[DeTomaso] roll cage or roll bar

[Julian Kift]

> 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. 


I picked up one of the Byers versions cheap that a guy didn't install, presumably for the reasons quoted above. What I am in the process of doing is fabricating some longer chrome moly slip tubes where its bolts together and by doing so I can push the front uprights and cross bar forward a good couple inches.

 

 
> 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....


In my experience (having been a passenger) the third leg does not bode well for carrying a passenger, although some of that has to do with the combination of seat and roll bar. Which in itslef is another valid point, seat style and dropped floor pans all add to the available space and head proximity to the roll cage.  IMO the removeable aspect of the third leg is a good compromise for for a street car used for occasional track events. However, the rollover weak point is at the windhsield roof line (search out some photo's of Art Stephen's old car) and a cage does offer a much higher degree of safety, whether a fixed (weld in) or bolt in system. The general rule of thumb for SCCA is if you can draw a line from the roll hoop to the top of the front fender and your head (helmet) crosses that line then you do not have sufficent protection for rollover. You can posibly achieve that with a hoop by dropping the floor pans.

 

Julian

 		 	   		  
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