My club is debating rules in regards to convertible for events we deem faster than autox. Wondering what your clubs rules are in terms of the requirement for roll hoops and what is suitable. Do you find any oem roll hoops suitable? Broomstick test ....is that the defacto standard?
Is one roll hoop over just the driver acceptable?
I'm curious more about non-wheel to wheel competition, more along the lines of hpde.
I'd go with: Broomstick test; Must clear helmet of all people in car with a gap (so if the hoop is only for the driver, no passenger allowed); needs to actually mount to hard points of the car and be triangulated somehow, or tied directly into the frame; so OE rollbars are okay in cars that have real ones (Z3/Z4, Boxster, S2000, 350Z), no "style bars" (the ones that go across the back of the miata and only use 4 bolts)
Broomstick test is the "standard" for most track days. As a matter of protecting yourselves from money hungry plaintiffs, I think that going with track day like rules would be a step in the right direction. Might even require people to wear long pants and long sleeve shirts.
What is the broomstick test?
put broomstick down over top of windshield and top of rollbar with driver/passenger in seat. Broomstick must clear top of helmet by X"
What does the windshield have to do with anything? What if you have flyscreens or no windshield at all? The standard windshield on a 7 barely supports itself, much less the car, with two flimsy 1/8" skeletonized aluminum brackets and its bolted to the scuttle which likely couldn't support a person's weight, let alone the car.
And most clubs that allow 7's to participate in events at speeds higher than autoX likely require a full cage. I know that I wouldn't get on track with one that was not equipped with a full cage. Or a REALLY tall roll bar.
The local BMW CCA chapter's rules for their DE events is no 'verts, period.
^^^ Even with a hardtop in place?
Yes - I gather that the instructors weren't too keen to ride around Watkins Glen in a 'vert with a rollbar of unknown quality or installation and the club apparently didn't want to get that involved in tech'ing the rollbars. I don't think a hardtop provides much protection.
The windshield doesn't do much in a rollover. Maybe the broomstick test should be measured from the shock tower to the rollbar. :idea:
well, as a matter of course, I always install an autopower roll bar in my Fiats. Never needed it yet, but I was not about to trust a flimsy windsheild frame that is held to the car with four bolts from keeping my brains from being spread across the road.
