MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Midget - harness mouting points.

Good evening all,
Firstly I'll say hello as this is my first post.. I've had various mg's over the years..GT's, midgets and a modern TF. currently I've got my midget 1500 project
Righto.. on to my first question.
I'm bulding a fast road/sprint/hill climb car based around the 1500 midget. It came to me with a stg2 engine already.. and after doing the obvious stuff (dumping the bumpers in the bin, fitting lowering springs at the front/blocks at the back and uprating the dampers I'm now into the fun stuff like fitting a cage, bucket seats and harnesses.
I picked up a s/hand Safety devices FIA cage and a couple of cobra seats and have aI think finally got them sitting in the car correctly.... Now I'm stumped... The bottom mounts for the harnesses are obvious (old s/belt mounts).. but the mounts for the should straps are puzzling me! There doesn't seem to be anything strong enough in a suitable position behind the seats? I could weld a harness bar into the cage but I'm sure there must be an easier solution? anyone else done this?

cheers, J

J Maynard

a welded-in harness bar is increasingly the first choice nowadays, have it done by a pro or you invalidate the cage certification. Alternatively put a pair of eyebolts through the floor at the junction of the rear 'seat' and the firewall isolating the boot (you have done a firewall haven't you), strengthen on the underside with a BIG piece of angle, preferably full width.
David Smith

The shoulder belts should be mounted within about 3" of the top of your shoulders when you are in the seat or you risk injury from spinal compression in an accident. I'd get a bar welded across the roll bar to mount the shoulder belts on. If you have a diagonal bar to stiffen the roll bar then the shoulder mount bar will be short and easy to install. My roll over bar isn't FIA approved but the design is up to current racing standards here in the US except for the height.


B Young

agreed; the Blue book (K2.1.9) states 'anchorage points to the rear should be positioned so that the strap from the shoulder is as near horizontal as possible.'
David Smith

Thanks guys... I'm not too worried about keeping the FIA-ness of the cage tbh as I've been told that for the time trails/hill climbs etc I dont need it to be FIA approved.... although I'm going to double check this before proceeding. That said my welding skills are not the best and as such I'll try and find someone local (suffolk) to put in extra harness bar (although safety devices sent me an email today stating that you cant add a harness bar to aone of their cages after production).. Maybe they mean to keep it FIA?

I've not actually done anything with regards a firewall... but I suppose I should/could as I have a big sheet of 2mm steel and a welder so it shouldn't be too difficult to weld something in.
J Maynard

Read the Blue Boook !!!
Firewall is essential and you will fail scrutineering without one. Don't forget the 2 holes in the inner skin behind the B posts as these give access to the boot area and also must be sealed.
David Smith

You could probably fit a bolt in lateral to your cage which would neither ruin it or compromise it, for harness loops.

Whether or not you can mount the rear straps as David says and keep the strap angle Ok depends to a large extent on how tall you are.

You do need a firewall/fire resistant bulkhead even in a roadgoing sprint car and most production cars nowdays are designed that way. I think a firewall is a good idea even in a road car as if your spridget gets hit up the ar*e end hard enough ....
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Thanks again gents.. I've been tinking with the car today and have decided that I definatly need some kind of harness bar. I've seen a bolt in bar arrangement by safety devices but they dont seem keen to tell me where I can buy one!
Today I also realised my welding skills have departed... ie gone the way of the dodo.. Either that or my welders on the blink! I've made up some 3mm think reinfrocing plates to fit under the front legs of the cage... They weld to the floor, the cross member and to the sill giving I feel a lot more strength (I'll also add some more plate underneath and bolt through all three layers. But alas my welding looks like bird plop.. so they will need to be ground back and re-welded (once my skill returns).
Hey ho.. J
J Maynard

This thread was discussed between 29/03/2011 and 02/04/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.