First, I know this is probably impossible, so I'm looking for more than people posting "dude just get a race car for the track" or "just use what saw fit to put in your car". I am just hoping someone has some creative input that hasn't been discussed. Thank you in advance.

OK,
I have read all the threads on roll bars and roll cages and they all lead me to believe there is no such thing as a streetable, nhra, scca/de track day setup as far as safety equipment goes for my evo. However, maybe someone has a solution that is safe, so I'll go ahead and ask this question.

I plan on doing DE/Track days, a few trips down the drag strip, a few auto-x events, and also drive on the often wet, definitely twisty dangerous mountain roads where I live. I want to increase the safety of my car, me, and any passenger I might have in the passenger seat in all of those conditions. My back seats have been used maybe 5 times this year, and all for short distances, so I'm not terribly concerned with rear passengers as long as the seats can be used on rare occasions.

Basically, I am wondering if there is a cage + safety harness combination that isn't terribly intrusive for day-to-day driving, and will pass tech inspection for whatever I'm doing on a given day. To me, the danger of wrapping my car around a tree, rolling, or spinning into a tire wall is worrisome and I would like to increase my safety as much as possible.

Thanks for your suggestions in advance.

 

hi Machron,

Another evo owner and I are having removable roll bars installed. It costs more for the removablity but at least that way the car could be resold. I have a feeling a welded in roll bar would trigger a few negatives for a buyer.

We are getting a bar for road course and hill climbing, so a relatively simple four point is ok, I don't know nothin about drags.

Anyway the rear seat comes out so easy I plan on removing it when the bar is in, and vice versa.

I just noticed you are in Portland PM me if you are interested, my car goes in Wednesday to install mine and fit one for the other evo owner.

Otherwise, have a bar permanently installed with the rear supports run down the rear deck speaker holes. Leaves the back open for passengers. That was my first option(prolly around 5 bills).
Might be a good deal for all of us if we can get an extra bar built.

 

Thanks nothere. Yes I am in the PDX area and when you get your bar installed I would like to see it.

I've heard that a 4 point is good for restraining people as far as driving is concerned, but not good for safety because you can submarine through it without the 5th strap in the groin area. Also, without a helmet, is this bar more dangerous as far as rollover head injuries? Does the bar have side impact bars that go at an angle crossing between the driver shoulder and elbow? Do you know if the bar you are having put in will pass tech at club days? I wish I was more familiar with all the rules and safety issues, I'm sort of hoping an expert can shed some light on this difficult topic. I definitely want my car more safe, not less, in all situations.

Thanks for the reply

 

Willans six point harness will work with the stock evo seats. With their harness the two sub belts split and go beneath your legs and then back to lap belt location, not through the seat. You may have to make mounts for the sub belts.(?)
The original idea of a fixed bar was to be installed so that the driver and passengers did not need a helmet. ie, behind the driver and over the rear passengers and down behind them. Now, of course we are getting a removable bar so = not an issue, but it will still be out of the way for front passengers with or without a helmet.
The bar we have in mind is ok for road course and hill climb races through some bodies. Certainly ok for DE and track days! As I said I don't know much about drags. But I believe you may need a front bar at steering wheel height for serious comp., that I think changes practical daily use. From posts I have read here drag races will allow you to go barless down to 11 seconds(?).
good luck

 

If I remember correctly , vividracing.com has a cage in there safety section for the EVO.

 

I would be interested in seeing pictures or a sketch after it is installed as I am working with a shop here in Cincinnati to do a roll bar for my car with a horizontal bar behind front seats to attach a harness to.

 

checked in on the bar today.
since the floor pan is so much lower than the door sills there is no way a hoop with back stays attached can be removed. in order to get the thing out of the car the backstays will have to be bolted to the hoop via a sleeve. just makes it a little more complicated= expensive.
so the bases of the hoop and stays will be bolted down and the stays will be bolted to the hoop.

 

Ask Al from Dynoflash about his cage. If I'm not mistaken, it's him with the pretty streetable cage.

 

i will talk to a guy that i know that has an exhaust shop, that also makes money welding in rollbars, and all sorts of stuff. people that own those whops have the equipment to do all of this, and will usually work with you. my local guy has dont tons of work on scca cars, and so on. i will see what he thinks. the idea of rolling has always scared me, especially when i rallied a old honda with buddies. i will see what he says. he would probably build one to suit your personal needs and preferances, removable, or harness adaptable or whatever. maybe you can find a guy like this in your area, every exhaust shop with a pipe bender whould be able to do it. and someone whould have the know how.

 

Do people smack their skulls on the rollbar? I don't see how it's possible if your strapped in tight, but I could be wrong.

 

You'd be amazed how much belts stretch in an accident. Most rally cars I've been in have a bar across the top of the windshield, as well as up the A pillar and the top of the doors. I could easily imagine hitting one of these with your head in an accident. For that reason, I always wear my helmet in the Rally car, even if we're just driving down the street.

Perhaps there's a hoop or partial cage that addresses these issues; I'd certainly like that extra safety for track days.

 

Who did the Sparco car? That one looked pretty streatable and very well made. For drags a 6 point cage is fine down 10.01 (I think). I have been looking to have a 6 point made that will go through the rear deck speaker holes and tie into the subframe back in the trunk. Or if I could get it work out for a 6 point with the front loop run like the Sparco car that would work out really well also. I want the car to be safe on the street so the bars would need to be heavily padded. If you are using it for SCCA it must be made out of seamless (no esm) tubing. Al from Dynoflash does have a full NHRA legal 6point in his car and I know he said the baby seat still fits in the back. I will check with him.

 

I'm not sure the Sparco car has a "legal" cage. It was fabricated for the USCC, not to meet SCCA, FIA or NASA regulations. I'm not sure if it meets NHRA specs either. The biggest problem with the Sparco cage is that the backstays are not straight from the main hoop down to their mounting point. AFAIK, no bends are allowed.

It is allowable to have removable backstays, door bars and harness bar. At least according to the FIA specs. I've downloaded and read the specs. NASA rules pretty much follow the FIA, not sure about SCCA.

The key is to have well engineered connection points and joints. By having these bars removable the car would be very streetable and when installed it should be very safe. Not as safe as a permanently welded cage but still very safe and still within spec.

I'm interested to see what people come up with. I'm looking to build a cage some time during the winter of 2006 to prep the car for a possible run in the Targa 2000 Newfoundland. They follow FIA specs. I gotta teach myself how to TIG weld and "stack nickels" first...

 

If you don't mind, shoot me a PM if/when you come up with something. I was set on getting the Sparco harness bar until I thought about my 7 and 9 year old boys riding in the backseat - and likely denting their heads with the bar in a collision. I do Solo2 and 3-4 DE's a year, and would really like some more protection so I can use harnesses. Who are you working with in Cincy? I'm relatively new down here and don't know any shops that do this kind work. Maybe we could work a better deal for 2 cages?

 

I'd also like a streetable roll bar... I'll probably have to design mine though... I'm not willing to give up much in the way of daily safety.