Has anyone mounted a roof net in a car with a fiberglass/composite sunroof panel? I race a 944 and the factory sunroof panel (gutted) is fiberglass. At PCA Mid-O the scrut suggested a net or arm restriants, but said not mandatory.

After seeing videos of recent incidents I think this is a good idea.

Anyone have install pics? I'm thinking of trying to mount 2 window nets to the cage across the roof, but my helmet already gets close to touching the roof now. I haven't tried to install yet, but I imagine I'll need to find a way to take up the slack so the netting doesn't droop down.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Stacy

 

Most of the Boxster race cars have some sort of net with our composite tops. I ordered a custom net from Teamtech in their mesh design. It's 2' x 3' if I remember correctly, and ran just under $100.

It is fastened to the car using steel cable that has a plastic coating over it. Zip ties attach the net to the top diagonal bar of the cage just to pick up slack and keep it from flapping around. They'll quickly be gone if sliding upside down but the net doesn't rely on them for any real mounting. I've also seen cars with hose clamps holding the nets on.

picture showing the net in place...

 

Yes, they told me the same thing, after looking over my 944 with a fiberglass sunroof. I intend to cable tie a window net in place, fastened to the roll cage, and I'll post pictures when I get it done.
I was wondering how they dreamed that one up, but I guess they're now tuned in to the risk, and I'm not the first.

 

Installing a roof net is all well and good from a safety perspective. But, does any rule book say that installing a roof net means you don't need to use arm restraints? I don't see anything in the NASA rulebook that says that....

Scott

 

Thanks for the suggestions. A custom net with some zips to stop any droop should work.

Regarding sanctioning rules, it does not appear that either NASA or PCA require a net or arm restraints for factory fiberglass sunroofs (yet anyway). I've had an annual tech with NASA every year since 2006 and with PCA intermittently since 2006. PCA was the first to mention it to me last month, but I recently heard NASA is commenting on it during tech. They may mandate something in the future, but for now it is a good idea.

NASA rule book doesn't address factory fiberglass sunroofs when requiring arm restraints:
15.5 Driver restraint system
1. All vehicles must have a five (5), six (6), or seven (7) point seat belt system. Arm restraints are required in open cars and cars with: Open T-tops, Open Targa tops, missing moon/sun roofs, or glass moon/sun roofs.

PCA
General Requirements:
10. Open cars, cabriolets and cars with non-stock, non-metal roofs must be equipped with approved arm restraints. This does not apply to stock roofs on Targas, 914’s, or factory sunroofs.

PCA
SPB:
B. Arm restraints are required for drivers of cars with aftermarket hardtops.

 

I don't see the need. if the roof access is covered with FG is that any different than racing a whole FG car like a corvette? Also, for spec944 why not just remove the roof and weld a sheetmetal panal in place just like one would weld any body panal. It is a bit more work but will never give you problems once it is done it is just like a hardtop.

 

Here's what I did to address this issue. View is from below, passenger side. Just a window net cable tied to the roll cage.

 

I wear arm restraints with no roof net in my SPB. The arm restraints are easy so there is no need for a net IMO.

 

Four zip ties holding it in place!!!! Really? Hope you never actually need it for anything.