For a custom full-welded cage from a reputable builder, I have seen prices range from around $1800 to well over $2500 for a basic 6-point cage built to SCCA IT standards. This price goes up once you start adding the extra bits like NASCAR door bars, extra gusseting, et. al..

A big portion of this cost is the hourly rate of the guy doing the bending and welding. The price of steel has also risen significantly in the last year, adding further to the cost.

Some of the people on this forum who actually do this for a living can give you more accurate numbers.

-bill

 

Are those mirrors attatched to the halo?

How well do they work? Where can I get some?


Thanks Bill, I'm going to meet with him middle of next week.

 

Take your rulebook with you so that he knows exactly what you're looking for. Everyone's rules are different even for the same type of racing

Look at his other work if you can. Take a look at the base plate welds, the tube to tube welds and the general "fit" of the cage. Ask him if prep work is included in the price and if he'll discount if you do the prep yourself (I personally HATE interior, undercoating & seam sealer removal so I recommend the owners doing it themselves. Saves me time and them $$$)

Check your Inbox if you haven't already.

 

those are wink mirrors.. just do a search, they're about $15

 

Scott, You don't like when that seam sealer pops and the hot chunk of slag goes right down your ear canal. I love the sizzle sound it makes!

 

Finished a Honda S2k, very similar to a MX5. So from here on I will call it and MX2000 so I do not affend anybody. Lots of interior to work around, really had to keep the top, console and seat functional. First one's are always fun!

I posted 5 pics below, see the rest on PBucket, link in sig!

 

Looks good russ..AS ALWAYS!!! If you hadn't said S2000, I'd have just assumed it was an MX-5.

Berg... I started wearing ear plugs for just that reason... and hats, leathers, steel toed work boots, safety glasses under the helmet... respirator is next on the list. I'm leaving that macho "short sleeves, sandles, close your eyes and tack" meathod to the meat heads on the Discovery Channel.

 

Scott, Berg is John Weisberg a former E Porduction racer who has gone to the dark side. Really dark, not only Spec Miata but SRF also.

 

Dave, I even sold the old E car last week and now I'm doing a cage in a Subaru. I've only got one Miata left and the SRFs are in pieces. I might even do a race this year...

 

John, I noted the sale on the Prod site.

I have a striped 82 1st gen & I have a striped 90 Miata with hard top. Bought a radiator, steering wheel/quick release & bent & notched roll cage for the Miata. Nice instructions including pictures came with the roll cage. After reading the innstructions viewing the pictures I procrastinated for a while. Took some pictures with the dash removed, talked to some folks, talked to two different tech folks, wrote a letter with pictures/questions & received a reply saying not compliant with the rules. The roll cage manufacture responded with a full refund. So now I'm kind of just in the mode.

Looks like Tom T. was flying at Topeka as usual. Go to the Sprints in a couple weeks.

 

maybe it was posted and i missed it...but im looking into gettin a cage in the dear future and was wondering what to expect a 6 or 8 pt cage to cost in an FC.

 

We haven't talked about cage prices here. Material and labor cost varies to much to really help. Find someone in your area for prices. We can help with design.

 

Well, let’s break it down:
Material
Tube 100ft @$4.50/ft.=$450
Plate 4ft of 1/8x4" strap cut to size $50

Labor
20hrs @ $75/hr. $1500

Misc.
Gas, wire, spray, other... $100
Windshield out/in $50

That's $2150 and I'm sure there is more that I have forgotten. Not sure how guys are doing cages for $1500. Prices will vary with level of difficulty and added features, window net mount, fitted interior, paint, seatback support, gusseting... If the car has to go to the body shop to patch the holes in the roof your fabricator cut to make it easier for him, has to be considered also. This is custom work and you are paying for the experience the fabricator has accumulated over the years. Most important, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

 

Berg... you forgot to factor in the shop rental, insurance, utilities! Everyone forgets that materials, equipment and consumables can eat up ~$500 or so before anything even gets installed.

I sponsored a RA rally car for a local guy. Our deal was that he pay for materials and I'd build him the best cage I could (considering it was a daily driver/still had everything installed). He still paid around $650 for just materials/consumables

 

Well I don't really race for a sanctioning body but I'm looking for a cage that will pass tech at a drag strip and for track days. 6 point is what I'm looking for. The 4-point with door bars basically. Would I just be better off buying a bolt in Autopower or should I get one made?

 

***Berg... you forgot to factor in the shop rental, insurance, utilities! ***


***Labor
20hrs @ $75/hr. $1500***

Ok Scott, please tell us all what your fully burdened rate is.

If John's $75.00 per hour rate don't carry burden this cost of cage is getting out of control.

 

Simple really... we just don't make as much per cage. I'm still doing it for the fun factor. If I was depending on it to put food on the table, I'd be raising my rates. Anyone priced liability (or "Errors & Ommisions) insurance lately?

David... Maybe "forgot to factor in" was not the right choice of words. How about "The customer forgets to factor in"

Not that it's really anyone's business but mine what I charge and why I charge it, but my formula is very much out in the open on my website, and I believe we've had this discussion before on IT.com

I might only have a one bay shop conveiniently located in my back yard, but I still have supplies and materials to buy, equipment to buy and maintain, utilities to pay for and "rent" for my shop space.

Now... back to pics of cages please.

 

I saw these pics over on the production board. Any opinons? Looks interesting, but I'm not sure how functional

 

Would have preferred to see the top rear support tube go the the top of the uni-chassis rail near suspension mount and then a tube going from that tube to the rear of the car similar to a stock car chassis. A small gusset or tube from the attachment point or rear tube to frame. keeps everything supported.

If this is your car, attach a plate under the bend of the tube and add a small tube or gusset to keep the bar from bend down under impact. small amount of work and cheap insurance.

 

This is not my car. My tubing showed up and I'll be starting the build soon. I was still looking at different pics for ideas, and came across these. I'm planning on going to the shock tower

 

contrary to popular opinion, the shock towers are not always the best place to attach the rear bars. I know I am setting my self up for flamage, but here it goes. 1st gens have a weak shock tower and it is designed that way because it is only supporting the top of the shock. Not the weight of the car. Better to support the top of the spring area because the frame will be beefed up from the factory. Or you can mount the plate on top of uni-body frame rails near the base of the shock towers. There is more material to help distribute the inertia from an impact.

If you are going to use coil overs now or in the future then by all means incorporate the design of the cage to the towers. Remember first and foremost, the cage design is for the safety of the occupant, not for holding the shock towers, that is a secondary plus.

Good luck, look forward to seeing your RX!

 

Thanks for the info. Hopefully I'll have pics soon.
Another question-
What gauge metal should I use for the gussets? Is there a minimum thickness?

 

I love roll cages. They let people know that they are true track cars.

 

driving fully cages vehicles on the street is fun my truck is fully caged (wheeling rig) my 7 is my DD and its soon to be fully caged with nascar style door bars and and it's still my daily ride to college.

 

I hope you plan on weaing a helmet everyday...

If someone hits you and you hit the cage... Easy way to die.