To date I have done about a dozen track days (HPDE) in my S2000 and the Skip Barber Racing school as well. I'm getting very interested in the sport. Only a couple of clubs here in the NorthEast allow me to run because I have a convertible with no rollbar but I do have an OEM hardtop.

I realize as I have been moving into the faster run groups that it would be prudent of me to get a rollbar and it would allow me to run with some of the other clubs as well.

One of our members who has the Elda bar was kind enough to meet up with me and allow me to test fit the bar by sitting in his car. From the research I have done this appears to be the bar to get. However, with my helmet on I am about two inches over the top of the bar (I am 6'2" 180lbs)

To solve this problem I was thinking I could use my OEM seats for the street and just throw in a racing shell for track days. Problem there is that the Elda bar requires that the seat be moved forward a bit, which cuts down legroom. My knees were on either side of the wheel in the car I sat in. This also assumes that the aftermarket seat will provide me with enough of a drop to even clear the rollbar.

Due to my height, I am getting discouraged about the prospect of using this as a long term track car. I absolutely love the car and am not eager to trade it for something else. That being the case, I am hopeful some of you may have some ideas on where I can create space where there isn't any. Seems like the aftermarket seat isn't going to pan out...

Thanks for any help.

 

Boostd4 has a Bitterbar for sale. He never had problems with the seat going all the way back and he's ~6'2. But if you're going to run a rollbar on the street or track, it's not safe unless you're running a 5 or 6 pt. harness, which will require you to use an aftermarket seat as well. All or nothing is safest. (A full harness will prevent your head from smacking the bar, a stock seat belt will now.)

Most groups will allow you to run with a hardtop even though it's not going to do squat for safety in a rollover.

 

While I'm sure there are a few groups with this policy, I don't know of any. I've never encountered any track day org that allowed S2000s with factory hardtops but didn't accept a non-hardtop S. I've never seen where the factory hardtop made a bit of difference in whether or not the S was allowed.

 

This is the essence of a dilemma I have also struggled with. My conclusion was that there is no good way to make the S a combination street and track car, in the sense of adding roll bar, harnesses, seats, etc.

Either leave it in street configuration and accept that on the track (which limits your options for track days and should limit how hard you are willing to push it), or convert it to a track car (harnesses, racing seats, roll bar/cage, remove airbags, etc.). I've not seen an S with a roll bar that I thought was safe for driving without a helmet and harnesses. I know some people disagree, but this is my opinion.

I've decided (for now) to keep my S in street configuration.

 

Or do what I did - use the S2000 on the street and put together a Spec Miata for the track. They're a blast to drive.

I modified my first S2000 with the Bitterman rollbar, Sparco Roadster seat on custom lowered Taitec rails, and a Schroth harness. I was just barely even with the top of the rollbar, but felt I was a lot safer than with the stock configuration. I'm 6'1" with a very long torso, so you'll likely fit the same with a lowered seat. I had the seat about an inch forward of its rear-most position, so hopefully you'd have enough legroom. Also, with the Bitterman bar, you will need to be creative with the right side shoulder belt mount.

Here I am at Sebring, turn 1:


And another view during an autocross.

 

Thanks for the responses guys.

CoralDoc, do you happen to know if the Bitterman and the Elda bar are the same height? If so, the Sparco Roadster solution would be acceptable to me (so it sounds). Are the "custom lowered Taitec rails" availbale form a sponser (Science of Speed?) or is this a one off custom job you had done.

Thanks again

 

NorCal Racing Club (NCRC) is one of them. As dumb as it is

 

I call

 

Sorry--typo. I wrote "now" instead of "not"should have been "A full harness will prevent your head from smacking the bar, a stock seat belt will not".

And yup--the NCRC is guilty as charged.

 

Lime Rock Park back in CT has the same stupid-ass rule about the hardtop