Going To The Track, Need Better Belts, and or Roll Cage?

jikelly

jikelly

20+ Year Stangneter :roc</strong><span class=
Jul 9, 2003
872
53
99
Lubbock Tx
#1
I'm trying to get my car ready to take to a racing school next month in Albuquerque and I need to come up with something better than my lap belts for safety. So, what should I do?

1. I could install a set of those universal three point seat belt systems, but my car's a convertible so there is no high point above the shoulder to attach the harness. (maybe the pivot point for the convertible top would work, but I'm not sure)

2. Ditch my front seats for a set of racing seats that I can then use with a set of 4 point belts (I guess they go through the seat and mount to the floor)

3. Have a roll cage installed and then make a mounting point for my shoulder harness to go on in a better location. That'd also stiffen my stang, but that might also be out of my price range.
 
#4
jikelly said:
I'm trying to get my car ready to take to a racing school next month in Albuquerque and I need to come up with something better than my lap belts for safety. So, what should I do?

1. I could install a set of those universal three point seat belt systems, but my car's a convertible so there is no high point above the shoulder to attach the harness. (maybe the pivot point for the convertible top would work, but I'm not sure)

2. Ditch my front seats for a set of racing seats that I can then use with a set of 4 point belts (I guess they go through the seat and mount to the floor)

3. Have a roll cage installed and then make a mounting point for my shoulder harness to go on in a better location. That'd also stiffen my stang, but that might also be out of my price range.
Click to expand...

With a convertible try to get that roll bar in place. That will also help with points for the belt installation.

If you plan to do much of this set aside monies as a good bit will be needed.

Safety first at the track.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
 
#5
I knew you were going to say that. Yeah a roll bar would make my stang probably 10 times safer. Only thing is that I want to retain the use of the back seat, and I'm not sure if having a rollbar is conducive to putting humans back there.

My intention is not to make my stang an all out race car, but is that dumb, because I know me and if given the chance I'd drive on the track as if it were an all out race car. :)

I found a company that makes belts online.

http://wescoperformance.stores.yahoo.net/seatbelts.html

They've got instructions for them and everything.

Where would I find a roll bar for my year stang?

What's a light bar, a covered roll bar?
 
#7
jikelly said:
I knew you were going to say that. Yeah a roll bar would make my stang probably 10 times safer. Only thing is that I want to retain the use of the back seat, and I'm not sure if having a rollbar is conducive to putting humans back there.

My intention is not to make my stang an all out race car, but is that dumb, because I know me and if given the chance I'd drive on the track as if it were an all out race car. :)

I found a company that makes belts online.

http://wescoperformance.stores.yahoo.net/seatbelts.html

They've got instructions for them and everything.

Where would I find a roll bar for my year stang?

What's a light bar, a covered roll bar?
Click to expand...


The reality is that putting race seats or any sort of harness in a car without at least a 6pt roll bar is very unsafe, an is actually more unsafe than the stock lap belts. I know some might think I’m crazy but this is the reason, Experience!

I have learned from experience, When the vehicle rolls the roof is going to come down unless there is a rollbar or cage to hold it up. A harness setup or a race seat setup will keep your body up and directly in the path of this roof. Stock belts allow for the body to move and wedge into the seating area so that when the roof comes down you can move. The harness will actually cause more damage and increase your chance of death.

G-Machine will never install or recommend a harness and race seats to any customer without at least a 6pt roll bar or cage. I suggest that you leave it as is and just drive with caution, if you want to get over 70 then I would really look into the 6pt roll bar setup.

Now when you do get a cage installed please go to a professional shop and stay away from bolt in cages. They are just plain scary and don’t do their job. This is your life and the life of you passenger you are talking about. If you have a 20,000 dollar car than a 3000 setup for seats, harness, and 6 pt roll bar is well worth your life. We are building a 4130 6pt roll bar in a Stang right now for this very similar situation. It will save his life in a rollover but he still will have is as a DD. I’m also not saying that you only have to come to us to get cage work done, I’m just concerned because there are way to many "cage" builders that think they build safe stuff. I have rebuilt several "cages" from these so called builders and have a car coming in next week because of a so called builder's cage work. There are plenty of good shops to go to, just do some research and keep in mind that your life is worth every dollar when it comes to cage work and suspension. I trust my life to every inch of weld I lay and so do all of our customers.

Jason
 
#8
HistoricMustang said:
Make sure you check with the organization that is sanctioning your track event. They may have an issue with convertibles. Hope not, but they might.

Some even require that T-tops be firmly in place before letting car on track.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
Click to expand...

Waht he said. MOST sanctioning bodies make you pass a Tech inspection. So I would call and see what you need to have to run in certain classes. I hope you have a helmet all ready, I am sure they require one.
 
#10
Bottom line is I need better than my lap belts to run my car at the school. So, the lap belts must be replaced. I need a helmet, but being a convertible has no effect. Weird?

Hum, a five point roll cage means no more rear seat, and I'm not sure that's what I want to do. I've been thinking a long time about what to do about a roll bar/roll cage. Truth is I'm swinging toward racing seats no matter what I decide on the belts. I'd do just the shoulder belts, but I'm not sure the mounting location will be high enough on my stang to be safe. See why I needed y'alls advice. The reality is that if I put my stang on its top, I'm a dead duck, dead.

So do you think I should give up the rear seats and just do a cage? Well, then should I only do shoulder belts since they are not as safe but DOT legal?

Thanks for all of your input!!!

Edit:

Seems like there is a lot of conflicting info out there about roll cages and safety. http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/239947.aspx
 
#12
Dangit this thread shows up in Google and gets me excited that there might be someone else with a post about the same topic.

It's like I'm the only guy with a big body stang to approach installing shoulder belts. SUCKS!!
 
#14
#15
68EFIvert said:
Sounds like it may be better to buy a coupe and install a cage and then just cruise in the convertible. If money was no worry of course. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah that was the plan. I'm graduating this semester :nice: Like in the plan and I done got a real job like in the plan, but I also done got student loan payment that weren't in the plan, so no coupe for me.

I'm instead trying to talk the wife into needing a new solstice as a third car, but yeah that probably ain't gonna happen.
 
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