The best constructive input I have is:
Own two cars!!
A Coupe and a Vert.

Drive the Coupe like a maniac if you have to from time to time and modify it all you like.
Drive the Vert SENSIBLY!!

If you find driving the Vert sensibly too hard, don't get into it without the wife or girlfriend by your side.....she'll keep you honest!

 

It would have to be study if he's using it as an anchor point for his harness, if you fly out with the roll bar strapped to your back..what good is it then ?

 

I guess Steve Prefontaine died in a sports car rollover accident, but it is pretty rare isn't it? With all the accident stories reported on corvetteforum, and car fires, and other mishaps, how many rollovers have been posted? (I know, they are all dead and couldn't post about it). Should airbags be a higher priority than rollover protection? Isn't a frontal impact a much greater risk than rollover? Actually the thing I worry about the most is a rearend collision - the danger I have the least control over, plus that gas tank right behind the seats!

In spite of all that, I have worried about it a little. NHRA rules require a rollbar on a vert going under 14.00 seconds. A hardtop lets you go down to 12.00 without a rollbar. So, how much extra protection does a hardtop really provide? That's what I have wondered about.... I do bolt mine in at the sides - otherwise it is not held on that well via pins in the back and clips up front.

 

sorry, but that conjured up a funny image in my sick mind!

 

Take a look at the bolts that hold the hard top on. They are 1/4 inch bolts into a nut that is into the fiberglass top cover. You could probably knock that top off with a good hard hit. The top is just to get by NHRA. I certainly would not think this would give you much protection in a rollover. I bet it would fly off while rolling over. I have thought about this to but just try to be a careful as possible.

I have seen people killed in a 20 mph crash with air bags and seen people walk away from 100 mph crash with no bags. If its going to happen it will happen.

 

Looking at my 69' vert, I can def see where you are coming from, but I dont' see any need for a bar.

If you are building a full on drag or autox car, then yeah I could see it, but on a mostly stock or even a modified street car, I think its kinda silly.

I think you should do whatever you want to, its your car, but it will just screw up the looks of your vert.

 

Thanks. 4 point welded.

http://www.sirgalahad.org/tyler/misc/68rollbar1.jpg

Tyler

 

Vettes are one of the least likely cars to roll, with the wide stance and low center of gravity. Don't worry about it, because as people said above, there are 20mph fatals and 100mph walkaways. You can't drive a tank on the road, or wear a suit of armor all day. Live life and enjoy it. Joe

 

I appreciate everyone's replies - opinions are all over the place on this subject. Bamvettes, Joe73vette and Gordonm all make good arguments that the likelihood of a rollover is very low. It probably is - depending on how you drive car. Driving at high speeds probably raises that likelihood somewhat. I still love the adrenalin rush that comes with driving fast.

I started this thread looking for input on; a) what others are doing, b) if there is anything out there commercially available and c) designs/ attachment point info. From the replies it looks like a) most folks are not interested in messing up the lines/cutting up their cars, b) not much is commercially available (Jegs still seems to be the best option), and c) no really robust designs are out there yet that don't require cutting up the car and losing use of the convertible top mechanism. It was also confirmed that the hardtop really doesn't add much other than side step the NHRA rules.

Everyone's posts have caused me to reassess my intent and options with my car. At this point I've become less concerned with the "originality factor" and cutting up the car - I've owned it for 22 years and probably will continue to for at least another 22. I'm more concerned now with not messing up the lines - I'll be looking for a design that is strong and visually appealing. The challenge with our cars is that the decklid (covering the rear compartment) severely limits the geometry of the rear supports and the front bars will further cramp a tight passenger compartment. I'm very interested to see what Grandsport C3 does with his 6 point set-up - hopefully he'll share.

Thanks again and as they say, "keep the shiny side up".

 

Right... that's bad... O.K. Important safty tip. Thanks, Egon.

 

Personally, I am more concerned with the following modifications:

People that talk about installing a rigid tilt column in place of their original equipment energy absorbing steering column.

Removing the spare tire to save weight. It is part of the rear end energy management system.

Lack of any replacement fuel tank rubber bladders for 1975+ vettes.

The possibilities of rear and/or frontal collisions are more real for cars driven on the street than roll overs.

Just my 2 cents.

 

If you live long enough, you'll die of something.

 

Thanks for the note, but given how I drive my car, I'll contradict your statement and tell you I don't have a problem. Remember, these cars met applicable safety standards of only the year they were built (as with any car). If someone is hyper-sensitive to safety and/or is modifying their C3 for racing, then a roll bar may be in their best interests.

 

I have also beat this horse to death. My major hurdle is that NO sanctioning body that allows road racing will let me on the track without it. Now, I have seen a very few vettes that have a fixed, legal (meaning they will pass a tech inspection) 4 point or better rollbar, and have a working top. What they all have in common is that the owner/driver is very short, allowing the seat to be forward enough for the bar to fit between the hatch and seat. I'm 6' tall and that won't work for me.

If I want to use the top, I have to have a removable bar. I will use pedestal style mounts that weld to the frame, a second hatch that I'll cut up and just unbolt the top when the rollbar is in. If needed, I can use the hardtop over the bolt-in bar.

Basically, I want a roolbar for the track, a soft top on the street, and no cop magnet rollbar when I'm not on the track. I'm willing to go through the hassle of switching back and forth.

Hans

 

I always liked Merlins’s roll bar.
http://www.lateral-g.org/distad/

 

Here is a complete bolt in solution that requires no modification and does not hinder the kinematic movement of the convertible top. It is not by any means a true roll bar but it is better than not having anything at all.

Email me at darren.engle@gmail.com if there are any interests in this.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...69191875ALQCgx

 

Here is a complete bolt in engineered solution that requires no modification and does not hinder the kinematic movement of the convertible top. It is not by any means a true roll bar but it is better than not having anything at all. Plus it looks good, comes with a mounted fire extinguisher, and gives you a place to mount the shoulder belts of your 4 or 5 point harness.

Email me at darren.engle@gmail.com if there are any interests in this product.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...69191875ALQCgx

 

This may be what some of the folks are looking for, and is nice looking as well. What does it actually bolt to? Unfortunately for my purpose, this type of bar won't pass a tech inspection and it appears that it is basically for looks.

Hans

 

This has been discussed many many times over the 4 years I have been a member. I, like many others gradually watched my car get faster, my skills get more honed, and my need for speed less and less satiated, to the point I decided to do something about it. The problem is that there was no good way to do it with out seriously cutting up the car. And you need all the leg room you can get you have to cut into the deck lid, but it can be done cleanly.

After looking long and hard, I made my own. Granted, it is a compromise, but it is far far better than nothing and a hell of a lot better that something that bolts to the birdcage.




Cheers
Chris

 

I'm in the process of finishing a 14 point welded and gusseted cage in my 71 can-am project... I worked with S&W Race Cars. Great people. I used 1 5/8 dia. 0.134 wall mild steel tubing. This set up starts out as a 4 point then adds main hoop bracing and door runners to become an 8 point. There was big differnence in the feel of the chassis with the 8 point installed (just tack welded). Then I got a little crazy and added a custom roof hoop, dash hoop windshield runners and some more bracing for the door runners, then I needed a quick connect steering wheel to make driver entry and exit possible...

I just need to set the 502 ramjet in the engine bay to route the tubing in front of the fire wall. for the last two points then it's check the frame and adjust for any unwanted set and finish weld.

Somebody said way to much is just right.

Mark