I was looking for the evo2 that civicsiracer suggested and found the evo3 is even wider.

re: safety, you're saying this would be a bad thing without a roll bar or harness? i drive with my seat all the way up anyway so this wont be a problem

 

Yes, I'm saying it's a bad thing. I'm obligated to say something.

If you roll your car and the roof is collapsing, the OEM seat back is designed to break, and the system is designed so that the roof pushes you over to the side, as the seat back breaks and the belts loosen so as not to trap you in a lateral motion.

With a fixed back seat and no rollover protection, your neck becomes the first breaking point instead of the seat back.

The NASA Safety Director is registered at HAN under the name "Grumpy." You won't see him posting in the open forums, but he is active in the hidden Honda Challenge forum, and he will get your IM if you want to ask him questions about this.

 

I'm reminded of a situation we've seen more than once.

The E36 BMW Coupes are known as the race cars w/the famous collapsible roof. I am not sure why they were designed that way, but for a performance car the roof of the coupe version is not well supported at all.

Turn 3 at Summit Point is a world famous "car catcher" if the driver makes a mistake and then tries to correct instead of going safely off. If he goes off sideways instead of straight, the starboard wheels will catch a drop over the gater and the car starts rolling.

There was a famous case there of an E36 BMW M3 coupe that went off there and rolled several times, to the point that the roof had collapsed all the way down to the beltline.

It was impossible to get into the car, and the instructor and driver had to be cut out.

However, they were in a car with street equipment only.

The seatbacks broke, and as the roof collapsed they were pushed over onto each other. Perhaps they didn't necessarily want to end up with their heads in each other's laps, but they both were able to walk away from the wreck because the OEM safety equipment worked as it was supposed to.

When you make a change to a car's safety equipment, the entire system has to be reconsidered, and it's a bad idea to install items in piecemeal fashion.

My advice with normal Honda street cars is to get the rollover protection first, pad it very well. Then get the harnesses when you can (but don't drive on the street with them).

The fixed back seats should not be considered until you have the other items instealled, and remember that in some states you are required to drive with the OEM belts even though you have fixed back seats, and the OEM belts must therefore work well w/the fixed back seats. (The reason for this is that some jurisdictions do not believe you will be able to see into your blind spots if the harnesses keep you from looking over your shoulders.)

EDIT: We would not allow a car onto the track at a NASA Virginia event if it had fixed back seats w/out rollover protection.

 

outstanding information, thanks

 

Wow. Im scared to change my seats now

 

on the Sparco Evos or Cobra Forenzas, do they sell attachments to use OEM seat belts? I know they had it for my Torinos.

 

about that E36 M3. I seem to recall that same story. Even had pics. The owner of the car wrote into a message board about 2 years ago. He said the A pillar was cut to allow them to be extracted and it didn't collapse. However that could be a different incidence.

Another comment about roofs in general. In a multi rollover accident chances the roof is going to collapse when given enough speed in a street car. I'm sure George would agree to that.



Now I completely agree with George on the other points. I run 4 point harness in the M Coupe but I only use it for autox. If I ever planned on tracking the car, I would get a custom 1/2 cage for the rear half of the car (well more like 3/4cage since the car is so small).

 

Yes, it was. The car I'm talking about had a roof crushed to the beltline.

E36 coupes and Summit T3 are famous enemies.

If I understand what you mean, yes, I do agree. This is why OEM seats are designed to break when subjected to certain pressures.


We do not completely agree. (Big surprise. LOL....)

I personally do not think that you should use harnesses at all unless you have rollover protection, even at an AutoX.

We could debate that all day w/out reaching a conclusion, however.

 

One other fixed seat that's designed for fat people is the Corbeau Forza 2.

Corbeau actually makes wide versions of a lot of their reclining seats too.

 

I fit fine in my fitted 32 sparco's..


:rick: