Rule questions: Inspection Hole and Window Net

[0100]

Just ordered an autopower rollbar which is 1.75 x 0.120 DOM.

Before I paint it I am wondering if I should drill an inspection hole? I would really rather not but if it is required for inspection I would rather do it now before I paint it.

SCCA says "inspection hole at least 3/16 in diameter, but no greater than 1/4" drilled in a non critical area of the hoop and one of the supplement braces."

The down tube on the autopower is bolted together so already has a hole to check thickness. Would have to remove bolt to inspect. But the main hoop you can't really inspect.

Do you guys suggest drilling a 3/16 hole in the hoop or will I be fine without it?

If I have to drill a hole where is the best spot?

Just a picture of the down tube bolt I was talking about. Not my car.





Now on to the window net. I wont have a cage just a roll bar as I street the car. So how the hell do I mount a window net?

Thanks!
Eric

[grovefromnh]

Window net not required, roll window up halfway. With my SPA Camaro, I used Mil-Spec Velcro top and bottom. I sewed the opposite side to the net itself. Worked fine.

[BrakeL8r]

Window net not required, roll window up halfway. With my SPA Camaro, I used Mil-Spec Velcro top and bottom. I sewed the opposite side to the net itself. Worked fine.

COM has run with the windows all the way down since 2000.

[0100]

My car falls in the prepared class. Looking at the rules a window net is mandatory for the prepared class, correct?

So what is it for prepared, window half way up, window net, arm restraints??

Thanks for the suggestion on the velcro. Will this pass tech?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks guys!

[WillM]

I would not drill the hole - COM does not require one to pass tech inspection.

I'm not sure which SCCA rule book you are referring to (club racing, auto-x, time trial?). If it is club racing, then that bar won't pass anyway, as you would need a full cage. Not sure what the requirements are for other types of SCCA competition. Also, each time I have teched a new car with the SCCA, I've drilled holes during the inspection. So bottom line is that I wouldn't drill any holes.

That said, I don't think the current bolt hole could not be used for any tech inspection. That section of the tube is a location where the front and rear sections of the bar overlap. The hole, if needed by the SCCA, would have to be drilled in an area where the bars do not overlap, and would only be drilled into one end - not all the way through both sides of the bar. The hole is used to determine the wall thickness of the bars. To figure it out, the outside diameter of the bar is measured, then the depth of the hole is measured. The depth is subtracted from the diameter, and viola, you get the wall thickness. Just FYI.

In all classes, COM events require the driver window all of the way down. In Prepared you'll need a window net or arm restraints. I'd go with a window net (and do). I'm not sure how you will attach the front of the net, if the rollbar you ordered is not a complete rollcage.

As for painting the rollbar, it is all about prep! Lightly sand with scotchbrite or the like, and clean up a few times with prepsol. Many unpainted bars come with a light coating of oil, so you need to get it all off. A shot of primer followed by a couple of coats of Rustoleum's finest will last for years. If you have doorbars or in areas where the harnesses will see metal-to-metal contact, a few strips of clear paint protection tape/helicopter leading edge tape/ski tape will do a great job protecting the area.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB! :thumbleft: :hello2:

[0100]

Awesome info. No hole is just what I wanted to hear. Not really a fan of having a hole in a roll hoop no matter how small.

Also not a fan of arm restraints. Use to race formula cars in the scca and hated them.

So window net it is. Right now mil spec velcro looks like what I will be doing?

Any other suggestions on how to mount a window net with no cage?

Thanks!

[chaos4NH]

Awesome info. No hole is just what I wanted to hear. Not really a fan of having a hole in a roll hoop no matter how small.

Also not a fan of arm restraints. Use to race formula cars in the scca and hated them.

So window net it is. Right now mil spec velcro looks like what I will be doing?

Any other suggestions on how to mount a window net with no cage?

Thanks!

What type of beast are you going to be running?

[0100]

Sorry top secret right now. Nothing crazy, it's a street driven car just some of the mods put me in prepared. I will post up pictures and stuff towards the end of March.

I hope to be at NHIS and WGI in April. If I get everything done in time. Have a 9 month old so not much time to work on my car lately.

I am really looking forward to running with you guys. I did the scca w2w thing for like 3 years, fun but expensive. I just want to go to the track and have fun clean runs, don't get in anyones way, just see what me and my car can do. I don't want to fight for $position$ into turn 1 anymore. I would rather point someone by on the straight. Maybe I am just getting old. Anyways can't wait for my first comscc event! :thumbleft:

[Stynger]

Awesome info. No hole is just what I wanted to hear. Not really a fan of having a hole in a roll hoop no matter how small.

Also not a fan of arm restraints. Use to race formula cars in the scca and hated them.

So window net it is. Right now mil spec velcro looks like what I will be doing?

Any other suggestions on how to mount a window net with no cage?

Thanks!

Not sure how you can install a window net without a cage. Obviously, it would have to have a quick disconnect and also be mounted solidly so it does its job.
I'm not sure Velcro would be considered "solid."
Velcro would be good if you're going for the look, IMO not so good to be an actual functional window net.

[boltonite]

It can be done, I had to do it when i raced my m3 w/ just a rollbar. However, the COMSCC rules may allow you to use "velcro" to anchor the net to the top and bottom of the window opening, which is probably the simplest. Instead of velcro, there is a veclro-like 3M product that is much stronger.

Otherwise, you need to get a window net that has two bars and 4 mounting plates/tabs that attach to the body of the car and/or the roll bar. Autopower sells a net that can be made to work: click here.
FF

[0100]

Ok I need a com tech to give me advice, so I show up with a legal car. This is a street driven car and don't want to bolt brackets to the door to mount a window net if I have to do that I will run with dreaded arm restraints. Which I am not even sure will take the place of a window net going by the 2008 rule book...

Class: Prepared
Roll bar not cage.

Can I run a window net with mil spec velcro? Will this pass tech?

If I run arm restraints will this take the place of a window net in prepared and be considered legal?

One thing I know is mil spec velcro is very strong, used it to mount data and ecu stuff in my formula car. The adhesive is almost permanent. lol

[Stynger]

You may want to ask Bill Fitzmaurice, Chief of Tech, Contact Bill with safety/preparation questions.

bilfitz33@verizon.net

[SSNH]

what mil. spec?

[0100]

http://www.hookandloop.com/site/product ... k_and_loop

[0100]

Window net not required, roll window up halfway. With my SPA Camaro, I used Mil-Spec Velcro top and bottom. I sewed the opposite side to the net itself. Worked fine.

Can I get a confirmation on this being legal for S/B? I don't want to drive 6+ hrs to wgi just to find out I won't pass tech.

Again this is a street driven car with a rollbar(not cage) so no cage to mount the net to.


Thanks!
Eric