My car is now quite rapid and I’ve been thinking about investing in some more safety mods.
CageI do occasionally use it on the road though and don’t want to have to wear a helmet as I would look like a knob driving through London with a lid on (even more so than usual before some smartarse chimes in). What’s the thinking? 6point cage therefore not an option? Is 4point of sufficient benefit?
Hans is this worth it for track days - does it necessitate new seats? New lid required obviously.
Suit not many people seem to wear them at trackdays anymore but I’m considering bucking the trend.
Unless you want to win the track day, just continue to apply your common sense and skill levels and you should be fine
You wouldn’t want a cage in a road car, as banging your head on it in an accident could be fatal. Do you have a plumbed in extinguisher? Better than a race suit IMHO given you are not competing.
There will always be a risk element on a track day, for me that means applying appropriate caution if visiting (say) Oulton, Goodwood, or Cadwell, than perhaps you would at Anglesey, Donnington etc.
I hear you Tim and I’m just thinking about it atm. The car already has a plumbed in extinguisher.I like to think that I always drive within my limits. I can’t recall the last time I span/left the circuit in the Exige (I’m ignoring my time in a BatCat ),…actually I can, it was Bedford and I was cocking about in the wet this time last year.
I’m not trying to be competitive but the car is now properly quick and as time goes on I do push harder, I’m just trying to be sensible that’s all.
A cage = a helmet = you look like a knob on the road.
Plumbed in fire extinguisher are a good precaution but not going to save you if you have a bump. You need two outlets, one as a minimum in the engine bay, one in the driver footwell.
Hans need a new helmet, your seats should be fine. They can be a faf but so is getting out of a wheelchair with a broken neck!
Contact PlaysKool motorsport, they have the helmets, hans, suits etc.
In your position I’d deffo go for a “Hans” & a new helmet (if existing one can’t be modified - speak to MSAR/Demon Tweeks), plus a good racesuit. You could end up against a barrier (driver’s side) without being your fault, or due to mechanical failure,- then having to try & get out via the passenger door. With those high pressure fuel pumps still whizzing away, an extra 30 seconds fire protection could be a life saver!
Yeah, i have had the odd spin too, two so far in the Evora when my limited talent ran out…Knockhill and Anglesey 2013 I have seen and watched your driving a few times…maybe just get the badger suit eh?
I’ve been thinking quite a lot about this also recently… some may have noticed that I started wearing my race suit on trackdays this season… it’s been sitting there for a few years completely unworn since I stopped racing.
I think watching Ryan Savage have his crash at Donnington this year was the biggest thing to get me thinking… it was pretty bad, but it could have been much worse than that, especially at somewhere like Oulton Park… I think you kinda get used to ignoring the risks until something reminds you of the possibilities.
Also looking at HANS+Helmet, but the new Hybrid device seems to be a valid (and perhaps better) alternative - not really hearing much about them though (they have the additional benefit of providing lateral head movement protection (Hybrid - Simpson Europe))
Got a new helmet and added HANS posts as a must on my wish list, now that the clubman ones are cheaper, I only need to replace my harness at the same time, as they are now quite old it was going to be my next ugrade, think we must all have been thinking along the same lines…
Not heard of these hybrids before, looks very useful for beanpoles like me with long necks. Cage, hmm, head hitting top/side rail depends on ones height. In my case thats a possible issue but my view is the A pillars are made of foam literally, and I’ve always thought a cage is a very sensible idea in this regard.
But if you spend the money instead converting to center seat then less worry all around eh…
Ben
As you know I am going through the same questions …
Over here in OZ I decided to invest in a new helmet and a Hans device …
One important point maybe missed is that the standard Exige Schroth shoulder belts are 3 inch and really don’t sit on a Hans device very well as they are designed for a 2 inch belt. ( edit - Schroth have a new one coming soon which will fit 3 inch belts ) I saw Stan using his Hans in the Orange car and they could easily slip off I thought.
So I invested in a new 8 point Schroth belt set - this has a standard 3 inch shoulder belt and a second 2 inch belt for the Hans device and seems much easier to set up.
On the front cage thing, I guess its only really the lateral movement that would be a greater concern, the front hoop should be out of the way by quite a margin and should have an impact foam cover … if your head is getting close to that area its pretty bad situation anyway in a road situation ?
On that note … I only invested in belts for the driver … which raises another topic, I don’t much like taking people out these days and in OZ not allowed anyhow, I know its a tricky subject but just food for thought …
The Badger suit is ace. If you get bored of it you can always turn it into shaving brushes.
Interesting about the cage and road use scenario. Hadn’t really considered. I thought a bit of plumbing pipe insulating sleeve would suffice
My helmet has Hans posts and would thoroughly recommend Malcolm at MSAR ( if you can get a word in edgeways)
OK so I will try and get over to see Malcolm at the MSAR showroom I think since its not too far away from me. I’ve not seen Malcolm since he ran his Exige in LOT and it caught fire at Brands.
As for cage, I’m not doubting the cage=helmet stance but looking at the pics is it the side hoop that is the head-impact concern?
As for passengers, that’s a good point Andy. I have a 5pt harness on both sides but don’t really like subjecting people to my dodgy driving,…I do like to take instruction though.
I remember 2 or 3 years ago a woman competing in a full cage caterham died from the impact of her head on the cage. It was in a sprint & she was wearing a helmet.
If you fitted one of those in the pic it will become a track only car…?
Maybe worth spending time understanding the statistics of track day crashes and outcomes before going down this route? The Exige is a pretty stong car to begin with.
A neck restraint is a very good idea even for track days. I remember a youtube clip from inside a rally car. Low speed impact into a ditch. Co driver had a HANS, driver did not…
Get one that works also with side/angeld impacts, like Leatt MRX Pro, as your std seat will not help you and that type of impact is more common at track days or amateur levels than a head on impact.
),…actually I can, it was Bedford and I was cocking about in the wet this time last year.
I have seen and watched your driving a few times…maybe just get the badger suit eh?
