WNeal

After a couple days of planning and discussing, Joe has begun fabricating the cage and test fitting certain parts.

Edit 4-1-09
Almost done
Just need to put in the right side door bars and some vertical supports on each side under the lower door bar and then complete all the welding and painting.

Changed the supports to the rear to be parralell with the car, better mirror view this way.


Door bars, will get the vertical supports down to the frame from the lower bar


One small extra support going into the dash bar


Another view


edit **************
3-24-09 Progress pics







Joe also fabricated a new wing support for James's car. Will look nice with the matching set







The main hoop will be a perfect fit and very well constructed.


The frame has been exposed at mid car and in the rear for the initial tie ins


I should have the car back in about 10 days so Danny can put the basic needs back together.
I am looking forward to it and will post more pics as it progresses.

Vette Ed

looks good so far!

68sixspeed

Are you sure that hoop bar is high enough? I think I'd be above that height.

gkmccready

I assumed it wasn't welded to the frame rails yet. :-) It's fairly common to cut out the floor to drop the hoop in so you can bring it all back up to get the main hoop as close to the roof as possible. I assume that's what's happening here since the main hoop should be as tight as possible. Doing it this way also means you can weld the tops easier...

ROBERT@SS

Be sure to leave room for the fuel tanks, don't let the diagonal pass through the bulkhead.

Good luck with the build!

fatbillybob

I really like the idea of going to the frame rails through the bulkhead. I did not do this because of 2 issues:

1) how can you access the top of the cage rollover hoop to weld the head tubes?

2) how where do you place the diagonals on the main hoop? It seems that every time I would go through tech there would be no way for tech to inspect this area for correctness. You would have pieces of diagonal, main hoop, and door bars going through the bulkhead to close up. What a pain. I think it is the best way if you can execute it.

WNeal

that is correct.
The plates still need to be added and it will be up tight againt the top when finally installed.
Going a bit slower than I thought but we want to make sure everything is considered first

ROBERT@SS

My main hoop and door bars pass through the bulkhead and I'm happy with how it turned out. I looked at a lot of different styles, and I chose this route because I thought it would be a bit safer than those that are on top of the bulkhead. The only real downside is the diag. hits a few inches higher than what I would consider to be optimum b/c the right tank won't fit with a diag. through the bulkhead. Don't ask me how I know.

About the top and bottom of the hoop. Everything is welded all the way around, we were actually able to get about 1.5" weld of the main hoop to the factory main hoop, and then the main hoop sits on a landing plate so it won't poke through the frame rail if I ever have to use it.

Its pretty frigin rigid, thats for sure.

Check your rulebook though and make sure your within spec. The last thing you want to do is have to cut attachment points to fit the rules.

Keep the pics coming.

WNeal

Thanks for the info.
Will keep pics as we get them.

MySR71

One other thing to think about with regards to the diagonal on the main roll hoop is where it crosses the "harness" bar. This may not be important to you, but putting harnesses and/or a seat back brace on the passenger's side can be extra challenging if the diagonal crosses the bar to which the harnesses attach in the "wrong" spot.

fatbillybob

Yes this is a big problem and one reason the method of going further back on the anchors to the frame rail behind the bulkhead is good. Problem is I am sure the diagonal will hit the gas tank when properly placed. So the behind the bulkhead method I think is a better method if part of your safety system will be a fuel cell in the spare tire area. Also the main hoop behind the bulkhead should also stiffen the chassis more because it will be in a location in addition to what the oem hoop and b piller are already doing vs. the typical install which really just duplicates the oem position. Structually the behind the bulkhead method is so much better. I think if you look at Lou G's car he was the first car I saw that way and that was a real piece of pro engineering. Also, if the tanks are out that makes a perfect place to put your airjacks.

WNeal

Added some pics in original post

sleeper02Z06

Looking great Bill! It's been a long time, hope to see you this year!

Joe

Datawiz

That car looks SLOW.

fatbillybob

I'm afraid that diagonal brace on the mainhoop would not pass tech anywhere. Are you sure that is going to fly????

RAFTRACER

His mainhoop diagonal brace is exactly as my car is done, and is exactly how Phoenix builds their cages.......So far has passed with the SCCA and NASA.

WNeal

Well,
I got better grass than you do !!!!

sleeper02Z06

Are you a cage installer with your own approved designs? You seem to question every single cage that someone has even when they all pass tech and protect people in accidents. I'm lost here....

Joe

rasrboy

Cage looks just fine to me, I've seen a ton of others out there just like it! Mine passed SCCA/NASA and was built by Phoenix and is the same as the pictures above.

Looking great Bill, Hope to see ya soon!

Aaron

Webz

Really coming along Bill!