Help me get harnessed

Hey guys, I am looking for input from more experienced folks on how to get a seat/harness in Riggamort the right way ahead of the challenge.

The harnesses I have (open to replacing), look like this on the shoulders:

The other 3 belts have eyelets for mounting.

Currently I'm trying to finalize a seat. What I have now lets me sit this low:

And my seat base/floor look like this, at the moment

Is there a safe way to mount my shoulder straps jumping out? Do I just need to get a harness bar on the roll bar?

Behind that looks like this, if it's possible to use a crossbar in this position instead.

You need a harness bar. Nothing of structural consequence is in range otherwise.

While you are adding in the harness bar add in some support(s) for the roll bar running either forward or back so it doesn't just fold over if something bad happens.

In reply to adam525i :

I recommend running the roll bar supports back so you can still have a passenger seat. Perhaps unnecessary, but I like to share the fun.

Is that seat low enough to pass the broom stick test with a helmet on?

Olemiss540 said:

Is that seat low enough to pass the broom stick test with a helmet on?

That's what I was about to say, because it doesn't look like it. But it could just be the angle. 

Not sure there is a 'broomstick' test at the challenge. Plus with no windshield you need a really long broom. 

You could build plinth boxes at the base of the rollbar to get extra height out of it, probably not as common for a convertible but normal practice for something with a roof. How high you can go with those I don't know

Re your seating position. With a helmet on you won't pass a through tech inspection. I had a similar problem in my H-Prod car. The roll cage was already welded in and no produced seat would go low enough. So we built in a seat attached directly to the cage and the bottom panel of the seat sat on the floor lowering me just enough to pass tech.

Also, if those ar your belts the exp date looks like Dec 2021.

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Not sure there is a 'broomstick' test at the challenge. Plus with no windshield you need a really long broom. 

I've never been so I'm not super familiar with the rules. But I personally wouldn't drive/ride in a car that didn't pass the broomstick test. 

I was able to pick up a bar with the supports that reach down to the wheel well, but it doesn't fit as well as it should because the floor it's sitting on is not factory. The "new" bar was used in SCCA racing back in the day, and definitely passed tech at that point.

I'm effectively sitting on the floor in the picture, I will of course see if I can go any lower (and add picture with helmet on).

I'm not sure how a roll bar in any of these would pass the broomstick test, but I'm sure it's possible..

Something from the GRM archives that might help: Strap In: How to Properly Install a Racing Harness

I don't know if this is the "New" bar or the old one but based on the photos it's not going to pass tech anywhere.

To answer your original question a horizontal bar tied to the roll bar is the correct way to secure the upper belts.  Also, the best way to get some more hight out of the bar is to build some plinth boxes for it to sit on.

That is the old one, and largely for that reason.

I also want to clarify - I'm not trying to get this to be NHRA legal for 5-point cage, I am just hoping to get something safe to hold myself into the car, and maybe keep the weight of the car off my head in a worst-case scenario.

Is it acceptable to build plinth for bolt-in cages?

I believe I'll already need to build something of the sort (or just use a spacer block) for the rear legs to mount, as due to the floor differences they don't match up quite right.

David S. Wallens said:

Something from the GRM archives that might help: Strap In: How to Properly Install a Racing Harness

I had been reading through this, prompted me to get input straight from the experts :)

Updated pictures here. I increased foam-ectomy on my padding and the "seat" is about as low in the car as is possible to get.

Time to recline...  Base forward with front edge up, get yourself laying back some.  

I would raise that bar and weld it in.  Probably raise it about 4 inches.

Your head would be holding that car up, or your spine would be compressed if it went over.

I dont know NHRA rules or for sure how it would stack out on challenge rules...  BUT...

get a  (used) kart seat and bolt it directly to the floor.  When you are putting in the harness bar, add a (padded) headrest structure to the rollbar. (this is in most vintage racing rulebooks, at least the headrest stuff) 

That will get you down in the car, more secure, and if you shop used kart seats, very cheaply. 

Here's a cheap one, see if you could pick up rather than ship...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143527706218?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

In reply to Apexcarver :

I really don't think there's much room to gain by going down, given the shape of the floor. In the pics, all that separates me from the "spine" down the floor of the car is this foam. I just took another 0.5"-.075" out, but that's not the inches we're hoping to find to clear the bar.

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classicJackets (FS) said:

That is the old one, and largely for that reason.

...

Is it acceptable to build plinth for bolt-in cages?

I believe I'll already need to build something of the sort (or just use a spacer block) for the rear legs to mount, as due to the floor differences they don't match up quite right.

Do you have the ability to weld or are you trying for a strictly bolt in installation?

In reply to APEowner :

I was going for bolt-in, on the thought of this being the right way to do it closer to NHRA standards (Unibody car gets bolted-on bar), and in case the next owner wanted to do something different with the bar/cage. But, since this bar doesn't meet NHRA standards anyway, I see your point and it could make sense to just weld everything in.

The only difficulty may come from the back down-bars contacting the rear edge of the cockpit if/when the bar gets lifted.

In reply to classicJackets (FS) :

You are focused on vertical distance from butt to floor, I am saying draw a line from your hip to your shoulders.  In your photo, you are sitting pretty much straight vertical, you need to get a comfortable laid back driving position to get further down in, unless you want to find a new bar.  A cheap and fairly easy way to a seat that would support you at an incline that is most likely suitable is a kart seat. 

Also, I would read the NHRA rules carefully in regard to the positioning of the rear downbars on the hoop.  I am familiar with that bar style and it wont pass many orgs because they are too far down on it. Most guys roadracing bugeyes (which means nothing to NHRA, but I dont know NHRA rules, which is why I am saying to look carefully) wind up having to put holes in the rear decklid for them.

Another option might be forego a passenger seat and do a petty bar. 

But again, I am completely ignorant of NHRA rules. 

In reply to Apexcarver :

Fair enough - that is a different way of thinking about it than I was. If I lean back further - the harness bar would need to come further down, though, right? And depending on how far back I get, is there a chance I end up basically directly under the main hoop/harness bar instead of in front?

EDIT to add: I guess that's what you were covering when you said "Base forward, edge up"

This bar will not meet NHRA specs. Per my interpretation of the challenge rules, I would need to meet NHRA Roll Bar criteria to go faster than 13.49 in the drags. Assuming I don't do that (half-throttle maybe??), what I need to have is a safe harness mounting strategy, and some level of protection for my head/spine in case the worst happens. 

I do have some additional tubing I could use to make the rear downbars better, but if the main hoop isn't protecting me anyway, I'm not ready to put in that work.

classicJackets (FS) said:

I do have some additional tubing I could use to make the rear downbars better, but if the main hoop isn't protecting me anyway, I'm not ready to put in that work.

Seeing the height, the base plates, etc. I wouldn't get in that car in a competition enviroment, but that's me.