Head Restraint/High Back Seat Options

[Chilibit]

My mission is to come up with head restraint to mitigate whiplash. My wife assigned me this mission. Naturally I chose to accept it.

If I go with high back seats (Kirkey, Cobra Clubman like the FFR guys, lots of others) then I create two new problems. I would need to modify the Tonneau-cover (minor) and we would lose the seat back top to sit on when sliding in or out (major). The stock seats are not uncomfortable for easy cruising. We have twin roll hoops. So a clear wind block combined with a way to limit your neck snapping back in a rear-ender (which sometimes happens when you back into a rail if the rear end comes around exiting a turn) seems more appealing than the high back seats. The car is a month old, has 1500 miles on it, has been vacuumed once and with two hoops you can tell I am not focused on authenticity or even pseudo authenticity.

I am looking ideas.

I am not yet a member over on Second Strike though I have been working at it for a month or so. I think I am to receive a package in the mail. That seems so strange, but so be it.

Ciao,

Vince

[RedBarchetta]

Vince, you have purchased a vintage race car with license plates. If you want to mitigate whiplash in one of these cars, high backs with full helmets and HANS devices might be your only true cure. I respect your desire for safety, but these cars never really had much designed into them.

-Dean #747

[rdorman]

Search around for pictures but even some of the originals had a large, thick pad bolted to the roll bar that ran the width of the roll bar.

[Jim Vander Wal]

Vince,

You mentioned joining SecondStrike, great.

Have you looked into joining S.C.O.F. The owners forum. Would be well worth your time as it is a great group and you should be able to get info on your questions.

http://performanceunlimited.com/scof/subscribe.html

With ownership and car number you are all set. That's the complete price of admission.

Check it out, join the fun.

I have looked into some form of headrests. I have a full width roll bar and may build a bracket for the seatbelt mounts and may add head rests.

I have seen seatbelt mounts on the dual bar cars. I would think that a headrest could be placed there as well.

There may be a piece already out there ready to buy but I don't know who has it. Someone on SCOF may though.

Jim, SPF 1855, in Grand Rapids, MI

[Naumoff]

Lee Dahmer at Sterling Replicars sells the headrest and racing seats.



http://www.sterlingreplicars.com/products/headrest/

[Chilibit]

Jim: I submitted the SCOF data on 12 Oct. Have heard nothing. Sent a follow up inquiry today.

All: Yes, I realize that it is what it is. Wonderfully primitive. But I will persevere for a bit. I appreciate the thoughts.

I saw an example here http://www.ffcobra.com/cgi-bin/ultim...505;p=0#000000
See pic in first post.

Naumoff: The Sterling link I will follow up on. The SPF bars are 1.5 in diameter but on 13.5 centers depending on where you measure. I will see if there is any fudge factor on the width.

Thanks everyone.

[ROUSHAC]

Vince,

How about something like this:



Cobra Earl makes them for the Factory Fives:

http://home.mindspring.com/~egroce/id4.html

Cheers!
Dave

[Chilibit]

Dave,

Good catch. The one from Sterling protrudes further forward which might be an advantage. I will check.

Sorry that we missed in the fog at The Glen in Sept for the Zippo. Only ten more months.

Vince

[ROUSHAC]

Originally Posted by Chilibit

Dave,

Sorry that we missed in the fog at The Glen in Sept for the Zippo.

Vince

Same here, Vince.

Sure was a great weekend this year!

We'll hook up next year there for sure!

Cheers!
Dave

[EvilBert]

Graham Berry Race Cars (NZ) recently used this approach:

[Ital-cobra]

Evil,

Where did you get the hood vents from?

[Chilibit]

EvilBert,

That is an excellent approach. The head rest is in the right place and they can be stowed if you put the T-cover on. Maybe even lowered enough to go under. Any idea who makes that seat? I G'd GBRacing, but could not get a link for the seat. Certainly an interesting person and company though. I have seen a few seats with something similar, but they are not common. I would need to consider fitments. Thanks.

Vince

[EvilBert]

I'm 'only' a customer of these guys, so am not speaking in any official capacity (and I nabbed the pic from their website, www.kiwiracecars.co.nz). But I can vouch for them being great guys to yarn with about all things Cobra.

Neither the headrests nor hood vents are standard on their cars - they were custom made in house for this particular car (which is headed to Dubai). I'm sure if you emailed Colin at GBRC (aka kiwiracecars, address below) he'd be happy to answer any questions. Though don't distract him for too long from building my chassis

kiwiracecars@paradise.net.nz

Cheers,
Mark

Edit: Actually, I think that the seats may have been custom made by Racetech seats (also in Wellington, NZ). These guys are the stock supplier of the seats for the GBRC Cobras, and I think Colin and Racetech may have collaborated to produce the headrests. But again, Colin would be the one to ask.

[RedBarchetta]

I saw a similar set of rising headrests on a very factory looking Cobra seat that was custom and looked quite nice. Was cut real low so that you hardly noticed them in the down position. Just can't recall where and who. The pics are probably buried in the CC photo gallery somewhere...hopefully the owner will chime in (I believe it was an SPF or Backdraft).

-Dean

[aldersonjames20]

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

I saw a similar set of rising headrests on a very factory looking Cobra seat that was custom and looked quite nice. Was cut real low so that you hardly noticed them in the down position. Just can't recall where and who. The pics are probably buried in the CC photo gallery somewhere...hopefully the owner will chime in (I believe it was an SPF or Backdraft).

I remembered seeing the same thing, so I did a search through some of my favorite galleries on CC. I didnt find the one that you were talking about, but I think I found the headrests that I am going to install. They look pretty custom made to me, and quite a bit more comfortable than the ones shown so far. Take a look, and if someone has a part number, please let me know.

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...ShowLetter.gif

James

[EvilBert]

Not much in the way of crash protection - but who cares!?!

[RedBarchetta]

Those would be the ACME Fun Bags, PN# 44DD.

Seriously, BOT. Would be nice for someone to post the pics of those custom SPF/Backdraft seats.

[Chilibit]

KiwiRacing in NZ confirmed that the rests were one-off custom. I have posed the question to the Racetech organization in Las Vegas, but given the word from Kiwi, it seems doubtful. An interesting chase nonetheless. I notice that Cobra (the seat company from the UK) has a seat termed Classic that has a headrest arrangement. But it has a fairly deep backward slant. We both like to be very upright in the car. And any slant steals legroom that is in short supply already for me. I am beginning to understand why Factory Five re-branded the Cobra Clubman. At least I think they did.

Ciao,

Vince

[Unique 289_FIA]

FYI, the headrests from Sterling, which I think are quite nice, are $475 and 4 weeks wait. A bit much for a headrest, IMO.

[Chilibit]

Each?

Seems to violate the original spirit of C Shelby for the cobra.

"Ford and Shelby spend a trillion dollars and go whip Ferrari at Le Mans." They aren't going to make a movie about that. Oops, my humble opinion is showing.

If you bought new seats and brackets you would be in for a similar amount on the low side and more in all likelihood. I have not heard back from my inquiry to Sterling.

Vince