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HybridZ

Interior safety - harnesses, cages, seats, etc..


rnye

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I figured the first big thing I'd take on with my Datsun would be the interior/safety. The thought of running around in a 40 year old car that weighs less than a Miata and has zero safety features doesn't thrill me.

 

I have been doing a lot of reading and come to the conclusion that one of two approches should be taken when it comes to safety - Stock or all out. In my case, since my Z has low quality cheapo seats I figured the first logical step was to replace them with quality parts. I decided to go with Bride Stradias (authentic, not replicas). So while waiting on them the next question is the seatbelt/harness and roll cage/harness bar. I'm seeing that a 6pt harness, 3" belts and a cage are a must to avoid a host of problems encountered in a roll/collision. Thoughts? My car will be primarily used for street/autocross/etc - Nothing utterly hardcore. Should I be looking at running a harness setup (Takata, Sabelt, etc?) - 4 or 6? Or just mount standard retractable seat belts?

 

I am going with a caged/gutted/purposeful look - no carpets, sound deadening, radio, HVAC, etc - so simplicity is key.

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have to be careful about rollcages. Bang your head on it when not wearing a helmet.

Harness on the street in case of a rollover can cause some trouble when someone is trying to unbuckle you.

the factory s30 have pre-drilled holes for the factory nissan rollcage. There is one behind our seats that you could modify into a harness bar. That is what I am going to do

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  • 2 weeks later...

The car is going to be a street/highway car but it needs to be functional if I decide to do entry level stuff like autocross/etc.

 

Got my BRIDEs today!!

 

mybrides.jpg

 

I do at least want a rollbar (if for nothing other than aesthetics) - but I'd prefer a 6 or 8 point cage with a useable seatbelt/harness setup. Suggestions?

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Suggest you go with 2-inch wide lap and then 3-inch shoulder belts. Much easier on the mid-section.

 

Have Autopower street bar in my street 240 (modified with an additional horizontal cross bar for the harnesses) and an Autopower cage in our 240 race car. The bolt in has been welded in and we've added a similar horizontal bar for the harness and a set of impact bars in the driver's door area.

 

Wrecked my other 240 (front and rear damage) and that roll bar is now in my "new" 240. Sixty-five mph crash into a barrier wall. Harness held, seat held, car was a total. No injuries.

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Suggest you go with 2-inch wide lap and then 3-inch shoulder belts. Much easier on the mid-section.

 

Have Autopower street bar in my street 240 (modified with an additional horizontal cross bar for the harnesses) and an Autopower cage in our 240 race car. The bolt in has been welded in and we've added a similar horizontal bar for the harness and a set of impact bars in the driver's door area.

 

Wrecked my other 240 (front and rear damage) and that roll bar is now in my "new" 240. Sixty-five mph crash into a barrier wall. Harness held, seat held, car was a total. No injuries.

 

Could you please post pics of your setup(s)? Sounds exactly like what Im looking for. Also, what harnesses are you using? I cannot believe how expensive these things are.. $400 for Takatas.. and they have an expiration date? UGh. LOL

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go with RCI or Simpson much cheaper. I have a 4 point RCI and love it. I use just the lap belt for around town and all four when on the high way or track. Stick with the 4 point roll bar for your application. I'll put some pics up of my roll bar

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When shopping for seats, harnesses, and any other safety items, check for the proper safety certifications. For seats you should see an FIA 8855-1999 sticker which means the seats have been tested to 24G loading. For racing harnesses you should see a FIA date stamp (current is 2014 or 2015). If your focus is on safety make sure any aftermarket products you buy have those certifications.

 

For a street driven car, I recommend the Schroth 4 point ASM harnesses (Rally 3, Rally 4, Rallycross, Autocontrol).

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