6pt. Roll bar- make it easily removable?
08-08-2006, 07:31 PM
#1
Launching!
Thread Starter
6pt. Roll bar- make it easily removable? Hey, I'm getting a bolt-in 6 point Wolfe with swing out door bars. I want to be able to R & R the whole thing once a year. (Hate the idea of living with it all the time!)
IMO, Convertibles with the top down should make it easy enough to remove the entire bolt in roll bar for off-race season. (Bolt ins are NHRA legal)
I asked around including Wolfe themselves...but they said it is a PITA and you have to get under the car, they were not meant to be removed repeatedly.
MY IDEA: Drill the holes thru the floor, bolt it down, weld the plates on the bottom, (not the top) and then just tack-weld the nuts in place on the bottom. That way you just unscrew from the top, you don't have to get under the car again.
I figure I can lift it off with a rope and pulley from the garage rafters. I would make custom carpeted covers for the floor anchor areas.
Anyhow it should be here in a week so I wanted to get any advice/ experience ahead of time???
Thanks Ram.
IMO, Convertibles with the top down should make it easy enough to remove the entire bolt in roll bar for off-race season. (Bolt ins are NHRA legal)
I asked around including Wolfe themselves...but they said it is a PITA and you have to get under the car, they were not meant to be removed repeatedly.
MY IDEA: Drill the holes thru the floor, bolt it down, weld the plates on the bottom, (not the top) and then just tack-weld the nuts in place on the bottom. That way you just unscrew from the top, you don't have to get under the car again.
I figure I can lift it off with a rope and pulley from the garage rafters. I would make custom carpeted covers for the floor anchor areas.
Anyhow it should be here in a week so I wanted to get any advice/ experience ahead of time???
Thanks Ram.
Last edited by rambo benson; 08-08-2006 at 07:34 PM. Reason: oops
08-08-2006, 10:08 PM
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If your idea works out, I think you may have me leaning towards a 6-point. Please keep the information flowing on your progress. I would love to see some pics of the finished product, and also your opinion on the ease of installation/removal of the 6-point cage.
Nice idea...
Nice idea...
02-04-2007, 04:42 AM
#5
Launching!
Thread Starter
Back at it! Sorry it's been a while! 99S'Vert, good idea...maybe Wolfe's nuts are already stainless - but I will certainly make sure before welding them down!
My buddy just finished putting the cage in. But, I can't see it or take pictures yet as I'm overseas right now.
I don't think my he agrees with this R&R idea - rightfully concerned old school dude feels I need safety on the road as well as the track- don't blame him but I'm not a street racer.
He already glued the carpet back down over the plates. The idea was to make removable carpet covers somehow. I don't want to bother him, so, that be my job!
It's OK....I will cut small holes in the carpet for the bolt heads. Then cut the carpet a couple inches wider all around the bar's square plates. Then go ahead and glue the square of carpet completely to the tops of the roll bar plates.
So, a square of carpet is always stuck to the plates.
Next, I'll sew on velcro along the outer edges of the carpet squares -and double glue velcro to the floor around the perimeter of the plates. ( The adhesive on velcro is never good enough you know! )
Also I'll Velcro around the floor carpet "window" edges (carpet hole around the plates) to the floor - so the matching carpet level is the same and it stays put. This way I can always move the floor carpet "window" a little to match up the seam to the squares..
Probably just Paint the exposed bolt tops or just use some grey plastic nut covers to match the carpet.
A lot of us can't race half the year anyway, so if it's easy enough - get that sucker out of the way for 6 months! (Oh yeah, Hard tops won't have this option...heheheh!)
I'll get some pictures when I get home and get this rolling.... Sorry for the wait!
Ram
My buddy just finished putting the cage in. But, I can't see it or take pictures yet as I'm overseas right now.
I don't think my he agrees with this R&R idea - rightfully concerned old school dude feels I need safety on the road as well as the track- don't blame him but I'm not a street racer.
He already glued the carpet back down over the plates. The idea was to make removable carpet covers somehow. I don't want to bother him, so, that be my job!
It's OK....I will cut small holes in the carpet for the bolt heads. Then cut the carpet a couple inches wider all around the bar's square plates. Then go ahead and glue the square of carpet completely to the tops of the roll bar plates.
So, a square of carpet is always stuck to the plates.
Next, I'll sew on velcro along the outer edges of the carpet squares -and double glue velcro to the floor around the perimeter of the plates. ( The adhesive on velcro is never good enough you know! )
Also I'll Velcro around the floor carpet "window" edges (carpet hole around the plates) to the floor - so the matching carpet level is the same and it stays put. This way I can always move the floor carpet "window" a little to match up the seam to the squares..
Probably just Paint the exposed bolt tops or just use some grey plastic nut covers to match the carpet.
A lot of us can't race half the year anyway, so if it's easy enough - get that sucker out of the way for 6 months! (Oh yeah, Hard tops won't have this option...heheheh!)
I'll get some pictures when I get home and get this rolling.... Sorry for the wait!
Ram
Last edited by rambo benson; 02-04-2007 at 05:07 AM. Reason: condensing...
02-08-2007, 02:35 PM
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I had the same idea for mine. I hate the idea that I spent a grand on the toneau cover and if I install a bar I won't be able to use it. A local guy has offered to do much the same thing you are discribing for my set up. It just becomes a matter of time and money at this point.
That being said, PICTS
That being said, PICTS
02-09-2007, 08:55 PM
#7
Launching!
Thread Starter
ANOTHER way to do it.... Thanks. howierd42, I really want a T cover like your's. Now that my rear seat is not usable...but, time and money though like you said!
Pictures...give me a few weeks...gotta get back home and set it up!
Another guy a couple years ago did another setup you guys might be interested in. I think it was on CamaroZ28.com ?
Here is what I THINK he did...
First cut off the floor plates real close. Then he got some stainless steel tubing that fits perfectly inside the roll bar tubing. Using this, he made 6 little 1 1/2" high tubes and welded them to the floor plates at the original tube locations. Next he somehow made rounded "dome "shaped tops for the little tubes. He finished them off beautifully, just shiny steel little perfect domes. Total height now maybe 2.25"?
Then he inserted the floor plate domed tubes into the roll bar tubes in correct positions and drilled a single hole through the assembly. Then he put "Hood Latch" type pins in the holes, holding it all together.
Finally he put the whole thing back in the car and welded the plates down. To remove, just pop out 6 pins. You only have the shiny domes peeking up out of the carpet.
I think the domes are there to help guide the cage into position when you install it each time, and they look OK sticking out of the carpet and if you bump them with your foot it feels better than a pipe!!!
But I dont think it is NHRA legal...maybe OK for road racing!
My R&R idea : We will need to get some replacement carpet squares to velcro down where the plates come out. And it's 24 bolts instead of 6 pins...but it's NHRA LEGAL.
Maybe somebody can find that thread, if they are interested... he even had pictures...gotta go!
Ram
Pictures...give me a few weeks...gotta get back home and set it up!
Another guy a couple years ago did another setup you guys might be interested in. I think it was on CamaroZ28.com ?
Here is what I THINK he did...
First cut off the floor plates real close. Then he got some stainless steel tubing that fits perfectly inside the roll bar tubing. Using this, he made 6 little 1 1/2" high tubes and welded them to the floor plates at the original tube locations. Next he somehow made rounded "dome "shaped tops for the little tubes. He finished them off beautifully, just shiny steel little perfect domes. Total height now maybe 2.25"?
Then he inserted the floor plate domed tubes into the roll bar tubes in correct positions and drilled a single hole through the assembly. Then he put "Hood Latch" type pins in the holes, holding it all together.
Finally he put the whole thing back in the car and welded the plates down. To remove, just pop out 6 pins. You only have the shiny domes peeking up out of the carpet.
I think the domes are there to help guide the cage into position when you install it each time, and they look OK sticking out of the carpet and if you bump them with your foot it feels better than a pipe!!!
But I dont think it is NHRA legal...maybe OK for road racing!
My R&R idea : We will need to get some replacement carpet squares to velcro down where the plates come out. And it's 24 bolts instead of 6 pins...but it's NHRA LEGAL.
Maybe somebody can find that thread, if they are interested... he even had pictures...gotta go!
Ram
Last edited by rambo benson; 02-09-2007 at 09:07 PM. Reason: refinement
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03-26-2007, 09:11 PM
#8
Launching!
Thread Starter
Sorry for the wait, if anyone is still around.
Well my First time living with a roll bar. When the top is down, I don't even notice it...that was a real big concern. And it makes no wind noise. Also, the swing out bars are really not bad at all, plus they come right out if you want. (I took them out and capped them off till racing season hits)
So it's no big deal now.
I'm looking at all the glued down carpet my friend did, (He said it was lots of little pieces but you can't tell) and I'm thinking....I better leave it in for now... It could be a real mess pulling it up and finding the right places to cut it and all.
Got my hands full with our 402 build still anyway...(one problem after another). . Now If someone were to start from scratch to make the bar easily removable, it would be easier.
So, now I wish I welded it in! By the way, it makes almost no more noise than without the rollbar. Just a deep slight rumble, nothing bad at all. maybe cuz it's bolt in?
Peace out!
Ram
Well my First time living with a roll bar. When the top is down, I don't even notice it...that was a real big concern. And it makes no wind noise. Also, the swing out bars are really not bad at all, plus they come right out if you want. (I took them out and capped them off till racing season hits)
So it's no big deal now.
I'm looking at all the glued down carpet my friend did, (He said it was lots of little pieces but you can't tell) and I'm thinking....I better leave it in for now... It could be a real mess pulling it up and finding the right places to cut it and all.
Got my hands full with our 402 build still anyway...(one problem after another). . Now If someone were to start from scratch to make the bar easily removable, it would be easier.
So, now I wish I welded it in! By the way, it makes almost no more noise than without the rollbar. Just a deep slight rumble, nothing bad at all. maybe cuz it's bolt in?
Peace out!
Ram
