Not sure if this has been covered before in previous threads or not.
Looking at possibly installing some holy crap handles someplace maybe on the ceiling of my MCS, for the paasengers. I'm REALLY finding it a problem with people riding shotgun, sliding all over the place. The handles in the doors don't seem to cut it for some reason. Anyone installed anything of the sort on the inner roof? I know there's airbags/curtains up there, so I want to avoid those obviously. Everyone always seems to grab for something up there, but no luck. Any input? Thanx.
Cheers,

 

Only input I have is, sounds like you drive the same way I do. My SO wishes we had the grab handle on the dash like in the tracker. If the passengers don't squeal a little, your not having enough fun

 

Yep, covered in a long thread about a month ago. See here...

Think hard before you start drilling. What's on the other side of where you'd normally find a handle is the side curtain airbag. See the pictures Davbert posted if you want to see just where that airbag sits. Pretty much runs the length of the roof on both sides.

 

Mua ha hahahahahahaha....

Everyone who gets in my car eventually asks for the "Oh Shi..." bar!

Oh goodness... it rhymed!

 

Ha,Ha,Ha! In my car we call it the "Jesus" handle!

 

he he he... I like the "Jesus handle"!

 

Im thinking of putting a couple of handles on either side of the passenger seat (kinda like bar ends on a mountain bike) for my wife. Small lady + leather seats = lost of sliding.

 

So why the heck are the "Jesus" handles only in the back? (I know, to help get out...) but the front seat needed one.

Usually you are pulling "g's" with one luck passenger. They should have mounted one for the front passenger.

My brother's old Sprite had a nice chrome handle right on the dash to hold onto. Too bad it was in the perfect spot to crack your head open! (pre 1967 Fed stuff)

Regards,
Red

 

I always figured if "pucker factor" isn't holding them in place, then you aren't driving fast enough!

 

>>I always figured if "pucker factor" isn't holding them in place, then you aren't driving fast enough!

Yea, but those "butt bites" tend to be hard on the upholstery.

 

I am glad to see I am not alone on this one!! HAHAAHAHAHA Yup most of my passengers end up groping aond the dash/ door tryen to find something to hang onto

 

As usual, I'm late to this thread, but have some input just the same. Having recently had the pleasure of riding in a race prepared Viper on the Nurburgring I can attest to the value of a 5 point harness attached through a racing seat. Throughout the circuit I never once needed anything to hang on to as my body was planted in the seat tightly. Not sure what I would have grabbed anyway, as I don't recall there being any handles installed. I now have new appreciation for the safety equipment designed for those cars as well as for the drivers that drive them for hours at a time.

 

R

_________________

2002 MCS DS/B (pulley, Madness short shifter/intake/rear sway, QS exhaust, KW springs, Yokos)
Madness Team Member

 

>>>>I always figured if "pucker factor" isn't holding them in place, then you aren't driving fast enough!
>>
>>Yea, but those "butt bites" tend to be hard on the upholstery.




You are cracking me up! This puts a whole new angle on the Leather VS Leatherette issue!

and I do like the idea of the 5 point harness! My friends would absolutely love it! "Just sit down and I'll strap you in for the ride of your life"

But my preference for the Jesus handle would be to have it on the glove box, right in front of the passenger so even a kid can grab it!

 

Clearly I'm not driving hard enough with passengers in the car. No one has asked for it yet after having ridden in the car. Though most of my friends and family have looked for the handles the first time getting in.

Overall, I'm glad they aren't there on the celing. A good friend that spends a lot of time shotgun had this habit in my last car of just hanging is hand on the handle, which, nearly always, blocked my passenger side mirror. Now he can't do it anymore! I'm thinking if I do put something in, I'll go with the ol' A pillar if it'll take it. If not, dash.

 

Thanx all for your opinions/comments/suggestions.
In my last vehicle('01 SVT Lightning), there were 2 Holy crrrrap handles on the passenger side. Helped a lot. One on the A-Pilar, and one above the side window.
Noticed that there's an "AIRBAG" text on the A-Pilar of the MINI. So I don't want to be just drilling into anything. Airbags there, on the roof, and on the dash. Yikes! The handles on the door just aren't readily available it seems. Not the first area to grab for. Especially on the side when a body is covering part of it.
Thanx Davebret for the pics. Helps put things into perspective a bit more.
The suggestion of the 5 point harness seats seems to be the best route now. Last I heard (quite awhile ago), there wasn't anyone manufacturers out there that have the seats available for the MCS, or MINI in general. Any luck with having them out yet? Surely there must be something, now that the MINI's are competing in the auto-X, and rallies.
I took a good friend out for a wild rip, recently. Was taking corners and bends at like 90km/h. Loving those Yoko Parada's. So needless to say, he was thrown around a bit. And actually commented on the need for additional grabbing/sliding restraints.
Thanx peoples.
Cheers,

 

I say roel your windows down adnreach out grab the lip of the rain well, it in the right spot and does a good job.. though its ntoth ebest option for rainy or codl days. another option woudl be to place a simple leather loop strap above the aribag mayeb with two point gromits like you'd see on lugage or old mini door handles. moutning above the airbag means it shouldn't fly toward you in an accident and they're flexable plus you could make it a good length having it hang down to a proper oh **** holding position. Seem thsi coudl be a 5 dollar fix if you could properly mount it in the ceiling or above the airbag.