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I am new to these forums, and at the beginning stages of building this car. My wife would like it to be safer so we are going to put a full SCCA approved rollcage in. I figured I might as well make it legal for road racing if we're gonna make it safer so I can get it on the track on occasion. So my question is what do you all agree is the best way to do this? Keep in mind this is NOT a convertible. This IS a T top car. I have done a little research, and seen either people cutting holes in the floor at the locations where the tubing gets welded to the frame, or the whole body gets removed from the bird cage, the floor gets cut away from the body. The cage gets done then the body is more or less set back down over the cage, and a custom floor installed. So what's the best way to go? I'm fine going either way, but I'd like to hear some experience speak on the subject. Pictures are also being requested so I can see how things go, and or turned out. Thanks in advance
Last edited by Stroker74; Oct 24, 2019 at 10:07 PM.
You may want to look at the current SCCA General Competition Rules (GCR), to find out exactly what constitutes a "full SCCA approved rollcage". To start with, a legal SCCA cage will require two side bars in each door, and unlike NHRA, they can't be removable, which makes it very hard to get in and out of a street car. An SCCA cage also has certain requirements as to how it fits in the car, clearances over the driver's head with a helmet on, etc. Though not required by the SCCA, ideally a proper cage for racing should run forward through the firewall to the front of the frame, and rearward to the back of the frame.
Personally I think it's better to gut the interior and fit the cage as tightly as possible to the inside of the body, with the body on the frame. That's the way we build them for the vintage racers I crew on, but then we're not worried about putting all of the interior trim panels back in. Unless you're building a full on track day car, an SCCA GT-1 car or a vintage racer, I think a full cage is a bit of overkill on the street.
It's unfortunate, but a 74 isn't the ideal year to use to build an SCCA or vintage racer from. In SCCA a 74 Corvette ends up in GT-1, where it has to race against far faster modern, tube frame, purpose build race cars, and the same thing is true in vintage racing. Most vintage racing organizations use the 1972 SCCA GCR as the break point for what year Corvettes fall into what race group, so Corvettes built after 1972, race with newer cars, including the same tube frame cars as in GT-1, as well as 70's and 80's NASCAR Cup cars.
Here' s a link to the current SCCA car rules, and the competition rules for the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), the largest vintage racing organization, and who's rules are typical of those used by most vintage groups. The 2019 GCR is available in PDF form if you Goggle 2019 SCCA GCR PDF.
Do a search on my name and roll cages. I posted someone's beautiful cage. Mine was done by a Porsche shop and they had never done a vette before. So it's got some bad points
I took out the carpet, insulation, and seats. They used a hole saw to get to the frame rails. I wanted a heavy duty safer cage so I used 1 3/4 inch DOM .130 or something wall. I had a shop install bubble wrap interior heat shield in the floor and console along with flame retardant short pile carpet
Do a search on my name and roll cages. I posted someone's beautiful cage. Mine was done by a Porsche shop and they had never done a vette before. So it's got some bad points
I took out the carpet, insulation, and seats. They used a hole saw to get to the frame rails. I wanted a heavy duty safer cage so I used 1 3/4 inch DOM .130 or something wall. I had a shop install bubble wrap interior heat shield in the floor and console along with flame retardant short pile carpet
Hey great idea. I like the pull out pins to make getting into, or out of the car easier. I think I know what I'm gonna get done now. Out of curiosity what kind of seats did you end up using? Think I could see a picture with them in the car? Your looks great! Thankyou
Last edited by Stroker74; Oct 25, 2019 at 12:51 PM.
Hey great idea. I like the pull out pins to make getting into, or out of the car easier. I think I know what I'm gonna get done now. Out of curiosity what kind of seats did you end up using? Think I could see a picture with them in the car? Your looks great! Thankyou
The seat width is dictated by how wide the angled shoulder bar is for clearance. Read the rules on where it has to be placed for the side impact parts of the cage. I'm kinds small 5'10" 168 pounds. So I bought Sparco fiber seats of my size and made custom mounts flat on the floor for helmet clearance. I'm also clear back against the batter box. So my feet are straight forward.
'74 road racer build
