In case you haven't been over to our Racecar section lately, I thought I'd cross-post this link...
Article: <a href="http://www.britishracecar.com/BillHart-Triumph-TR250K.htm">
Kas Kastner / Peter Brock Triumph TR250K was built for Sebring 12-hour race and car shows</a>
I think the dashboard is especially cool:
(http://www.britishracecar.com/BillHart-Triumph-TR250K/BillHart-Triumph-TR250K-EA.jpg)
Why do racecars always have bare stainless steel interiors? I understand the fire risk but don't their feet slip around in there? A little oil, sweat, or blood would seem to be a real problem.
George
Aluminum paneling is popular because it's lightweight, non-flammable, and relatively easy to keep clean. In the early days of sports car racing, some people considered it unsportsmanlike to strip out interior trim. I don't know exactly when, but that shifted 180 degrees - probably due to in-car fires. Now days, it's extremely rare to see carpet or rubber mats.
Notice that the driver has a dead pedal (at left) and a heel bar:
(http://www.britishracecar.com/BillHart-Triumph-TR250K/BillHart-Triumph-TR250K-EH.jpg)
The next step would be to glue a friction material (sandpaper) to the floor for his heels.
You could paint the aluminum interior, but paint scratches so easily! I've had bare aluminum door panels in my MGB street car for over 20 years, and I like them. The only downside I really notice is that they don't absorb any noise.
Thanks Curtis!
George
Some guys are now using a bit of brush on pick up bed liner on the floors. Makes them a bit more non-skid and adds some insulation as well for not a lot of weight. You can get it in lighter colors than the usual black so seeing into the are for any maintenance would be easier.