Discussion
As I've had the Chimaera a few months now, and confidence levels are rising, my wife has commented about the poor seating ("I'm being chucked about all over the place"). Any suggestions for better seats, although not ones that "bite your bum", as she so charmingly puts it.
And who was it that sells the mounting point reinforcements? I notice the front mounting points seem to have pushed through the fibreglass floor...
And who was it that sells the mounting point reinforcements? I notice the front mounting points seem to have pushed through the fibreglass floor...
The distilled wisdom of the last 18 months:
The Tower View roll bar (designed and built by RollCentre) is probably the best on the market and significantly does not use the existing seat belt mounting points, which means you get to keep the original intertia belts.
If fitting harnesses then do the roll cage as well. Harnesses without a roll cage means you can't duck if you flip.
The seats can be replaced but check the sizes very carefully as the Chimaera's cockpit is quite narrow and many aftermarket seats are too wide.
Personally I think the Zertec Sports seats look gorgeous, although at £1000 for the pair (trimmed in the same leather as your cockpit, mind) are a little pricey.
The Tower View roll bar (designed and built by RollCentre) is probably the best on the market and significantly does not use the existing seat belt mounting points, which means you get to keep the original intertia belts.
If fitting harnesses then do the roll cage as well. Harnesses without a roll cage means you can't duck if you flip.
The seats can be replaced but check the sizes very carefully as the Chimaera's cockpit is quite narrow and many aftermarket seats are too wide.
Personally I think the Zertec Sports seats look gorgeous, although at £1000 for the pair (trimmed in the same leather as your cockpit, mind) are a little pricey.
If you can find a written off early Cerbera (before they shared the same seats as the T-cars) then the seats from that will fit in the Chimaera.
I believe some rails need to be fitted though.
Mine has these but it came out of the factory like it, EdT has done it aftermarket though...
Matt.
I believe some rails need to be fitted though.
Mine has these but it came out of the factory like it, EdT has done it aftermarket though...
Matt.
"If fitting harnesses then do the roll cage as well. Harnesses without a roll cage means you can't duck if you flip"
This always makes me wonder when I read it - if you are in a situation where your car is rolling upside down, what are the chances of being prepared and able to duck down? After all, you'd be trying to "duck up" out of the way of the ground.
If anything it may be easier to get your head sideways a bit when fully strapped in. With a normal inertia belt you'd probably have partially slipped out of it, have no control and may suffer more if the windscreen folded flat.
So it seems to me that a roll bar with 4 point harnesses is the best solution, but 4 point harnesses alone are better than inertia reel belts.
The real reason for my logic is that I don't think the roll bars look good, apart from a double loop (MX-5 type) one.
Vanity over safety - tut tut!
This always makes me wonder when I read it - if you are in a situation where your car is rolling upside down, what are the chances of being prepared and able to duck down? After all, you'd be trying to "duck up" out of the way of the ground.
If anything it may be easier to get your head sideways a bit when fully strapped in. With a normal inertia belt you'd probably have partially slipped out of it, have no control and may suffer more if the windscreen folded flat.
So it seems to me that a roll bar with 4 point harnesses is the best solution, but 4 point harnesses alone are better than inertia reel belts.
The real reason for my logic is that I don't think the roll bars look good, apart from a double loop (MX-5 type) one.
Vanity over safety - tut tut!
I strongly agree with the principle roll bar first, harness second. With a harness on your shoulders are effectively pinned to the seat and your head is higher than the structure of the vehicle. Without the harness, you can slump down over the tunnel. This will probably be involuntary when the roof collapses on you, and will probably leave you bruised and battered, but you will be alive. If you have a harness but no rollover protection, you stand to loose your head. Literally.
I've not seen a double hoop arrangement with any form of bracing. Without it they look prone to collapsing if the car has any forward or backward momentum - which I would think is likely.
Only draw back I can see for having a full harness on is the inability to stretch forwards at road junctions to get a better view.
Only draw back I can see for having a full harness on is the inability to stretch forwards at road junctions to get a better view.
Obviously the more safety devices the better, but I have bought a beautiful car and I don't want to add bull bars! If I sprinted the car like a few of you do, it might be a different matter.
The majority of crashes do not involve a roll. In those cases a harness will probably be better than an inertia belt. It may even be safer not to have a large (often bare) metal structure close to your head if not wearing the harness. Or it may be better to have a complete roll cage like a Tuscan racer.....
The majority of crashes do not involve a roll. In those cases a harness will probably be better than an inertia belt. It may even be safer not to have a large (often bare) metal structure close to your head if not wearing the harness. Or it may be better to have a complete roll cage like a Tuscan racer.....
You might want to look at the picture on the Tower View web site www.t-v-r-services.co.uk. Car was not going fast but clipped the curb in the wrong place. Driver survived by flattening himself on the tunnel. Still needed several skin grafts.
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