From digest.v6.n607 Thu May 1 13:13:58 1997
From: SBOGARD_at_WASVMIC1.VNET.IBM.COM
Date: Thu, 1 May 97 01:00:35 EDT
Subject: <all>RE:Pedals for Heel & Toe

Somebody asked about pedals for heel & toe. I've been shopping for such...here goes:

Brand    Material     Source    Approx Cost      Comments
_____    ________     ______    ___________      ________

Niken 1) alum & blk   BMP              $60       long 9" accel pedal
         center pad                              available--mounts kinda
         cool, has                               hokey; brake/clutch OK
         aggressive   Korman           $69        Ray K. shows short gas
         looking trac- E36 cat.                   pedal in E36 catalog
         tion holes.                              my guess is he knows
         (no drilling                             a better-than-Niken
          required)                               way to mount gas ped.

      2) 1/2 alumin.  local            $?        saw 'em in a distributor
         1/2 black    Speed                      catalog; the adjustable
         w/ adjust-   stores                     feature looks neat &
         able width                              practical, if you can
         & height                                can find a source for them

Razo  1) Niken look     local            $?      saw 'em in a
         alike,but      speed                    distributor's
         made of        stores                   catalog of some
         magnesium                               Japanese importer
         instead                                 in California

       2) carbon fiber    "              $?      called "new" in
          looks very sharp                       importer's catalog

       3) aluminum "Schnitz"             $?            "
          clone (vert. slots)

       Most Razo pedals are available with short, medium, & long
       gas pedals.  The clutch & brake pedals look like Niken's, but
       look better made.  I have no idea how they attach though,
       because it's Japanese made, I think they're intended for
       Honda's, etc. but they might fit BMW's.  There are about 8
       other styles.  There are also very nice Razo CF shifters.
       Wish somebody around here sold 'em so I could see them.

Schnitzer  Shiny       Bavarian Auto     $260     made for BMW, long
           Aluminum    & other Schnitzer          gas pedal, looks like
                       dealers                    distance between
                                                  between gas & brake
                                                  is too far unless you
                                                  are size 11 shoe

Racing     Black       RD dealers        $240?    made for BMW, I haven't
Dynamics   Aluminum?                              seen it yet, my dealer
           (I'm guessing                          ordered a catalog.
           from a picture                         I'd buy 'em over
           of foot brace)                         Niken's if they turn
                                                  out to be decent.

Wings      Shiny aluminum p.106 of       $99/105  really takes heel&toe
Engineering               May Porsche    gas only literally.  Looks
                          "Excellence"            unsafe if you miss
                          mag                     the brake.  You gotta
                                                  see it tho..don't miss
                                                  it before you die.

Momo    1) aluminum       seen in British $?      The CF one requires
                          mags & in local         drilling.  Haven't
        2) Carbon Fiber   dealer shops    $40     seen the alum. setup
                                                  The CF pedals are
                                                  nothing like the
                                                  quality of their
                                                  shift knobs--kinda
                                                  disappointing.

My conclustions so far are:

1. The Niken from BMP or Korman seems easy to mount, it's

   brake & clutch pedals are very decent. The 9" gas pedal is the right shape for heel&toe (which is more like "ball & ball" of foot, unless you have a size 13 foot) The mounting of the gas pedal is hokey--I don't trust it totally. Anybody find a good way to mount them? A good value otherwise. If Ray K. can mount the gas pedal better, I'd buy from him. The gas pedal straps "work-harden" with the first 90 degree bend. I guess this is what you get for a "made for any make" setup.

2. The made-for-BMW Schnitzer looks very shiny and not wide enough

   for heel-toe. The made-for-BMW Racing Dynamics I'm anxious to see. For $200+ dollars, my expectations are high. I'm starting to think no one can make an E36 gas pedal pad w/o some drilling.

3. The Wings Engineering pedal is fun to look at. Takes heel & toe

   literally. Doesn't look practical for everyday though. Ad states it has simple "on-off" in 1 minute, no alteration to stock. Say's it needs Porsche square grid accel pattern. Now I know why we have our own driving schools w/o Porsches--scares me to think what a beginer might do with this pedal.

Bought the Nikens, but I'm still shopping...

• - Skip