bob442

hey guys, i'm wanting to put a roll cage in my f-body that i'm building, not that its going to be legal, or build to run at any specific time slot on the track, i would want to be safe in the event of a crash, roll over, or accident. i have a t-top car, 1996 firebird to be exact, and i want to put in a 10 point roll cage, but i want to have the bars follow through the middle of the roof only where the t-tops meet. idealy i want to be able to have my t-tops open and not hit my head on a huge steel bar, and enjoy having the neer open roof to its full potential, so if there any problems or veiws that anyone could point out for me? or if it would even be legal for the track. i'm just looking for pointers, ideas, tips, and legitamity of it, not critisism at this point.

Thanks in advance.
Bob

promod1955

iTrader: (44)

bob, the biggest thing of course with that would be it isn't legal for a 8.50 et. cage.

If you do go the route your talking about, the "6 point" part would have to be made of 1 3/4" tubing to be legal for you to run faster then 11.50.

If the biggest thing your worried about is safety, then having the roof bars toward the outside would be the safest. Wolfe racecraft makes a nice 10point cage that tucks in nice and should allow you plenty of headroom. At the same time having a roll cage in the car does also make it more dangerous if your head smacks a bar in a crash with no helmet on.

If it was me, and listening to what you want in a roll cage, I would just do a 6 point roll bar and be done with it. The top half of that cage wont be strong at all with just a single roof bar in the middle. I think you would be happy if you went that route instead.

bob442

Thanks Robbie, I plan on using the mail order kit that spohn offers, so thats the 1 3/4 tubing. I dont want just a single bar running through the middle, but 2 of them, kinda set up like a H pipe, i'm not sure how it would work for head room, but i'm most definetly not finishing the car before something goes in there for protection in the even of a roll over, I just know i'm building a death machine, i'll add that i plan on streching the cars capabilites on tracks not streets.

EDIT: heres a picture i finally found of what i'm thinking of, its just the top section i'm talking about.
http://1974bronco.com/plans/rollcage...mplete%204.JPG

chvypwr31

iTrader: (4)

to be honest putting the "halo" bars that close in the middle wont strengthen anything much, it would be pure asthetic, it will give you a little more protection but if you roll or anything all that will just taco. but if your set on doing it that way then any corners where it bends in the middle put a small piece of tubing to triangulate the bends. -tony-

sweetbmxrider

iTrader: (13)

what about making them removable like door bars?

chvypwr31

iTrader: (4)

good idea and just instead of using a hinge on one side just use the clasp on both ends. the only thing id worry about is the front runners being really wobbly when the top halo pieces are removed.

bob442

would the NHRA approve removable bars? that was a second though but i didnt think that would offer any strenght

chvypwr31

iTrader: (4)

they wont approve of removable halo bars but it will add strength.