maxiter

I'm going to be picking up a video camera soon (MiniDV or Digtal8, not sure yet) primarily for recording my auto adventures. I've seen a lot of discussion in prior threads and by searching through the forums, but found no good answers (maybe I'm no good at searching ).

I know I can pick up a Slik (or similar) tripod head, but I ultimately need something to attach that to. I don't have a roll cage, so that is out. I'd rather not use sticky tape or velcro for a dash mount.

Any good ideas?

Thanks!

Bill S.

I've attached my Canon 50 to the driver's seatbelt mount on the B-Pillar. I use a thin right-angle bracket. The seatbelt screw securely holds the bracket in place.

Bill S.

Camera mounted on B-Pillar...

SoCal Mike

I've been looking for a similar set-up for fun-runs. I definitely can't drive and take pics and with a cab and no roll bar I was at a loss. I did a search on Yahoo and found www.stickypod.com. It looks like it would do the job, a bit large and ugly but fairly inexpensive. I've always wanted to get a shot forward and backward with the roadwheels in the shot, see how the suspensions doing! I'm a little afraid of what kind of damage it would do if it came loose though. All the other stuff I found was Hollywood-type with no prices and if you have to ask........ I like your set-up Bill, I'm going to have to scope out that possibility tomorrow.

911/Q45

That sharp bracket looks awful close to your neck!

Bill S.

I agree. I need to add some rubber around the edges or design a new bracket.

maxiter

Now that looks like the best idea I've seen as far as ease goes. As was mentioned, I wouldn't want that bracket stabbing me in the neck, so I'd be inclined to put it on the passenger side.

I've considered the sticky/suction mounts, but I'd have to use one on the interior (sometimes my get-togethers invovle high speeds). Don't think the sticky mount would pass tech for track day though.

Bill, has your bracket been good enough for track day?

Thanks all for the ideas.

Dirt Track Racer

Dude, buy a Brey Krause Harness guide bar and mount a proper video camera mount on that. No offense, but I like to live too much to put that homemade mount next to my melon and then go drving 140 mph. I mean, what type of bolt is holding that camera anyway? Looks as spindley as some of my Saturday night competition at the dirt bull rings around here.

And as for having that sharp metal inches from my jugular, even ol' DTR cant come up with a witty comment on the Darwin Award possibilities.

DTR

Greg Fishman

DTR,

You took the words right out of my mouth. My guess is a tank of 100 octane go-go juice would cost more than a real camera mount. I guess we have seen it all now....

Bill S.

Good point. In a serious accident, I would be better-off having a 9.44 lb metal girder (i.e., harness) behind me (not including my fire extinguisher and camera equipment) than a 13.4 ounce camera mounted to the same B-Pillar screw used by my harness.

I'd modify the concept shown in the photo by having the camera body touch the L-bracket (i.e., no long screw) and mounting it at the passenger side with no passenger. I'd then cover the bracket in rubber.

If anyone comes up with an improvement using this simple concept, let me know. I'll buy it.

Swissman

Sorry you say that gasoline of 100 octane is so expensive in your country ?
In Europe standard gasoline is 98 octane, and economic is 95, but certainly really more expensive in Europe, price is about 0.95 € to 1€ per liter

Dirt Track Racer

Hey Bill. You can do whatever the hell you want. But tell us how a 9.44 pound harness guide bar is going to inflict lots of damage behind your seat securely fastened to the B pillar by the same bolts that are responsible for holdiing you in the seat and preventing you from being killed? Perhaps you should be a little more thorough in your analysis and actually look past the weight to see that it is designed to attach to the B pillar with the seat belt bolt, but it also has a lip to keep it from moving forward past the B pillar AS WELL AS about 6 inches of material below the bolt to keep it from folding inward on itself. But that might be too scientific for you to grasp. Just as I am sure the paid engineers, hours of load testing and legal input during the devlopment of the B-K Guide bar would also be tough to grasp.


I am sure your passengers will be please to know that a thin piece of rubber will be protecting them from being decapitated. Just like I am sure the villagers would be able to sleep better at night in medeval France knowing that the guillotine blade had a thin piece of rubber on it.

DTR

Stummel

doofus question: what is a harness guide bar for?

My english is not good so i am missing the point somewhat.
On the krause homepage there are pics of them.
Are they usefull to add rigidity to the chassis like a roll-bar would do?
If not is there something like a part of a roll-bar, i.e. not so much tubing?

I already attached a strut tower brace and the car feels much better when cornering in an extreme way. I would like to improve this feeling.

Viken

It is to *guide* the harness properly as opposed to have them go straight up and through the seat holes which is not safe.

Carrera GT

http://www.bkauto.com/porsche/harnessguide.php

I believe some PCA regions allow the BK bar as the mounting point too, at least for some events (probably not for club racing.)