Rear bulk head shoulger strap pass through?
 

It's time for me to change my belt systems. The passenger side has no roll bar, the current harness is a single strap anchored in the trunk,passing through the rear bulk head wall and then Y ing to form two shoulder straps. Back in 2000 I was told the officials were not allowing Y strap harness. My plan for a new version, the new shoulder straps would be wo paced straps going through the rear bulk head wall to the trunk anchor. Is there a smooth escutcheon for a belt pass through?

Anybody know of a great deal on a pair of 6 pt cam lock harnesses , It seems to me there are some way over priced racing harnesses out there. The reputable belts with SFI and FIA tags would suggest they have some faith in their product. I'll admit that there probably is some a differences in some materials used. In looking around found some new harnesses with about to expire tags better priced but still are still mostly too high. The belts I'm replacing are, I'm guessing, 35 years old. The really nice ones were intended for all out racing with racing seats , roll cages, SA stickered SNELL helmets with Hanns devices I'm never going to do that but want harnesses that will do everything I'd want. The passenger side would get as good but with the limitation of not having a roll bar to anchor to. The passenger shoulder straps would still need to go through the rear bulk head wall to a frame anchor point in the trunk. Light colors look great when new but would really show any stains and look crappy, in short time with me. I've looked around and just know enough to be dangerous. I want to hear any thing that would help me reach a conclusion?

Many discussions about the wisdom and tradeoffs of a shoulder harness of any kind on the passenger side without a roll bar. If you are strapped in and upright and turn over, your head and shoulders ARE the roll bar. Not very good for your head, neck, back, spine. The tradeoff is lap belt only with a front/rear collision. (Side T-bones aren't good no matter how you cut it.)

Michael,

When you mention that you were told that "officials" were not going to allow the single anchor point "Y" shoulder strap system anymore. What officials are you referring to? If it is for a race group or track day, I would be surprised that they would allow anybody to be in the passenger seat without a roll bar on that side.

as twobjshelbys says, it is a trade off. What do you expect to be more likely, a rollover or a front/rear collision? Without a roll bar and shoulder harnesses in a rollover situation the passenger is not able to duck down and their head and neck areas risk of injury. Without the shoulder harnesses in a front or rear collision the passenger will experience whiplash and may strike their head on the dash or the rear deck. While the suggestion concerning the passenger being able to duck low during a rollover without the shoulder harness seems reasonable at face value, in a rollover situation the G forces would be throwing the passenger all over the place and it is questionable that a lap belt alone would maintain the passenger in their seat as the G forces would either pull them out of the lap belt through the top or they would submarine underneath the lap belt.

A lot to think about.

Jim

Be it advised: I don't believe any (or many) of the 3" belts that are approved for racing are "technically" street legal. (they do not have FMVSS 209/302 ratings required by The D.O.T.)
Blas

Currently my belt system is a set of latch link Simpson lap belts with diy "Y" shoulder harnesses that are not the open weave webbing as the lap belts,. They were made of the smooth strapping you'd expect in DOT OEM stuff. They were not the sewing you'd expect from a commercial belt manufacture. Both sets of shoulder straps are the single strap with a "Y" coming through. the rear bulk head wall. The current belt- harnesses were created back in 85 era. The original builder competed in hill climb put on by the local Ferrari club in Virginia City NV . I bought the car in RENEO NV in 99. It has only the drivers side roll bar. I have added the spreader bar with eyes for attaching belts to this roll bar. I plan on hooking the drivers shoulder straps to the roll bar spreader and eyes as they will raise the anchor point to slightly higher than my shoulders. I do not really like the latch link system as every thing has to be attached before tightening. several times I have been trying to hook everything up while in motion, does not work well. I realize this car may never get to another track or coarse. Theses harness are the best that could be done for safety to a kit car. Several times, I had gone to all the struggle getting all belted in, only to realize I hadn't turned the master switch on and could not reach said switch and had to disconnect to turn the master switch on. I changed the switch situation.

Michael,

You're not the only one that has done that. My first race car was an MGB that had been raced previously and the original builder had put the kill switch on the passenger side and at least once after being buckled in I had to waive someone down in the paddock and ask them to turn the switch for me so that I did not have to unbuckle myself. That's why on the cobra race car I put the kill switch on the driver's side.

Jim

The original master switch is the usual less than quarter turn snap ON and snap back for OFF. The master switch unit is mounted high onto the fire wall .The actual switch is high on the engine side and the fire wall mounted to the FORD style solenoid with a metal "L" , The control lever is high under dash on the passenger side of fire wall. Imagine being all belted in and asking people passing by to "please help" by leaning in and reaching under the dash to turn on my master switch. and all the while assuring them "there is a switch up there" and then the " click" and a "thank you" and off I'd go. I added a Flaming River master switch centered on the dash in series with the original master switch. Twist ON and bump inward for OFF. Big red knob is large for operating with gloves on. I made an aluminum mounting escutcheon with large engraved "PUSH IN for OFF" reachable from outside.

Any and most discussion is great, always bring up points that may help . I think the racing harnesses are usually better than approved OEM-DOT, just not as convenient, and way better than nothing. IF asked when building another Cobra replica, dual roll bars would be a must have. Nostalgic seats look good but a racing seat would be practical with the potential these cars have, remember they made racing seats back in the day that contained the people better than the normal seats but harder getting in and out of.
Back to my original question now with the 35 year old harnesses all the shoulder harnesses shoulder straps come through the rear bulk head. I have taken steps to change the driver situation but the passenger side while never being used in any demonstration of speed would not be occupied. The anchor point for the passenger shoulder straps is in the trunk to a frame point. Every thing is pretty much the way it is . Is there a better pass through than the slit in the rear bulk head wall (with thin carpet) and with a chromed sheet metal trim escutcheon ? If I'm going with two straps, I have to space the two straps as they will come through the wall for the space to not be against the neck of any one that would sit there. Is there a nice (better) guide for the shoulder straps to come through the fiberglass wall or am I just going to cut two cut two new slits and buy two chromed escutcheon plates ?

I'll let you work on the belt situation but if you are intending on tracking the car the kill switch is preferred to be mounted to the left of the driver and easily visible so a corner worker can get to it as easy as you.

Tom

To my left is out side. the master switch is almost centered not that far from any point outside with instructions. Did you hear the line that goes couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the directions were on the heel? I'm spending a fortune on a top to fit over my one roll bar.

Michael,

I know of no other way than to cut two slots in the rear bulkhead. I would make them as high as possible. So that they are more neutral to slightly below the shoulders of the passenger.

Jim

As mentioned earlier shoulder harnesses should be mounted at essentially shoulder height. Anything lower and the forward motion also causes downward pressure from the harnesses causing you to slide forward and down (at best) and spinal compression at worst.