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The roll bars that exist... are sad. They aren't higher than our heads.
thus, (And I could care less what tracks think) I'm going to install the sharkbar harness bar... and then I'm going to fab up 2 verticals that will mount to the shark bar and to the main frame rails below the floor, and then also UP to the stock frame B pillar roll bar of the C7. I spent an hour tonight looking at it all, and it can be done well. This would reinforce the stock roll bar/frame to keep it from collapsing.
As far as tracks are concerned... other beams can be added to this setup... to make it "meet their codes"... but rest assured, this will serve more actual good than the midget roll bars they are already approving.
If you yourself are short... disregard this post. There are plenty of roll bars that will serve you well already on the market.
I also plan to get the BK harness bar MOUNTS ONLY... and use that as an additional anchor point for a couple diagonal beams which attach to the verticals at their tops and at their bases.
I might mass produce this as a kit that adds onto the sharkbar kit...if people want it. I plan to make it utilize the interior panels still and look great when finished. I figured out how to anchor it to the roof B pillar stock roll bar.
seats will both be able to be put to their furthest backward position without interference from the added verticals.
I think you are creating more expense than if you just built the thing yourself. From a height standpoint the rollbar has to clear the underside of the roof halo by a few tenths of an inch so you don't get rubbing between the two. The rear down bars should be fastened to the frame in the trunk/cargo compartment and the front down bars need to be fastened to the B Pillar. You can weld in your own cross bar or harness mounts once you get the down bars situated. Then add front brakes running to the frame near the front of the door to brace the bar forward and backward. If you want cross bracing there are several ways to do that.
That will get you onto a drag strip but it won't do **** if the car rolls over. The big problem in a roll over isn't the stock roof halo. They are damned strong and hold up well in a roll over. What isn't strong is the A Pillar Windshield in front of you. In a roll over the forces coming up on those cantilevered parts pushes them rearward and toward the floor taking the roof with them and forcing it into your face and forehead as your body drops down on from the seat. Even with a harness your body will stretch and drop down due to centrifugal force and gravity. This usually results in the chin being turned into the chest and a lot of pressure on the back. There is no way you can resist the forces by throwing yourself to the side since there isn't any human strong enough to do that.
The only way to stop that is to install a full cage that supports the A pillar and windshield as they start to come into the cockpit space. The roll bar by itself doesn't contribute much of anything and from a safety standpoint is next to useless.
Here are a few pictures of a car that I saw hit a tire wall at Watkins Glen, ride up the tire wall, literally come to a stop hanging on the wall and then fall about 4 ft from tire wall onto its roof hitting on the passenger side first.
This car had no roll bar and when we were checking things out for the owner the rear hatch was still operable. Hell, the car was still driveable since the driver's side didn't collapse. Notice there is no room to exit the car where the roof collapsed as the window opening is reduced to a size smaller than a small human body. The other thing the people inside found out is it is very hard to open the doors when you are hanging upside down in your seat belt trying to bend forward and up to reach the emergency door release.
bill, it would be great if chevy could make a street car with an integreated roll bar. say for their track ready zr1 or something like it. my z06 is almost uncomfortable with a helmet. there is no way i could fit in it with a roll cage. i worry that the a pillar would come in on me and i would have nowhere to go. does anyone know how the 911 would make out in a roll over like this one? i know I'm driving a street car on the track but just looking for options to make me feel better. i know i should consider a track car but right now i only get 3 or 4 track weekends a year. the 911 would give me more room but not sure if it would be any safer than my vette. i really love my vette.
I could be mistaken, but i think you are missing my point Bill...
I am not creating a horizontal bar at the top of the car "roll bar"
instead, i am running 2 verticals from the frame rails below the floor... straight up to vertically support the STOCK ROLL BAR, aka, stock frame of the car. (granted, these 2 verticals will be at a slight angle)
Meanwhile, on their way up, each of the verticals will intersect the shark bar harness bar. This gives them some reinforcement along the way.
Then, i MAY decide to ALSO add a couple diagonal pieces... which will anchor at the BK mount points, and go diagonally across to mount to the verticals.... but I won't actually install the BK harness bar itself... but instead use its anchors instead of "reinvent the wheel."
Hopefully we are on the same page now.
Any "additional bars" will be for show, to make it "track compliant"
But what i just mentioned is the skeleton of importance i wish to create.
seats will be able to be all the way back and tilted back completely... my bar's will not interfere with the seats, but will be directly behind the seats, and thus, directly behind and mounted against the frame directly above and behind the heads of the occupants, reinforcing the stock "roll bar/frame"
you also posted a picture of a c6z, not a c7, and thus the halo is reinforced front to back by the roof frame keeping it inline vertically. The c7 has a top that is going to come flying off.
as far as reinforcing the A pillars, sure, a diagonal from the shark bar up to the A pillars is the strongest solution and angle of attack possible.
Will I put that in the car, not sure yet...
but again.. these aftermarket bulky heavy and short "rollbars" are a joke. Why people buy them is beyond me. How tracks approve those as beneficial... is also, beyond me.
I could be mistaken, but i think you are missing my point Bill...
I am not creating a horizontal bar at the top of the car "roll bar"
instead, i am running 2 verticals from the frame rails below the floor... straight up to vertically support the STOCK ROLL BAR, aka, stock frame of the car. (granted, these 2 verticals will be at a slight angle)
I don't really see the advantage of that. The halo is already supported by the B Pillar which is quite strong and already welded to the frame.
Meanwhile, on their way up, each of the verticals will intersect the shark bar harness bar. This gives them some reinforcement along the way. There isn't a lot of room to run those verticals from the frame behind the seats up to the Shark Bar. The Shark Bar is mounted low and slightly behind the vertical panel behind the seats.
Then, i MAY decide to ALSO add a couple diagonal pieces... which will anchor at the BK mount points, and go diagonally across to mount to the verticals.... but I won't actually install the BK harness bar itself... but instead use its anchors instead of "reinvent the wheel."
I think you would be better off going with the BK bar Vs putting in the Shark Bar. I have the Shark Bar in my car now and like it but for what you are doing I think the BK Bar may be a better way to go. It will give you more points to weld in cross bars to reinforce the halo from a sideways direction. Instead of running vertical bars from the frame behind the seat you could run angled bars from further back and cross braces like some roll bars have. Once you do that you would have the BK bar locked into place vertically at the B pillar and forward/backward from the frame in the trunk area. That would then let you run a diagonal door bar from the vertical part of the BK bar to the frame at the door.
Hopefully we are on the same page now.
Any "additional bars" will be for show, to make it "track compliant"
But what i just mentioned is the skeleton of importance i wish to create.
Hopefully, these are some suggestions you can consider.
you also posted a picture of a c6z, not a c7, and thus the halo is reinforced front to back by the roof frame keeping it inline vertically. The c7 has a top that is going to come flying off.
as far as reinforcing the A pillars, sure, a diagonal from the shark bar up to the A pillars is the strongest solution and angle of attack possible.
Will I put that in the car, not sure yet...
but again.. these aftermarket bulky heavy and short "rollbars" are a joke. Why people buy them is beyond me. How tracks approve those as beneficial... is also, beyond me.
True the C7 is built a little different behind the halo than the C5/C6 but almost no difference in front of the halo. Behind the halo the big difference is a plastic hatch with plastic sale panels Vs a glass hatch. I don't see the plastic to either side of the hatch providing much strength for anything during a roll over.
The C6 was designed as a Targa top and the C6Z had the top permanently bolted in Vs having clips to remove the top. That might have helped reinforce the A pillar a little more but not a lot. The C7 A pillar will still collapse the same way and may not resist as much as this C6Z A pillar did since the bolts held the top in place more than the swing clips would have.
BK bar is too much weight and too high in the car. Its a double no no in my book. It doesnt need 3 bars when you only have 2 mounting points and thus 1 bar effectively supporting the other 2. I think the BK bar is a joke the more i look at it. Giant expensive paper weight.
08-14-2017, 12:40 AM
Creating my own roll bar...
