Hi guys,

The more I track my car, the more I'm starting to feel the need for some roll protection in case the worst happens. For those that have full or half cages in the car, where did you get them, or were they custom made? Bolt-in? That would be easiest for me, rather than a weld-in cage.

Matt

 

Your best bet is to take it somewhere and have a custom fit weld in. That way you get it how you want it and it is legal and done right. Cheap life insurance!

 

Strip your interior to the basics and have a four-point welded in. I (and RM Joe can vouch) have a guy who is bombproof (in/around Cambridge) and doesn't have the wait-list of some other ON cagebuilders.

 

I just built this cage for a customer of the last few weeks







Its not completly done yet, but I had it checked out and it will pass CASC and SCCA rules

 

If I can suggest going to a drag style 6 point. This is a welded in 4 point behind the drivers seats, then you have 2 bars, one on each side, running down on a 45 degree angle to the floor at your feet. You can make these extra bars removable or bolt in for ease of access. They will stiffen up the tub a ton, add a lot of safety from side intrusion and help strengthen for fore/aft impacts. A side impact in the drivers door is the most common way people get hurt on track and any additions you can make to improve the barriers to entry, LOL, the better.

I even saw one street car that had 2 bolt in drivers door bars that ran to a cradle at the drivers feet. The bars were ladder supported between them and joined together at the bottom like a V. I thought that this was a really cool compromise.

I applaud your actions. Also, look up Ronnie O'Brien who does about 1,000,000 cages a year in Ontario. Very good and very very busy. Must be a reason. Also, great work Joe. It looks very beefy and mostly out of the way. Just one question, the diagonal bar mating to the main hoop above the drivers head, any reason why they aren't all joining together in one large clump? It should be a lot stronger. Is it because it gets in the way of the drivers head?

Eric

 

Or go with a 8 point cage and you can use a smaller tube than you could with a 6 point roll bar. only difference is that you will have a hoop around the top of the of your head also, and a bar that would run down your a pillar on each side. You can go from a 1 3/4" down to 1 1/2" I believe it is.

 

I agree for proper safety that an 8 point is better, it is just that for a street driven car having a roll cage bar just beside your head is not very safe. In any kind of heavy bounce or bump, you can crack your skull open especially when wearing the stock (and only type that is street legal) seatbelt.

If the car is a track only car, then go for a full cage for sure.

Eric

 

I ordered my autopower roll bar from custom coaches, paid in March, didn't get my cage until august and got dinged by customs on top of it, would not recommend going that route.the cage was slightly damaged from shipping as well but that is expected, I think they even say that on the website. Probably keep ur eye out for a used one and jump on that when you see it.

 

quick question what is the price for a custom cage?

hybrid

 

I got quoted $2900 for a 8 point chromoly cage locally. But he is taking a bit off for me cause I dyno my engines there.

And as for seatbelts isn't that stupid how a 5 point harness isn't "safe" enough to be street legal lol. What a joke.

 

Csc racing in I think newmarket quoted me 2200 for bolt in and 1400 for weld in full cage, and 1050for bolt in and 750 for weld in 4 point roll bar. I can't comment on the quality of work, timing or accuracy of the quote since I ended up going with my auto meter.

 

Autopower you mean alan? Lol.

Joe! Didnt know you made cages! Looks awesome!

 

A 5 point harness isn't street legal because it doesn't have the 'locking' mechanism with the all-important 'give' that stock belts have - stock belts are designed to gradually slow your body during an accident - when I say gradually though, I really mean over the span of a fraction of a second.
Also, think of how many hack job race setups you would normally see at an amateur track day (like anchoring your belts to the floor inches behind the seat, so it's at a 90* angle from the back of the seat), and imagine trying to monitor and police that for street use.
They're essentially illegal for the same reason you can't remove your front end and replace with tubing, since that gets rid of the crumple zones that are designed into the car structure. It might be safer for you inside your own structure but hit another car without the same protection and you'll kill everyone in the other car.

Sorry, back on topic.
If you get a roll-bar, pay to get it done right or you'll have problems like this guy: