Rollcage update (pics)
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '07
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Burning Brakes
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From: Salina Kansas
NHRA manual says the cage can be laid back or forward, they just get picky about the 30 degree back, downtube angle (30 degrees from vertical) in respect to the main hoop. This is from what I have read in their manual anyway. Don't have any real experience with tech at the tracks yet...
Last edited by CorvetteDave01; Apr 26, 2007 at 12:10 AM.
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Burning Brakes
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From: Salina Kansas
I did decide to go bolt in. I just finished drilling 3/8" holes in 8 3/16" steel plates (4 to weld to the frame with nuts welded to the backside and 4 to weld to the bottom of the four tubes of the main hoop and back downtubes). Bought 16 grade 8 3/8" bolts that I will use to bolt it down, so it should be pretty rigid.
I also have already welded in the standoff by the drivers foot for the swing out bar, so it will be solid. Kind of wished I had bolted it in too, but too late now...
I may get it in this weekend and will post some pics if I do, have to shorten the hoop and downtubes by 6/16" inches to get it to fit now, then I will bolt it up, tack it in, and then weld the plates up solid.
I also have already welded in the standoff by the drivers foot for the swing out bar, so it will be solid. Kind of wished I had bolted it in too, but too late now...
I may get it in this weekend and will post some pics if I do, have to shorten the hoop and downtubes by 6/16" inches to get it to fit now, then I will bolt it up, tack it in, and then weld the plates up solid.
Team Owner
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
NHRA manual says the cage can be laid back or forward, they just get picky about the 30 degree back, downtube angle (30 degrees from vertical) in respect to the main hoop. This is from what I have read in their manual anyway. Don't have any real experience with tech at the tracks yet...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
My seat is about 3+ inches lower than the stock seat.. I'm 5'11" and my head is below the top of the head rest part of the seat with the helmet on.. The seat position was chosen for multiple reasons..
1) I was sick of always hitting my head (with the helmet on at the hard top when getting out of the car
2) It made it easier to make the roll bar clear the soft top
Look at this pic how low my seat is.. The top of the seatinf surface is less than 2 inches from the floor..
1) I was sick of always hitting my head (with the helmet on at the hard top when getting out of the car
2) It made it easier to make the roll bar clear the soft top
Look at this pic how low my seat is.. The top of the seatinf surface is less than 2 inches from the floor..
Last edited by GrandSportC3; Apr 26, 2007 at 03:31 PM.
Melting Slicks
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Vision is good.. However if I'd be less than 5'8", vision would very limited.. My seat has no tracks. It is mounted fixed in place. If somebody else would drive the car, the seat would have to be mounted differently... I've made about 160 passes in that seat position and drove about 200 miles on the street with no issues...
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
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Burning Brakes
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From: Salina Kansas
That is a sturdy looking cage Olivier. I know what you mean about the seat height, I have been thinking about trying to cut mine down, maybe take the rails out or something.
BJ, nice cage as well. Very similar to mine.
BJ, nice cage as well. Very similar to mine.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
The guy that did mine has been building race cars since the late 60's.. He knows his stuff and he is very inexpensive. The lower seat height has many benefits....
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Burning Brakes
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From: Salina Kansas
OK, here it is mocked up. I have the plates with welded nuts (on the bottom side) under the hoop/brackets, hard to see them, but that is what the loose bolts are threaded into. Just need to take the bottom plates to the frame, pull out the hoop, weld up the bottom plates, then finish the top of the swing out bar and I'm done other than repaiting. No interior panel cutting modding required!
Guess I will have to fab up some access plates as well. I'm also going to make an L bracket to go over the OEM seat belt holes, so I can get some strength back into them, but still have the stock replacement seatbelts functional.
I was particularly happy about how tight the hoop is to the door and the ceiling.
Guess I will have to fab up some access plates as well. I'm also going to make an L bracket to go over the OEM seat belt holes, so I can get some strength back into them, but still have the stock replacement seatbelts functional.
I was particularly happy about how tight the hoop is to the door and the ceiling.