71roadster

I am getting ahead of myself as I still need to finish the carbon fiber center console before I move fully into this project, but this is the beginning of the end of the vision I have always had for my car. I only bent one tube just to test the bender and photochopped the pic to make the image shown. The cross bar will fit right under the lip of the deck lid so it wont be in the way at all. There will also be two bars triangulating back to make a 4 point bar. Not race legal buy any means, but since it is 1-5/8 X 0.125 DOM it should add quite a bit of rigidity as well as some margin of safety where there is currently none.


Chris

gkull

Chris - are you running any 45 degree forward? I know that your into auto-X and some triangulation really helps.

My rear most bar is about above the the cross member bar. Giving a crush area for rear impacts.

You would believe how much safer I felt after installing bars!:)





[Modified by gkull, 4:31 PM 8/28/2003]

71roadster

I was thinking about making a removable piece that goes the the right front of the passenger well but am not yet sure about that. It would certainly make it a lot more safer when I finally get onto a road course.

C


[Modified by 71roadster, 4:15 PM 8/28/2003]

flynhi

I'm interested in buying a duplicate for my 71 raodster. Any chance of making a deal?

SmokedTires

Should look very cool when completed :yesnod: :thumbs:

gkull

I've got a door bar swing out or even remove kit that I never installed. Give me a call if you would like it. NHRA/SCCA approved. But it's for the 1 3/4 bars.

71roadster

George, got any pics or a desciption of how that swing out installs or attaches? I might be able to make it work. At the very least it might make a nice option as I plan to build these to order. Have to pay for the tooling and the steel.

Will, see the above comment.

I do plan on making extras, but only on a cash up front basis. They will be in the $400 - $500 range unfinished plus shipping. If someone wanted to powder coat one, they could do that locally for about $100. I will probably just paint mine with a good epoxy. Be aware tho that this bar requires notching the deck lid for clearance. If you are carefull, I think it could be a very clean looking install. To build it without notching the deck lid is possible, but it would then be a head knocker, and I don't even want to think about the problems that would cause. I will post pics of the entire install in a few weeks when I get to it. There will be some nice features on this bar that a lot of folks will really like. I hope!

Chris

gkull

Chris - I'll take out tonight and take some pictures of it. They are heavy duty.

Are you going to manufacturing your kit for sale? Can your bender do .130 wall 1 3/4 mild steel? When you think about bar size 1.5 to 1.75 is only 1/4 inch more and then you have a legal roll bar if it's welded to the frame.

Fevre

My main concern with a roll bar in my vert, or having to put the seat all the way forward which at almost 6'2" is not an option. Look forward to seeing your finished product. :yesnod:

71roadster

George, the bender will do 1.75x.130, but not in the tight radius necessary for the hoops. I could probably pay a professional bending company to mandrel bend the tubes in that radius, but then it would get very expensive. Looking forward to the brace pics.

Fevre, I am 6'1" and can't spare any leg room either. Hence, the notches.

Chris

gkull

Are you cutting holes through the body like I did? I understand your flat rear window delema.

I was going to say that I probably got rid of 45 lbs tearing out the stock thick sound isolation, rear speakers and mounts, roll out cover & mounts. then installing fireproof aluminum matting and fire retardent thin carpet.






[Modified by gkull, 3:19 PM 8/29/2003]

A C

George, the old C3's didn't have rear speakers, and very little jute carpet backing, speaking for my own 69, there was no additional sound deadening stuff in there. Did you seal up the body holes with silicone? What is the best way to seal up those holes? :confused:


[Modified by A C, 8:28 PM 8/29/2003]

gkull

A C - The race roll cage shop that did all the work pop rivited two small plates to the body to surround the roll pipes. I Silicone caulked it all before installing the fire shield and then had an appolestry shop do all the new ire retardent carpet.

It is somewhat more noisy now. Even before these body holes my 79 had major leaks somewhere because the interior would always fill up with smoke doing a line lock burnouts at drag strips.

norvalwilhelm

George isn't it a pain getting in and out. The mustang has downward curved side bars and it still is a pain. The bars will transmit more noise and how about making an already small interior feel even smaller?
At time I would love to install a roll cage like the mustang but I feel it would ruin the interior, even the car.
I know how much safer the car feels from the mustang and driving in and out of driveways you feel the difference in rigidity.
If I way building a uniibody car I wouldn't hesitate but with out vet's seperate frame I hate to do it.
Would make an interesting winter project. :) :)

gkull

Norval - yes it's a pain getting in and out. Nobody very big gets in or out.

This type of swingout requires you to cut the section out and shorten it about one inch. Then on your cut out piece you weld the two small pipe looking pieces that the pin and bolt will go through. The 4 tabs are welded to the cage. The bolt then holds the bottom swing and the pin of course goes through the top for easy removal.







[Modified by gkull, 11:25 AM 9/1/2003]