I am thinking of installing a roll bar in my 80, and was wondering if there is an affordable kit that someone could suggest?? Also, how hard is it to install one? I would really prefer a bolt-in style if that's possible. I see some 8-point kits on eBay for around $200, but I'm not sure if they are good kits or not. Anyone?

Deja

 

 

http://www.vetteworksonline.com/corv...bar_series.htm

Take a look at this place.

 

You have to be realistic. The pipe cost $200. The man hours of welding,,,,,,,,,,,,, all add up

 

Ummm....I'm not quite sure what you're getting at....or why I am being UNrealistic. (scratching head). But anyways....I was referring to a kit like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Roll-...item3c9e8dc033 and I wasn't sure if they are good or bad....easy to install or a royal PITA.

Deja

PS.....and with a name like "Broke Dick Racing".....it BETTER be good!!

 

I've seen those before. VERY sharp....but DANG!!!....$475????!! By a-hole aches just thinking of that!!

Deja

 

Waste of money unless you are ***** out racing or broke your dick racing....

i'ts a thing with for it to work worth a damn you need have a fixed bar going from near the top of the hoop down forward to a point near the door hinges, and that makes it a super PIA to get in/out of the car, not very streetable....without that slanted bar you get no real frame stiffness improvements....

 

The shark bars that Dan sells are in no way "roll bars" and will not protect you in a crash. They mount to the body, not the frame and are designed for mounting a harness or camera.

 

Realistic is:

The pipe kits cost $200 - $1000

The man hours to tear out the interior, cut holes through the body, and weld the pipes in $500 or what ever.

The cost to re upholster the interior < $500

So if you don't have the money or the expertise, don't buy that kit. It kind of looked like showing flat plates. You would have to weld up a pedestal to bolt it to

 

You're best bet is to have a shop who is known for welding and race car fabrications to make a roll bar or cage for you. It will cost prob $1000-$2000 but will be custom fit to your car and made to your standards. You can have swing arms so you can get in and out of your car better. C3s are tight in the interior so I wouldnt waste my time or money on one of those kits. just my OP.

 

I have that kit for my 69. It is a roll Bar and support tubes. All are rough cut. What you get is a roll bar that is bent to fit in you vehicle and then YOU cut and weld to fit. If you are handy at welding a fabricating. the price is ok. If not have a experienced shop do the work!

 

Pass.

 

I installed one of these or one that is close to it in my 80'. I was replaceing the Body mounts at the same time so I had the body about 4" off the frame. The Kit comes with the Bar cut Long so you need to cut it to fit. I intended to leave my Interior in place so I had to cut it to short enough to clear the Birdcage covers. Once it was fitted I had the 4" to weld it to the Frame. Then I lowered the body down and yes the careful measuring payed off it just touchs the Birdcage Covers. As mine is a street car and I didn't want to listen to road noise I fiberglassed the holes back up around the Bar. I have exspected the fiberglass to break loose from the bar and make a terible rubbing noise but that hasn't hapened yet. I have Poly Body Mounts. I have autocrossed the car. After all my triming the Crossbar is a bit low for Seatbelts and You can no longer open the Cargo Battery Doors. I need to move the Bar up. Its that easy.

 

Wow! Sounds like more work that what I had envisioned. Do you have any photos?? Love to see 'em!

Deja

 

I use this type of a bar in my car…

http://www.autopowerindustries.com/rollbars.asp

This one is SCCA legal and will allow me to run in those type events. Not sure if it will be “Drag Race” legal. But I don’t plan to run the car that way.

 

Bought my 4pt rollbar from Jegs. All bars come individual & extra long,they are then cut & fitted to the car.

Cost is not much if you can do the work yourself. When you depend on hiring out the work, the more labor (ie. interior removal) the higher the cost which can quickly add up.

If you intend to race, see what the requirements are and if you really need the rollbar/cage.

 

They have had their kit on the market in weld together and bolt together for 30 years and it is SCCA approved in apparently both styles. My father bought the Jeg's kit and it just looks like it sucks. I didn't like the fit of the main hoop. If I was going to go totally custom to my needs, I would dimension the main hoop so all of my tops fit over the hoop and with the race legal dimension for head clearance keeping the bar within a tolerance distance from the head as per racing requirements, which all means that that main hoop will have to be very carefully dimensioned and fitted. Thus I would take a big piece of rigid cardboard and use it to create the perfect fit template for the main hoop height, width and curvature and then go to a true skilled tube bender to make the main hoop. Then I would buy anyone's kit and build up the cage as needed. If I have a special area of concern like from the floor to the dash and then around the dash and up close fitting to the windshield frame, then out comes the cardboard for a template. EAch bend should be braced or triangulated, boxed for strength. I actually would run the main hoop where required, but I would bend bars special to run up on the sides of the seat and triangulate those to the main hoop. If I don't want the bracing to go thru my deck lid, then I would use a bolt together bracing and tie it from main hoop to the footwell. Thus do I protect a passenger. I personally would never drive a passenger at speeds where a roll cage would be a necessity. Thus I would hoop around the drivers side but tie into the other side for frame strengthening. Get the point. What are you looking to do. Any of the existing kits could work if done right by someone who knows what they are doing!

 

Deja what are Your goals with this roll bar?? do You want to feel safer in Your car or is it the frame stiffness that you're looking for??

I was not to impressed withthe ebay kit - you'll have to cut and weld it up yourself and a chromemolly version will be twice as much (if not more)

things to consider - mounting your seats and seat belts to the roll bar/ roll cage (in my opinion go for both or none, don't do just seatbelts)

If a rollover/Tbone protection is your concern (not stiffness) I know that off road guys mount their cages to frames via bushings, your corvette body is not "welded" to the frame so allowing your rollbar to move with the body might have sense...