[Mk2] [Turbo] Thinking saftey, Who would be interested in a custom rollbar/half cage?

[^Trickster^]

I have been thinking alot about saftey lately as im sure alot people you do including the individuals pushing out alot of horsepower like myself, you start to feel the need for additional protection if the unthinkable should happen.

I am currently looking for seats, harnesses and a rollcage/bar of some sort.

I have found there is not that much choice out there for us, but also finding alot of people who are concerned as I am but dont want to trash the interior of their car which is what you have to do for the highest quality 6 point cages, this is ok for a track car, but not really for people like myself who are 90% on the road.

Cusco make a nice 4 point rollbar, however our cars arent not overly strong when impacted on the doors.

I am currently asking a few companies about putting a rollbar together like the cusco one, but with 2 options.

One option being to have door bars making it more 6 point but some people wont want the intrusiveness of these hence the option.

The other option would be a harness bar for those of use with aftermarker seats as obviously if your sticking with stock seats you wont want this.

I am hoping this will give us a range of options to suit us all and increase the safety of our old designed cars.

This is something that could take time, I am not in this to make money but I am very interested in looking after myself and my passenger as im sure alot of you are. I think if we got a few people we could get the cost down while keeping the quality high.

I have 2 very good friends who own fabrication shops, obviously the more we have, the better it would be, I have also contacted rogue to see if they would be interested in putting something together as there rollcage is really nice but far too intrusive for my road car.

Please give your opinions and if you would be interested we can start making a list of names.

Thanks

Graeme

[cantfindausername]

As discussed mate, I'm well up for one of these. Would have one in a flash!

[tarmac terrorist]

would be interested just worries me about the insurance side as most void your insurance with a roll cage fitted

[Wingers]

I'll register an interest in these too.
Of course (as always) it depends on timing and cost etc. but I've been toying with the idea of a rollbar.

I don't know how easy it would be but removable side bars could be a nice touch - fit them for trackdays etc. and take them out if you're just driving to work etc.

Wingers

[cantfindausername]

On the subject of insurance, maybe the club could renegotiate a deal with a provider as there are more and more high power cars being built, and more people thinking in terms of safety to match the power. Could be a monoploy for someone.

[^Trickster^]

What do insurers class as a rollcage tho? Convertible cars have roll bars.

We are not talking about a full cage, I ust want additional protection if i roll the car or in the instance of a side impact, but I guess its their interpretation of it.

I think with enough interest I could easily have something put together, Its only basic fabriation, but like most things its cheaper and the fabricators will prefer to make more than one.

Graeme

[cantfindausername]

I think simple fabrication, but deinately has to be done right. Will they have access to mandrel pipe bending machines?

Good point about the roll bars on Convertible cars too Could be worth a phone call to clarify what they class as a cage, and if a bar is different.

[travisfububarker]

I'd be really interested but there are a couple of things I'd have to check first before buying etc

- T-bar access?? would it allow removal of t-bars?
- Insurance issues....

Jonny

[cantfindausername]

The idea here is that its a half cage, so dones't incroach on the cabin as such, meaning that access to t-bars is unaffected.

[^Trickster^]

I have spoken to my friend today and he is going to measure up the car and get me a costing on making the roll bar with detachable door bars and harness bars.

The bar will be minimum of 45mm and will be mandrel bent and not welded, I will also make sure the door bars and harness bars designed with high strength bolt as I dont like the idea of them shearing in a crash, some of the roll cages I have looked at have tiny little bolts which dont look safe at all.

He also has a powder coating service and I would have them all powder coated black.

Edit - I should be able to get them powder coated in any colour, it may cost extra but ill find that out

They should not interfere with the T-Bars at all

Graeme

[cantfindausername]

Sounds perfect mate. Looking forward to the updates

[^Trickster^]

Well I am going to start a list of Interest so I can start to get a picture of who would be interested in what so I can get numbers to the guy, I will definitely be going ahead with the if the price is good.

If you have any comments feel free to jump in and add your name if interested.

EG Name - Roll Bar Only, Roll Bar/Door Bars, Roll Bar/Door Bars/Harness Bar - Colour

1)^Trickster^ Roll Bar/Door Bars/Harness Bar - Black

Graeme

[Wingers]

All sounds good to me.
I'll put my name down but let me know the price (or rough estimate) when you know and I'll confirm then. I'll also check wit my insurance company...

Cheers,

Wingers


1) ^Trickster^ - Roll Bar/Door Bars/Harness Bar - Black
2) Wingers - Roll Bar/Door Bars/Harness Bar - Black

[cantfindausername]

1) ^Trickster^ - Roll Bar/Door Bars/Harness Bar - Black
2) Wingers - Roll Bar/Door Bars/Harness Bar - Black
3) cantfindausername - Roll Bar/Door Bars/Harness Bar - Black

unsure on harness bar at the mo, but for estimates sake I'll leave it on there.

[^Trickster^]

Your not commited to buy obviously this is just so I have a guide to how many people would be interested assuming the price is right.

Im hoping to have a price for the roll bar, then individual prices to add the door bars and harness bar on.

I am just going to my mates house, he is stripping his car out for the track and is interested too so going to have a look and get some ideas.

Graeme

[paul_h]

http://www.jekylhyderacing.com/hyde/rollbar.htm

is that the sort of thing your thinking about? just to give people an idea?

[^Trickster^]

Yes thats pretty much how it will be!

I am going to email Jeff for some more pics of that, I really like the design.

Graeme

[^Trickster^]

I have given my mate all the pictures and told him what we want making basically, he is going to work out a rough price and then we will progress with actually building one in a car probably mine!

Then from that we can reproduce the rest.

We are not entirely sure how they will be fixed in yet, his idea is to have mounting plates installed on the car which the roll bar will be completely removable from. But we will see how it works out

He is having a structural engineer have a look at it as he is convinced slight alterations can make it stronger.

I am expecting a price of him the beggining of next week so I will report back then.

Graeme

[tarmac terrorist]

need mine to clear t/bar also would want door bars as well
will wait to here

[Jimbob]

There are a couple of points which would concern me.

1. How would this be fitted without requiring interior mods? Presumably it won't as it will need tying in at various points, which will in turn need welded base plates somewhere. There's no point have a big fat cage and bolts and them just tied into the existing chassis as its probably not thick enough. If you put a 12mm hole through the floor and attached a 2ft bar you could easily rip it out by hand.

2. A single bar down the door won't offer much protection, admittedly it will be more than a door on its own, but the design woud be much better in smaller tube with some triangulation. Can't change shape of a triangle without changing the length of one of the sides.

i.e.

http://www.nengun.com/cusco/roll-cage-s ... rome-molly

3. I would like to know that the cage had been designed by someone who understands crash dynamics. No disrespect to anyone involved in this design. I think if its FIA approved then its worth getting TBH.

Not knocking the principal of whats being attempted, just think to get any real benefit you need a decent weld/bolt in cage, otherwise its just a bit for show with some additionla protection.