Best methodology for Kill switch & Fire handle?

#1

I was wondering how you guys (and gals?) have installed your fire suppression and kill switch systems?

I figure that the best location for an outside kill switch and fire handle is below the wiper arm on the driver’s side…

[ul][li]What’s the best way to run the fire cable (and hoses, for that matter) through the firewall?[/li]
[li]I’m assuming that a 4/6-pole kill switch is best connected to the battery through the distribution block on the passenger side firewall, but is there an effective way to tie-in a push or toggle switch (for the outside kill, keeping the rotating switch inside the cab)?[/li]
[li]Also, what’s the best method of securing the fire system tubing to the interior and the engine above the fuel rail?[/li][/ul]

Thanks – I know these are very rudimentary questions, but I’ve yet to have the chance to get a close look at an actual E30 race car. (Hopefully, I’ll have the chance at Hyperfest.)

#2

I mounted rotary switch on console within my reach and ran pull cable to an external location.

Pull cable is easy to do with bicycle/lawnmower type cables and brass compression fittings like you’d use on your icemaker on the fridge.

Working on the fire system now.

#3

Dave Ellingsworth at Inertiaworks makes some trick brackets that mount on the flat plate under the hood behind the right shock tower. He also makes door panels, seat brackets to mount up any kind of race seat with or without a slider and he’s a sparco/hawk dealer and his prices are awesome.

I’ve attached a few pics of the setup on my car…This was a test template so the acutal production model is even better.

Here’s dave’s contact info if your interested

http://www.inertiawerks.com/

rennsales@earthlink.net

Post edited by: merleperry, at: 2005/07/13 11:38

Post edited by: merleperry, at: 2005/07/13 11:39

#4

pics

Post edited by: merleperry, at: 2005/07/13 11:48

#5

Merleperry, thanks for the post, but I don’t see a pic – just a [[color=red]x[/color]] (well, in Safari, it’s a [color=blue][?][/color]).

Hmmmm…?

#6

Just in case anyone in the future is asking the same questions, here’s what I’ve done…

sharkd wrote:

On my coupe, there was an unused rubber firewall diaphrag just above and to the left of the clutch pedal pivot. I ran the fire tubing through that. The external fire handle will go through the driver’s side external vent, to the outside of the wiper pivot. An external kill switch pull will be routed to the same location.

I had Road Race Technologies in Sterling, VA install the kill switch (I didn’t want to mess with making custom heavy gauge cables myself.) They installed the switch inside, on the passenger side of the shifter console, running 10 gauge cable to and from the battery, to the rear, and lighter gauge wire to the coil leads on the firewall battery block. The switch’s dump circuit is grounded on the e-brake handle. A pull cable will be routed to the outside of the car.

Adel clamps. The aluminum c-clamps with a rubber sleeve are called "adel clamps"; Longacre sells packs of 10 in various sizes for ~$5. Combined with .125" pop rivets, these work wonders. Plastic zip ties also help.

#7

Where are you located? It might be worth the drive to see a well-built car, although from your last post, it sounds like you’re doing well.

And I agree with your decision to let the pros do the master kill switch. I can do the basic stuff (camera mount and home-fabricated support arm, driver cooler, etc), but I pay the pros to do the serious things.

Carter

#8

I’ll be at the Sept 24/25 NASA HPDE at Summit Point, so I figured I’d look over the SpecE30 cars and maybe have you or another SpecE30 driver glance at mine.

I still need the A-pillar & door bars, and a paint job; but the rest of the work is 90% done, I think.

#9

Great. Come see us.

We should have a good turnout for that weekend so there will be plenty of Spec E30 cars to see.