Opinions on Roll Cage

[2Slow4U]

I'm planning on using my 68 Camaro as a daily driver, but I will also use it for some track time. Nothing pro, just open track days for fun. What would be the optimal cage to use to help stiffen the frame and provide protection. I have the Globalwest subframe connectors. Thanks for the info.

Nick

[2Slow4U]

Anyone? 57 views...

[Travis B]

Probably a 4 point cage would be best...depends on how much street use it will see

[rob07002]

Yup go with a 4 point... and definatly get a custom one installed. Also don't bother with a swing-out, as I understand it, it won't do anything to stiffen the car and doesn't add any protection. A good 4 point and sfc will stiffen the car considerably and offer good rollover protection, plus you can always add the side bars and other points in the future if the cars purpose changes...

[nancejd]

Personally, I would build an NHRA legal bar at a minimum. To do that you are going to need a door bar, at least on the driver's side. NHRA will let you use a removable or swing away bar for that. I would bet that that adds nearly the same stiffness as a welded in bar (the member should be acting in tension and compression only anyway), but it will give you side impact protection at any rate.

[67SSDan]

I was thinking about this very same thing. Doesn't DSE have one? Does anyone know if it fits in real tight?

[Speed Raycer]

You could do 6 point SCCA style bar. Wouldn't pass NHRA tech as the doorbars would mount a little lower, but daily use would be easier, side impact protection would be better than swing outs.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Not the optimum design but with an additional tie in bar from the rear bend down to the hoop base, would be much better.

[2Slow4U]

Yup go with a 4 point... and definatly get a custom one installed. Also don't bother with a swing-out, as I understand it, it won't do anything to stiffen the car and doesn't add any protection. A good 4 point and sfc will stiffen the car considerably and offer good rollover protection, plus you can always add the side bars and other points in the future if the cars purpose changes...

By swing out, do you mean the cross bar right behind the seats or the angle bar for a side impact?

It seems like the DSE is more expensive than other cages I've seen. Any reason other than namesake? Is the quality that much better?

[PhillipM]

I haven't seen the DSE bar in person but I am sure that it is a better product than the other ones that are out there.

[rob07002]

By swing out, do you mean the cross bar right behind the seats or the angle bar for a side impact?

It seems like the DSE is more expensive than other cages I've seen. Any reason other than namesake? Is the quality that much better?

The angle bar on the drivers and passengers side... I'm no expert, just stating what I was told and believe since this is what my chassis guy told me and he builds 7 sec cars, and when I had mine done he talked me out of a swing out even though it would have meant more $$ in his pocket..

[2Slow4U]

4 point it is. The angle bars on Speed Raycers don't look like they'd be too much of a pain to get in and out. Thanks for the info guys.

[Speed Raycer]

If you copy the way the bar is bent in the pic, just make sure that you add a bar from the rear bend down to the hoop base to add some support to the bend and the bar. Adding a sill bar would be a good idea as well.

The owner of the cage pictured above didn't want to add the additional bars (college kid/$$$), but he did love the access that the bent bars gave him (6'6" IIRC).

[Orngcrush69]

I'm also looking... any feed back on the DSE for a 1st Gen Camaro? A little pricey...is it worth it?

[ProdigyCustoms]

Whoever told you the swing out door bar would do nothing, should not be building cages. If the swing out, pin in, bar did nothing, NHRA would not require them. Not only does a door bar help keep the cage from folding in a roll over, they offer a lot of additional side impact protection.

NOW, with all that said, our low 9 second street car has a 10 point cage in it, minus a couple points, the door bars. Why, because i HATE crawling over them, and my local track turns a blind eye for me.

I am doing pin in bars in all our cages now so the bar can be completely removed for street cruising. Also, that door bar will have to cross between the shoulder and the elbow, so as shown abouve, that won't fly for NHRA

As for the DSE bar, very nice, but triple the price of a S and W Race Cars bar, that fits very nice.

[2Slow4U]

Whoever told you the swing out door bar would do nothing, should not be building cages. If the swing out, pin in, bar did nothing, NHRA would not require them. Not only does a door bar help keep the cage from folding in a roll over, they offer a lot of additional side impact protection.

NOW, with all that said, our low 9 second street car has a 10 point cage in it, minus a couple points, the door bars. Why, because i HATE crawling over them, and my local track turns a blind eye for me.

I am doing pin in bars in all our cages now so the bar can be completely removed for street cruising. Also, that door bar will have to cross between the shoulder and the elbow, so as shown abouve, that won't fly for NHRA

As for the DSE bar, very nice, but triple the price of a S and W Race Cars bar, that fits very nice.


Where is your shop at? I'm in Orlando for now. I'm normally up in St. Augustine. I'm almost done with my suspension and brake mods. I was going to do motor and tranny next but I can't stand to watch it rust away.

Do you fabricate your own roll cages?


Nick

[ProdigyCustoms]

We are in Apopka. I am doing a S and W cage as we speak. Come on by. Were there 7 days a week right now including this Sunday and Monday.

four zero seven 832 1752

[rob07002]

Whoever told you the swing out door bar would do nothing, should not be building cages. If the swing out, pin in, bar did nothing, NHRA would not require them. Not only does a door bar help keep the cage from folding in a roll over, they offer a lot of additional side impact protection.

NOW, with all that said, our low 9 second street car has a 10 point cage in it, minus a couple points, the door bars. Why, because i HATE crawling over them, and my local track turns a blind eye for me.

I am doing pin in bars in all our cages now so the bar can be completely removed for street cruising. Also, that door bar will have to cross between the shoulder and the elbow, so as shown abouve, that won't fly for NHRA

As for the DSE bar, very nice, but triple the price of a S and W Race Cars bar, that fits very nice.


Frank I just saw this post. I'm just going by what I was told. Now maybe because I have a vert street car and wanted to have minimal interference and not have all this bar in the car with my goal being to stiffen the car and give me some protection thats why he said that. It think he was saying that for my app a swing out would not give me THAT much more chassis stiffness to justify more bar. I wanted as clean and functional as possible and didn't want it to look like a racecar.

I was always under the impression that it was not as good as a solid bar put did offer some benefits, kind of like bolt in SFC vs. welded ones.

Here is his website: http://www.wildridesracecars.com/

And this is what I had done:http://i6.tinypic.com/1zb3qj9.jpg
http://i6.tinypic.com/1zb3rxy.jpg
http://i6.tinypic.com/1zb3ww6.jpg

[Modo Innovations]

Whoever told you the swing out door bar would do nothing, should not be building cages. If the swing out, pin in, bar did nothing, NHRA would not require them. Not only does a door bar help keep the cage from folding in a roll over, they offer a lot of additional side impact protection.

NOW, with all that said, our low 9 second street car has a 10 point cage in it, minus a couple points, the door bars. Why, because i HATE crawling over them, and my local track turns a blind eye for me.

I am doing pin in bars in all our cages now so the bar can be completely removed for street cruising. Also, that door bar will have to cross between the shoulder and the elbow, so as shown abouve, that won't fly for NHRA

As for the DSE bar, very nice, but triple the price of a S and W Race Cars bar, that fits very nice.

Frank,
Can you post some pics of some of the bars that you have done in first gens? I am looking for a bar set up for my self and I am looking for something that fits really nice.
Thanks

[Sparky67]

Frank,
Can you post some pics of some of the bars that you have done in first gens? I am looking for a bar set up for my self and I am looking for something that fits really nice.
Thanks

If you are looking for something that fits really nice, then I suggest you stay away from S & W race car roll bars. I had a 10 point put in my 67 Camaro, when I was going to race back in 2000. S & W race car cages are designed from a kit. Building roll bar for a pro-touring car is different, because the main purpose of the car is to drive. Now if you want a race car look, and since it is cheaper then go with S & W race car cages. I never liked mine and that is why I eliminated it. Jason Huber has really cool cage in the Fuel. That to me is more of pro-touring cage.

Jeff

[ProBell]

Just thought I would through in my 2cents. I have a 67 Camaro. I had a custom bar built at the chassie shop. We Designed it to be user freindly for both the front and back seats. If you can find a good shop in your area you can get a bar that serves your wants and gives the car a custom look.The bar will not look like the car parked next to you. It was allso good for me to know that the welds were done right. I can weld put have never ben certified.If you want to see pictures of my cage let me know. I can post them from my home computer.
Randy

[Modo Innovations]

I would love to see some pics.

Thanks

[ProBell]

Here are some pictures of the cage in my car.We kept the cage as tight to the outer body as possible to make it much more user friendly.The cross bar in back of the front seats is removable to allow use of the back seats. One of my driving instructors made a interesting point about roll cages in street cars.
He said he does not feel you should put a cage in a street car unless you plan to where your helmet and full set of belts when you drive on the street.He felt it is more likely you will get a head injury from a small accident by hitting the bar before the bar will save you from the "BIG ONE". I believe in bars but thought it was a good point.

[Modo Innovations]

I think it looks good. I like the gussets. The middle bar in the front looks like it would take some getting used to. Thanks for showing these to us.

[Ron S]

Just finishing up the cage in my 68 camaro.I'm making it completley bolt in so I can blow the car back apart for interior.I started with a 10 point kit from S&W and modified it quite a bit to keep it tight to the body.The front bars are definitley the hardest to keep bolt in,as they weld to the dash,cowl and firewall.

[cagedruss]

Have the 6 point built for your car. You will be a lot happier in the end. Find a shop and check out their options for fitment. Use the Alston door bar kits https://www.cachassisworks.com (https://www.cachassisworks.com/iwwidb.pvx?;multi_item_submit). They even have for for the main hoop horizontal bar to gain access to the back seat. They are the only ones I use.

Build for NHRA 1 5/8"x.125" DOM. and do both door bars. Even with sub-frame connectors, we get better E.T.'s with 2 door bars, helps support and stiffen the chassis.

[datsbad]

Jason Huber has really cool cage in the Fuel. That to me is more of pro-touring cage.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff, That is exactly why we made or own. I wanted something that was completely friendly to everyday driving. I dont even notice it in there when I am driving.

I love it