[DeTomaso] Rollbar Options

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/29/08 17 20 12, scottcouchman at yahoo.com writes:


> I'm planning to install a rollbar in my Pantera before the Open Road 
> Challenge in May.
> I've gone back and read all the 'rollbar' posts I could find in the 
> archives.
> I drive the car regularly (when it's running) and so I'm planning to install 
> a rollbar rather than a full cage.
> 
>>>Good idea--roll cages are miserable in Panteras if you're more than 5 foot 
7 or so.

> I plan to use dedicated seats for the 5point harness for Open Road Racing,
> but think I would prefer to use the stock seatbelts and seats on the street.
> 
>>>You're FAR more likely to be in an accident on the street, than on the 
track.   If you're going to go through the trouble to engineer a better solution, 
why not just keep it in place?   Or are you going all-out with a full-on 
racing seat that would just be unmanageable on a day-to-day basis?


> >I'd like to leave the rollbar in place, so that eliminates those bars that 
> mount in the seatbelt locations.
> Any suggestions/recommendations for sourcing a rollbar that mounts behind 
> the stock seatbelt locations?
> 
>>>I believe the Hall Pantera three-point bar mounts at the very rear of the 
inner rockers, and doesn't come anywhere near the seat belt plates.   In fact 
the only roll bar I can think of that does use those plates is the one from 
Larry Stock?

The Hall bar uses a third point that runs all the way forward to the end of 
the footbox.   Dennis Quella's bar is angled more steeply and the third point 
bar intersects the floor somewhat near the shift lever, on the passenger side.  
 Perhaps less obtrusive, but probably less effective too.


> Any recommendations for harness mounting locations? Thanks again for your 
> help!!
> 
>>>Ideally your bar would have one tube forming a hoop, running up along the 
sides and then along the roof at the top of the window, and a second tube 
running at the bottom of the window, which would be perfect for mounting the 
shoulder harnesses.

Precision Pro-Formance sells a three-point bar that is probably absolutely 
perfect for you.   It features the twin-tube design along the back, mounts at 
the back of the rocker panels, and is otherwise quite spiffy.   It is actually 
the back portion of their four-point roll bar, which has a single (removeable) 
leg that goes forward to the front of the floor.   You can remove that leg for 
day-to-day use and keep the rest of the bar in place.

http://precisionproformance.com/in4010.htm

If you install this, you should do whatever it takes to make the center of 
your rear interior panel removeable so you can gain access to the front of the 
engine without having to pull the interior panel (which in turn would require 
you to pull the roll bar).

Mike




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