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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ One less 914

Posted by: drew365 Mar 9 2003, 09:59 PM

Spent the weekend at Buttonwillow Race Park in the company of a bunch of fine racers including our very own distinguished leader B.R.
I had a real good weekend. My car ran well, and I posted some respectable times for my first time at this track. I also managed to keep the car on the pavement. Unfortunately I can't say that about my friend Bob who redesigned his 914 the quick way. He caught a wheel in the mud while the car was oversteering off track, did a pirouet about 10 feet in the air and rolled it 3 or 4 times, accounts vary. Needless to say the car is toast. Unbelievably he is fine except for a few bruises. His roll cage saved his life and lived up to it's name. He can't wait to get a roller to transfer all the parts over and get back on the track. Must be a disease.

Posted by: drew365 Mar 9 2003, 10:00 PM

Another view

Posted by: drew365 Mar 9 2003, 10:01 PM

And one more:

Posted by: SirAndy Mar 9 2003, 10:40 PM

man, i'm sure glad i have one of tony's roll cages!
glad to hear the guy is OK ...

Posted by: campbellcj Mar 9 2003, 11:45 PM

Ouch...glad to hear he's OK. I just saw that car last weekend, but it looked a bit different then. Pretty quick too.

Anybody who whines about the ever-tightening safety equipment rules should see this thread. (POC now requires roll bars/cages, nomex suits & gloves, and fire extinguishers in just about every modified car class. That's a good thing IMHO.)

Posted by: Tony C Mar 9 2003, 11:58 PM

Wow, I can't believe how much the targa bar bent! I always questioned the "elders" when they said that they were strong... Glad to hear everyone is OK. At a track event a week ago a woman I have instructed many times rolled her Miata. I went and looked at the cage on thursday night and everything looks OK. But the actual rollover hapend at less than 20mph.

-Tony

Posted by: drew365 Mar 10 2003, 09:16 AM

The picture doesn't show it but the roll bar across the targa section actually bent down and compressed the diagonal which runs down to the rear corner post. The welds cracked some but didn't let loose. I'd say he tested the limits of his bar. He was participating in the racers clinic to get his license for Cup Racing. He became the poster boy instead for the afternoon class.

Posted by: Jeroen Mar 10 2003, 09:27 AM

The idea of the roll cage giving in is scary as hell...
OTOH 3 or 4 rolls is quite a bit.

Was this a 'bolt in' cage or a custom fabbed one?

Do you have any more detailed shot?

I saw some incar shots form Collin McRea (top WRC driver) a while back.
He smacked sideways into a tree and the cage bent enough for his helmet to hit the tubing...

Scary stuff

cheers,

Jeroen

Posted by: Tony C Mar 10 2003, 09:29 AM

If you have pics of the main hoop and diagonal I would really like to see them. Maybe Brad took some as well?

-Tony

Posted by: drew365 Mar 10 2003, 09:34 AM

It wasn't a bolt in, it was all welded into the car. I only took the three shots but can get some close ups later. The car is at the shop where my car is worked on also.

Posted by: drew365 Mar 10 2003, 06:51 PM

Here's a few shots of the bar. It took the initial hit on the drivers side behind his head.

Posted by: drew365 Mar 10 2003, 06:57 PM

You can see from this shot the top bar caved in.

Posted by: drew365 Mar 10 2003, 07:00 PM

You can't tell from this angle but the diagonal bar is bowed forward where it meets the lower horizontal bar. The welds at this spot show cracks but they held.

Posted by: drew365 Mar 10 2003, 07:01 PM

Here's one more shot from the rear showing the angle of the dangle.

Posted by: Brad Roberts Mar 10 2003, 07:42 PM

Let him know we can locate good solid tubs (I already have 3 in mind) Tony can do a POC legal cage for him.

I didnt have a digital camera with me... and I cant stand to look at wrecked 914's.

B

Posted by: Tony C Mar 10 2003, 11:41 PM

Drew, thanks for the pics. As a cage builder I also try and learn from crashes. That cage saved his life, there is no doubt about it. It was contructed very well from the pictures you have posted.

(edit) The main hoop diagonal should have been fabricated closer to the upper left hand (drivers side) corner of the main hoop. IMHO

-Tony

Posted by: campbellcj Mar 11 2003, 12:04 AM

Makes me kinda glad I opted for that Petty bar (even though it is a bit of a PITA sometimes).

Posted by: Brad Roberts Mar 11 2003, 12:08 AM

You have essentially a new born... I wouldnt have let you leave the shop without one.

B