914-6 GT tribute prep for racing Options

[jhynesrockmtn]

I bought this car out of Livermore CA in 2018. It's a 6cyl GT Tribute built on a 73 4 cyl chassis with donor parts from a factory six. I know, wouldn't do that today most likely. It wasn't running at the time due to mostly sitting for years. After a refresh of the fuel system and carb rebuild (thanks Jack Morris) it fired right up. New brakes all around courtesy of PMB and new fuel system components from Tangerine Racing. Thanks vendors! A few drives and compression numbers seem excellent. 180-190 on all cylinders. I'm going to pull the motor now to do valve adjustment, belt change, etc.

While the motor is out I'm wondering about how best to prep to install the shoulder harnesses in a better way. You can see from the photos that there is one point through the rear firewall with no extra metal that holds the shoulder harnesses at this point.

I'd prefer not to install a bar behind the seat on the cage due to wanting the seat to be able to go back as far as possible. I'll be mounting a Kirkey or OMP seat I already have. I'm 6-1 and pretty long legged.

I'm thinking about welding plates to the rear firewall about the point you see the 3 plastic plugs currently and then put two eye bolts per side to mount the shoulder harnesses.

The car will be used for some vintage race events and DE's. It was originally built for PCA solo events.

Thoughts, advice, pics of your installs?

Pic of engine compartment with existing eye bolt for harnesses



Current drivers seat



Passenger side with seat removed, same as driver's currently



Gratuitous pics of car

[brant]

I should have added....

most sanctioning bodies have their own established rules
those rules usually cover the seat belt mounting angle
the angle changes slightly with a HANS unit
most organizations are now requiring the HANS... not all but most


you may want to seek the rules out for any local groups that you may potentially run with in the future.

our opinions are just opinions.. . the sanctioning body rules will be the standard for your car

I'm the porsche eligibility chair for our local vintage club
I highly recommend you contact the eligibility body for any club you may join... and get advice from them so that you don't have to make updates or changes later.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I should have added....

most sanctioning bodies have their own established rules
those rules usually cover the seat belt mounting angle
the angle changes slightly with a HANS unit
most organizations are now requiring the HANS... not all but most


you may want to seek the rules out for any local groups that you may potentially run with in the future.

our opinions are just opinions.. . the sanctioning body rules will be the standard for your car

I'm the porsche eligibility chair for our local vintage club
I highly recommend you contact the eligibility body for any club you may join... and get advice from them so that you don't have to make updates or changes later.

Thanks Brant! I do have seat options on the shelf which will work with 5 or 6 point systems. I have a Kirkey that was fit to /4 car I was prepping for racing. That car was then sold to a friend but I kept the seat and mounts a local fabricator had built for me. I also have a couple of older OMP racing seats I my consider. I'll keep these Koenig's in case I take the GT back to a street car. It would be a bit of a pain to do so but not horrible. It still has its glass, lights, etc. The wipers, fans, that kind of stuff were removed. That's one of the issues I am wrestling with. How race car do I go?
If I try and stay with the spirit of vintage I won't make too many more mods. We have a tech guy in town here for our race club SOVREN. That's a good suggestion to reach out to him ahead of time.

[brant]

I should have added....

most sanctioning bodies have their own established rules
those rules usually cover the seat belt mounting angle
the angle changes slightly with a HANS unit
most organizations are now requiring the HANS... not all but most


you may want to seek the rules out for any local groups that you may potentially run with in the future.

our opinions are just opinions.. . the sanctioning body rules will be the standard for your car

I'm the porsche eligibility chair for our local vintage club
I highly recommend you contact the eligibility body for any club you may join... and get advice from them so that you don't have to make updates or changes later.

Thanks Brant! I do have seat options on the shelf which will work with 5 or 6 point systems. I have a Kirkey that was fit to /4 car I was prepping for racing. That car was then sold to a friend but I kept the seat and mounts a local fabricator had built for me. I also have a couple of older OMP racing seats I my consider. I'll keep these Koenig's in case I take the GT back to a street car. It would be a bit of a pain to do so but not horrible. It still has its glass, lights, etc. The wipers, fans, that kind of stuff were removed. That's one of the issues I am wrestling with. How race car do I go?
If I try and stay with the spirit of vintage I won't make too many more mods. We have a tech guy in town here for our race club SOVREN. That's a good suggestion to reach out to him ahead of time.

Good deal...
sounds like you are covered!

I just know that I see applications for our club (rmvr) and people get so mad at me when I point out things like the seat belt angle, or seats.... they get so mad at me
but they should have called or contacted me prior to finishing the car and I could have directed them to the rule before they spent the money or time.

[stownsen914]

Brant's advice is good to check with whatever group you plan to run with. Read the rules and talk to one of their inspectors.

One random thing I noticed in your pics - both shoulder straps are mounted to a single eye bolt on the firewall. I think most rules will want to see one per strap. The backing plates shouldn't need to be welded in place, but of course that wouldn't hurt.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Brant's advice is good to check with whatever group you plan to run with. Read the rules and talk to one of their inspectors.

One random thing I noticed in your pics - both shoulder straps are mounted to a single eye bolt on the firewall. I think most rules will want to see one per strap. The backing plates shouldn't need to be welded in place, but of course that wouldn't hurt.

Yes, that was something I was planning to correct. I reviewed the FIA docs for a HANS device yesterday and will check with a tech guy for our org. It notes the angle on the shoulder is recommended at 0-20 degrees. The other item I wouldn't have thought of is the degree of spread between the shoulder straps at the device is to be between 20 and 25 degrees which affects how far the eye bolts are from each other.

I've been wearing a HANS since 2008 in my previous race car.