haha.. lov-2-rev. I love your little "stick figure" models.. Creative for sure! I may look at the possibilities of a custom cage as well. I like the two head hoop design..

 

^ Yah Frank, I am really good with mental imagery, but sometimes it helps to make a model so I can convey my ideas. Also makes it easier to build off of an idea I already have.

This may help to prevent downward crush. Connect to the driveshaft tunnel or the chassis cross brace. Still brainstorming...........

 

I'd put those braces seperately on either side of the tunnel, but that's me.

 

I'll have to borrow a digital camera for more pictures. The main hoop attaches to the floor just behind the seats. The two angled supports go back in the areas on each side of the spare tire. A diagonal brace goes from behind the driver's head (roughly) to the floor mount behind the passenger's seat. It is this diagonal that restricts passenger seat travel.

When Mitch designed the bar, he put two "eahs" (ears - he's from New Zealand, so he has a bit of an accent) on the two rear braces for the top to rest on. I've driven at highway speeds with the top resting there and had no problems. However, I preferred to have a boot that would cover the top, since I wasn't sure it would stay in place a 150+ mph on the track. As an unintended advantage, the area under the top provides a nice storage/luggage area which wasn't available with the top in the stock position. The custom boot cost about $150, which is less than 1/6th the cost of a stock one.

I'll post pictures in a few days.

 

Here are four pictures of the rollbar. I hope you find them useful. The first just shows the base of the main hoop behind the driver's seat. The second and third are taken with the seats leaned forward so that you're looking from the center towards the left and right rear braces. The last shows driver's side mounting plate.

 

Woohoo! Thanks George.

Can I bother you and ask for more pics? Like with the top down, ect. Your top is fully functional correct? or do you remove the targa?
I think I'm going to go with Piper, I still got the # you gave from threads long ago.

Thanks

Hai H

 

Yes, thank you George. Your pics and time are very helpful.

Edit: I hope you don't mind me taking the liberty of posting a pic of the RXX-7 for comparison and reference.

 

I have always thought of the RXX7 as the prime iteration of our FC3C- and on a purely cosmetic note, I rather like the "top stack" from the side view with the modified "eeas" and raised targa section. Storage is def. a bonus as you all know it is on short supply in these cars

 

The only thing I don't like about that setup is how far forward the passenger seat has to be. For me that really ruins it. Other than that its really nice.
George can you take some pics of the ears that the targa top rests on?

 

I just realized that you mention tabs the targa rests on.

 

The car is the shop for a few days, so it will be a while. I noticed that someone posted a picture from my website. That should give you and idea of the finished appearance.

Yes, the top is fully functional. That's why I went with Mitch's design. FWIW, that's also why it doesn't meet SCCA race standards.

No, I don't remove the targa; it rests on the "eahs" that I mentioned in the earlier post.

I don't know how long ago that post was. I'd recommend that you get the current number off his website at www.pipermotorsports.com

 

Not at all. It's the best solution for getting a good picture quickly.

 

Mitch can modify the design like he did for John Becker. He'll complain about it not being as strong, but he's a perfectionist.

As I mentioned in another post, it'll be a few days.

FWIW, you can see part of the passenger side ear in the third picture. Look for a small, brown patch peeking around the rear brace. The brown part is a felt furniture pad that I got at a hardware store. (You normally put them on the bottoms of chaie legs to prevent them from scratching a hardwood floor.) I added them to avoid the metal-to-metal contact between the ear and the top.

 

I am really leaning in favor of the 2-hoop design idea. The deciding factor will be the price. The material costs should be comparable, but I'm quite sure that all the extra time on the mandrel bender will add up. Once I get the time to bring the car over to the fabricators shop, and we get a good understanding of what I want to accomplish, I will then make my deceision.