Screamin Z

Looking for some info from the forum on who they would recommend for cage installs. And anything to watch for.

Preferably for a C6Z.

braknl8

If you wouldn't mind a trek to GA, BJ Fisher at Genesis One would be hard to beat.

96CollectorSport

I've worked on cars and had to do NASA Annual tech inspections on cars with cages from Performance AFX, DRM, Blackdog, Carriage House Customs and Phoenix.

I will say that before you have a cage built do what you can to see what's out there and who did the work - get a good look at the welds and how they route the bars, especially around the drivers area, if you have a chance, climb in and out of the car to see how easy it is to get in and out of the car, both with the door open and closed - helmet on!

I've found that some cages have door bars that are below the window line and with the door closed there is no way for you to even get a helmet out of the window opening, much less your whole body.

Most cage builders will work with you and fit a cage to your needs, however before making a request make sure that the cage will pass a NASA/SCCA tech inspection - number of bends is a big one the keep an eye on.

With all that being said I would look between Blackdog and DRM - I was impressed by there cages the most.

JohnAlley

I second the window area concern. My cage was already in my car when I bought it and my helmet will just barely make it out the window opening and it takes a 18 year old gymnast to do it ( which I am not). Corvette windows opening are small to start with and if you don't give maximum clearance in the window area it is a real problem to exit out the window. By all means if possible check out various cage builders work to see which one you can best work with.

The cage is the most important part of your race car, don't cut corners on it. It will be the one thing that will save your life one day. I recently had a major impact on my passenger side door and the cage kept the other car out of my lap. Major damage to car that is fixable and just minor damage to me. Don't track a car without a cage unless in a VERY controlled program.

RapidC84B

My cage was done by Autodynamix in Ashland, VA. Roomiest C5 cage possible. I took them a 10 page document full of pictures of different cages and told them to make it as spacious as possible. They exceeded my expectations which is very hard to do. I delivered the car with the roof off and the OEM b-pillar removed. I now have the roof bolted on. Been great w/o any issues for over 3 years now.

briannutter1

Check out Mark McMahan (rollcageguy.com) in Ohio. That's his full time job and he's popular enough that he's busy all year long. He'll build to any level you need and he builds for the best including o.e. Rather than a full cage with nascar bars and diagonal for my ECTA standing mile and Optima street car, I asked for an odd combination of a 6 point with swing out doorbars. On this one, keeping the interior intact and door panels in place AND the front of the sidebar going as high as possible on the A pillar for structural rigidity without dash contact. Accomplished in Aces...even to the point of leaving access to the hood release and no contact with the speaker grill and runs by my containment seat no problem. No contact with my arm and I can pull the sidebar out when I'm driving on the street with push pins in less than 1 minute. I pulled the dash and carpet out to inspect and the boxing was perfect...no gaps and no shortcuts. Did an excellent job with the rear braces through the floor and molded it back in beautifully. The mainhoop is 1/8th" away from the interior in all places...which is accomplished with a variety of proprietary tools he designed. Beautifully Tig welded and a wide variety of materials and gauges offered. Wish I had more pics, but this gives you an idea of how my doorbar works.

Hi Volts Z06

Phoenix has probably built more cages for Corvettes than just about anyone. I recall seeing a stat a few years ago that 28 of 32 T-1 cars starting the SCCA Nationals were built by Phoenix. That was enough for me and I can say that I found the design, fit and finish of their work impeccable. If you send them a stripped down car they are pretty competitive.

RapidC84B

Phoenix quoted me double what I paid and that was me bringing them a gutted car with the roof off and b-pillar cut out... that was before any paint work! But they do great work.... as does Piper in Northern Virginia, but also very expensive.

Hi Volts Z06

It's hard to argue price when you're on your roof at 150mph....or at least that was my feeling! It's like buying a cheap helmet or knock off HANS device. If you want to skimp on your intake manifold....that's one thing but I'd never bargain hunt on something like a cage.

0Randy@DRM

This is one for use of side windows




Here is one for wheel to wheel racing. Side windows do not apply

96CollectorSport

It's true that Phoenix has done a ton of cages over the years but they also have rather A-pillar bars which makes getting in and out of the car much more difficult. In the case of some of the C5 T1 cages I've seen it's impossible to get a helmet in or out of the car with the door closed. That is something that I'm sure could be tweaked if you requested so.

This is what makes threads like this a good thing, feedback from others who have been there and done that so you don't have the same issues as others.

BTW, Randy the cage in that black car looks awfully familiar!

RapidC84B

Does it look like I skimped on my cage? It's built exactly to my specifications so my 6'4" 270 pound self can fit in the car and get in/out in under 10 seconds to pass the NASA comp licensing rules. There's a difference between paying less than you have to and skimping. I do would never "skimp" on a roll cage.

Hi Volts Z06

I was making a statement in general .......not addressing your particular post so no offense intended. Your cage looks good. I think you a few more bars as well. I do have to comment that my Phoenix cage hugs the roofline tighter (above the drivers door).

RapidC84B

It's deceiving because I trimmed my roof... there's no factory drip rail and the edge is trimmed. I can assure you my cage has more room than any Phoenix cage; than any other C5 cage made. I can't even get in my buddy's old T1 car. Most of the Phoenix cages have the top door/roof bar pretty low. The only way to get in higher than my car is to put it inside the roof line where it's right next to your head.

Here's your typical phoenix cage. Note the a-pillar bar in relation to the car's windshield a-pillar and note the meat on the edge of the upper window opening on the roof where the weather strip channel and molding would mount.



Now note that my a-pillar goes outside of the windshield frame and is higher. Also, my OEM halo is gone so the main hoop is higher than a Phoenix cage. Additionally my roof edge is trimmed (removed the chunk the weather strip etc. mounts to) so the actual window opening is larger.




Additionally not sure where I could use any more bars. The only bar I omitted was between the A-pillar and side bars, but that was a decision made so I could get in/out of the car at 6' 4". With that bar added I couldn't get in/out, let alone get out in an emergency.

Hi Volts Z06

I can see what you mean about the mods to the roofline....that certainly was why the picture looked deceiving. I wasn't suggesting you had omitted any bars..... I was commenting that you have additional bars from the halo to the main hoop.

RapidC84B

10-4... I misread. Phoenix makes a fantastic cage. Not putting them down in any way shape or form. Many of the pics I sent to my builder were of their work. Being tall I had to think "outside the box" a little and build mine from scratch with the roof off and OEM halo bar removed.

Screamin Z

John. Saw your car at autobahn. Thank goodness there wasn't a passenger along for a ride. Hope you can get it fixed.

I'm 6'2" currently right now I have to have the seat leaned back a little bit so I can clear the headliner. Would you think I'd have issues with the bar by my head? I've seen some good cages like DRM and some that looked like a homemade patch job. Scary

RapidC84B

Get a Hardbar (I think MTI makes a similar one) seat rail and a Kirkey/Ultrashield seat you can put on the floor. You can actually cut the top layer out of the floor to get another 1/2" of headroom. Cut out the OEM halo and let the main hoop replace it.




Given that you have a C6Z with an aluminum frame you'll need someone who knows how to bond steel plates to the frame.

0BlackdogSpeedShop

Thanks for the kind words guys. We've built a plethora of Corvette roll cages to suit many different series specifications and custom applications. Here are a few photos of one of our cars built to exceed SCCA World Challenge specifications: