Lateral-g Forums - bending up the Z28 again

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- - bending up the Z28 again (https://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50343)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 71RS/SS396 (Post 607934)

Incidents like this is why most of these "street cars" have no business being on the road course going the speeds they're going. The late model cars you have a fighting chance of being ok... the vintage cars... not so much. I guess we'll just wait until we injure someone severely or worse before we require roll cages, fire systems, and other proper safety equipment.

This is why my car will have a properly padded cage, fire system etc..

Glad that Ken is OK again. This is a good reminder to everyone that things happen - - -Be safe!

Dave Gordon and I were just talking about collapsible columns.... I had a vision of t boning a spinning car (or maybe it's me into a K wall) and being strapped in with a 5 point harness -- with a steering column impaling me.... UGH

The new cars are built with impact planned in... crush zones and all that good stuff... my old Mustang has none of that. I do - however - have a fire bottle with nozzles in the engine compartment as well as inside.... I'm wearing a full driver suit - shoes - gloves - helmet - and if in the Lotus - a HANS device and arm restraints. Both cars have electric shut offs exposed and marked... and have removable steering wheels for easier exit if required.

What's my point?? You wad up the front end of the car -- and you catch fire -- and now you can't get out because the wheel has you pinned in... or you back the car into something and it's leaking fuel and you're slumped over with a back injury or a busted arm... and you can't turn off the electrical system... or you get all crossed up and go sideways off into the dirt and catch and roll... upside-down and pinned in cause the door won't open... and fuel is dumping out the trunk because why? Because you aren't running a fuel cell..

This isn't a scare tactic discussion -- I'm just saying that these are the things that not only can - but DO happen... I think about this stuff. I look around my car and make sure that I'm familiar with some of the scenarios I might be in. A collapsible column is the very next "speed part" going in the car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 71RS/SS396 (Post 607934)

My car is getting a fire system before it goes on a road course again. Already put in the roll bar, race seats, 5 point harnesses and HANS device.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSLance (Post 607966)

My car is getting a fire system before it goes on a road course again. Already put in the roll bar, race seats, 5 point harnesses and HANS device.

And here's why!!! This guys brakes failed at Oregon Raceway Park... running down into the Valkyrie.... the car flies 100 feet... rolls and starts fire.

This post is kinda funny as I made the same comment at the Lateral-G dinner at Sema this past year and everyone looked at me like I had a hole in my head. A few people even said I was being stupid and that I had no clue what I was talking about. The good news for me is Ron Sutton started a thread shortly after Sema ( Safety for Pro-Touring Track Cars ) https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=48392 and since he has actually been doing this for sometime people actually believe in him.

Year ago when I was building the Syborg truck I had a fuel cell built with the pumps exposed under the rear bumper (yes I didn't know any better) and then one day I woke up and realized that if you get rear ended on the street there is a good chance that your car is going to catch on fire and possible kill you and anyone in your car or involved in the accident. I even mentioned it to a certain Camaro owner and he said there is only a small chance it could happen to me and guess what shortly after his comment he was in fact rear ended. Guess what he installed a new Race Safe fuel cell in his car after that happened.

**** Happen and your a wiser man for planning for it.

Here is my post from Dec 08, 2014 which is also in Ron's thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syborg tt (Post 584676)

Ron,

I can't thank you enough for bringing this topic front and center.

I was talking with a few people at Sema about the latest trend in Pro-Touring which was taking our cars out onto the road course. I expressed my concern for the saftey of the driver and the people on the track.

Originally most of the products were designed for the weekend warriors to take there car out to a local Autocross Event or one at the Good Guys show. As we all know when Boys grew up they still have the urge to have the coolest, loudest and fastest car so what starts out as a good thing eventually turns into something in this case that becomes dangerous.

The speeds that these cars are hitting at an autocross event are plenty fast enough to toss a Jersey barrier into the crowd. The weight of the barrier is roughly 600lbs per linear foot and when being hit by a 3,500lb car traveling 40, 50, or 60 mph mean's danger.

That being said now were taking these cars on road courses and doing 100mph plus and God forbid anything goes wrong someone is going to die or be severely injured. If you think about it most Camaro's still have 4 bolts holding the subframe on and of course 4 more bolts tying it to the subframe connectors which in some cases are also bolted on. That's just doesn't seem safe to me.

Now lets talk about the rear suspensions that are either welded to the stock rear stamp steal frame rails which are only spot welded onto the car or in some cases the suspension is actually welded to the rear floor pan. Eventually with the weight of the rear differential, brakes & tires somethings gotta give. Please correct me if I am wrong but I don't think I am. And after talking with a couple chassis builders they are amazed that these cars are allowed on a track without any safety factored into the build of these cars.

Here is what happens when a tires blows out and 160mph and you have a well designed cage in the car. You get to live !! Without out it I am certain Stan wouldn't be here.

http://garagescene.net/gallery3/var/...%20%283%29.JPG

http://garagescene.net/gallery3/var/...%20%281%29.JPG

http://garagescene.net/gallery3/var/...%20%282%29.JPG

and if you think your new car is safe just look at this Camaro.

http://garagescene.net/gallery3/var/...y/IMG_1489.JPG

http://garagescene.net/gallery3/var/...y/IMG_1488.JPG

http://garagescene.net/gallery3/var/...y/IMG_1487.JPG

I think it's time as a group that we need to set up some rules as how to build a car that is not only fun to drive but safe to drive. I also feel that the track should be forcing us to follow some rules or we are going to see more cars like this on the track doing over 120mph.

http://garagescene.net/gallery3/var/...20%2835%29.JPG

http://garagescene.net/gallery3/var/...20%2807%29.JPG

I have so much more I would like to say but I am just out of time

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregWeld (Post 607952)

Another thing people should seriously consider is a Hans Device.

Seriously I have no clue how to embed the video.

So just click the link please

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g40YatgE_CE

Quote:

Originally Posted by 71RS/SS396 (Post 607934)

Yeppers. At the end of the day, each individual needs to be responsible for his/her safety with the parts they do or don't put on their own car (and may ultimately be held accountable if something does go bad).

Actions speak louder than words. And louder than minimum requirements.

And this isn't just about the USCA. Go out to any open track day / HPDE deal and you will see all kinds of "under-safetied" cars and questionable setups... improperly installed cages, belts, etc etc etc. Why is why it is all up to the individuals. No one can force you to take care of yourself and be safe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syborg tt (Post 608889)

Seriously I have no clue how to embed the video.

So just click the link please

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g40YatgE_CE

Marty, even a caveman can do it. :D

Just click the green youtube video icon in the row above this box when you go to post, and then take the sequence of letters/numbers/symbos that are only AFTER the = sign in the URL of the youtube video (in your case, it's "g40YatgE_CE") and insert that in between the youtube brackets in the post. Like this below.

Thank you Thank you Thank you

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flash68 (Post 608894)

Marty, even a caveman can do it. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by syborg tt (Post 608948)

Thank you Thank you Thank you

:cheers:

and kudos for trying to promote safety around here.

Thank you & Seriously there needs to be a like button on this forum

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flash68 (Post 608950)

:cheers:

and kudos for trying to promote safety around here.