Quote:
Originally Posted by glamcem
yes, that's what I was trying to say; single hoop is required for some organizations and some even requires you a forward brace in addition to the single hoop
I don't recall the rules since I never attended any NASA event with a convertible (only with the BRZ) but most TT cars had full cage vs HPDE cars which makes sense
|
I haven't seen any regulation that requires a Petty bar (what you pictured). What they do require is bracing on the longitudinal axis, and a Petty bar is one way to do that. The usual way is to have rear supports for the main hoop, which is easy to do on an NA/NB:
On an NC/ND, the top folds differently, and you can't use the same design without removing the soft top. So you see designs like the Petty bar or the removable rear bracing from the trunk linked above.
As far as safety for street use, check out the picture above, and tell me if you think the passenger is safe from hitting their head on the bar. The bar in the picture does have the recommended high-density foam padding, but that's not enough to protect your head in a rear-end collision. You're supposed to wear a helmet or install a seat with a high enough back to protect your head.
This is still, IMO, the twins' biggest advantage if you want your car to serve double duty as a track toy and daily driver.
My personal solution is to keep my NB when I buy an ND next year.
