patriot993

Hi -

I am at Mid-Ohio; yesterday a Cayman hit coolant spill and went off track; rolled car and ended back on four wheels. Driver was not hurt because he had a full roll cage.

My Spyder is my daily driver, weekend fun car and track car (3 to 5 events a year). I realize a Cayman would be a safer choice but I can't justify the expense of a track only car (at least not right now).

What options, if any, do I have to increase the safety of the car? Arm restraints would seem like a possible option, though they might limit ability to provide point-bys.

I currently use a HANS device and the stock seat belts

Any insights / recommendations welcome.

Thanks!

David

okie981

I searched high and low for someone that makes a harness bar for the 981 Boxster platform which of course includes the Spyder. No one makes one. I had a shop that expressed interest in building one, then they stopped answering emails and phone calls. Plenty of options for 981 Caymans. At least with a harness bar you could put in proper 5/6 point belts that would help keep you in place in case of a roll over. This situation is what has convinced me to retire my 981 Boxster S from track life, after 34 track days of using 3-point belts with a Hybrid Hans. I'm also tired of trying to hold myself in place doing 1.3+ G turns.

TXE36

That alone makes harnesses so worth it.

patriot993

I was afraid that this might be the situation. Though with the LWB seats in the Spyder I don't move around much. I have two more events this year and then I guess I will need to reassess for 2021 and beyond

ExMB

That is not safe and doesn't provide you with the safety you think it does.

stownsen914

Maybe he is using HANS as a generic term and has one compatible with standard 3 point belts?

patriot993

Yeah - I wasn't specific - I have this:

https://www.ogracing.com/products/si...neck-restraint

NaroEscape

I was just going to say the same thing about a HANS not being correct with stock harness, but the Hybrid S is definitely the right way to go.

Contact BGB Motorsports (see thread below). They produced a custom roll bar for the 981's. Then you can put a harness in - even the Schroth 4 pt would be a great safety addition if you don't have substrap holes in your seat. We can help you with the Schroth.

https://rennlist.com/forums/987-981-...ocal-area.html

Matt Romanowski

HNR (head and neck restraint) is the term folks want, but HANS had become the common phrase like Kleenex and facial tissue.

IPSA

You don't need a harness bar in a Boxster if you have seats with belt pass throughs. If you are looking for roll over protection I'm not sure a harness bar adds any more protection than the factory system. That is a BGB or GMG question. They are both real race shops who should know.

Brey Krause sells a firewall mount that is an easy install and belts are attached to the frame of the car. If you don't have pass through seats, a racing seat suitable for the street ( Sparco , Recaro etc... ) is about 800 bucks and 350 - 500 hundred for mounts. Seat can be swapped in and out in 30 minutes and 4 bolts if you want to swap in before a track event.

patriot993

Thanks everyone for the info!

I believe I have seats with belt pass throughs - the lightweight buckets have a slot in the center of the seat cushion

I will get in contact BGB

thanks!!

okie981

The Bray-Krause part they offer for mounting harnesses does not fit 981 Boxsters as you will see if you drill into that product's details.

Good to know BGB is making a harness bar now. Last I talked to them I would have to take my car to Florida for them to do a prototype design.

Stable Energies never contacted me back when I contacted them multiple times about buying the harness bar they built for one customer's 981 Boxster.

Hanksville Hot Rods acted interested in building one for my Boxster, but then stopped answering emails and phone calls.

Not sure what IPSA meant above by "You don't need a harness bar in a Boxster if you have seats with belt pass throughs."

Any harness bar in a Boxster will take 1.5" of aft seat travel away, maybe race seats would reclaim some of that loss.

Even with BGB's bar being available, I'm still retiring the Boxster from track life. I'm converting a 2020 Miata into a dedicated track car with a cage and fire system, will put a hardtop shell over the cage. I have plenty to learn on track that I can learn with a Miata.

NaroEscape

The only true roll over protection beyond the factory roll bar is getting a full roll cage and that is not an option for a vast majority of HPDE/trackday drivers. Harnesses offer the ability to hold you more secure in your seat than a 3 point should any catastrophic incident occur, which does add an enormous amount of additional safety (coupled with a HNR). Its certainly a step in the right direction.

brownan

I just took my 981 Spyder on a 1300 mile New England road trip (started with only 2300 miles). Great car. I thought at one moment along the way, "hey, this might be fun to take to a DE.". Then I chuckled and thought that was nuts. Way too dangerous for me to consider but hey everyone is at a different place on the risk / reward spectrum.

patriot993

BGB got back to me - $795 plus shipping.

I realize that a full cage would be best, but I think with the harness bar, harness and HNR I will be step in the right direction and about the best that I can do given the financial realities of not being able to have a dedicated track car.

thanks to everyone for the info and insights