In 1999, Daniel Reyes lost his right leg as the result of a car accident.  A former industrial designer, Reyes was use to building flashy and stylish things, and his injury didn’t dampen his taste for luxury.  In fact, in the wake of his accident, Reyes acquired a 1967 Ferrari 330 GT.  Unfortunately, as an amputee, there was no way for him to operate the car’s five-speed stick shift transmission.

“Being an AK (above-the-knee amputee), I had no way to drive it,” said Reyes, adding that he was “determined to find a way.”

Adaptive Equipment
Less than a week after beginning his search, Reyes flew to Rome, where he struck a deal to be the exclusive distributor/installer of Guido Simplex equipment in the United States.  The adaptive equipment allows drivers with disabilities to drive stick shift automobiles through hand controls.  The most important features of the technology are a lever on the stick shift that lets drivers control the clutch, and an acceleration ring that attaches behind the steering wheel and controls the vehicles speed.

According to Reyes, the device, which shares a name with his business, RediAudio Sport, allows drivers to get behind the wheel of Porsches, Jaguars, Mercedes, and other high-performance vehicles they’d otherwise be unable to drive.

Post Disability Excitement
Reyes says that many of his clients are motorcycle enthusiasts or luxury car connoisseurs who have been recently paralyzed and still crave the action and excitement of driving fast.

“Typically, they have a lot of toys, then they get paralyzed and they have to sell them off.  First go the bikes, then the trucks, and eventually they’re left with a fast car they just can’t bear to lose.  That’s when they get us on the phone,” Reyes says.

Custom Hand Controls
Besides catering to those who drive high-performance automobiles, RediAuto Sport also offers products for automatic cars as well.  Their Soft Touch Gas & Brake system combines breaking and accelerating functions in one touch-sensitive hand-control knob that’s mounted on the floor.  The feature lets drivers accelerate and brake with a simple move of their finger. It’s handmade in Italy and has aluminum castings and leather coverings.

So, how do you get your hands on the devices?

Although RediAuto Sport is moving towards partnering with auto-dealerships to offer the devices on site, currently both the Sport and the Soft Touch models need to be custom installed.   The price, after installation, of the Sport is approximately $10,000, while the Soft Touch runs about $1,800.

However, for many driving enthusiasts, the experience is well worth the price.

Bringing Exposure to People with Disabilities
Last April, RediAuto Sport hosted the Victory Lap 1 event at the Irwindale Speedway in downtown Los Angeles.  The event exposed many individuals with disabilities to RediAuto Sport products, and gave them the chance to race custom-made cars against paraplegic racers Carol Hollfedler and Lance Magin.

For some car and motorcycle enthusiasts, it was an enthralling experience.

“This is cooler than anything I’ve done since I’ve been in a wheelchair,” said Steve Bucaro, a motorcycle, truck, and car enthusiast, who is also a paraplegic.