I have been racing my 1979 RX-7 in a class for vintage IMSA GTU road racers, and I have been using my window net mounted on the door (this method has been standard for the highest levels of Daytona & LeMans endurance racers.)

Now I want to also run SCCA road race events too, and our local tech inspector says I must follow the letter of the SCCA rule which requires the window net to be mounted to the cage. The recommended SCCA mounting method shown in the rule book is easy to implement with NASCAR style door boors, but it becomes more difficult with my low X style door bars. I went to the low X style because it is much easier to climb in and out of the car, and I get more chassis stiffness than NASCAR style horizontal door bars, and I still get good side impact protection.


It is easy to attach the top of the net to the cage bar running along the top, but I need some ideas for attachment of the bottom of the net to the top door bars. If I tried the normal small 3/8" dia net bar on the bottom over that long door opening span, then I believe it would be too weak and easily buckle and pull out. My crew chief suggested adding longer nylon webbing to the bottom of the net, and extending on down to the X.

 

I like your crew chief's idea. What class do you intend to race in SCCA ?

Have Fun ; )
David

 

An option I was toying around with on my last cage was using 3/16" coated/covered cable attached to releases at either end. The cable would run through an aluminum tube which ran through the net.

What I ended up doing was welding a loop onto the kit's rod where the latch used to be, and used a short section of cable between the latch and the rod.

I'll try and come up with the pic link tonight (at work right now)

 

My IMSA whale tail rear spoiler is too big for SCCA GT-2; otherwise I would run in GT-2. So that leaves me with the catch all class of SPO.

 

True.Actually, no, you don't. You get side impact protection in that there's a bar there, but you get absolutely no side impact protection to keep another car from putting it's radiator where you normally reside. This is the reason many of the Euro cars have started using both, or retaining the stock impact beam and filling the door with Kevlar/foam.

As far as the net goes, my suggestion is to do exactly what SR says. Both of my Spec7's have similar setups, but mine is a little better, IMO. There is a tab at the back that goes from the cage to the unibody, which the bottom net bar goes under. In the front is a wire loop which goes around the top door bar, and through a hole drilled in the bottom net bar. When the net is latched in place the wire loop is fairly tight, but more importantly, can be moved to keep from hitting my arm.

I've got pictures, but my host took a ****, and I can't resize them. Let me know if you can't figure out what I'm saying (I can't, half the time! ), and I'll try to draw something in MSPaint.

 

Here's the one I just did in the customers ITB Pinto:



I would have rather had just used the cable and tube idea , but the customer wanted to be able to remove the net either up or down.

 

I have Nascar-style horizontal bars, but I think what I'm using would work in your situation, as well. I have the rod w/ GM-style latch up top, and slightly out-of-date harness webbing connecting the bottom of the net to the bars. When I disconnect the top, the net falls down between the seat and door out of the way, so no interference with ingress/egress.

 

For my road race car we used a seat belt and the seat belt latch. The 3/8" bar hooked into a small tube in the back and the front had the seatbelt male latch on it. The female part was bolted to the upped bar on the the Nascar bars. Worked quite well, fast to get out of the way when you are in a hurry.

-Trent

 

Thanks for the ideas everyone. Izzy, thanks for the photo. Did the ITB Pinto pass SCCA tech inspector? Our local SCCA tech inspector is VERY strict.

Yesterday I ordered the G-Force seatbelt latch for the top, and a new net from Racer Wholesale. I will see which of y'alls suggestions work best for my situation. I'll let you know in a week or so.

 

I don't think he got it tech'd yet as he hasn't done any other prep for IT yet (kill switch, fire bottle etc). I also use a cable system on the forward end of the rod on my car and our Chief Tech (another cage builder) didn't have a problem with it.

BTW... check your kits quality. I'm not sure where the Pinto owner got his net kit but when I tried to bend the rod slightly to change the contour of it near the buckle, the weld between the rod and buckle snapped like a twig.

 

I have been using 1/8" stainless steel cable supplied from a local aviation supply company. about 75 cents per ft. I also use the crimp style cable connectors supplied from Home Depot or Lowes, 2 for $1.79. They require a special tool to crimp, but you can rent them from HD or Lowes.

I have done over 30 cars the past 2 years with this type of install and have not had 1 complaint from any tech.

I loop 1 end around the lower door bar, secure it with the connector. On the net side, I make a loop aprrox. 3/4" and secure it after I make the sure the length is correct. Cable should be taught when window net is up to keep it from flapping around. I drill 2 - 1/8" holes either end of the window net bar (bottom). I prefere using 1/2" aluminum rod for the lower net bar. Slide over the Net, and the cable loops, add a 1/2 SAE washer and then a cotter pin folded over so the ends do not snag your drivers suit or the net. This will allow you to remove the net if needed with out having to work to hard.

The picture of the IT Acura does not show the net up, but you can see the cable attached to the lower bar.

I also recommend using the lever latch quick release like on harnesses. Past experience with stock cars, I have witnessed GM style buckles refuse to unlock because the were pinched or to much angle on the net after an accident. Takes longer to get them release when bound up, which could be fatal if you are in a fire.
The lever latches are the most expensive kit, but they can rotate approx 30 degrees with out any binding.

The cable allow the net to be serviced and drop completely out of the way when exiting the car.

 

for the top release, I use one of these:


from here:
http://www.stockcarproducts.com/safety8.htm ( halfway down the page) in the place of an old seat belt buckle...

M.