JohnAlley

I just picked up a 2004 Z06 to use as a track car. I am getting experience by doing some HPDE with the goal of getting my NASA TT license by the end of next season. The car has stock seats with factory restraints. My question is how do I use a 5 or 6 point harness with the factory stock seats. I do not have any pass thru in the headrest area of the seat. I did a HOD event at Autobahn on Monday and the seat belt/ shoulder belt did not keep me in the seat as well as I would like. Best time on street tires for full course was 3:08 not sure if that is good bad or just so so.

gmccreary

You really need to get a harness bar and a "race seat". Here's a picture of my 01 C5Z with a Corbeau FX1 Pro seat on Hardbar seat rails with a Hardbar harness bar and G-Force 6 pt harnesses.

stano

I've got a black Cobra Imola Pro seat and brackets with red Schroth Hans compatible 6-point harness for sale if anyone is interested. $675 + shipping and add 3% if using paypal.


http://subesports.com/products/cat/S...bra/prodID/656

http://subesports.com/products/cat/H...th/prodID/1846

Pm me if interested

Stan

Tourmgr1

I have a Brey Krause Harness Bar and Harbar Lap/Sub belt brackets for sale ...add this to the seats and belts above and you have a very good start towards a good SAFE set up.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-p...b-bracket.html

I PM'd you more info.
Good Luck.

Z06_BluByU

if this is a dedicated track car I would consider installing a full 6 or 8 point cage with door bars, new lightweight race seat(s) and six point harnesses.. Also, might consider a halon system.

If your going to use the car for the street also, then maybe consider just going with a corbeau A4 (better side bolstering than stock) and use the factory belts.

race cars dont do best with compromises

Bill Dearborn

If your intention is to make this a time trial car then buy a seat and harness bar that will hold you in place. Make sure you don't get a harness bar that is mounted too high in the car. Read all of the harness manufacturer installation instructions before deciding on the bar as they make it quite clear where the shoulder harnesses should be mounted in relationship to your shoulders.

Until you get those pieces make sure you use the stock belt system's cinch feature. It will hold you in place better than just snapping the belt on. To do that run the seat all the way back, then fasten the belt by pulling it all the way out until it hits the stop and then inserting the end into the inner belt end. Then make sure the belt retracts as far as it will go into the take up reel. If you do this right the belt will not pull out. Use your hands to get it as tight as possible over your hips. Then run the seat forward until the belt feels like it is going to cut you in half. Once you move the car quickly with the throttle the shoulder harness will also lock and you your butt will not slide around in the seat. You will have to use your knees against the door and console to keep the body from pivoting around the lap belt but your butt will stay in place. Some people unhook the springs from the seat bottom which allows their butt to sink further into the seat frame but there can be problems with the seat back tilt mechanism if you do that.

Bill

DRUGschnorr

check out these temporary solution while using stock seat belts.. allows u to hank your but into the seat and consider using some carpet layers knee pads to brace your legs against the console and door.
http://www.cg-lock.com/index.html ~ $35 ea.
Not to subsitute for the seat, harness, and hardbar . also get some racing pedals.

I finally put in these safety features and cliped 5 seconds off my time this weekend and better yet was bitterly consistent on my lines because i did not have to "hang on" in the turns...
tomtom

I have a few photos of the seat i used,(have to remember how to post them) found a removable frame that has a slider.
OMP seat (mimic of the Sparco evo 20 for taller guys) $525, bought local so i could confirm the fit... It is a must that you have to sit in the seat and read a book or better yet drive another car w/ it installed.

frame $300
http://www.arizenracingsports.com/pa...CTGY/VETTEPICS
2hrs first install and 10min R&R to put the stock seat in.
6pt Harness OMP $200. Anyone will do.
Hardbar $350. [2 in hole saw ($20) I'm to cheap to buy precut panels.] 4 hr install.

It does cost to go fast..
but it is worth it..

kmagvette

Ahhhh, the old cage vs. harness bar debate...The guys suggesting a cage are right. However, if you are not ready to part with 7K (or more) then the BK bar is fantastic. I had one for several years prior to going full cage; it is top notch.

Keeping the stock seats is a problem. Forget about using a HANS device without pass throughs and the use of a harness is marginal at best. Some folks use a sternum strap, but those just scare me. I took the expensive route of swapping seat foam and covers to Sport seats. I should have just purchased track seats. Used seats cost about the same as the Sport seat conversion.

A bunch of instructors were having the cage vs. bar debate on Wednesday...and you really need to consider this before you go for just the bar. A vette got upside down about two months ago. If the instructor had a harness on, his injuries likely would have been worse since his body would have been held upright and unable to roll away from the seat as the roof collapsed. It was not a total collapse, but the roof did get shorter.

If you believe that the odds of a wheels down impact are substantially higher than something involving a rollover, then the harness bar configuration may be good for you. Just be fully aware that a wheels up incident may kill you. Sorry about how blunt that sounds.

Bill Dearborn

No need to buy these since cinch mode does the same thing and is already a feature of the car.

Bill

Bill Dearborn

We were having that debate about this rollover incident. I actually watched the car roll over and took some pictures afterwards. Here is what a C6 Z06 looks like after it rides up a tire wall and then flips over on its roof.







As the pictures show the roof halo held up perfectly. Other than the fiberglass cover being damaged the metal part didn't collapse. However, the instructor riding in the car had his head forced forward as the A pillar collapsed. With the stock belt on his body twisted around the shoulder harness which prevented serious injury. He did get some pressure on his spine as the roof pushed his head forward. If he had a 5 or 6 pt harness on his body wouldn't have been able to do that and he may have been killed. Thus the cage Vs roll bar debate. Obviously, a roll bar wouldn't have contributed anything in this incident as the halo did its job. Only a cage would have reduced the effects of the A pillar collapse.

Bill

Z06_BluByU

this is a main drive behind my beliefes posted above.. leave it stock with an upgraded tilt back seat which has more bolster support.. or go the full cage, 6-point, halon, etc..

i'm at option 1 right now.. and as soon as possible switching to option 2.

vettehardt

Hey John, it's David from the club. At the meeting Tuesday I can give you the name of a guy who is building his own harness bars. Unfortunatly, one was tested in a roll over accident at Savana last year. The harness and bar held up very well. He was using the stock seats.

As a temorary fix until you get a harness, I have heard using the mesh shelf liner on the seat helps greatly with sliding around.

See you at the meeting.

AU N EGL

Rubber tool box liner is also great on stock seats to prevent sliding.

and use ONE sports knee pad on your left knee. Rotate so the pad is on the out side of the left knee. Provides a little more support to the door and left knee

drivinhard

man you've already gutted that thing

gmccreary

Just the carpet and insulation. I can't believe how much that stuff weighs.