16 replies to this topic

[A13X]

Can a bolt in bar be used as a bar for wrap around harnesses? Or will there be any issues with that set up?

[Duncan VXR]

There are quite a few threads on this Q. But quick answer would be yes you can but have a search and read of the previous threads I found mine was better with the screw in eyes (cant think what they are called) but I use the car everyday and have the option to unclip them for normal driving - wrapped around knock when not in use.

[A13X]

Il have some lightweight race seats by the end of the week, so will have the cut outs etc... From the digging around ive done it looks like wrap arounds are the better option. Ive just been offered a bolt in bar at a good price and so wondered if there would be any issue using the bolt in bar with wrap arounds? Would the bar be weaker not using 'eyes'? Would the threaded part of the bar get in the way? Hope it makes sense

[MartinS]

I'm thinking of a harness bar, but what is a wrap around? Does this go around the seat as opposed to going through hol;es in the seat? Martin s

[A13X]

sorry, theres 2 types of harness bar. A bolt in bar where the harnesses are bolted in, and wrap around harnesses where the harnasses wrap around the bar.

[ianrm]

I was running the bar with wrap around harness'. In fact the wrap arounds take upless space than the bolt ins.

[Muttley]

Does a harness bar go behind the awfull impact pads that sit behind the seat, when I pick up #65, they are the first things that are going! Answers on a postcard please! Steve

[VIX]

Does a harness bar go behind the awfull impact pads that sit behind the seat, when I pick up #65, they are the first things that are going!

Surely those awfull (sic) impact pads are a safety item and are there for a purpose?

[Muttley]

Does a harness bar go behind the awfull impact pads that sit behind the seat, when I pick up #65, they are the first things that are going!

Surely those awfull (sic) impact pads are a safety item and are there for a purpose?

When you come from having a Westfield with sweet FA for protection, those pads (imho) will not do much to protect the driver and passenger in a VX.

[Duncan VXR]

There are quite a few threads on this Q. But quick answer would be yes you can but have a search and read of the previous threads

I found mine was better with the screw in eyes (cant think what they are called) but I use the car everyday and have the option to unclip them for normal driving - wrapped around knock when not in use.

[Tolksee]

The bar fits below the "pads". It bolts directly onto the seatbelt mounting points. Looky here:

Edited by Tolksee, 02 October 2008 - 08:49 AM.

[Winstar]

Does a harness bar go behind the awfull impact pads that sit behind the seat, when I pick up #65, they are the first things that are going!

Surely those awfull (sic) impact pads are a safety item and are there for a purpose?

When you come from having a Westfield with sweet FA for protection, those pads (imho) will not do much to protect the driver and passenger in a VX.

you can remove them but there's a metal plate the same shape welded to the roll over bar.

[Nev]

Would you be able to grind off the metal plates and make a neat job of it, or is there some other better way. I am considering eliminating them, as they stop rearward vision and must be a few KG (high centre of gravity too).

[Tolksee]

Would you be able to grind off the metal plates and make a neat job of it, or is there some other better way. I am considering eliminating them, as they stop rearward vision and must be a few KG (high centre of gravity too).

It's been done before, but you've just gotta be carefull not to grind into the window that's about 2cm behind the metal plates!

[Winstar]

Would you be able to grind off the metal plates and make a neat job of it, or is there some other better way. I am considering eliminating them, as they stop rearward vision and must be a few KG (high centre of gravity too).

posibly I'll get some pictures next time at the garage my NA is in, but they do effectivly form part of the rollover protection.

My issue, being over 6', is hitting my head on the plastic covers i'm thinking of cutting them down and recovering.

[cheeky_chops]

they do effectivly form part of the rollover protection.

neither the S1 or the S2 have these.... Wonder why?

[Winstar]

they do effectivly form part of the rollover protection.

neither the S1 or the S2 have these.... Wonder why?

IIRC they have thicker section rollover bar, where as the VX thins down above the cutouts.

Wasn't that why the VX had to run a full cage in the LOT Race series but the Elises could get away with a much lighter A Frame?

Edit here you go

Ian,

You seem to be trying to make this personal, sorry I won't rise to that. Anything I post anywhere is always factual.

Onto your favourite subject.
Correct, a number of people don't want to run full cages, it has nothing to do with us telling them what they have to use. In every series there is always a minimum requirement and as a few people already have their cars prepped to run in other series we decided to make that the Lotus Motorsport one, see the picture below. The Lotus A-Frame is something used successfully for a number of years, and if you attend a round of the Mid-engined sportscar championship (which has similar speed differentials BTW) and look at most of the Lotus entrants they have this fitted. As you can see below, this certainly isn't a Q60 cage as you claimed, had you ever seen one before you posted?



There is no push to make people use any particular item, so please stop saying so. You keep making the comment 'poor engineered safety', sorry but that is totally false. The A-frame was designed by Lotus and approved by the MSA, it's not as if we are talking about a Q1 cage here. The MSA would actually allow me to run my Exige using just the standard roll hoop, stupidity in my opinion.



This has never changed, as you saw in the thread you commented on in LoT. You made 3 posts, one saying you were interested in taking part, one saying you would prefer a full cage yourself with a couple of comments about why, fair comment, the other with some pictures of a rolled VX, incidentally the VX and Elise roll hoops are different, I assume you know this? The VX one isn't eligable to be classed as Q1, the Elise is, so read into that what you will. As such the VX could never run with a A-Frame mounted on the standard hoop like the Elise can, therefore commercially the only option is a full cage.

Personally I really don't care if you are re-assured. The current regs have been put together by people with a lot of experience and knowledge, not by people who are "well-intentioned but naive" as you stated. I'm not sure why you feel your comments are more valid than any others, especially as you don't know the others.

To be honest I am really not interested but you obviously felt that there was some history between yourself and AmD which you felt was important enough for you to post, as this is the 1st I have heard of it I'm not sure how it is relevant??

I've gone through this twice now and won't again. Hopefully this now answers the real questions, and anyone who is interested now has some real facts.


As for the 190mph at Silverstone, funniest story yet, it takes a F1 car over 800bhp, less weight and huge cornering speeds through Becketts to get to that, a Lotus or VX has no chance.

or more specifically

The daft head rest protectors and cut-outs in the roll bar hoop specified by Vauxhall. It weakens the roll-over protection. MSA rules on roll bar design and material are strict (for very good reason).

The Elise hoop is MSA compliant (ie. UK club and national events) but not FIA compliant (international events) due to the grade of steel used. The S2 Exige has the option of spec'ing the roll hoop in T45 (I think?) steel which complies with FIA regs. Keith's Exige roll cage is FIA compliant.

Yeah, annoying isn't it. The VX hoop is completely different to the Elise ranging from lack of harness bar mounts (the Elise has them as standard) to completely different head restraint arrangement.

The costs for the cage are still a bit TBA. One reason why the costs should be lower is that we're having 10 made (for VX's) and not just one, that means the development costs can be spread therefore dropping the overall cost.

Edited by Winstar, 02 October 2008 - 01:02 PM.