Rollcage for dual purpose Options

[SirAndy]

If you want to keep arguing that your 914 is safer for you than your Jetta is, you can keep talking.

I'm arguing that comparing a 40+ year old car to a modern car when it comes to safety is a very moot point.

My Jetta better be generally safer than the 914. There's over 30 years of car development between them.

My point is that the cage in my car is nowhere near as close to my head than what you are trying to tell people.
I'm not sure who designed your cage, but if you have exposed metal bars closer than 3" from your head, you need to find a better cage builder.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[SirAndy]

beware your knee's though...
I'm not trying to be negative, but I've seen it with my own eyes..

Yepp, they aren't called "kneecapper" for no reason ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Here's a pic of my cage while it was build (ignore the temp braces). The front cross bar goes under the steering column but is high enough to completely sit behind the dash.
The lower dash pad actually wraps around the bottom of the bar covering it fully.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-179-1210447317.jpg)

[McMark]

Cracker, it may be a trick of the light, but those roll bar corners look like they're kinked. Kinked is bad. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

If you see something like this, it needs to be redone.

[JmuRiz]

Questions (not sure if on or off-topic): Would it be possible to do a 914/6 GT style bolt-in top to give some extra support, along with the beefed up a-pillar, to help with safety on a dual purpose car?

Also, is there a way to help with side-impact protection on a dual purpose or street driven car w/o a cage?

[Cracker]

Cracker, it may be a trick of the light, but those roll bar corners look like they're kinked. Kinked is bad. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

If you see something like this, it needs to be redone.

Mark - It IS a trick of the light...I have no "kinks" in the cage. Coincidentally, I have one of the best race fabricator's in the South. Thanks for looking out for me...I'm sure that does occur in home built cars quite often.

On the note above about quality. I see so many cages that are only mounted to the top of the rocker (box), or the plate just rolls over the edge. The 914 rockers are CRAZY thin metal and need as much contact area as possible. We used 1/4" plate that runs from the seam all the way to the floor pan. Be sure to "hang" when welding here as the heat can cause major "sag" in the rocker and close your door gaps in a heartbeat! We also tied into the upper seat belt mounts in the sails - this is typical but also important in allowing the entire assembly to "box/triangulate". JFYI.

[Cracker]

Aaron,

the car has a nice pan and the seat is lowered into the pan recess...
lower than a stock floor.

a lot of nice fab work and effort went into lowering that seat.

beware your knee's though...
I'm not trying to be negative, but I've seen it with my own eyes..

Padding is the bare minimum on all area's of a roll cage
it doesn't really make it as safe as say "no body contact"

Brant is correct. When you go down "this" road it IS a one way street. Things can be reverted but that too would be quite a bit of work. We did notch the floor and built a custom floor pan (skid plate technically) and set the seat height to MY liking. Litrally, an average sized man doesn't see 3/4 up the steering wheel - quite funny to see. NO adjustability at all...it's right where I want it and NO ONE drives my car but me. at 4.15 pounds per HP it is a death trap if not accustomed to it.

Thanks for the advice regarding the "knee knockers"...I'll look into a better solution. I'm just slightly hard headed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[brant]

my car but me. at 4.15 pounds per HP it is a death trap if not accustomed to it.

I'm definitely taking this off topic

wow... what motor and weight are you
500hp and 2000lbs?

[Cracker]

my car but me. at 4.15 pounds per HP it is a death trap if not accustomed to it.

I'm definitely taking this off topic

wow... what motor and weight are you
500hp and 2000lbs?

A little more weight...and a little more power. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[J P Stein]

With the top on the car (the yellow one) that cage is SCCA legal.