PCA SDR

Section XIV b 2 state:
Face shields or protective goggles are required in all open cars during Time Trials...

Section XIV D:
Roll bars are mandatory in "open" cars, ... The driver’s helmet must clear a “straight edge” placed between the top of the windshield directly in front of the driver’s head and the top of the roll bar directly behind the driver’s head.

My question is: When a convertable has a hardtop installed is it still an "Open" car?

Or more specifically do I need to buy goggles and do a broomstick test to drive my boxster in a tt with the hardtop in place?

I will defer to Steve for the rules interp.; however, from a safety standpoint, I would treat an open car like an open car, hardtop or not. There is a good possiblitity that if you ever put the shinny side down that the hard top would be the first thing to leave the car (saw it happen to a Spec Miata). Therefore, I would take all the safety measures that I could including arm restraints, goggles, etc.

Steve is the official rules guru, but I have heard this question before and the answer was that a removable hard top isn't a hard top.

The removable hard tops do not have any structural roll-over protection - they are primarily cosmetic and intended for wind/weather protection. Therefore, your integral roll bars and the windshield are the only things keeping your head from being compressed - ergo you still need to pass the broomstick test (good luck Duram ).

Duram wrote:Section XIV b 2 state:
Face shields or protective goggles are required in all open cars during Time Trials...

Section XIV D:
Roll bars are mandatory in "open" cars, ... The driver’s helmet must clear a “straight edge” placed between the top of the windshield directly in front of the driver’s head and the top of the roll bar directly behind the driver’s head.

My question is: When a convertable has a hardtop installed is it still an "Open" car?

Or more specifically do I need to buy goggles and do a broomstick test to drive my boxster in a tt with the hardtop in place?

Well, I've never been nabbed for not having goggles. If I remember correctly, that is for a true open car (i.e. TT's 7 replica).

The Brey-Krause Roll Bar Extension should give you enough clearance to meet the broomstick rule. But, as I just happen to know your box is mostly track might I suggest you replace the (heavy as all heck) stock roll bar with the Safety Devices bolt in roll bar. I didn't see it on this site, but I believe you can order just the roll bar without the front "cage".

The BK extension will give you and additional 1.75". I stood the two side-by-side when installing the cage and the SD roll bar looked to be about 0.25" or 0.5" taller than the stock bar + extension. Plus, the SD bar extends further forward, thus equating to maybe another 0.5" or 1" of additional clearance.

However, all that said if you want to make the SoW event the quickest and cheapest route is the BK extension. I ran TT's and DE's with PCA and POC for a little over a year with just the BK extension. If I got the clearance (with stock seats) I would think you would also.

Just my $0.02

Oh and I almost forgot. Dave and Kim are right. The Box with or without the its hardtop is considered "open" in terms of meeting the broomstick requirement.