How do you remove the crash bars on late doors? Options

[dan10101]

Yes, I have a cage and I will have door bars.

So I looked and looked, but can't find a write up on how to remove the factory crash bars on late doors? I have 1/2 of it out, but the door latch side is a puzzlement. So far I've cut them in half and was able to cut out the front hinge side.

Can someone help?

[914Sixer]

I have never seen it done before. I was going to do it I would have started on the other side and removed the outer door skin.

[dan10101]

Well, I'm sure that would work. You would have access to cutting it off close to the edge and not mess with the inner panel or possibly even the interior components.

Here is how I got the front bar section out. It is riveted to the inside frame structure. I tried to drill out the rivets, but it wouldn't budge. So I cut that section out. After grinding it down I was able to wiggle it out from there. I'll put that section back in for strength.
Even so just that piece was 8#.





The back section was riveted to an bracket, but also looks to be riveted to the structure where the weatherstrip goes to seal the door to the body.

Weight changes
(bathroom scale measurements)
Full 1975 door weight 55# (no door card, or speakers etc)
remove window, internal components, and latch/handles 34#
remove 1/2 of the door bar 26#

[Literati914]

..Yes, I have a cage and I will have door bars.

I'm confused, but whats new!! I mean... you're cutting bars out of these doors to put into your existing doors? As-in "I WILL have door bars if it's the last thing I do!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)
.."Or, these are your existing doors and you're cutting the stock bars out (to save weight) because your roll cage has door bars already? Sorry I'm no help. I would have cut the sections out of the each outside end and pulled it out as a whole unit, probably.

EDIT: ok we must have been typing at the same time. I see now, you're saving weight. Good job!

[mepstein]

I would have bought early doors.

[dan10101]

..Yes, I have a cage and I will have door bars.

I'm confused, but whats new!! I mean... you're cutting bars out of these doors to put into your existing doors? As-in "I WILL have door bars if it's the last thing I do!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)
.."Or, these are your existing doors and you're cutting the stock bars out (to save weight) because your roll cage has door bars already? Sorry I'm no help. I would have cut the sections out of the each outside end and pulled it out as a whole unit, probably.

EDIT: ok we must have been typing at the same time. I see now, you're saving weight. Good job!

Yes, it's replacing one door bar with another. Hopefully saving weight with all this work. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif). I'm hoping a tube will weigh less than 14#s. Actually, I'm hoping to save 25# per door. We'll see.

[dan10101]

I would have bought early doors.

hard to do when I already have them. But, next time, Yeah, I would go with early doors.

[914 Ranch]

Just got back from Club NARP where my build thread is and it did not show how I got the bar out just that it weighed 11 pounds. looks almost exactly like yours. I think I used a small grinding wheel. the thread over there is in the garage under Carerror.

[mlindner]

Dan, if needed I have a 72/73 early passenger door (no crash bar) but with late window attachments. Mark

[wndsrfr]

I used a three inch cuter wheel...pretty easy to get most of it, just left the stub..

[dan10101]

Just got back from Club NARP where my build thread is and it did not show how I got the bar out just that it weighed 11 pounds. looks almost exactly like yours. I think I used a small grinding wheel. the thread over there is in the garage under Carerror.

Thanks Joe, I think I'm going the same way you did on the door. it rains too much to go without windows. I just need to find a good thread on making lightweight windows.

I can see why people have different weights of their bars. Some get a bigger bite and leave less material.

[dan10101]

Dan, if needed I have a 72/73 early passenger door (no crash bar) but with late window attachments. Mark

Thanks, I have 2 good passenger doors to ruin before I go that direction (but I'l keep you in mind for the inevitable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

[dan10101]

I used a three inch cuter wheel...pretty easy to get most of it, just left the stub..

I'll just have to get to it with the cutters and see how much I can get.

That's the window and door opening mechanism I'm thinking.
Simple and light. Did you use glass or polycarbonate windows?

Thanks,
Dan

[Mike Bellis]

I don't think the weight savings is worth the safety trade off. Especially since with your HP & torque, you will never feel the difference.

[dan10101]

I don't think the weight savings is worth the safety trade off. Especially since with your HP & torque, you will never feel the difference.

Probably not, but I can't get out of my head how much a porker it is. Almost 2600# before I started with it. heck, my 944 was 2900.

What does yours weigh?


Joe Sharp, I can't get over your's being 1000# lighter.... I'm enjoying reading your thread.. Thanks.

[Mike Bellis]

I don't think the weight savings is worth the safety trade off. Especially since with your HP & torque, you will never feel the difference.

Probably not, but I can't get out of my head how much a porker it is. Almost 2600# before I started with it. heck, my 944 was 2900.

What does yours weigh?


Joe Sharp, I can't get over your's being 1000# lighter.... I'm enjoying reading your thread.. Thanks.

I'm just under 2300 lbs. Not sure where you extra 300 came from. Although I could be a little heavier since I added caging up front and tied in my tow bar connections. Still your going to be close to 500ft lbs pushing that thing. You won't feel the added couple pounds.

[dan10101]

I don't think the weight savings is worth the safety trade off. Especially since with your HP & torque, you will never feel the difference.

Probably not, but I can't get out of my head how much a porker it is. Almost 2600# before I started with it. heck, my 944 was 2900.

What does yours weigh?


Joe Sharp, I can't get over yours being 1000# lighter.... I'm enjoying reading your thread.. Thanks.

I'm just under 2300 lbs. Not sure where you extra 300 came from. Although I could be a little heavier since I added caging up front and tied in my tow bar connections. Still your going to be close to 500ft lbs pushing that thing. You won't feel the added couple pounds.

I'm not sure that everything fiberglass is saving any weight. It's nice solid fiberglass, thick stuff, not the flimsy stuff I've seen. That said, except for doors, A pillars and sail panels, everything exposed is fiberglass. Oh, and the engine lid is stock. But the cage is very well constructed. Full interior with 4 speaker stereo. Plus a few added pieces that probably are heavier than they need to be.

I'm curious about how your added bars up front. That's one area I will likely be adding tubing.

Back to cutting on the door. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

[mlindner]

I don't have any numbers to share regarding weight, all I remember is the door with the crash bar is very heavy compared to ones without....May be double the weight. Mark

[rgalla9146]

I don't think the weight savings is worth the safety trade off. Especially since with your HP & torque, you will never feel the difference.

Probably not, but I can't get out of my head how much a porker it is. Almost 2600# before I started with it. heck, my 944 was 2900.

What does yours weigh?


Joe Sharp, I can't get over yours being 1000# lighter.... I'm enjoying reading your thread.. Thanks.

I'm just under 2300 lbs. Not sure where you extra 300 came from. Although I could be a little heavier since I added caging up front and tied in my tow bar connections. Still your going to be close to 500ft lbs pushing that thing. You won't feel the added couple pounds.

I'm not sure that everything fiberglass is saving any weight. It's nice solid fiberglass, thick stuff, not the flimsy stuff I've seen. That said, except for doors, A pillars and sail panels, everything exposed is fiberglass. Oh, and the engine lid is stock. But the cage is very well constructed. Full interior with 4 speaker stereo. Plus a few added pieces that probably are heavier than they need to be.

I'm curious about how your added bars up front. That's one area I will likely be adding tubing.

Back to cutting on the door. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

Full cage, empty doors...... full interior....four speaker stereo ? 2600 lbs. ! Very confusing. What is it ?

[914 Ranch]

Thanks Joe, I think I'm going the same way you did on the door. it rains too much to go without windows. I just need to find a good thread on making lightweight windows.

Dan, I eventually cut the door skin off the door frame and welded them closed. I left the door handle in but the door gap is gone. I have had several people try to open the door.