NTMD8R

OK, I said I would post my progress... so here goes.

This is a LOOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGGG thread.


I bought the bar from Breathless Performance Products... they packaged and shipped it.
It arrived.
Here is a picture of how it looks packaged.


Here's how it looks unwrapped.
Very nice.
By the way, they also provide a pdf file of installation instructions and pictures.


So now we must remove the seats, and the carpets.
Here are the bolts for the front of the drivers seat.


Removing the connectors from the Passenger seat.
Note: you must remove all 4 seat bolts AND the seat belt from both seats.
The drivers seat has 3 electrical connections; the passenger has 2.
(This is a 3LZ car)


The connectors from the Drivers seat.


Remove the Waterfall.
There are 2 torx screws on top, and 3 (three !!!) push/tab screws at the back.


Now remove the seat belt retractor plastic covers.
Here is the passenger side.


Here is the driver side.


After waterfall removed, here is the Satellite radio box.


We must remove the harness connector which is siliconed to the floor boards, on both sides.



Now we can place the bar in the car.... test fit.
Hmmmm... it fits pretty good... brackets fit over the bulkhead,
and they seem to fit right onto the bolts which are in the car.


And the floor mounting brackets seem to go right where they are supposed to.


This is what it looks like in a test fit mode.


Here's a close-up of the passenger flange fitting on the bulkhead.


Here's the passenger floor flange with bolts through it.


Here's the bottom mounting for those bolts.
Note it has a long piece of metal to provide distributed support.
Because there is a cross-member running across the car right at this point, this assembly required a little more work. We had to place some
washers on the bolts to provide spacing/padding between the actual floor and the provided metal.
We will cut off those bolts so they don't protrude.


Here is the spacing we used.


Here is what the rear of the passenger side looks like tightened up.


And here is the driver side.


Cut the carpet (Yikes !!!!!) to fit. Here is the passenger side at the bottom of the main bar.


Here is the driver side.


Here is the top part of the passenger side.


The top part of the driver side.


So now we decide to try the top.

OH OH !!!! The Rear window partition touches the vertical portions of the main hoop/bar.... enough to stop it from tilting forward to allow room for the hatch/tonneau cover to open/close.
Here is where it hits.



Here is a detailed look at it on the passenger side.


We need to have the entire main hoop/bar be further forward to allow the rear window partition enough room so it can get out of the way, enabling the hatch to open/close.
So we decide to shim the rear flanges up. By doing this, that will essentially move the main hoop forward.
So we installed 1/2" of shims.
(Of course, we had installed all the carpet already, so we had to pull some of it out to get at the flanges. And we also had to loosen the main hoop floor bolts to allow it to move).
Shims under the passenger side.


And the driver side.


Passenger main floor flange bolted in again.


And from below.
(Remember, we will cut those bolts off)


So we now start re-assembling everything.... the carpet is all put back.
Now the seatbelt retractor covers......hmmmmm....
We have just added a new bracket, and shimmed it.... on top of the bulkhead....no way those plastic covers will handle that.
Correct... we have to trim some of the lower portion off.... about 1/2" to 3/4".



Here's what the passenger side cover looks like.


And here's what it looks like all finished.... no seats in yet.


And that's it. It took us about 5 hours to do things in total.
But we did screw up for 4 hours yesterday, which I haven't included here.
We spent a lot of time trying to determine just what the problem was when we encountered the "jamming" of the rear window partition.
So we were REALLY exercising the up/down mechanism.
Of course... with the engine NOT running.
So we drained the battery.
So we put a charger to it... but we also disconnected the battery first.
Now... the up/down would not work at all... PERIOD!!!!
We spent 4 hours searching/checking fuses, relays, etc., etc., etc.
NOTHING would resolve this. So in frustration, after 4 hours, we gave up.

Then last night I got to checking on the Forum about anything like this.
I found something.... when you disconnect the battery, the top up/down will NOT work, until you Re-Index the power windows. So this morning, with trusty owners manual in hand, I re-indexed the power windows. Presto... the top up/down now works.

We then proceeded to finish everything up as I described.

The top works perfectly.... it goes up/down without hitting anything.
There is adequate clearance between the main hoop and the convertible top, when up.
And there seems to be adequate head room for me when sitting in the car.

After I take a few more pictures of me sitting in the car, I will post them.

By the way.... when I encountered the "jamming" problem, I notified Ernie of Breathless. In subsequent discussions with him today, he advises that they are going to adjust the manufacture of the bar to be a little more forward, thus eliminating the possibility of "jamming" the rear window partition.

All in all, I am very pleased with the looks of the bar.

A good Job.

johnodrake

Well done, Gary! I am considering!

jxhunte

Gary, Great Job!! I will probably follow in you footsteps. I have been torn between Bpp's Roll Bar and a custom install provided by a vendor in Des Moines, IA. However, after your write-up, I am leaning toward Bpp. I am anxious to see pictures of you in your Vette.
Thanks for sharing.

NTMD8R

I am 5'8".
When I drive I like the seat to be raised up, so I can see over the hood
adequately.

Here is a picture of the bar in the car taken from pretty much directly
from the side. You can see just how high it is.


Here's a shot of the bar and the top, with the top about 3/4 of the way closed.


Here's a shot of the bar and the top, with the top fully closed.


Here's me just sitting in the car in normal driving position.


And here's me in Autocross position with helmet.

godzilladude

Did you run the broom test with the helmet on? Doesn't look like it clears.

NTMD8R

And here is a couple more shots


Seat as far back and down as possible



Me in "Track" position with helmet on, and the "Broom Stick Test"

LSL191

I have been considering a four point rollbar in my C6 vert. I was told today by a very well known and respected shop here in the N.E. who builds and installs rollbars, aside from from being one of the top engine builders and tuners, so I assume they know what there talking about ! That at any NHRA track a 4 point bar is only good up 13.5 anything faster than that requires aleast a 5 point bar, #2 a bolt in bar is not safe, its only a strong as the bolts, and would not install one without it welded in ! A lot of tracks won't accept a bolt in bar ! I would think that this would be even more meaninful in road racing ! I wouldn't want my noggin on the line with a bolt in bar !

godzilladude

Ha! Nah, you're cheating on the broomstick by putting it up on the straw, getting an inch or two. Come on, set it down properly, and let's see what ya get.

jmudreamvette

Thanks for the write up!. Bar looks to be a quality product.

VET4LES

Great job and write up.

CSixDude

Is that rust I see in one of the photos of the floorboard?

bpproducts

This bar was made to be a quick install and not having to remove the fuel tanks, not affecting getting in and out of the car. Letting you take your convertible to the road track and have some fun. Getting away from those glue on hoops which do nothing for you. Is was designed to run HPDE events and not so much of drag racing.

Ernie
www.BreathlessPerformance.com

bpproducts

We are now back in stock with the rollbars.

Ernie
www.BreathlessPerformance.com

keyplyr

Just ordered one myself

doveboat

Ernie,

Are the bars that are now in stock the new design that ensure the top operates without additional shimming. Also, does this new design require the trimming of the seat belt covers as mentioned in this install.

Thanks,

Ed

bpproducts

Yes they are in stock again with new design and minor trimming on the seat belt covers

doveboat

Thanks Ernie,

I am waiting to hear back from a local driving club to ensure that this will pass tech for Willow Springs in S Cal.

If yes, then I should be ordering shortly.

Thanks for the quick response

Ed

bpproducts

C6 Corvette Convertible Custom 4 Point Bolt on Roll Bar in stock again for immediate delivery

NTMD8R

Well, we replaced the rollbar today, with the one
Ernie sent.

If you have been following this thread, I mentioned that the original
bar had some design issues regarding the top,
(when raising or lowering) so that the hatch would bind against
the top. This could be addressed by manually assisting the
hatch a little.

Ernie sent me a new bar which has a small design change,
so there is now considerable clearance between the top
(when raising/lowering) and the hatch.

All is PERFECT Now !!!

Thanks Ernie for a great product and superb after-sales
problem resolution.

I'll post pictures of the final product install in a few days.

bpproducts

We are happy here all is well now, remeber alot of people can make a Roll Bar, but the difference is servicing the customer.
"It can take Years to Get a Customer and Seconds to Lose One"