[DeTomaso] roll cage or roll bar

[Mad Dog Antenucci]

Agree the vendor bolt in cage you describe is a huge compromise.  Dick Drenske build a custom bolt-in cage for my Pantera which is a big improvement over what I had before.  Although he has built several cages and probably a dozen or more 3-point roll bars you would have to check with Dick if he is still interested in doing any more. He is not on the List but is copied in this email.

The biggest advantage to Dick's custom bolt in roll cage over what I bought from a vendor was it has tighter tolerances and he moved the front 'horizontal-bar 4 inches farther away from my head and helmet. The entire cage unbolts in about an hour and the side door bars unbolt in less then 5 minutes. Again, its a compromise but at least one you can unbolt when you don't need it.

My Pantera is not a race car but  I still needed the cage and fire suppression, etc to pass /Unlimited Tech division rules to run the faster 180 + speeds in open road racing.  If I was only planning to run ONE open road race at speeds below 165 Mph I would still go with a bolt in cage because as uncomfortable as it may be while you are in the car you can take it out when you don't 
need it. ;-)

I also agree the better compromise for a street driven Pantera is a custom 3-point roll bar.  If you are taller then 5'10" you really need all the compromises you can live with in a non-full-race pantera.....and even then if your  average height ou should consider adding the dropped floor pans or a 3-way U cut under the seats that will give you an additional 2-3" inches. And bolting seats directly to floor adds an additional inch or so.

But the *BEST* compromise I have seen is the one installation  that is a roll bar mounted in the engine bay OUT of the cockpit then you really don't need to ever worry about any cockpit compromises other then the ones you might have already getting in the car. ;-) 

Might be someoneon this List.....I doubt it but its possible 

 
Mad Dawg Antenucci 
Team Pantera Racing 
The 1st & still the only vintage race team in open road racing 
www.teampanteraracing.com




________________________________
From: "MikeLDrew at aol.com" <MikeLDrew at aol.com>
To: boyd411 at gmail.com; detomaso at realbig.com
Sent: Sun, December 20, 2009 4:04:31 PM
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] roll cage or roll bar


In a message dated 12/20/09 14 56 6, boyd411 at gmail.com writes:


> I am thinking about adding a roll cage or roll bar. I don't want to pull 
> my
> engine and transmission to install a complete roll cage. Does anyone have 
> a
> recommendation for a ready made roll cage that is relatively easy to 
> install
> and does a decent job.
> 

The only bolt-in roll cage out there is the one made for Hall Pantera and 
Precision Proformance.   I *hate* it with unbridled passion.   It is filled 
with compromises to make it a bolt-in affair (at least, I assume that's the 
source of the compromises), and is exceptionally intrusive.   Instead of 
being as close as possible to the corners of the roof and the A-pillars, it is 
inset several inches, and as a result, it's virtually impossible for a 
normal-sized driver (and more acutely, passenger) to be in the car without 
constantly hitting your head on the bar that runs along the roof, front-to-back.  
In the two or three cars I've sat in that have this cage, it's imposslble for 
me to sit in the car wearing a helmet without cocking my head to one side 
(on the driver's side).   On the passenger side, I can't even sit in the car 
without a helmet without leaning my head towards the center of the car.

I am by no means huge--I'm six feet tall.

While a cage is a noble ambition, I feel it needs to be designed and 
installed properly if it's going to be done at all.   This will mean 
compromises--hacking up the dashboard for starters.   But in the end it will be at least 
marginally tolorable to live with.   You will just have to find a local race 
car fabricator, and prepare to pay big bucks--or seek another alternative, 
as I have.

I have a custom-bent three-point roll bar in my parts room which I have yet 
to install in my car, but it's on the project list.   I will keep the hoop 
installed at all times, and only install the third leg for track events.  
It was designed to be as unobtrusive as possible, for both driver and 
passenger.   It remains to be seen if this was successful or not....

Mike
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