What setup for roll protection and belts do you guys like to use for a street/track car? I am looking to update / redo my setup soon and looking for what you guys have done.

I currently run a roll hoop that bolts to the floor and belts that are bolted to the firewall (but not very adequately). I'm kind of ruling out a harness bar due to the reports of the belts being mounted a little high.

Does a roll hoop even really add much protection with the 914 having the targa bar? Does anyone know why they added them to the 914 gt? Maybe for a more high speed crash?

Since you say that you intend to do track events, I recommend consulting the rules for the particular organization you will be running with. Getting recommendations from the list members here will not necessarily get you through the tech inspection. Specifics like roll bar material (mild steel or chrome moly), tube wall thickness and diameter, mounting points, head clearance, SFA/FIA compliance, and others may come into play.

Not fun to get to track ready to play and fail tech.

Thanks, I only plan to do HDPE. Its all self inspection. The word I used of "events" was mis-leading , thanks.

Certain organizations require specific safety equipment even for DE's. PCA does and the specifics change depending upon the modifications done to the car. Stock configuration is minimum but as you add "performance points" the requirements change. For example check section XIII on the PCA Zone 8 rule book:
https://www.zone8.org/assets/docs/2021/2021Z8RulesRev2.pdf

Great info. Do you know if in Zone 8 it is allowed for a 5 point harness to be used with a stock design 914 seat? It reads to me they require aftermarket seats with a 5 point harness, but I wonder if the 914 is an exception because the seats are so narrow.

Great info. Do you know if in Zone 8 it is allowed for a 5 point harness to be used with a stock design 914 seat? It reads to me they require aftermarket seats with a 5 point harness, but I wonder if the 914 is an exception because the seats are so narrow.
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It's a little ambiguous. This is from the rule book:

While an approved competition seat is not required on its own, many harness
manufacturers require it for proper harness installation. If harnesses are installed
and the seat is not an SFI or FIA approved competition seat, the entrant needs to
bring documentation to prove that the installation follows the manufacturer’s
instructions. This applies to Time Trial, DE and Autocross; for both driver and
passenger.

Also, if you run 5 or 6 points you must have an SFI/FIA approved head and neck restraint device.

For DE's the hoop you have is probably ok as the stock structure hasn't been modified. However.....get a good helmet and a good proper seat and take the time to install it well. Watch this....easily can happen to you in a DE---this was a low speed incident on damp track with no intent to push it....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1heYF7JqF4I

POC still requires tech validation, even though it technically is a self inspection.

Dig into the 914 seat with harnesses. I recall it’s specifically banned in POC, something to do with harnesses slipping down the side of the seats... could be changed now, but I do recall reading about it a few years ago.

Dang I have some really nice reupholstered and bolstered stock frame seats. I sat in them harnessed on and it didn't feel like the belts were to far out for me.

Any other race seat recommendations?

After seeing my head flop with the "race" seats I had in the video, I went with a Sparco model similar to their "Pro ADV" that provides side impact containment for the helmet. Actually easy enough to bolt it to the floor with their side mount angle pieces. That way you can mount it lower than your stock seat & provide better angle for the shoulder straps...
Getting in & cinching down the 5-pointharness good and hard provides a comforting sense of "wearing" the car like a good set of whitey-tighties...

Ahh, here we go, taken from POC GCRs 2021, you can use 914 seats, see 11.3.8, other clubs may have other requirements:

Click to view attachment

Thanks. I just ordered an 'H' style harness, I'll see how that fits.

The clubs I've run with add requirements for race seats if you use harnesses. Race seat with slots for the lap belts and shoulder harnesses, to be specific. And personally I wouldn't add harnesses without a rollbar, especially in a convertible. Harnesses hold you in a bolt upright position which could actually be more dangerous than stock belts in the event of a rollover, if you don't have the rollbar.

If you are looking to try a trackday and haven't done one before, I'd recommend just trying it with the stock setup and see if you like it before investing in all the equipment.

Should have mentioned - stock seats with harnesses aren't a great idea even if allowed. Stock seats without the slots for shoulder straps can encourage the straps to slide off your shoulders in a frontal impact. Definitely not what you want. The slots help keep them in position on your shoulders.

I think that’s why they only allow the h style cause it has a breast clip that keeps the shoulder straps together.

I agree with this...
even if allowed... safety equipment is important and a good area to have the highest standards

I've been running my car for about 10 years on the track (only about 7 track days though) with a stock seat and harness and never knew! The way the belts lie on me I never felt like I would slip out unless the belts were looser.

Any race seat recommendations for someone 6' tall? Smaller the seat the better... one thing I like about the 914 seat.

Just googled this quickly. Belts that have breast clips between the shoulder harnesses seem to be mostly "tuner" style belts, and the breast clips look kinda small.

The problem with stock seats is the gradual taper that from the headrest down to the shoulder/back area. Depending on where you mount the belts and how tall the driver is, you can have a situation where the belts ride on the tapered portion of the seat, and in a frontal impact the force of the occupant's weight pushing into the belts, combined with the taper on the seat, will literally pry the belts off the shoulders. I wouldn't trust a little breast clip to help keep the belts in place.

small deviation.

race seats
harness
rear of roof bolted down. Replaced rear clips. Someone came out with a kit a few years ago..

This good enough to avoid roll bar? Also just some DE's..

Thinking back to "trying" to drive on track with street seats and belts...I would not recommend doing that from either a safety, performance or fun aspect, unless you are really just casually trying it out for the first time.

With POC it used to be the case once you passed a certain level of performance mods - not many - the rollbar/cage etc became mandatory. (At least for competitive events, not necessarily DE/AutoX). Also HANS or similar (which is a damn good idea for everyone too regardless of rules.) So for sure the #1 rule is to read the rule book of each group you might even potentially want to go drive with.

If you are using HANS I prefer the 2" harness straps on the shoulder as they fit better on the device. Running a 6 point or 5 point is best (using a 6 point this weekend at VIR)

Justin, I had just a hoop for many years, then while doing the restoration extended the hoop to front and rear suspension points. Like you, this is for Auto-cross, DE's and hill climbs etc. MarkClick to view attachment Click to view attachment

Something else to consider but I didn't see mentioned:

"Equal restraints for driver and passenger".. No instructor wants to sit in a stock seat and 3pt belt when you have a race seat and harnesses.

So, x2 when you replace your seats/harnesses.

And as someone else mentioned, it doesn't have to be a "race" to be an accident.. DE.. High speed.. 1970s' weak sheet metal between you and impact. Safety is somewhat personal and you decide the minimum you want.. but realize that the insurance underwriting the events is what is driving the minimums standards up.

Stock seat with harnesses was fine (well, allowed maybe is more accurate).. in the 1990s.. its not fine today.

On my '76, the car had a Safety devices bolt in cage that was welded in. It also had stock seats. ugh.

Pulled out the back pad, had a harness bar installed at the correct height and replaced the stock seats with some Kirkey Aluminum road race seats. Reasonably comfy. very nice when driving on the track.

@Racer I've been thinking about the kirkey seat. I actually pulled one out of my track car last night and it fits pretty well. My only compliant was its kind of tall and rests on the rollbar with my long legs. Do you have any pictures of your install?

Also did you just fabricate a harness bar into your roll hoop?

@Justinp71

I had the seat affixed to the floor (no sliders) and then had harness bars welded behind the seat that ran from the vertical of the rollbar to the center "hump" of the backwall. By mounting to the floor, I got much more headroom clearance than I expected.

Here are a few of the interior pics I could find: