Breaks my heart (Consider safety when building speed into your car)

[zbugger]

Hmm........What shall I name it?

How about... Bob?

[Steve Chryssos]

How about... Bob?

Thanks.

[Steve Chryssos]

It changed in the thread, but I can't seem to make it change in the forum_main page. Can I get an administrator in here? Clean-up on aisle seven.

[David Pozzi]

Ralph, can you make this thread a sticky?

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Stuck.

[jelky68]

I would like to offer one more thing to think pertaining to safety,that I believe we are all guilty of.As much as I hate to say this it's from plain ignorance and on my part as well as being to excited to pay attention to simple things...I just traded my 1963 Chevy Fleetside Pro-Streeter for a 1923 Bantam Drag Car.The full on deal...1800lbs,full roller 596CID,all Air shifted,air throttle,your basic 8'o package..after the long drive home after the trade and seeing the new toy on the trailer I could not wait to get in fire it up and experience the new toy "AT HOME"...your basic newbie thing...well i got in,fire'd it up,had to back it across the street of the trailer to get in my driveway,well all your adrenaline is pumping so I didnt even think about putting the harness on or even my helmet...I was just backing it off the trailer right???well once in and getting comfortable I blipped the throttle only,a little too much I have to admit,and the thing came up one the tire,the air shifter went into second,the tires caught and banged my head so hard off the cage I saw stars and lost my bearings,all the while heading for the front of my house by this time at about 90mph before I realized what was happening jammed the thing in park and slammed on the brakes stopping a few feet from my brick porch....So lesson to be learned...No matter how long you have been working on that project and how excited you are to get it fired and drive for the first time,please make sure you are buckled in and have all your required gear on..even if you think "I am just going around the block"..we seem to forgot those things when we are too excited to gets things finished and the payoff for all those hours and years of work are idling in the driveway..Please make sure you are covering all the bases of safety...From that point on since this happened to me,nothing leaves without my written safety list that I go over with each car regardless of on the strip or on the street...Sorry for the long dissertation but I learned that safety is the single most important thing in any car build-up..not from reading but from too many experiences that were from equipment failure and driver error...mine and the other guys...thanks Jim

[David Pozzi]

This year at Laguna Seca Speed Ventures event a Zo6 Corvette hit the wall. I'm posting this just to show what can happen...

[Damn True]

Think about it:

http://home.houston.rr.com/jonescbjc...ent/index.html

[Steve Chryssos]

Nice pictures! I like how his head stays fairly upright throughout the whole ordeal. Also the photos show how the cage limited the damage to the area in front of the axle centerline. Saved his ass and saved his car, too. Great website as well.

I know I owe you guys a safety article, but right now I'm bouncing around the country. Does anyone have access to a cloning machine?

[vanzuuk1]

Jelky, thats a great story. With big power it can all go wrong in an instant, usually when you least expect it.

Imagine explaining that to your insurance company.(both of them)

[speedster]

I know you are out working your butt off Steve. Butt... (OK crappy joke) Whenever you are back home AND have more than a few minutes, could you post up some of the basic dimensions of your cage ? Not as much the overall dimensions, but the ones for cross braces and supports. Am trying to gauge the relative height/width for strength purposes. Also, I am in Florida. Are there ANY places in Florida anyone would recommend for a GREAT chrome-moly rollcage installation?

I want the best since some unamed engine builder and magazine editor signed my car up for the HR Drag Week in September and safety is #1 with me. I have also used HANS before and will likely do so again.
TIA

[Z06killinSBF]

I know you are out working your butt off Steve. Butt... (OK crappy joke) Whenever you are back home AND have more than a few minutes, could you post up some of the basic dimensions of your cage ? Not as much the overall dimensions, but the ones for cross braces and supports. Am trying to gauge the relative height/width for strength purposes. Also, I am in Florida. Are there ANY places in Florida anyone would recommend for a GREAT chrome-moly rollcage installation?

I want the best since some unamed engine builder and magazine editor signed my car up for the HR Drag Week in September and safety is #1 with me. I have also used HANS before and will likely do so again.
TIA

What part of Florida do you live in. I know of a few places around Jacksonville that can bend up and weld roll bars/cages.

[Steve Chryssos]

I know you are out working your butt off Steve. Butt... (OK crappy joke) Whenever you are back home AND have more than a few minutes, could you post up some of the basic dimensions of your cage ? Not as much the overall dimensions, but the ones for cross braces and supports. Am trying to gauge the relative height/width for strength purposes......

Will do. The car is up in the air, the passenger seat is pulled and it ain't 12 freakin degrees outside. So I should be able to get what you are looking for by the end of the weekend.

[Damn True]

Anyone see this months Chevy Hi Performance? A very nice looking Fathom Green '69 PT type build. Corbeau TRS seats with a 5-point harness system and..........no cage. Harness' mounted to the floor behind the seat.
I wish the mags wouldn't show stuff like that.

[CAMAROBOY69]

Thanks to this thread I have added several inexpensive safety items to my car and will add many more as I can afford to do so. Thanks again Steve for such an eye opening thread.
Installed a driveshaft loop about a week ago. $15.00 Heather actually helped me with this.
Purchased a fire extinguisher today. $39.95
Piece of mind knowing my car is a little safer.....Priceless.

[vanzuuk1]

I saw that car, I keep changing what wheels I want every time a green 69 apears in a mag. I had wanted the same wheels as reckin8tr but he beat me to it, now this car beat me again.

Adam , I have two fire extingiushers but the old timers tell me if your car has a real fire all they are good for is to keep busy while the car burns. Hope I never find out.

[CAMAROBOY69]

Adam , I have two fire extingiushers but the old timers tell me if your car has a real fire all they are good for is to keep busy while the car burns. Hope I never find out.

I also hope I never have to find out. Oh well I will sleep and drive better knowing that it is there. Mabey my passengers will feel safer too. Or more nervous. "hey whats that fire extinguisher for"? Finally got to use that smiley.

[Damn True]

If you are in the market for seats, and you plan to put your car on a track, you may wish to refer to this list.

Many popular seats have had their FIA ratings pulled.

http://www.fia.com/resources/documen...oved_seats.pdf

[Hidro]

---Removing stock safety items – here is one that always gets me – removing the door reinforcements on street cars to save 35 pounds. Damn.


What about all these cars with their front bumper missing?

Thanks for starting the thread...

[firebob]

(quote Adam , I have two fire extingiushers but the old timers tell me if your car has a real fire all they are good for is to keep busy while the car burns. Hope I never find out.)

Well, I have to disagree. My car went through an engine fire when one of those chrome and glass fuel filters decided to fly apart on the freeway. Some very nice people in a camper towing a boat pulled over and dowsed it with one of those smallish extinguisers. The fire fighter was surprised when he got there because he said normally by the time they arrive on scene the fire has usually already moved into the passenger compartment and the car is a total loss at that point. You'd think I would carry one in all my cars(I did for years afterward) but sometimes it takes info like this thread to remind us how serious simple safety items are.
I'm wondering about the original belts in my 69 Firebird. Not exactly a 3 point belt but two separate belts that latch low/inboard side of the front seat occupant. I don't see an advantage to replacing these with a newer style 3 point arrangement. I have just installed an aftermarket 4 point bar made by CE. Mostly cosmetic but I thintk it will offer some good amout of protection in the event of a major mishap. Any opinions(good or bad) welcome. I do plan on padding it and reinstalling the rear seat. It's basically a show and parade car but I will take it out to the track on occasion.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...6108BcNW7ly0b8

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...0108BcNW7ly0b8

Robert