NASA/SCCA rollbar legality - which to pick?
 

I'm getting into NASA HPDE at the start of the season, and I'm looking into installing a roll bar into my car (3rd gen). I'm wondering which bars out there are legal. I really like the Raceshop rollbar, but I haven't heard whether or not it's NASA legal.

Also, I'd like the bar to be bolt in instead of weld in, since I want to keep full interior and be able to remove panels if necessary.

Thanks,
-Phil

For HPDE you will be fine with the raceshop bar. Personally, I will be running a Kirk racing 4-pt bar because I don't have the $$$ to order one from the raceshop.

I would suggest picking up each rule book and seeing which one i stricter on cages. Notice I say CAGES. I don't think SCCA allows any roll bars anymore for on track events unless its a vintage car. Since HPDE allow cars without cages or bars do whatever you want. Just make sure you go with any rules you may be hit with in the future so you only spend money once.

what he said. don't need a roll bar for HPDE.

i've looked through the NASA and SCCA books on roll bars for classes that accept them (such as time trials), and they are vague in some respects. I know that Gene Felber ran SCCA time trials in Washington State w/ the Raceshop bar, and Larry/M2 had an approval at one point. It's likely to come down, unfortunately, to the regional tech inspector wherever you are.

Practically every ready-made bar on the market for the 3rd Gen has SOME aspect to it that might not be kosher with somebody, be it a bend they don't like, a mounting, or some other thing.

Not to discount safety, but after reading them, some of it seemed awfully arbitrary, and a bunch of bullshit.

LOL yes scca/nasa........ are very vague the main points to pay attention to are tube size/wall thickness and another point tech guys like to monitor in some classes are front hoop to A pillar distance.

^^^^^^^ You will find that different tech inspectors will have their own crusade. They are going to personally save your life by being very concerned about some litttle issue. It could be something like seat support or the size of a catch can(I had one insist that a liter was smaller than a quart when I had a 1 liter bottle for my rad overflow)

They are trying to help and will have some good ideas sometimes and remember the same guy will probably be looking at your car over and over again. Just know the rules going in and be able to back up what you built.

Any more input on which cages are legal and which are not? Sorry, don't have any access to the rule books.

You need a full cage to do scca club racing. Go to to scca.org and search for gcr. Nasa is just about the same as they used the scca as their guide. For autocross and tracj days no cage is needed unless you have a rag top. Look at the roll cage thread to see what others are doing.

Kirk makes legal bolt-in SCCA Time Trials (TT) bars.
Road racing requires full roll cages.

When we started putting on the Crow Mountain Hill Climb Level 4 Time Trial a couple of years ago, it required an SCCA legal roll bar. Several of our local SCCA region's members bought Kirk bars for several different makes of cars, and all have been pretty happy with them.

http://www.kirkracing.com/index.cfm?...&CategoryID=31

Turns out, autopower ind. makes a NASA/SCCA legal bolt in 6pt cage. Score.

Going to scour the roll cage thread later tonight, but does anybody feel like posting pictures of their autopower bolt in 6pt cages (in FDs)? Thanks :D

I would like to see that as well :)

I think the only porblem with autopower cages is, if your a bigger guy like me, it really kills any extra room. Only a custom well made cage, will alow you you have close to stock interior room. I run a Kirk 4 point in my FC, its a nice setup, but I was alittle disappointed with the rear mounting, which needed stands built up to mount the cage in the rear, i expected alittle more out of it, but overall Im pleased. As far as I know, any sort of time trial, solo racing only a 4 point is needed. Bumper to Bumper competition 6 points are required

Turbo23: Where is the extra room lost? I'm 6'6", but I fit perfectly inside the FD.

-Phil

When I sat in my friends FC with one, I lost alot of room along the door side for my legs. You must have a r1 FD, Im 6'5 and thats the only model FD I fit in comfortably, I drive my brother touring here and there, and I have crap for head room. The cage may fit in a FD better though, Im sure someone on the forum has one installed

Bingo.

Now I really want pictures of it in the FD :P I might end up getting this one.