Doing a lot more track days, so I bought a fire extinguisher (last time I had a vehicle catch fire, I had an ejection seat . . . that's too heavy for a Miata).

Now, where best to mount it? My circumstances:
1. 1.4 pound Halotron hand extinguisher.
2. Novice driver . . . so I'll be riding with instructors for a while -- need both seats.
3. HDHCSD.

So . . . under knees? Package shelf? Roll bar?

 

Read the rules. If not in your current class look at the class above. Some places suggest directly in front of the driver seat, some want it anywhere within reach of the driver while he is harnessed, some specify anywhere BUT the drivers footwell. Its a rule I never paid much attention to while reading an whole bunch of different rule books.

 

Mine is mounted to the center of the harness bar. Its not a perfect location, but its the best I could come up with in a similar situation to you (just make sure you have an easy to use quick release).

Under the passenger's knees would be my second choice, but if a passenger is there it makes it hard to get too, and I don't want to count on a ride-along guest being able to get out of the way.

 

I had it on the harness bar as well, until it stopped working. Gotta get that thing charged...

Not the most idea obviously, especially for go pro mounting, but the best I could really think of is the elbow bruising location of the center console. I'm pretty sure they'd make you put roll bar padding on it at that point though.

I'm still not sold on the driver's floor position. Maybe I'm not very maneuverable, but in a panic, I'm not 100% sure I could get a fire extinguisher out of the bracket, and out from below my legs very quickly.

 

BREY KRAUSE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MOUNT - MAZDA MIATA

Under passenger's knees. Stock sliders work, but not Sparco on the passenger seat.

SODIUM DRY POWDER FIRE EXTINGUISHER - 2.5 LB
and
AMEREX FIRE EXTINGUISHER MOUNT - 2 STRAP

I'd have to unbuckle to get to it, but I figure I'm unbuckling first if there's fire anyway.

 

Lots of food for thought here.

I can weld, so that helps. After looking at suggestions, I'm wondering about placing behind the passenger seat on a custom mount that goes to car structure rather than the flimsy sheet metal package shelf nose. For stock seats, that should be easily reachable -- similar to harness bar mounting (don't have a harness bar or race seats at the moment).

In front of the passenger seat seems problematic in my case because I know someone will be in the way.

 

90% of the SM racers I know have them in the passenger footwell. They also reason they'd only use it to help out someone else should the occasion rise. If their car's on fire, GTFO and rely on the marshalls to put it out. No time to futz around with the brackets while still in a burning car. If the fire's big enough to make you bail quickly, a small bottle isn't going to do a whole lot anyway.

I know I'll be doing a proper firesystem one day at least.

 

This is the reasoning that's always made the most sense to me. Priority #1 in a fire is to GTFO, and reaching back into a burning car to grab the extinguisher is a good way to get burned... so just put it in a rules-compliant, out-of-the-way spot and only use it when it's safe to do so (i.e. when it's not your car that's burning).

 

I'm not sure exactly how to word it, but is there ever any consideration to AFFF systems where you can route the hoses into the most likely trouble spots in the car, so you could turn a valve and get out of the car...........vs solely waiting on the marshalls to show up?

 

There's multiple fire systems that use a remote (trunk) mounted bottle with lines and nozzles to places of your liking. Activate through one or more pull cables. Pretty sure there are electrical systems too.

 

I agree, but in the unlikely situation that you are stuck in the car while its burning (use your imagination), it would be nice to at least be able to reach the thing and try to save some skin while you wait for a marshal to pull you out.

 

Summit and JEGS sell fire systems in the ~$500 range. They hold a lot more agent than a small bottle. Makes complete sense for a dedicated race car.

In my case, I'm a street car doing HPDE. However, as I get more and more into it, a dedicated track car makes complete sense (to me anyway . . . the Mrs?).

Someone mentioned that in my "First Track Day" thread. Slippery slope.

 

Hehe a few of my buddies from the E30 world with street/HPDE cars had the AFFF systems. They were also big HP turbo builds.

 

My thoughts exactly, I have mine in front of the drivers seat bolted to the seat mount hump. Aircraft grade metal bracket, halon extinguisher.

 

Bimmerworld says this is the only kit they install in their shop. Price is totally reasonable and I've never seen a bad word about it. I'm probably ordering one soon. I'm hoping the pull handles have a cotter pin hole so that I can mount the tank in the trunk and still be able to arm/disarm the system from the driver's seat.

SPA Firefighter AFFF Fire System - 4L Multiflow Steel

 

I've been looking into the offroad sector for mounts. For me its mostly a street car and mostly for engine fires etc.

ORS Quick Release Mount with 1 3/4 Clamp

or

 

Personally i hate those mounts for the fact that you gotta unclip and unhook multiple clips to get them out.

Find osmething like this with 1 single pull

 

I'm sure this question is going to sound stupid, but how hard is it to clean up the foam afterward? In the event, you really are able to mitigate the fire damage, but now the entire fuel/engine/occupant area is now covered in foam.

 

There are plenty of dry powder or just gas systems. No need to use foam.

 

@revlimiter