I have been going around with safety upgrades for 2018. Initially I was going to just do everything, but $4-5k is just a bit much at the moment. So I have decided to do a portion this year and the rest next year. I had pretty much settled on a roll-bar for this year, then seats/harnesses for next and still might go that route. However recently the idea of doing seats this year and harness/roll-bar next year came to mind. I am 5' 10" so a seat with lower rails would get me below the OEM hoops, additionally a seat provides a bit of added protection in a non-rollover by helping keep you a bit more secure. I have the Modifry belt lock so that with a seat would hold me in pretty dang tight. If I do a roll-bar the OEM hoops will be removed

So what are your thoughts, I am still leaning towards a roll-bar as the best first step, but didn't want to overlook going seats first?

 

I'd do the roll bar first.
If you do the seats first you'll have to remove them again to install the roll bar/harnesses which can be a PITA, depending on the seats you get. OEM are easy to swap in/out.
I got the seats first and will install my roll bar in the coming months and am not looking forward to mounting those seats again.

 

Question: Is it possible to use a 5-point, 6-point, or 7-point harness with the OEM seats? I've never seen a picture of that. I ran a 5-point harness on OEM seats in the 1970s, but those seats had lower backs with a separate headrest and in hindsight the submarine strap mounting was unacceptable.

If so, since the bar is a precursor to the harness, wouldn't imply the order would be rollbar then seat + harness?

 

yes I think typically the order is roll-bar then seat + harness. I was just contemplating the safety of seat then roll-bar+harness

 

I wouldn't go seats first, and especially not seats + harness in a convertible first.

I went rollbar first, and I wouldn't consider that safe for someone that puts their seat anywhere near like half-way back given how much the stock seats will move in an accident (read: head->bar).

I think I have much less than $4k in safety... let's see.
$1000 - Ballade Sport bar
$540 - Sparco Evo from Murray Motorsports
$215 - PCI Adjustable Seat Mount from PCI
$330 - OMP DA805HLPF 6pt HANS compatible harness through friend with distribution pricing
$30 - 6 harness backing plates (only needed 3) from eBay
$344 - Super Sport XLT HANS Device from Murray Motorsports
$320 - HJC AR-10 III SA2015 Racing Helmet through Saferacer

Soooo $2800

 

yeah I would never do harnesses without a roll-bar

 

I was going to do Pole Positions, I didn't realize the Sparco was that cheap (best I could find was $800). You need brackets to mount the seats though so add $200. Plus I need to do the passenger as well as I frequently have a passenger, so I would do a seat and use my OEM belt, IDK if I want them using a harness with no HANS

 

You caught my edit, haha.

I'm torn on the passenger side because I also don't want someone with a harness and no HANS, or even a mis-adjusted harness.
Ordering the seat and HANS from MurrayMotorsport really did shave off like $600 from US prices though.

 

I was going to keep all OEM belts in since I still Street drive the car. So when I had a passenger I was going to have them wear the OEM belt, I would do the same. I don't push things quite as hard with a passenger.

 

Rollbar first followed by seats and harnesses.