Tim McAmis cracks me the F up. I don’t even know if he knows how to sugar coat something, and in his latest video he’s talking about fire system maintenance and revisions. He’s encouraging you to go out in the shop and check on your race car’s fire system activation. Check where it is located, if it should be moved, and where it should be to be comfortable and effective when you do actual need it. The video will have you cracking up at some of his remarks and nodding because you know that he is right. And much of what he is talking about really applies to a lot of things in your race car.
How many of you have some button or switch or lever that is a giant pain in the ass to use every time you are in the car, but is something you actually do need to use on a regular basis? How many of those hard to reach items are safety related?
I can’t stand having inconvenient crap in the car. It drives me nuts. It is why I built a small auxiliary switch panel in Daphne’s wagon, Ethyl, so that she could reach the ignition, nitrous, and a starter button while completely belted in the car. Otherwise she couldn’t have reached any of it on the dash. It was just too far away. So a simple and effective switch panel “pod” that attached to the steering column became the solution instead of leaving it all to chance.
And why wouldn’t you do the same thing with your fire bottle activation? How many times have you seen ones in a car that are almost unreachable when belted in and in a fire suit. Because as Tim says, when you need them then stuff ain’t going right! That means you need them to be easy to reach and activate. Watch the video, laugh, nod, and get out in the garage and make sure your stuff is setup right.
I’m a race fan, not a racer, but I like to learn things and Tim McAmis always educates and often entertains. Thanks for the post.
He has great videos. Straight to the point with no BS and some comedy thrown in just for the fun of it.
Agree with both post. Thanks Tim.
One of the very first processes that you are taught at Hawley’s school; blindfold test for the driver. Driver is fully outfitted with driving gear, strapped in and ready to drive, and then asked to locate various safety components (fire bottle, fuel shut-off, brake handle). Thanx Tim, great lesson to offer for ALL drivers. Be safe and stay healthy!