Race Part Recommendations...

#1

Well I am beginning to schedule the final phase of the Spec E30 build. I’ve been driving my 91 325 at DE’s for a year and a half learning the car and builidng the suspension out for eventual Spec E30 competition. After our March event at Road Atlanta, I am going to have the cage installed. I’ve been working and consulting with Patton et al down here in Atlanta, but wanted to get some recommendations / comments on safety items that work well with the Spec E30. I know a lot of it is subjective, but would like to know what people prefer to look at and try for myself. Specifically, I am looking for recommendations on:

  1. Seat
  2. Harness (6 point)
  3. Window Net (I am leaning towards this one from bimmerworld and want to know if anyone has experience with it: https://secure7.nexternal.com/shared/StoreFront/product_detail.asp?CS=bimmerworl&RowID=565&All= )
  4. Anything else…

I know it’s relatively open, but appreciate any recommendations with what seems to work well for you guys. Thanks in advance…

Post edited by: kchildre, at: 2006/01/26 08:34

#2

a seat is one of those things that you should really sit in to ensure that it is comfortable for you. I have Sparco EVOs in my existing racecar and I like them. I am 6’ and 180lbs - much more than that and I wouldn’t fit the width of the seat. I’ve had to turn away some passengers when I’m instructing because their butt wouldn’t fit.

Make sure whatever seat you buy has large holes for the shoulder belts to go through. I was just looking at a Recaro Profi SPG (someone was selling a used one) and noticed that it only has small ovals for the shoulder belts. You want the shoulder belts to be tight on your shoulders and then angle downwards to the crossbar attachment and not be diverted by the seat. This is particularly important for head and neck restraint use.

You should probably have provisions for a seat back brace installed on your cage - once a seat goes beyond 5 years from manufacture you either have to replace it or add a seat back brace.

for harness, I used to have Simpson cam-lock belts (in my M3 racecar) and now have Crow six-point latch&link style at about $95. I prefer the latch&link. I had at least one instance where one of the belts wasn’t fully inserted into the cam-lock central hub and came loose on track. As long as the belts are FIA or SFI compliant, I don’t think the brand matters much.

your bimmerworld link to the window net didn’t work. I am leaning towards the pyrotect supernet because it is more open than my current full grid net.

Remember to get the high density padding for anywhere close to your helmet
You can get a good fire system from bimmerworld for $299 so that should be on your short list.
Remember to budget for a head and neck restraint because it is inevitable that they will be mandated soon (already are in BMW CCA CR).

cheers,
bruce

#3

leggwork wrote:

[quote]for harness, I used to have Simpson cam-lock belts (in my M3 racecar) and now have Crow six-point latch&link style at about $95. I prefer the latch&link.

cheers,
bruce[/quote]
Is there a popular online source to browse the Crow stuff?

#4

www.cvproducts.com has crow products.

Also, on the subject of harnesses, I just bought a set of G-force 6-point pull downs that now have FIA certification for $140 each. A great deal on a 6 point FIA harness set.

#5

I bought MOMO Cup GT seats from LTBmotorsports about a year and a half ago and have been very pleased. Have sliders on the drivers - none on the passenger. Had to make a special bracker to fit the MOMO mounts in the e30, but it works well. Ed

#6

Since SpecE30’s are relatively cheap to build that frees up money for good safety equipment.

Look into getting a HANS device (or some form of head and neck restraint, no a padded collar doesn’t count). BMWCCA CR is mandating head and neck systems this year. It is only a matter of time before NASA mandates it. As for 6-pt belts, get something with an FIA rating since it is good for 5 years instead of the ridiculous 2-year lifetime of SFI belts. The Pyrotect window net is fine. The mesh version they make offers better visibility. Consider a center driver’s net too.

If you have a smaller than 32" waist, I would look into the Sparco Circuit seat. It is the same design as the Recaro HANS, but much more affordable. (I don’t know why Sparco doesn’t make that seat in a more non-12-year-old-boy size.) The side-impact elephant ears make it a nice complement to a HANS device. The downside of the seat is the ears make emergency egress quite a little harder.

Fire systems would be a nice addition. Most are in the $350 range. There is one sold by HMS Motorsport made by ESS that is refillable by you. (You hope you never have to refill it, but its nice to have that feature.)

Another item is a quick release steering wheel hub. If you think you might have egress problems, this comes in handy.

#7

traqrat wrote:

[quote]Consider a center driver’s net too.
[/quote]

Does anyone have one of these installed? It appears to me that installing one of these nets would require cutting a decent-sized hole in the center of the dashboard to mount the straps / release mechanism. I don’t think this has come up before, but disecting the dashboard in this manner would not seem to be legal for spec e30?

Also, for the CR racers out there, per the 2006 rules:

C. INTERIOR – RIGHT SIDE NETS – Interior nets are strongly
recommended and are likely to
become mandatory in future
years.

Please tell me if I’m wrong (wouldn’t be the first time!), but is there a potential issue here?

#8

While I was having a cage put it (and the dash was out), I went ahead and had the installer weld up an eye-bolt in the center of the dash right at the base of the windshield. He had to cut the dash around it a little, but the defroster and center fents were left intact. I’m not sure quite how I’ll fasten it yet, but I bought a G-Force sprint car net (like a tall, skinny triangle on its side). Obviously the front will attach to the dash bolt, but the rear has four attachment points: top and bottom as well as high and low off the back. The system will definitely be kind of improvised as I’m unaware of any side nets for sale; I’ve looked unsuccessfully on the internet. I do think once it’s worked out that it will sufficiently "catch" my head in the even of a hard impact on the passenger side.

Sasha

#9

sdais wrote:

[quote]traqrat wrote:

[quote]Consider a center driver’s net too.
[/quote]

Does anyone have one of these installed? It appears to me that installing one of these nets would require cutting a decent-sized hole in the center of the dashboard to mount the straps / release mechanism. I don’t think this has come up before, but disecting the dashboard in this manner would not seem to be legal for spec e30?

Also, for the CR racers out there, per the 2006 rules:

C. INTERIOR – RIGHT SIDE NETS – Interior nets are strongly
recommended and are likely to
become mandatory in future
years.

Please tell me if I’m wrong (wouldn’t be the first time!), but is there a potential issue here?[/quote]

I asked Carter to add this to the rules. He said he didn’t want to be adding all these little things here and there and that no one would complain about a safety addition since there’s no performance advantage.

So, if someone decides to show up and protest mine or anyone else’s center net, we’re all gonna protest and chip in on having the guy’s car dismantled to see if there are any wing nuts missing. :wink: