Autopower Roll Cage, Does it fit?? Options

[jnp914]

Does anyone have any experience with the ubiquitous Autopower SCCA-legal roll cage? How well does it fit, is it a through the dash configuration? How about the knee bar? Sidebars ok to crawl over?

Oh yeah, do SCCA legal roll cages have any rearward facing struts that involve the rear glass , etc?

[J P Stein]

Do ya mean one of these?

[J P Stein]

There ARE some "issues". Many of my install details are of my own design(?).....but all the tubes came from Autopower. It was a major PITA to install.

TonyC's cages seem much more access/egresss friendly.....if you're close to him.

[machina]

As you can see from the picture, the cage fits, but not too tight and the knee bar is way out there. It is SCCA legal if it is installed correctly and is probably a good deal, not very much money compared to a proper custom built cage.

On the other hand by the time you added nascar door bars, rear down tubes, and moved the crossbar behind the dash, you might have well started from scratch anyway.

You get what you pay for.

dr

[jnp914]

I am trying to figure out how I am going to maneuver both legs, and the spare tire, over the side bar, around the front down tube and under the knee bar.

It looks like it fits like the first Formula Ford I tried on for size. Once I got in, I needed help getting out.

Sheesh. 54 is a bitch, and 55 is right around the corner.

[machina]

you are right jerry,

It is a bitch getting in and out of the car even with the wider nascar bars and the crossbar up under the dash. I put a quick release steering wheel on, that helps alot but it is still real tight.

I am 5'10, 165lb by the way.

There is a fellow about 6'2, 220 lb who runs a 914-6 down here. He gave up on squeezing through the door/window opening and now he goes in from the top.

He just leaves the fiberglass roof off the car and slides in through the roof. Not exactly graceful but easier than the former method.

dr

[john rogers]

I use one of the Autopower cages and so far have had no trouble. I installed it myself and it took a weekend since I did some rust cleaning on the floor pans and put in some new carpet and mounted my camer/recorder. I get in/out through the door without too much trouble and I'm 58 or so. I have the targa top bolted down. I've seen two car do rolls at Willow Springs with an Autopower bar/brace only and a six point cage as I have and in both cases the bar/cage tubing never budged a mm. What ever setup you get, make sure on the receipt it says "DOM tubing" and has approved dia and thickness. Good luck

[cha914]

I think its all in the install...I have one that was put in like JP's with the down bars going in front of the dash...this puts the knee bar really close. I am going to have to redo the cage cause the knee bar would break both my legs if I ever hit anything head on. I want to put the down bars through the dash and the knee bar up under the dash. Plus I would rather do an 'X' door brace than the way the AutoPower one is setup.

That said I think a proper install of the AutoPower cage should be fine as John mentioned...just be sure it is DOM tubing and not ERW...

Tony

[jnp914]

Tony,

What you have described doing is more what I had in mind.

If I go to the trouble to mod the stock Autopower bar, aren't I almost to the point of having a custom bar fabbed and installed?

[SirAndy]

If I go to the trouble to mod the stock Autopower bar, aren't I almost to the point of having a custom bar fabbed and installed?

yes, btw. it wasn't a lot of trouble. one sat. afternoon (bout 6 hours) and the cage was in. all i had to do was watching Tony C. and drink beer (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Andy

[cha914]

Well, if you can weld, you might want to get the autopower kit and just modify it yourself...that way you get most of the pre-bent tubes and will only have to make a few changes (just be sure that its DOM) However, if you are going to have someone else install the cage, you might as well just take it to a pro and have them build it from scratch. Just be sure you know what you are getting...and if you are on the left coast, you can't get much better than a TCdesign cage...

Good luck,

Tony

[jnp914]

Andy-

That is what I like to see, initial strategic planning followed by swift execution.

Sounds do-able.

[jnp914]

Tony,

I am not on the coast now, but I will be reasonably close (Vegas) in about six months.

[SirAndy]

Andy-

That is what I like to see, initial strategic planning followed by swift execution.

Sounds do-able.

if you haven't already, look up the pics of my car and how tony c. did the cage.

http://www.sirandy.com/projects/cars/

click on the pictures link, then scroll down to the "Early September 2002, she got a nice new roll-cage ... " link.

if you look at some of the later links you can see the car re-assembled.
the front "knee-bar" goes completely behind the dash, not visible anymore, same "leg-room" as before. plus, the way he did the door section, getting in and out is still fairly easy, especially with the top off, you can use the top bar to lift yourself in/out.

did i mention that i'm quite happy with how the cage turned out?
way to go tony! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

later,
Andy