cagedruss

As a fabricator I am curious on what the Forum has for roll bars or cages. Please post a pic or two of you interior shots. Maybe I can learn something.

Thanks,

Russ

Zenki FC

couple of pics ive got...

designfreak

Ha! Give me another couple of weeks and I will once its done!

christaylor

Sweet baby Jesus... what sanctioning body actually allowed that in?!

cagedruss

Remember, No Flaming!

DigDug

Ah ha, another chance to ***** out the car I'm selling!

NasaPro7

Now Chris, the correct answer is "You know, I can build you a safe cage to replace that pile of tubes for a reasonable price"



Marcus

37FC3S

AutoPower 4pt

Speed Raycer

www.izzyscustomcages.com

Like you russ, I'm always interested in seeing how other builders do things. No matter how long you've been doing it, you can always learn something new.

Any pics russ?

cagedruss

Remember, this is not about me, but I will show a couple. I hads some cools shot of a 3rd Gen I did, but I can't find the disc. Maybe "Q" has some and he can e-mail them to me.
Finished paint of www.columbiafleet.com 's Spec Miata.


C. Johnson's Spec Miata





Mike Malone's 77 Porsche RSR

cagedruss

HorsePower Freak's 900+HP Toy Supra, NHRA approved 4130 Rollcage.




I could keep posting for hours, but like I said, it isn't about me. I want to see what everybody else has across the world wide web.

Speed Raycer

NICE!!! Keep posting for a couple more hours!

I need to pick your brain on a Super Production Miata cage I'm taking on in a month. I'd show you pics of the cage that's currently in it, but I'd hate for someone to see them and think that a) it's a good example of a cage or b) that it's one of mine.

Where do you get the ends for your swing out bars Russ?

Mine before paint and a few other touches


Another 1st Gen


ITB Pinto




There was supposed to be another bar on the above cage that ran from the doorbar back to the rear brace mount... but I got overruled by owner of the car.

cagedruss

Door bar kits are at the following link. they have them for 1 5/8 and 1 3/4 tubes. Kits

1 1/2 and smaller I use clevise from Clevises

I also built this car with a good friend of mine. It is a 71 Mercury Montego Stock car that was built in California in 71. It ran USAC and Grand National Stock Car series for 3 years. Then it was sold to a guy that ran it at Dirt car tracks in Northern California for a number of years. When the current owner brought it to me it looked pretty much the way it did in 71.

I cut the rear and front section of the frame and dicarded it. I lowered the car approx 3" buy building a new front and rear clip, that allowed me to change all of the suspension point. I fabbed up a 4 link wish bone control arms for the rear and a custom a-arms for the front. Coilover all the way around. About 200 hours of frame and interior fab time.

A good friend of mine did most of the custom body fab. I had an idea what I wanted to see with a little imput from the owner. Bill spent about 100 hrs on the Metal and paint work.

A year later the car recieved hand layed composite fenders and hood, carbon fiber wing and front splitter.

I installed a 540ci all Aluminum Ford Big block, now it has been upgraded to 592ci, 850hp, 67 0lbs of torque. Car is now red and is based in the NorCal area. Runs SCCA SPO and a few NASA event. It is a pretty Awesome Car.

gnx7

iTrader: (10)

Nice cage examples...

Zenki- That cage will more than likely kill you than save you. If that battery isn't a gel cell sealed battery put it in a sealed battery box. Battery fumes are toxic and can be deadly. In addition if it were to rupture you wouldn't be a happy camper.

Caged Russ- what does that beast you build weigh? It sounds wicked. I hope to get a chance to run with it at some of the tracks here in NorCal in my LS1 powered FD.

-Mark

Boswoj

I've seen that car when I've been running at Thunderhill! It makes VERY satisfying sounds. I went up on the bridge over the backstraight during a practice and watched it snake all the way from the exit of 13 down to the brake zone for 14 just trying to get the power to the road through those tortured tires. It looked like a blast to drive. Very nicely prepared car as well.

(edit - oh, and yes Zenki that "cage" must be either for cosmetic purposes only or not complete. It is certainly more dangerous that not having a cage at all if it is for a car that is EVER operated without a helmet and full 5+ point restraints. I've had street cars that were caged so I could use them for instructing at driving schools and simply couldn't get comfortable on the street while imagining how easily I could be killed if my unrestrained and unprtected head slammed into a cage bar. The reason I am imagining it being for a street car is the lack of door bars, as well as the missing harness bar behind the seat to fasten proper restraints. Also, for what appears to be the blue Porsche in the middle of the page - I'm pretty sure that the style of "x-bars" shown are pretty much illegal in all of the snactioning bodies that I know of. Are they legal in PCA or something?)

cagedruss

Actually Porsche is a SCCA SPM car, anything goes. I think you are talking about the Spec Miata. It is the only car that shows the "X". If you look in the GCR, you will see the rule that says 6 mounting points and 2 optional to front bulkhead, total of 8 pts. Any amount of tubes, as long it is the same diamater and wall thickness as main cage requirements are legal if attached to any mounting plate or cage structure. Both bars that make up the "X" are attached to the down tubes/Plates.

I have never seen anywhere in the GCR that does not allow an "X" member in the main cage structure. Car has been Annual teched and competed. I have anothe spec Miata that is similar that has ran in SCCA and Pro Miata.

Falcoms

Hey, I am looking for a nice basic bolt-in roll bar (maybe cage, if the price is right). Anyone here make them for the FC, or know of anyone that does. I am looking for it to be made with .095 DOM tubing, so that it's legal for SCCA, as well as safe for me (the more important point). I know I've seen one website that makes them, I think it's I/O port or something like that, but I haven't had a chance to search. One of the big reasons that I want to go with a bolt in over a weld-in is that I just don't have the time to gut the interior out, mask everything off, weld it, then paint it. Also, a bolt in works just fine from what I've seen at the track (neon did some nice aerobatics after breaking the bead on a tire going sideways in the grass).

Well, thanks in advance!

Speed Raycer

Here's how NOT to have a cage built... definitely do your homework on your cage builder guys.

http://www.izzyscustomcages.com/imag...taGallery.html

Falcoms... PM me... I'm in St. Louis.

wrankin

Great discussion!

Thanks for the pics. For the under educated amonst us, do you think that you could offer some commentary on the pictures? I see the pretty crappy welds on the rear X, but I'm probably missing most of the "important" things.

I am in the process of putting together an FC track car (potentially ITS) and while I have a builder who comes highly recommended, I would like to at least know some good questions to ask him (so I don't sound completely stupid ;-).

I have read the GCR and have a pretty reasonable understanding of whats "legal".

Thanks,

-bill

37FC3S

Falcoms, my post previously in this thread has pictures of a AutoPower 4pt rollbar for a FC I bought from IO Port Racing. It is a bolt in rollbar and has an option for to convert it to a cage but I think the cage option has to be welded.

Blake

Just found this thread...I am the "Q" he is referring to. These are the only shots I have, Russ. I don't have any of yours.

The car:


The cage:




BTW, Russ, as you've probably figured out, I'm not coming down to the shop until after the weekend (Monday, probably). Too busy finishing up the magazine before I send it off to the printer Monday morning.

speedturn

iTrader: (1)

Izzy, I really got a laugh from the white Miata cage tubes that looped up over the front shocks - that was ridiculous.

NasaPro7

Jesus christ. Did that thing have a logbook?

M.

cagedruss

Most of the welds are suspect, bend in the middle of the main hoop would require the whole cage to uprade to the next higher class/weight for cage material. If the car is required to have a mininum 1.5"x.120", it would have to go 1.75"x.120. That is a high price and weight to pay for the extra bend.

I have seen lots of cars with that extra bend that has past tech, but I wouldn't want to take a chance on getting protested by a competitor.

Tha hack job on the tubes going through the firewall bulkhead is also really bad. Something else for the Techs to draw their attention to. The rules are specific on the quality of welds, but again, some seem to pass tech.

I believe in intersecting all of the tubes connected to the main hoop, keeps the force during the impact traveling through all the tubes in series. It was how I was taught by a cage builder when I started, makes sense to me. It is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye. If you look at the Euro Cages and Rally cages being built, you will see the same thing.

I like seeing the doors bars away from the driver as far as possible to allow for crush in case of side impacts. Some say it is better to have the flat and straight for frontal rigidity, but I have seen door bars bend in after a serious crash. I wouldn't want to be trapped or have my leg broken by my door bars. keep the bends outward if all possible also.

If you have room for an "X" and "NASCAR" style bars on the driver's side do it. Gives you the best protection for frontal and side impacts.

Keep the cage basic, make sure you can get out of both sides in an emergency, you never know when your driver's door in pinned by an obstacle. Think it all out ahead of time, look at other cars in the Pro ranks that are well funded. See what there are doing.

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me!

rfreeman27

iTrader: (5)

NHRA legal to 8.50

edit...my pics are too big and it is too late to resize them all. I will do it tomorrow, got a very trick cage here.