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roll bar or no? thinking resale

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Old May 2, 2012 | 12:43 PM
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Default roll bar or no? thinking resale

I plan on putting my car on the drag strip a few times this summer and it should run below 11.49 so that means a roll bar will be required. I've always liked the look of a caged street car and I'm still young so getting in and out won't be a problem for me. My question is... if, and that's a big if, I were to sell my C5, would having a cage hinder my chances of selling it? Everything I've done so far, except the double din, can be put back to stock, but I will be welding this thing in and triming carpet, so once it's in, its there to stay. I do plan on having swing out door bars

Thoughts and opinions?
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Old May 2, 2012 | 01:26 PM
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Leaving it in at resale will seriously lower value to anyone not looking for a race car.
Unless you plan on racing for the title you may be okay. You can usually get away with
A couple fast runs before they stop you.
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Old May 2, 2012 | 01:29 PM
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It would absolutely hurt the resale.
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Old May 2, 2012 | 01:36 PM
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Originally Posted by jrose7004
It would absolutely hurt the resale.
In the eyes of a buyer a roll bar = extreme wear on parts.
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Old May 2, 2012 | 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by whitesmokels1
I plan on putting my car on the drag strip a few times this summer and it should run below 11.49 so that means a roll bar will be required. I've always liked the look of a caged street car and I'm still young so getting in and out won't be a problem for me. My question is... if, and that's a big if, I were to sell my C5, would having a cage hinder my chances of selling it? Everything I've done so far, except the double din, can be put back to stock, but I will be welding this thing in and triming carpet, so once it's in, its there to stay. I do plan on having swing out door bars

Thoughts and opinions?
sawsall, replace carpet and wam-bam ... never ran hard in it's life.

If the plan is only to see the track a few times, I sugust going there and seeing what it will actually do before spending the money on a roll-bar

hard to tell where you will be running when your profile is not filled out but depending on if your running N/A in the heat some have been getting lately, running faster then 11.50 may not be so easy
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Old May 3, 2012 | 11:10 AM
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Thanks for the responses guys. Not what I wanted to hear, but I can always count on honesty here.
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Old May 3, 2012 | 11:41 AM
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Yea it'll hurt the value ....to that crowd, and if you intend to live like the masses, follow the rules.

If you're like me, do what you want to YOUR car and enjoy it. If you bought it to just look at it, then let someone else have it, don't do anything.

My car looks great and I drive the snot out of it, fix what's broke and take care of it. IF I ever sell it, I'll not let go cheap, and when someone sqawks about it, just say don't waste my time go find another car...there is too many to choose from stock if that's what they want.

Do what you really want, that's why life can be such fun.
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Old May 3, 2012 | 05:32 PM
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RSD is a sponsor on here and they make a bolt in 5 pt that is legal below 11.49 with a removable door bar.


PS Having a Corvette and not "using" it as it was meant to be used is like having a hot g/f and not "using" her so she can stay tight for the next guy.
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Old May 3, 2012 | 05:38 PM
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Absolutely would not do it. I've passed on countless cars bc of a roll bar. Unless its a dedicated track car roll bars are pointless. If you want to install a roll bar for 10-15 passes/year, its def not worth it.
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Old May 3, 2012 | 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by chad3113
Absolutely would not do it. I've passed on countless cars bc of a roll bar. Unless its a dedicated track car roll bars are pointless. If you want to install a roll bar for 10-15 passes/year, its def not worth it.
Its not worth buying something that may save your life in only ONE pass?
Who cares what the car is worth if your not around.
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Old May 4, 2012 | 09:14 PM
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Originally Posted by S.U. Vette
Its not worth buying something that may save your life in only ONE pass?
Who cares what the car is worth if your not around.
Great point! I too, am pondering this.. just ran 10.86's last weekend on a new setup. I was "asked" to go slower than 11.49.. yeah, right...who can go slower when you're trying to go as fast as you can!
2nd pass, ran another 10.86@131.54mph and was told I couldn't continue to race.

I will not be racing again until the fall, when it is cold out again, but in the meantime, I am researching "legal" safety gear for the car. I have to be honest though, when the right tires are heated properly, these cars are straight as an arrow and don't feel like they even need a cage. Rules are rules though. The thing I don't like (besides the idea of tearing up the interior,,, is the added weight!)
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Old May 4, 2012 | 09:37 PM
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Originally Posted by whitesmokels1
I've always liked the look of a caged street car
Just run till you get thrown out. Way more hassle and risk (just think if you get in an accident on the street w/o wearing a harness/helmet and bonk your head) on a street car than it’s worth unless you are going to race all the time.
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Old May 4, 2012 | 09:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Shirl
Great point! I too, am pondering this.. just ran 10.86's last weekend on a new setup. I was "asked" to go slower than 11.49.. yeah, right...who can go slower when you're trying to go as fast as you can!
2nd pass, ran another 10.86@131.54mph and was told I couldn't continue to race.

I will not be racing again until the fall, when it is cold out again, but in the meantime, I am researching "legal" safety gear for the car. I have to be honest though, when the right tires are heated properly, these cars are straight as an arrow and don't feel like they even need a cage. Rules are rules though. The thing I don't like (besides the idea of tearing up the interior,,, is the added weight!)
You gotta do what needs to be done to meet the rules. As far as why do it if it's not a dedicated track car or you don't race enough......It only takes once to roll the car, and NO ONE ever schedules an accident. I feel 1000 times better having one....just in case. Besides I've offset the additional weight with more power.

I also have a fire extingusher and a helmet secured in the rear for the occasional run down the dragstrip.

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Old May 4, 2012 | 09:44 PM
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value wise. best move is staying 100% stock. less money spent and easy to resell

BUT

why do you own a corvette? for resale or for fun?

answer that and you'll have the answer about your roll bar
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Old May 4, 2012 | 09:48 PM
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Originally Posted by sfc rick
You gotta do what needs to be done to meet the rules. As far as why do it if it's not a dedicated track car or you don't race enough......It only takes once to roll the car, and NO ONE ever schedules an accident. I feel 1000 times better having one....just in case. Besides I've offset the additional weight with more power.

I also have a fire extingusher and a helmet secured in the rear for the occasional run down the dragstrip.

Very nice! Which one is that RSD or Wolfe?
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Old May 4, 2012 | 09:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Shirl
Very nice! Which one is that RSD or Wolfe?
Forgot...I bought it for $200 from another C5 owner.

But it appears like a 4-point Wolfe.....

Last edited by sfc rick; May 4, 2012 at 10:03 PM.
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Old May 4, 2012 | 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by jrose7004
It would absolutely hurt the resale.
I know I wouldn't consider a C5 that had a rollbar - would give me the impression that the car spent a lot of time at the track - accurate or not.

But, if you want to play and take it to the track, you will need to comply with their safety rules.
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To roll bar or no? thinking resale

Old May 6, 2012 | 08:29 AM
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I'm not sure what I'd think about a car with a rollbar for sale other than the car must have some serious power and someone took the time to invest in the safety aspect!
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Old May 6, 2012 | 10:30 AM
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Originally Posted by S.U. Vette
Its not worth buying something that may save your life in only ONE pass?
Who cares what the car is worth if your not around.
Originally Posted by Shirl
Great point! I too, am pondering this.. just ran 10.86's last weekend on a new setup. I was "asked" to go slower than 11.49.. yeah, right...who can go slower when you're trying to go as fast as you can!
2nd pass, ran another 10.86@131.54mph and was told I couldn't continue to race.
I will not be racing again until the fall, when it is cold out again, but in the meantime, I am researching "legal" safety gear for the car. I have to be honest though, when the right tires are heated properly, these cars are straight as an arrow and don't feel like they even need a cage. Rules are rules though. The thing I don't like (besides the idea of tearing up the interior,,, is the added weight!)
I'm am the first to promote reasonable safety precautions such as helmets and restraint systems but this "logic" really isn't all that logical.

Roll bars//cages will certainly be beneficial in a roll over. BUT, a rollover is nearly as possible on a 13.5sec run as it is on an 11.49. By your logic no vette should be without a roll cage, ever. (before you react to this statement, check to see how many rollovers there are a year in the 11sec bracket versus the 12-13sec bracket)

I agree that if you are going to put yourself in very high risk situations regularly that you should take appropriate precautions. If this is a two or three or four time/year passtime it would not, IN MY OPINION, warrant that much direct cost and that much loss in resale value. Everyone needs to make that cost/risk decision on their own.
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Old May 6, 2012 | 10:41 AM
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I like mine



Don't ever plan on selling the car but whoever gets it, better be able to drive like they stole it!
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