaro. I assume they're still mechanically tied to the brake and accelerator? With the electronics today, I bet they could do a drive by wire system.
People were sometimes curious why Mom chose a Camaro instead of a "more practical" Honda or Toyota. What they failed to understand was that, aside from Mom being a total gearhead who wouldn't be caught dead in a Honda, the low ground clearance on a sports car like a Camaro (or Porsche) was ideal for making transfers.
My Mom had the same setup in her red Camaro. I assume they're still mechanically tied to the brake and accelerator? With the electronics today, I bet they could do a drive by wire system.
People were sometimes curious why Mom chose a Camaro instead of a "more practical" Honda or Toyota. What they failed to understand was that, aside from Mom being a total gearhead who wouldn't be caught dead in a Honda, the low ground clearance on a sports car like a Camaro (or Porsche) was ideal for making transfers.
