Roll Cage Advice

[Goosesdad]

Project: 70 Camaro PT
Projected use: 70% street, 15% USCA, 10% local Autocross, 5% big track (Portland and Miller Motorsports Park)

I'm at the roll cage stage. My current plan is to closely mimic the roll cage DSE built for Tim McGilton. This can be seen in the Projects section of DSE's website. I'm not sure if it's cool to repost those pics here so I didn't.

http://www.detroitspeed.com/Projects/Tim-McGilton-1970-Camaro/Tim-McGilton-1970-Camaro-pg-1.html

I road with Tim at a Good Guys event and the door bar configuration supported my projected use percentages with mostly easy access combined with a level of safety that seemed to fit with my use of the car. Tim commented that the overall configuration provided significant chassis stiffness. As well, I like the A pillar down bar landing behind the dash instead of in front of it as is common with the cages that are commercially available. I appreciate that with my limited big track activity, a full cage is a stretch but I agree with Mr. Sutton, that if a car sees track time, it should be safe! Thank you Tim, appreciated your time and advice. As well, thanks to Ron for the time you've dedicated to the safety thread! Much appreciated.

Seems with my plan, I'm headed for a complete custom set up here. Alston appears to be able to provide the material bent per my specs so that might be an option. However, I've found a local shop here in Boise that appears to have the skills/tools to accomplish my goals. I've seen their work and the shop and have a high confidence level.

Built per above with 1.75", 0.120 wall DOM, all tig welded. Around $3000 complete.

Appreciate any advice on my design plans and thoughts on the price from my local shop.

Thanks in advance!

John

[72BBSwinger]

If you can't do it yourself, I recommend having the local shop do it to your specs. Having them there with the car you guys can get on the same page about your needs.

[Goosesdad]

Thanks . Yeah, could do the welding but don't have a bender or the experience on that end.

[bonebuster29]

I just installed a Chassisworks cage into my 69, much harder than I thought it was going to be but the final project turned out great! If you can weld and have the creative mind to get everything done correctly and look nice then I say do it yourself

[latoracing]

If you are able to weld, especially TIG weld, then having your own bender and tube notcher would save you well over half of your farmed out cage cost. I bought a JD Squared bender, with a 1.75" die (5.5" C/L Radius) and 100' of 1.75" x .120" DOM tube and did my own. If you can read a tape measure, some basic geometry, and a little bit of planning you'll be surprised at what you can make. I did a full cage (haven't installed the door bars yet though) and went just a little bit overboard.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/latoracing/media/IMG_20140408_200111_zpstvryeqok.jpg.html)

I like how you want to run the A pillar down bars behind the dash, I wanted the same thing

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/latoracing/media/IMG_20140410_180222_zpsd5tyizjs.jpg.html)

Everything on this was TIG welded, which makes for a neat appearance

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/latoracing/media/IMG_20140609_175943_zpsj4realju.jpg.html)

Take your time, and make it fit nice and tight to the body, instead of hanging out in mid air. I didn't want to see the halo bar from outside of the car, it is slam up against the roof structure.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/latoracing/media/IMG_20140705_112619_zpslq28ocbx.jpg.html)

I vote for a do it yourself build.

[Goosesdad]

Thanks guys, very much appreciate the advice. Definitely something to think about.

[Goosesdad]

Very much like your layout. Thanks a ton for the pictures.

[nokones]

If you want a good custom cage just for autocrossing to stiffen up the chassis and of course to be safe and SCCA legal, I would call Mike Maier, Inc. He has done second gen cages before. Please be careful that you take your car tyo someone that knows how to build a safe and legal cage. Some cages are more dangerous than having no cages.

Mike Maier, Inc. is in Livermore California

[Buryingthesun]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif


Those 'S' bends in your a-pillar down tubes are weak and can fold in an accident, you never want 2 bends in opposite directions

[Goosesdad]

Thanks !

[latoracing]

Those 'S' bends in your a-pillar down tubes are weak and can fold in an accident, you never want 2 bends in opposite directions

If you look at the bends they are not in opposite direction, but are turned 47 degrees from each other, funky picture angle.

[Buryingthesun]

If you look at the bends they are not in opposite direction, but are turned 47 degrees from each other, funky picture angle.

My mistake, I've just seen horrible things from bad cages. My friends wife is crippled from the waist down because of an improperly built cage. So I just wanted to put that info out there for people who don't know any better.

(not knocking on your work at all, Like you said its a funky picture angle)

[latoracing]

My mistake, I've just seen horrible things from bad cages. My friends wife is crippled from the waist down because of an improperly built cage. So I just wanted to put that info out there for people who don't know any better.

(not knocking on your work at all, Like you said its a funky picture angle)

No problem, made me do a double take. Constructive criticism can be a good thing, epically when it comes to safety.