Budget C5 Track Build
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 95
Likes: 1
From: Elk River, MN
More progress this weekend. Got the A-pillar bars added to the cage, as well as the windshield bar, dash bar, and the driver side door bars. Dad gutted the doors and made some cool brackets to relocate the power window motors so that they'll clear the cage bars that go into the door.
My nephew came to help out on Saturday morning, it's a little tough keeping him engaged since he's too young to be much help on the stuff we're doing now, but it's still fun having him around. He gets all fired up about racing, says that if I want, he'll "drive the car for me so I can get a trophy"
Needed more clearance on the pillar
Bending to fit the template
Test-fit with the upper bend
Tacked in, no base plates yet
Notch needs final fitting too
Other side done
Nice fit-up, this improves with the base plates installed
Windshield bar fitted
My nephew came to help out on Saturday morning, it's a little tough keeping him engaged since he's too young to be much help on the stuff we're doing now, but it's still fun having him around. He gets all fired up about racing, says that if I want, he'll "drive the car for me so I can get a trophy"
Needed more clearance on the pillar
Bending to fit the template
Test-fit with the upper bend
Tacked in, no base plates yet
Notch needs final fitting too
Other side done
Nice fit-up, this improves with the base plates installed
Windshield bar fitted
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 95
Likes: 1
From: Elk River, MN
Dusted off a 'nipple' from the weld that formed when a piece of slag fell out of the tip at the end of the weld 
Sa-weet.
Clearance notching for door bars
Door bar fitted to template
Test-fitted
Slight miscalculation in the upper clearance notch, but it'll work.
Cope fits perfect
Duplicating
Notice that there isn't an 'S' bend in the door bars. This series doesn't allow them on new builds, mainly because they weaken the bars significantly. I wanted to show here that it's possible to run the bars without an S-bend while still maintaining the OE door gasket. By stopping my clearance notches just shy of the gasket surface, I was able to run the bars out into the door without an S-bend. They're very strong and provide lots of room inside the car.
Cheating on the verticals, bars are 6" C-C, holesaw in the Bridgeport makes quick work of them.
Template for the lower verticals
Fitted!
Welded
More clearance needed now with the verticals installed. There's the slick window motor mount that dad made. We'll have a power feed and basic window switch on each door, so the power windows will be operable without any need for the door control modules
Fits good now
Sa-weet.
Clearance notching for door bars
Door bar fitted to template
Test-fitted
Slight miscalculation in the upper clearance notch, but it'll work.
Cope fits perfect
Duplicating
Notice that there isn't an 'S' bend in the door bars. This series doesn't allow them on new builds, mainly because they weaken the bars significantly. I wanted to show here that it's possible to run the bars without an S-bend while still maintaining the OE door gasket. By stopping my clearance notches just shy of the gasket surface, I was able to run the bars out into the door without an S-bend. They're very strong and provide lots of room inside the car.
Cheating on the verticals, bars are 6" C-C, holesaw in the Bridgeport makes quick work of them.
Template for the lower verticals
Fitted!
Welded
More clearance needed now with the verticals installed. There's the slick window motor mount that dad made. We'll have a power feed and basic window switch on each door, so the power windows will be operable without any need for the door control modules
Fits good now
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 95
Likes: 1
From: Elk River, MN
Dusted off a 'nipple' from the weld that formed when a piece of slag fell out of the tip at the end of the weld
Sa-weet.
Clearance notching for door bars
Door bar fitted to template
Test-fitted
Slight miscalculation in the upper clearance notch, but it'll work.
Cope fits perfect
Duplicating
Notice that there isn't an 'S' bend in the door bars. This series doesn't allow them on new builds, mainly because they weaken the bars significantly. I wanted to show here that it's possible to run the bars without an S-bend while still maintaining the OE door gasket. By stopping my clearance notches just shy of the gasket surface, I was able to run the bars out into the door without an S-bend. They're very strong and provide lots of room inside the car.
Cheating on the verticals, bars are 6" C-C, holesaw in the Bridgeport makes quick work of them.
Template for the lower verticals
Fitted!
Welded
More clearance needed now with the verticals installed. There's the slick window motor mount that dad made. We'll have a power feed and basic window switch on each door, so the power windows will be operable without any need for the door control modules
Fits good now
Sa-weet.
Clearance notching for door bars
Door bar fitted to template
Test-fitted
Slight miscalculation in the upper clearance notch, but it'll work.
Cope fits perfect
Duplicating
Notice that there isn't an 'S' bend in the door bars. This series doesn't allow them on new builds, mainly because they weaken the bars significantly. I wanted to show here that it's possible to run the bars without an S-bend while still maintaining the OE door gasket. By stopping my clearance notches just shy of the gasket surface, I was able to run the bars out into the door without an S-bend. They're very strong and provide lots of room inside the car.
Cheating on the verticals, bars are 6" C-C, holesaw in the Bridgeport makes quick work of them.
Template for the lower verticals
Fitted!
Welded
More clearance needed now with the verticals installed. There's the slick window motor mount that dad made. We'll have a power feed and basic window switch on each door, so the power windows will be operable without any need for the door control modules
Fits good now
