gsxrfann

Looking for pics of t-top cars with roll cages in them that are still street able. Any help is greatly appreciated!! Thank you!!!

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

AlkyIROC

That's a roll bar, not a cage

gsxrfann

Is that nhra or ihra legal?

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Based on that last pic, I wouldn't wanna drive that on the street. Doubtful you could survive a rear end collision.

How far behind the seat back is the main hoop permitted to be per NHRA rules for a roll bar like that?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Yup, not finished... yet The seats are up a bit to high but they are factory. Its 99% street car.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

The rear bars are right above the rear springs. Had to do work on the pass side because of the false floor area.
Y wouldn't I survive a rearend collision?
Thats where the main hoop is supposed to go.

It was a legal S&W race cars kit at the time of install (other than the 2 bars I didn't put in yet).
The only two bars from the kit I haven't put in are the ones going to the trans tunnel from the main hoop..

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

It just looks like it would be easy enough to crack your skull on the main hoop. I'm quite a bit shorter, so doubt it would be as easy for me to hit my head on the top bar.

If I ever get to the point where I need a cage, it would be nice to keep the bars as far away from my head as possible! (while still meeting NHRA requirements of course)

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Thats the catch 22 with the street car. Unless you bolt the seats directly to the floor without its tracks and run the bar out of the roof, there isnt much room to pack a old fat ars like mine in this small car.

I was leaning forward in the pic, the angle throws things off but my helmet still is close to hiting the TTOPS.

My car should only run in the mid to low 10s. When I push it more down the road its all coming out to be redone in CM and prepare it for low 9 ETs

AlkyIROC

Other than how high you're sitting, the rest of the roll bar looks fine. That's the way they're supposed to be installed. There's no requirement as to where the rear tubes have to go. Anywhere from beside the shock mounts to the very back will work. The longer the rear tubes are, the more extra bracing it should have like a vertical support about half way up.

The downside is that a basic roll bar needs to use 1-3/4" tubing for all the main tubes. If you go straight to making a roll cage, the main tubes are only 1-5/8". Many of the secondary tubes are 1-1/2" or 1-1/4". All the tubes need to be a minimum of 0.118" wall thickness to pass a certification. That means buying 0.120" DOM or 0.134 ERW tubing. Inexpensive tubing is only 0.095" and although it looks and works the same, won't pass a chassis cert. If you're building a full cage then you expect to go fast enough that it will need a certification. Might as well build it properly the first time.

To solve the driver height to fit under the main hoop, my seat is mounted very low and it's tilted back. I sit in a reclined position. It's the only way to get that clearance when wearing a helmet. My seat is also mounted to a tubular framework that's welded directly to the cage. My seat and seatbelt mounts are not mounted to the floor.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Yeah, mine was just supposed to go mid/low 11s..
That all has changed over time. It will be redone properly, b4 the TT motor goes in..

novaderrik

what kind of a cage are you interested in? an NHRA/IHRA drag race cage will be a lot different than something like an SCCA road racing cage.

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

I don't see the bars inside the main hoop to the floor.

I believe the main hoop is suppose to be 3" above drivers head while wearing a helmet and seated properly.


TTOP350:

Was that a prefab kit? The main hoop doesn't look as wide as my S&W one, course could be I installed it where the rear seats are since I'm 6'4 and need all the room I can get it.

Do you have a pic of the side bar with the door shut from the inside? How close is it to your arm rest and cup holders?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I added to your post

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

TTOP350
your roll bar is fine for cars Running up to 9.99 (6 point is NHRA OK).

get the Battery into a sealed/vented Box.

and Dubble check to make sure with Helmet on. the main Hoop is not over 6" away from Helmet.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

My batt doesn't have a cutoff switch or anything.. yet This is a "street car"
It does still have a factory 92batt inplace.


The hoop is less than 6" away from my helmet, however, my helmet is above the main hoop. I don't think I could get it under the hoop even if I sit on the floor of the car.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

the battery needs to be in a sealed box if inside the car,with driver
(the one pic looks like it's Mt in the back)

dont know what to tell ya on the rollbar. im 6'4" and mine is at the top back of my helmet. im running Recaro Pofi seats with recaro seat brackets
ontop of GM low rails.. i think it's your TTop set up. they made your Rollbar a bit shorter to go under your Head liner.

i dont have T tops. but My seats are Tall. this shot show recaros on the right. and another Type of seat on the left.

the seats are down low and all the way Back. my back bar bows out back,and cups the back of my seats. with helmet on i still have 1" till i hit head liner.(they are set Low Low!) swing out side bars are not installed in this set of pics (made by S&W Race cars)

this shot ya sorta see how this rollbar go's past the upper widow seal before it starts it's bend.
non T Top car.

you can see how the cup the seats in this pic. (so i can sit all the way back)

no T Tops bar looks taller, maby 1" ? the tubes just touch the black plastic inside(see small rub mark from install on tube)

AlkyIROC

My pictures wouldn't help. Although I have t-tops, I have no interior so the main hoop is pushed up as high as it will go. Like I said, my seats are mounted low and reclined so that my helmet is low and below the main hoop.

Not a great shot. I'm coming up to the timeslip booth and I'm not wearing my helmet but you can get an idea just how low I sit when sitting in a race position. I'm 5'8". It looks like I'm sitting much lower than normal but it's also the way the fiberglass doors look.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

by the looks of it Alky.. you have a ton of room.

i still dred getting dirt on my floor mats (factry mats) still
my OD is still under 54.000 miles cant bring myself to Gut it yet

AlkyIROC

But again, here I am sitting up and leaning forward so I can see over the nose of the car. Yes, the mufflers do just clear.

niceroc

iTrader: (2)

that is really close to my head if i dont wear a helmet, i had to lower the drivers seat, you can see it if you look closely

gsxrfann

Not sure if I want to do this or not.....

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

it's easy. to lower your seats.Just get Fiero seat Rails. they will drop your seats almost 2" in the back and 1" in the front, and are Bolt in. no mods.

Spifz

Here is an option for T-top cars, although I'll be the first to call it 'not a cage'. It depends on what your goals are; mine were chassis ridgidity, out of the way of T-tops, and a legal 4-6 point roll bar to satisfy hill climb requirements and some other racing tech. reqs. The roof bars are welded in to the A pillar and T top sheet metal, and everything is fit tight up against the body. The main hoop is welded into the 'arm rest' metal braces in the back of the car as well as plates to the floor, and sheet metal across the roof area. Notice I don't have a main hoop diagonal, so I don't really have a legal roll bar by many organizations' standards. I have 2 door bars, a lower one that is just above the sill plate, and a removable diagonal bar (between the elbow and shoulder.) I haven't had any trouble at drag strips (car can go over 135) or road racing time trial events (EMRA.) Hill climbs tech. would likely fail this design for lacking a main hoop diagonal, and organizations that scrutinize rollover protection would likely have concerns with the roof bars being in at the tops instead of out at the edge. However, the 'cage' is out of the way, strengthens the car, and in my opinion, provides more protection than if it weren't there at all.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Thats pretty cool, not so much if you're a competitive drag racer, but theres other racing beyond quarter mile stuff. For all the other reasons you listed i think it's great. Im guessing you dont have a headliner in the car anymore? Got any pictures iwth the interior in it... or is there no interior anymore? I wouldnt be quite as worried about crackng my skull open from a rear end collision with that either.

watajob

iTrader: (29)

Us 'vert owners have to deal with this sh_it as slow as 13.49. At least a 4 pt bar for 11.00 - 13.49. I'm guessin' I'm gonna have to lose my rear seat. Though, there is no way I'm gonna' start hackin' up my tonneau/trunk lid.

daverr

iTrader: (1)

thisjustaintme

Old Car More StreetAble

New Car Not Streetable

Spifz

I don't have a headliner in the car, but originally planned on making one to cover the sheet metal between the roof bars, in the visor area, and behind the main hoop. All the other plastic goes in fine, and keeping the main hoop tighter to the sides of the car seemed to make it easier to modify the plastic that it passes through in that area, since you can cut in from the edge.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Whats going on with your rear suspension? Is it IRS?

Spifz

Still a solid rear axle, just with pushrod actuated shocks/springs:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabr...ion-model.html

basiccamaro

Evidently this system works (and the looks are waayyyy cool as well), but I have a hard time understanding how it works properly with the pushrod mounting ahead of the LCA mounting hole. It seems like it would rotate the axle around itself on both bump and rebound and torque/braking. Maybe the torque arm holds it in place, but it seems like that would be loading that the TA is not designed for. And it also seems like it would induce rear axle steering when only one wheel moves through suspension travel.

Troy Metcalf

just welded in 8 point rolecage/rolebar from Hawks in my 91 Camaro had car level on 4 jack stands got everything in driver's side door won't close. Is car junk or can it be adj

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

Honestly, I think what works for you is atypical. I at one point posted a similar thread and remember that you replied and stated that you were something like 5'8" where a lot of us are over 6' (I'm 6'4" and 260#).

I've considered mounting the main hoop way back (closer to the hatch than the t-tops) and up has high into the sail panel as I can get it as far out of the way for street use as possible. I would just lean the seat back as far as I could and still drive it to pass tech. This would also let me mount the door bars a little lower so I could get in without any crazy gymnastics.

What's in the battery? Is that an ignition box? Where is the battery?

I'm also 6'4, and I'm not sure I could get away with what you did. My Formula 350 was a hard top car and the first time I went to the track I jambed on my helmet pulling into the burnout box and found that I had my helmet stuck between the roof and the steering wheel I actually had to get out of the car to get it back off. I ended up cutting and welding the back of the seat rail supports so the bottom of the back of the seat was against the floor before I could wear a helmet in that car.

the 2 t-top cars I've had I've had the experience of going over a dip in an intersection and smaking my head into the t-tops...

Your setup looks sweet but it makes me cringe. I was in an accident where I got t-boned in one of these cars and smacked my head into the t-top bar causing a concussion. That setup would have screwed me up good.