Before seat belts and roll bars in racing

[Harris Speedster]

It wasn't roughly until the mid 50's in the US, when rule books were being formulated, that both became mandatory and a std to race.

Europeans did not make either mandatory under FIA for a few years later.
Theory behind all race organizations, BEST to be thrown out rather than have the car crush you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tizwFMo85Ms

Merry Christmas to all.
John

[98SVT - was 06GT]

They also had a fear of being blamed/sued if a mandated safety feature ended up being the cause of injury or death. Like being unable to undo a seat belt to get out of a burning car. For years the safety features in NASCAR were "recommended" and not mandatory by the rules.

[6s2020]

Love that clip, I have watched it many times, never gets old.

Respect.

[Harris Speedster]

98SVT - was 06GT,
Yes, 100 % spot on, that was an excuse to not mandate seat belts.
Not sure in any driver got out before they were burned to death in these flicks?
It was a real problem for decades.

Crazy fact, right up the river from me in Chicago, a concept car was taking Chicago fair goers on rides in a rain drop inspired car.
Film crew was inside, and a professional race driver was piloting.
The vehicle became unstable and rolled several times, the driver which was wearing the seat belt was killed, all others walked away.

Some say that another film car created turbulence or lightly clipped the car, which thus caused the wreck.

Ken Miles, Jim Kimberly ,and a few others, campaigned and argued for mandatory use in the 50's. Ruled mandatory in late 50's under big
publicized arguments with Nethercut and others from Ca..

6s2020, I do too, quite a sobering film to watch.

[427heaven]

My familys racing story began after world war 2 at both Indy and the Bonneville salt flats. Racing innovations have always been designed after tragedy. The real fear was explained to me was FIRE! Everyone feared fire more then being flung out onto the track... HUH - Neither seemed like a good option. Early race cars were so flimsy many broke apart during races, then they started beefing them up and were built like tanks so the impact was transferred thru the car to the driver, which killed its driver while the car looked in great shape from the accident. No crumple zones, Helmets, Neck restraints, Roll bars, Seatbelts, Fuel tank safety, and on and on. Which resulted in a very dangerous environment for the drivers every time they slid in behind the wheel. My family was involved with the NOVI race cars from back in the day and helped make them a dominate force when it came to a track.

[CSX 4133]

We've definitely come a long ways from the early simple roll hoops, baking soda soaked coveralls and half helmets. The safety standards are such now that F1 crashes (think Romain Grosjean's crash at Bahrain) are now far safer. Gaining support for the measures wasn't always popular, but in the end proved they're worth in lives saved.

[Harris Speedster]

I actually think the one corner shown in the film >> with the car disappearing into the hay bales, is now called SENNA corner?
Not sure, but sure looks like the corner that claimed his life?

427, fire was probably tops on the list as you point out.
Involuntary Flying lessons at 60-100 mph or so >>  would not have been fun either.

CSX 4133, safeth has come a long way, >> I guess there have been talks about air bags in the future !
John

[NC TRACKRAT]

When I was 16, I rolled a '56 Olds (no seatbelts) three (3) complete revolutions and lived to tell about it. Years ago, I saw drivers killed at autocrosses and at races that I was either running in or crewing for someone else.  Today, we see cars with nothing more than 3-point belts and airbags running at open track and HPDE events at high triple-digit speeds and, thankfully, the accidents are mostly just fender-benders.  The advancements in helmet design/safety are nothing short of fantastic.  My first was nothing more than a fiberglass shell.  When instructing, I now use the Simpson Hybrid S Pro which allows  the user to utilize HANS while in a car with only 3-point belts.   

[68krrrr]

Was just watching an episode of Garage Squad where they fixed up a 69 Daytona ,what surprised me is that car was built for Nascar i thought ,but had no roll bar or harness belts in it from the dealer in  1969 .

[ChicagoChris]

Tuned in late to that episode but I did see a shoulder harness attached to the ceiling on the driver's side.
I think by law all cars had seat belts after '68?

[Harris Speedster]

If I recall, don't have a 67 mustang car on hand to check, didn't late 1967, going into 1968, bring us seat/shoulder harness belts a std equipment?
Same as Chrysler, plus the first sidelights and other fun things like that>?

Roll bar as std equipment in street cars, not sure if that would be pre war or post war?
I do know that as far as race cars, mid 50's is when rules started stipulating their use.
John

[427heaven]

Roll bars did come into use during the 50s but look at the ridiculous use of them in the sprinters, midgets , indy cars where the drivers head was 1 foot above the bar. This also had no calculations for body stretch which could be 4-6 inches more under accident conditions rendering them useless which took another few years to figure out better protection procedures.

[Side-Oilers]

If I recall, don't have a 67 mustang car on hand to check, didn't late 1967, going into 1968, bring us seat/shoulder harness belts a std equipment?
Same as Chrysler, plus the first sidelights and other fun things like that>?

Roll bar as std equipment in street cars, not sure if that would be pre war or post war?
I do know that as far as race cars, mid 50's is when rules started stipulating their use.
John

I seem to recall that seatbelts were mandated in CA for new cars starting with the 1966 model year.  My parents just shoved them between the seatback cushions.

[joephil]

Thanks Nils Bohlin and Volvo 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nils_Bohlin

[Harris Speedster]

Mid to late 50's as I had mentioned seems to be on target.
That was for a 3 point system, best I can decipher from WIKI. Thats good and historically significant.

JOE PHIL>>I will include that info in future writing, thank you !!,

It does tie into racing, which appears to have all occurred in mid to-late 50's ?

1933, Chicago world fair, is when the two point seat belts were involved in the racing drivers death, as I had mentioned.
It is well documented as it shocked everyone. Can't think of the cars name, tear/rain drop big car though.

1958-1959, public huge fights persisted at Riverside,
THE scca rule books were the size of an old small TV guide.
California voted and adapted the SCCA National Rules at that point.
I do have that three page article.

This flick has to be watched more than once, the poor drivers were at constant risk of death/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tizwFMo85Ms

Merry Christmas,
John