Show Me Your Padded Roll Bar or Headrests

[kwilly]

I must be missing something here......What good does padding do on a rollbar when the car is upside down? It's not the padding that keeps the gray matter inside the skull-- it's the rollbar(s).

Or is this really an issue of when your head bangs against the rollbar?

[Got the Bug]

I don't have any more time for this thread. I've got to go research my air bag upgrade project.

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

I don't have any more time for this thread. I've got to go research my air bag upgrade project.

My air bag rides in the passenger seat.

[strictlypersonl]

Originally Posted by kwilly

I must be missing something here......What good does padding do on a rollbar when the car is upside down? It's not the padding that keeps the gray matter inside the skull-- it's the rollbar(s).

Or is this really an issue of when your head bangs against the rollbar?

In the absence of valid statistics, we can do some wild speculating...

These cars don't roll over often, but without a roof (and a pathetic windshield frame) a roll bar might come in handy. In the process of rolling, the significance of smacking your head against the bar is probably small.

Getting rear-ended: Unlikely because these cars are so "visible". On the other hand, the world is full of incompetent drivers.

Spinning out - and backing into something solid. This is probably the most likely whiplash cause. In this case, a padded roll bar would have real value.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

Now I know how Ronald MacDonald gets to work.

[pjmoore2003]

My take:
Buy a 92" car
Shorten your legs (if your my height 5'8" then your fine)
Move your seat up

I think it's impossible for my head to hit my roll bar

[Excaliber]

Heck I'm six foot and STILL have to move the seat forward in my ERA (that would be 90" wheel base). But I'm pretty sure between my neck stretching and the seat flexing I'm still at risk of hitting the roll bar if conditions are right. I suspect ALL of us, regardless of where our seat is.

[SMOKNAC]

Now that there is funny, Ready for the show.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

Lots of old hobby cars are unsafe in relation to the new models. Just think of how many old coupes have all this steel in close proximity to your head. The dashboards of fifties cars are lethal if you were to contact one at speed. And talk about dangerous, how about the T buckets? A Cobra is probably no more dangerous than many other hobby cars.

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by ZOERA-SC7XX

Lots of old hobby cars are unsafe in relation to the new models. Just think of how many old coupes have all this steel in close proximity to your head. The dashboards of fifties cars are lethal if you were to contact one at speed. And talk about dangerous, how about the T buckets? A Cobra is probably no more dangerous than many other hobby cars.

Unless you are T-boned.....

[TButtrick]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Now I know how Ronald MacDonald gets to work.

He built that car himself and tracks it. Here's another thread you might want to spend time reading. All Cobras are beautiful, even the ugly ones. Oh, and BTW..... take a look at his photo gallery. There are a whole lot more pictures of other nice rides for us to enjoy other than his own.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by TButtrick

He built that car himself and tracks it. Here's another thread you might want to spend time reading. All Cobras are beautiful, even the ugly ones.

I like that car a lot. Personally, I think we should all gang up on ERAChas on account of his gratuitous rudeness. Yeah, that's the ticket, dog pile on Chas!.

[TButtrick]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I like that car a lot. Personally, I think we should all gang up on ERAChas on account of his gratuitous rudeness. Yeah, that's the ticket, dog pile on Chas!.

.. glad you're with me on this Patrick.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by TButtrick

He built that car himself and tracks it.

I built mine myself (twice) and tracked it. No matter the history or circumstance, it's my opinion that any Cobra should not look like a 5 year-old's birthday cake with mold seams visible to boot. I feel sorry for the car...

It's his right and his taste-it's mine to say I don't care for it.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I like that car a lot.

Ah Ha! The arbiter of gauche has affixed his seal of approval.

I'm stumped-beige car with two hoops and foam or this...I don't know which is worse.

Last time I fix your cheap-ass damper...

[RallySnake]

As usual, I have little different solution for this. I am still stuck on the Formula 1 paradyme of the 70's. Make one part do as many things as possible. (These days in Formula 1, it's all built into the carbon fiber tub so one thing does EVERYthing.) So, I took a sheet of 1/4 inch thick MR10 Lexan and cut out a rear windscreen. I attached it with screws and spacers through the rear bulkhead. It does four things:

1. It provides a cushion if your head gets slammed backwards in an accident. It is flexible enough to absorb a big impact without breaking. You may not be able to see it in the picture, but there is a rubber block between the lexan panel and the rollbar upright.
2. It greatly reduces the wind that loops over the windshield and hits you behind the shoulders. This makes a big difference in cold weather! It does not help the top of your head, however, you still need a thick ski cap or balaclava.
3. It provides a headrest for the passenger to catch a nap if he wears a wrap-around neck pillow. This is important on the 8 or 12 hour rallies that we run.
4. It provides protection from small caliber bullets. It's made of the same stuff that banks use for "bandit Barriers". I have not tested this function, yet, but I do live in LA.

It does not look too bad. I have had compliments on the car in spite of the panel being in place. The sticker is our ITN Rally Team patch. If you are interested, you can read more about our rallies here: http://www.itnrally.org. We will be running an all night event from Harris Ranch (Near Colinga, CA) to Monterrey and back on June 26/27.

Paul

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Last time I fix your cheap-ass damper...

Let's hope so. Hopefully it will be here before the weekend.

[TButtrick]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

I built mine myself (twice) and tracked it. No matter the history or circumstance, it's my opinion that any Cobra should not look like a 5 year-old's birthday cake with mold seams visible to boot. I feel sorry for the car...

It's his right and his taste-it's mine to say I don't care for it.

And we all know and value your unbiased opinion. As they say, opinions are like assholes.. everyone has one but...you don't don't have to stick your nose in it to know that it stinks. You DID read the respect post... correct?

[BT SNAKE]

Come on Chas, you been on this forum long enough to know not to insult a fellow Cobra owner like that. You may not like or approve of his car but you certainly shouldn't broadcast it on an open forum.
If you invited me into your home and I saw that it was decorated rather usual like and I made an insulting comment about it you would throw me out and possibly call me a few expletives on the way out.
There's plenty of cars on here that I personally don't care for but I'm not about to make an enemy out of someone that could be a possible friend.

There is something interesting about all these cars.

Hersh

[Excaliber]

Paul, does that plexi back stop have any noticeable impact on cockpit turbulence, good or bad?