Convertible street rollbars?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,060
Likes: 3
From: Dublin CA
Convertible street rollbars?
My imagination is getting away with me, after having seen two overturned cars in one day. One on a side street in a 25mph zone (it knocked a tree over which flipped the car). Another on a flat freeway.
Who makes rollbars for convertibles? I'm more concerned about function than meeting NHRA specs.
Who makes rollbars for convertibles? I'm more concerned about function than meeting NHRA specs.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,765
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From: Los Angeles Founder, West Coast Corvette Challenge
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (blu00rdstr)
My imagination is getting away with me, after having seen two overturned cars in one day. One on a side street in a 25mph zone (it knocked a tree over which flipped the car). Another on a flat freeway.
Who makes rollbars for convertibles? I'm more concerned about function than meeting NHRA specs.
Who makes rollbars for convertibles? I'm more concerned about function than meeting NHRA specs.
My recommendation is to kill two birds with one stone. If you follow NHRA specs then you will automatically take care of the most important part of functionality - YOUR SAFETY. :thumbs:
A couple of racers of C5 verts have driven considerably longer than you would have to drive in order to get their roll bars/cages built by REBS Specialties (www.rebsspecialties.com) in Reseda, CA.
I chose them to build my cage for two reasons:
1. They build award winning show cars and so they really pay attention to details regarding the aesthetic side of things.
2. And more importantly, they also drive and build race cars - most everything from alcohol dragsters to Bonneville speed demons. SAFETY is the major consideration for them. They understand the needs of drivers who have stock street machines or 250+ mph mod monsters.
Hope this helps. Tell them Gary from the West Coast Corvette Challenge sent you. You will pay, but it WILL be worth it. They do it right, the first time.
Gary
Resident moron
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Assachusetts
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (blu00rdstr)
Failing that, Wolfe makes a variety of pre-fab cages. Bolt-in, weld in, removable this and that, mild or chromoly, you name it. I have one in my Camaro, top notch.
Dope
Dope
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Loveland CO
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (Dope)
I am going w/ a Wolfe 6 point after Xmas. I have heard nothing but good things about them. Plus they are pretty well priced. I think my 6 point is 305 bucks. Check out Thunder Racing. They carry these. Kaley
Team Owner
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From: D*ck ina Box
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Re: Convertible street rollbars? (Dope)
Failing that, Wolfe makes a variety of pre-fab cages. Bolt-in, weld in, removable this and that, mild or chromoly, you name it. I have one in my Camaro, top notch.
Dope
Dope
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 386
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From: Chicago IL
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (Mean Blue Z02)
Failing that, Wolfe makes a variety of pre-fab cages. Bolt-in, weld in, removable this and that, mild or chromoly, you name it. I have one in my Camaro, top notch.
Dope
really :confused: ...they make one for a convertible???
Dope
really :confused: ...they make one for a convertible???
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,718
Likes: 2
From: Flower Mound TX
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (Mean Blue Z02)
Failing that, Wolfe makes a variety of pre-fab cages. Bolt-in, weld in, removable this and that, mild or chromoly, you name it. I have one in my Camaro, top notch.
Dope
really :confused: ...they make one for a convertible???
Dope
really :confused: ...they make one for a convertible???
The vert bar by Wolfe is complete. It is on my friend Rick's vert and I got to see it this weekend at the North Texas Corvette Roundup. I was very impressed with the cage and I am seriously considering this myself. Rick's was done via bolt-in, but I'm sure you could weld it in if you desired. The bottom bar on the main hoop is low and runs right through the bottom of the waterfall. Great visibility with this design also.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,154
Likes: 1
From: Murphy TX
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (C5 StockSwap)
One of the primary difficulties in designing something for the convertible is the rear support bars. Most folks object to modifying the tonneau cover. This forces most designers to position the bars such that they pass under it resulting in extreme forward/upright seating positions as depicted in Wolfe's pics of their bar. Gary Hoffman once posted pics after a track crash that included a shot of his helmet which had contacted a bar, not pretty. At some point you have to weigh the likelihood of whacking your (unhelmeted?) head against a bar vs actually need needing some sort of roll over protection. A bar favoring cosmetic concerns may well be more hazardous to your health than no bar at all. That said the roofline of these cars, coupe, FRC, or ragtop, limit the amount of clearance you can achieve.
I've been looking for a bar off and on for almost three years now and the Rebs bar is closest to what I'm after.
I've been looking for a bar off and on for almost three years now and the Rebs bar is closest to what I'm after.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Flower Mound TX
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (ToplessTexan)
Interesting...perhaps because I am only 5'6", this bar is fine for me. I think you may be selling this design short. But, to each his own (opinion).
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,060
Likes: 3
From: Dublin CA
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (gary brown)
REBs and Wolfe, I'll check into both. From what I've seen a 4-point should give me peace of mind, the door bars I think are overkill for street rollover protection, the doors already have reinforcement.
I would certainly pad the bars, I don't want to whack myself on the bars in an accident I'd normally survive.
Thanks!
I would certainly pad the bars, I don't want to whack myself on the bars in an accident I'd normally survive.
Thanks!
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: D*ck ina Box
CI III & IV Vote Ho
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (Karl_in_Chicago)
My bad Dope, sorry :cheers:
DAMN...:cool: :cheers:
Failing that, Wolfe makes a variety of pre-fab cages. Bolt-in, weld in, removable this and that, mild or chromoly, you name it. I have one in my Camaro, top notch.
Dope
really :confused: ...they make one for a convertible???
It's listed on their 'coming soon' section: http://www.wolferacecraft.com/install/c5/c5conv.aspx
Dope
really :confused: ...they make one for a convertible???
It's listed on their 'coming soon' section: http://www.wolferacecraft.com/install/c5/c5conv.aspx
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 58,783
Likes: 1
From: D*ck ina Box
CI III & IV Vote Ho
CI II, III, IV & V Vet
CI IV Bracket Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (ToplessTexan)
One of the primary difficulties in designing something for the convertible is the rear support bars. Most folks object to modifying the tonneau cover. This forces most designers to position the bars such that they pass under it resulting in extreme forward/upright seating positions as depicted in Wolfe's pics of their bar. Gary Hoffman once posted pics after a track crash that included a shot of his helmet which had contacted a bar, not pretty. At some point you have to weigh the likelihood of whacking your (unhelmeted?) head against a bar vs actually need needing some sort of roll over protection. A bar favoring cosmetic concerns may well be more hazardous to your health than no bar at all. That said the roofline of these cars, coupe, FRC, or ragtop, limit the amount of clearance you can achieve.
I've been looking for a bar off and on for almost three years now and the Rebs bar is closest to what I'm after.
I've been looking for a bar off and on for almost three years now and the Rebs bar is closest to what I'm after.
Also, when my vert was totalled, I did not contact my roll bar with my head, I did however hit the swing out on my left side :( :cheers:
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,154
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From: Murphy TX
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Convertible street rollbars? (C5 StockSwap)
Interesting...perhaps because I am only 5'6", this bar is fine for me. I think you may be selling this design short. But, to each his own (opinion).
As far as selling the bar short, well... I can see that design tradeoffs have been made in favor of the tonneau cover and top operation. You can get more clearance by giving up one or both. It's just not what I'm looking for in a bar.