What is the best place to mount a quick release fire extinguisher? I has seen under seat mounts, Roll Cage mounts, and flat mounts. The rear drive shaft tunnel would be good, but i doubt it would be easily reachable when harnessed in with a helmet on. The under seat makes since...What are you guys doing?

Within easy reach of the driver should there be a fire. In reality though, you most likely have to pull over and stop to put out the fire. If the car's on fire, I'd haul my ass out first before reaching for the extinguisher. A lot of guys go for the trackday look and put it on the roll bar but how can you reach that? I mount mine on the floor infront of the drivers seat. All I do is loosen my harness a bit lean over and hit the quick release.

Mine is a "arm rest"

I saw one CMC car that had a pretty good set up IMO. It was on the transmission tunnel behind the shifter and aimed at the driver. He can reach over without unstrapping, pull the pin, and hit the trigger, spraying himself. His idea was forget the car, save myself. I liked it.

In the rallye car, I (co-driver in pass seat) had it on the floor in front of the seat. Only used it once to put out a small grass fire from the exhaust as we were waiting to be pulled out. On occasion, I would hit the release while getting in or out. Getting the mounts with two straps helped this. I wouldn't want it under the drivers seat in my CMC car on the rare chance it could get free.

Excuse the mess, but here's where mine is in my CMC third gen. I had two small bits of square tubing welded to the car to raise it even with the hump where the bottom of the bottle ends up, and to have something to be able to bolt the bracket to. Ignore the switch for my cool suit. Accessable from either side, since fires don't always start when someone is actually IN the car.

In front of the drivers seat, on the tunnel just rearward of the shifter, or on the main hoop diagonal, wherever the driver can reach it easiest.

I like them in the center console area. Some place you can reach it quickly and potentially with limited motion.

And don't do what we did at the 24 hours of lemons and drill through the fuel line when mounting the fire extinguisher (the person piloting the drill assumed we hit a heat shield and drilled straight through the EFI fuel line).

That's irony...

At least you didn't drill a hole into the gas tank trying to relieve the trunk of some water from a leaking rear glass area. I've seen that on more than one occasion.

On the tunnel reachable with the belts attached, but honestly if it is a track car that is your second option. Solid mounted 10lb bottle mounted in the rear passenger seat area. switch mounted on dash or roll bar accessable from the inside our outside. a two layer fire suit is good for six seconds in a fire before you start to feel it....

Just curious, but what car/class/organization?? (Back when it was still Pro rally under SCCA, or later when it was NASA, or Rally America?)

I used to work all of the east coast Pro Rallies/Rallysprints way back when SCCA was still at the helm.

'75(?) Chevy Monza, Group 5, SCCA

Costas was the driver/owner.

We started in ~Nov 2002 at the one in Paris, Tx. Did the 2003 CRNC in MO in 2004, and two more back in Paris 2004.

To keep on topic, IIRC the rules required us to have 2 bottles, one within reach and one in the trunk.

COOL, a MONZA!!

So, since you were in Group 5, you had the (modded?) small block in that thing??

Yes, the latter day rules (I was out of it after ~'04) stated that in lieu of a full, multiple nozzle, trigger system, you could have the two hand-helds (to keep on topic ).

So has anyone had issues with an under the driver seat mount? I know there are a couple companies like Brey Krause universal mount with quick release. This placement seems like it is the most intuitive placement, without obtruding into the passenger area (remember this car is not a hardcore racecar like most on here run). Has anyone used this mount or one similar, and did you have any issues with it?

My main concern, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but there "ARE" safety approved seat sliders right (iDK who sanctions the safety aspect SCCA etc)? and if so, i was concerned that this mount would block access to this slider.

Any thoughts?

I wanted mine within reach but not directly under my elbow on the trans tunnel. I mounted it on the side of the trans tunnel where I didn't have to worry about breaking my elbow on it in an accident but I can still reach it with all belts attached. I don't think I would be able to reach a bottle in front of my seat with belts attached.

If you flail around getting in/out of the car (more an issue with a cage), it may be possible to kick the latch open, so careful placement and latch orientation is necessary. You are not likely to find that with a universal bracket.

Any of the manual sliders I've dealt with would not work with the fire ext mounted there.

I've looked at a few of their mounts and I like the idea. I've considered building something similar for my truck and the Corvette. I've been lazy so I haven't made any sparks yet, but I've been considering it.

Most folks don't think 'cool' when they see a Monza, but I've had a lot of them and like them.
Had a 310" small block with vortec heads and a small 4bbl. Ran pretty well and the crowd seemed to like it. Had good v8 noises for sure.
4sp, ptrax, kumho rally tires, big lights. Way fun.

<on topic>
I have no idea where we had fire extinguishers, Gary was the brains of the outfit, I just drove where he told me to.

I will say that fire systems aren't THAT expensive so price shop that also. No worrying about getting it out and ready to fire, just pull the darn T handle and WHOOOOOOOSH...


Costas
cars and such...

Ideally, I'd want both a fire system AND a handheld bottle. If I only had one, I'd pick the handheld. With a system, it's ONLY going to discharge at the points you have the nozzles placed and at ALL the nozzles too. (Engine fire? Hit the nozzle on you're getting sprayed too.) A system would have done zero good in the grass fire we had and would have probably ended up losing the car. A small electrical fire behind the dash probably wouldn't be put out either. Also, a fire system doesn't help when the car next to you on grid backfires thru the carb and catches fire.

I agree in the big shunt or a big fire, a system is an advantage. It's there as more of a life saving device which, granted, is pretty darn important. It's there to provide you a few more precious seconds to get your ass out of the car. I just think it'd also be a great shame to lose a car from a small fire that spreads as you stand there helpless. Guess it all depends on the purpose that you choose it for.

As someone who recently set the grass and almost his car on fire, I found it very useful to have the FE next to me on the pass. seat area, within arms reach. I also found that a 2.5lb FE doesn't last more than a few seconds of discharge. I am now adding2 more FE's, each on the door cage bars. Just my .02 worth....

It's cool because it's different, and not just the standard, obligatory, same old, same old; GTI, WRX/STI, or Evo.

I remember a crew from the midwest running a yellow Fox body 5.0 in Group 5 which they dubbed "The Hairy Canary", also a torquey, sideways, power-sliding, "crowd pleaser".

<on topic> ;

I agree with Gary that BOTH hand helds, AND a good on-board trigger system is the best solution, IF one can afford the weight.

I recommend keeping them off of the door bars - if you get Tboned the typical handheld bracket will not hold, and now you have a projectile coming at you. Tunnel, pan, or main hoop diagonal are typically not disturbed in an impact.





The Blaine Fab handheld rollbar mount :

My handhelds have saved a Porsche with a brake fire, and a Jeep towing a racecar - the Jeep lost an axle bearing and started a fire in the hub.

Way more things on the car, in the paddock, and on the road will be saved by a handheld than a system - the system is there solely to give the driver 5-10sec grace.