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that's my only question.

 thanks.

dave

You can find the rules here: http://www.scca.org/documents/Solo%20Rules/2008_Solo_Rules_2.pdf

The part that you need:

13.2.I. Driver restraints as outlined in Section 3.3.1 are allowed. Seats may not be cut to allow for the installation of alternate seat belts or harnesses. Passive restraint systems may not be removed. A horizontal “harness bar” may be used as part of the installation hardware for allowed driver restraints. It may serve no other purpose (e.g., structural enhancement).

Keep in mind that safety is paramount.  A harness bar may indeed actually provide somewhat limited structural enhancement if it is built strong enough to actually hold a driver restraint.  I am tired of seeing good safe harness bars not used because they might "add structural enhancement".

I've seen things as stupid as custom solid mounts in the B-pillars with just a sliding-insert bar to "not provide structural enhancement".....Oh yeah?, I said....one yank, by hand, bent the bar in half and would have potentially been catastrophic and cause injury/death in the event of an incident.  We DO NOT WANT this liability to occur, especially if someone was to drive home to/from an event and get themselves killed over a stupid by-line of a rule.

I say write a letter for clarification on this, it has bugged me for the past 9 years of autocrossing after seeing many wrecks and incidents at local events.

/rant 

STS3gCivicSi:

Keep in mind that safety is paramount.  A harness bar may indeed actually provide somewhat limited structural enhancement if it is built strong enough to actually hold a driver restraint.  I am tired of seeing good safe harness bars not used because they might "add structural enhancement".

I've seen things as stupid as custom solid mounts in the B-pillars with just a sliding-insert bar to "not provide structural enhancement".....Oh yeah?, I said....one yank, by hand, bent the bar in half and would have potentially been catastrophic and cause injury/death in the event of an incident.  We DO NOT WANT this liability to occur, especially if someone was to drive home to/from an event and get themselves killed over a stupid by-line of a rule.

I say write a letter for clarification on this, it has bugged me for the past 9 years of autocrossing after seeing many wrecks and incidents at local events.

/rant 

A bar can be properly designed to meet both requirements...be strong enough for AX use, AND not provide structural enhancement.  Your giving good advice....be carefull what you design and use, and *DO NOT* use it on the street.  Retain your factory setup for daily driving.  We can't address what people do on the street on their own time...that's up to them.

James, please do write that letter.  I agree that we shouldn't discourage use of a good, strong harness bar.  I also agree with you Pat, in that parts can be designed to be reasonably strong, but not provide structural enhancement.  However, why should we drive folks to design and fabricate parts (especially in stock class), when there is a selection of off-the-shelf parts available? 

IMHO, in the majority of cars the bar provides a negligible amount of stiffening, but the rule (13.2.I) doesn't say negligible, it just says It may serve no other
purpose (e.g., structural enhancement).  That, to me, is saying no amount of stiffening is allowed, which is why I'm not currently using a harness bar.

-Steve