1BAD98TA

iTrader: (11)

Hey guys, I have to point a 6 point cage in the car over the winter.. Last race of the season I ran a 7.50 1/8th and the offical at the track made a point to let me know if I came back next year any stronger I couldnt run it. My first question I am almost sure I have the answer already but I will ask anyway.. Is a 6 point what I have to have? Can I still race with a 4 point? If so, how fast can you go with the 4 point before getting tossed?

Second question is that I planned to do subframe connectors over the winter and that seems like it may be overkill to me with the roll bar.. Any opinions if the roll bar with stiffen up the car as much as subframe connectors or if having both is best?

buzz12586

iTrader: (17)

A 4 point isn't recognized by NHRA/IHRA. You need at least a 6 point and I would still do subframe connectors.

tektrans

iTrader: (23)

Subframes will definately help the structure and help the car leave straight and hard.
Buzz is right on the 4 point but I'm pretty sure NHRA recognizes a 5 point bar (no down tube on the passenger side).
If you are serious about racing and have a t top car, I'll tell you what my chassis guy told me. A 6 point-non-swingout roll bar with subframes is the best way to go.
If you must have swingouts then do a 6 point with swingouts.

1BAD98TA

iTrader: (11)

Thanks for the quick answers guys.. I guess now I just have to decide if I want to do this to this car.. It almost seems a shame to turn it into a race car (02 SOM WS6 w/75k miles).. Maybe selling this one and pickup up a high mileage 98 or a roller would be better.. Decisions Decisions......

buzz12586

iTrader: (17)

Simply adding a 5-6 point won't really make it a "race car". If you do the swingouts like tektrans recommended you can always take them out when you drive it on the street and just put them back in when you go to the track.

N2RACINGLS1's

iTrader: (2)

You need the subframe connectors on it anyway! This will help keep the ripples out of your rear quarter panels.

I would do what the other suggest with the 6 point roll bar with removable cross bar and down bars. Also a 5 point is all you need for your ET. I have a friend that has a 5 point and he runs in the 6's in the 1/8 mile and has passed tech at many tracks!

N2

1BAD98TA

iTrader: (11)

I realize its not a race car with only the cage.. But, upon making the decision to put a cage in it I will in my mind be making the decision to make it a race car.. My fiance says flat out NO cage with door bars, period.. We shall see though.. I bought the car to be a weekend toy and when I bought it I caught wind of a "street car shootout" they were having at the track. There were 5 events this year, I won 2 of those events, false started at one event, broke the rear end at one event, and no showed for one. I still ended up being the points champion for the year and took home the "East Coast Fastest Street Car" title for my class which is "Real Street".. it has an index of 7.50 and you have to run 160 treadwear or better street tires.. I have still managed a few 1.7X 60 foots on my 255-40-18 Hankook tires as well as several 7.5X passes anywhere from 93-94 mph.. I am SUPER happy with the car since so far I have only spent about 2100 on the it.. And over 400 of that I havent even got to use yet since I cant run my slicks at the track..

Are you talking about a 5 point style with one door bar, or the 5 point style that adds another crossbar on the main hoop?

N2RACINGLS1's

iTrader: (2)

As stated you need the subframe connectors now! This will help the car all the way around. The 5 point is just like a 6 point but as stated there is no down bar on the passenger side of the car!

Wolfe has a roll bar system that allows you to take out the cross bar on the main hoop allowing access to the rear seats. So you will have the best of both worlds it is even a bolt in roll bar. For the record a roll cage is not what you are talking about installing in your car. A roll cage is for a race car and a roll bar is for a street car. Not sure but I think you can run down to 6.50's with a 5 or 6 point roll bar.

N2

1BAD98TA

iTrader: (11)

Ok, I just have to make up my mind if I want to stay where I am and no roll bar, or if I want to go big which means adding the roll bar.. I wanted to at least make the car a head/cam car and wanted to spray more than a 100 shot so a roll bar is my only option I guess.. The subframes were already slated but with the thought of a roll bar I didnt know if they were still needed.. They are staying on the list

tim99ws6

iTrader: (31)

Removable cross bar on the main hoop is not Nhra legal.

N2RACINGLS1's

iTrader: (2)

That was a good catch Tim. I forgot to mention the removable cross bar is not NHRA legal. On the Wofle website it states that for the 5 or 6 point bolt in kit that if you choose the removable cross bar as an option it is not NHRA legal.

Thanks for pointing that out! Of course than again who uses the back seats on a F-body anyway!! Take them out and that will save you some of the weight of the roll bar.

N2

RARON455

iTrader: (35)

I have the wolf 6pt weld in kit in mine,, here is some advice, pay the extra for the notched tubes, it makes life so much better. The cage fit awesome. I have the cage and weld in subframe connectors, and the car is stiff, but thats a good thing. I drive mine on the street more than the track, I have the main bar solid, I removed the rear seat (which was one of the best mods becuase my T/A aint a taxi) You are at the point where if you want to run at the track you have to get serious about safety because they are. Cage it and get the swing out door bars. I leave mine out and put them in when I go to the track. best of both worlds.

TurboStangJON

iTrader: (27)

The portion of my factory subframe by my feet was cut all the way forward to the K-member, plated off, then has a piece of moly tubing welded to it which goes all the way to the back. Then, two rocker bars on each side come up through the floor board to the inner rocker of the car and that's what my 10 point sits on. Is it overkill? Depends on what you're doing with the car.

K9Kev

iTrader: (28)

Just my .02, but I tend to agree with your spouse. You have a nice WS6 there in a very desirable color.

You can find a roller 98-02 Camaro or even a T/A for pretty resonable prices and then, you can hack away at it without destroying your 'driver'.

Trust me... I've slaughtered 2 really decent rides and have since learned my lesson... I'll never do it again.

Find a cheap one and go nuts. It sounds like your interested in racing and it will only get WORSE !!! Lol....

Mike Morris

iTrader: (55)

I agree don't ruin that rare car. Get a lightweight hardtop Z28 and go from there.

BOLO

iTrader: (40)

+1...and especially "It sounds like your interested in racing and it will only get WORSE!!!" it so true indeed

TA1364

iTrader: (11)

Start with a nice car and it could be easier to end with a nice car.

vtec

iTrader: (1)

buy another roller and build that. imo.

tektrans

iTrader: (23)

I don't think a well designed roll bar will take away from the car at all, especially with removeable swing outs. Maybe I'm the wrong one to ask though.
My poor WS6.........Lol

I will say though that I put subframes in the car not even 2 months after I bought it new in '98 and the t tops never leaked.

1BAD98TA

iTrader: (11)

Ok, so just to make sure I understand correctly, the removable door bars are LEGAL.. Removeable crossbar on the main hoop is NOT LEGAL.. I wasnt going to do a removable crossbar so thats fine as long as I understand correctly. I think what I am going to do is stick with it for now, go ahead and put the roll bar in this winter so I can race next season and maybe at the end of the season I will removed the roll bar, take her back to stock, and keep all my parts for another F-Body... who knows..