l_bader

The Hard Dog rollbar I'm using has a horizontal bar running the width of the interior. The Willans harnesses come with a clip designed to "butterfly" the individual straps so that they don't seperate.

That being said, if you're going to use a harness, 5- or 6-point.

I won't debate the pros/cons of the factory seats...

- L

curly

iTrader: (25)

The danger isn't in roll overs, its head on collisions, where you're going to go under the harness, hence the submarine belt. I ran a G-force 6pt harness with a stock seat without the 5th point attached for one or two track days and it is probably the most stupid and dangerous thing I've done. I looped the line around the harness bar and put both shoulder straps up and around the seat. the outboard one is a very tight fit, and every once and a while the buckle would catch on the seat, and during the first hard braking the force of my body pulling forward would snap it free and suddenly my left shoulder would have an inch of extra slack. VERY DANGEROUS, DON'T DO IT. See my recent thread for pictures of racing seat install, best $75 I've ever spent, plus its gorgeous, comfortable and of course safe.

If you race it, use harnesses and race seats. If not, don't use either.

lets not forget the stock seat belt is the only thing you can use if you want your car to remain street legal. And its designed to work with the airbag, which I think i saw you still have.

NA6C-Guy

iTrader: (1)

Im still trying to get my priorities for this car straight. Im not sure if Im going to stick with this one as the daily, or make this one a track car and swap over my nicer parts, and engine into another clean Miata for a daily. Once I find another good deal on a clean NA, I will take this engine (and turbo soon) and put it into the new car, and take that engine and build it to put into this one for a track car. So maybe I will wait till then, and swap out these stock seats for racing seats and a harness. Like I said, Im still not completely sure on which path I'll take with this car. A few small issues make me want to make it into a race car, and find another to daily.

Looking back to my seats, If I had to do it again I would have just bought race seats. Not sure why looking back I went with the recovering route... seems stupid now. Could have gotten new seats cheaper, and wouldnt have had to spend 10+ hours per seat... another learning experiance I guess.

curly

iTrader: (25)

post a feeler in some classifieds. You ought to be able to get a very good deal from people who also don't want to spend 10 hours per seat to make them look that good.

Just keep in mind that after that, you should buy two FIA certified racing seats and 5/6 pt harnesses, and it won't be street legal. Then of course you'll be starting down an expensive (albeit amazingly fun) path that will make your car more and more uncomfortable for longer trips and more and more track only orientated.

NA6C-Guy

iTrader: (1)

Yeah. Im really liking Sparco TEC seats. A bit more than I would want to spend, but they look like they would be comfortable for a FIA cert seat. FM doesnt list them in their list for fitting, but they are smaller than the Evo all around, so I dont see why not. Then throw a Schroth 5 or 6 point on and Im good to go. While a race seat isnt "street legal", I dont think I would have any issues around here, since we dont have any inspections, nor do cops ever seem to care about modifications to cars.

Then again, I may not worry about FIA certified, and just get a good aftermarket "racing seat" and go with it.

To inform a noob, are there ties with FIA certified and harnesses? Can you not run a harness on a non certified seat for scca events? I know stock seats and stock restraints are good for most cases, but I think perhaps stock seats and aftermarket restraints are a no no?

curly

iTrader: (25)

They probably will want both to be FIA certified, whether or not they'll check is another question. What about the momo start or sparco sprint? Right around $350 unless you find one on sale, and comfortable. Isn't the one you mentioned like $700?

NA6C-Guy

iTrader: (1)

Nah, its about $450, so a bit more, but I like the looks of it more than either the Start or Sprint. Ive still got time to decide, this will be taken care of after the turbo.

Thanks for all the help everyone. Im a seat and harness noob.

levnubhin

iTrader: (30)

Sav, what harness do you use? I just picked a Momo start and am looking for a harness and rails now.
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levnubhin

iTrader: (30)

Anyone using Simpson belts? Advanced Autosports Seats, Belts and Nets Scroll half way down.
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curly

iTrader: (25)

Not bad, although other latch-link belts are cheaper and still FIA certified. I think the G-force harness I have is the cheapest camlock, which is really nice to have, the latch-link system, although it can disengage just as quickly as a camlock, takes a lot longer to clip in when you first get in. G-force's 6pt camlock is only $155 from saferacer.com, you could probably look else where and find slightly better.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

If you're not driving on a road course, like a man, then you don't need a harness.

/thread

NA6C-Guy

iTrader: (1)

I wish I could get a run on Barber, its only about 3/4 mile down the road from my house, yet Ive never been...

I guess I am done with this thread. I'll just stay with the factory seats and belts in this car. My next car will for sure get racing seats and harnesses though, since it will be a stripped out "race car". How much track duty it sees depends on how much of a ***** I am (or how much work ***** me out of it).

Savington

iTrader: (31)

I have Willans 6-point belts. Just grab the cheapest camlock FIA belts you can find.